Vehicles subject to the charge
The vehicles subject to the per-kilometre charge are :
- Motor vehicles (for example, single lorries)
- All articulated vehicles (for example lorries with trailers or towing vehicles with semi-trailers)
- which are intended for the transport of goods on roads, and those that are used for this purpose, either exclusively or partially;
- and which have a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of over 3.5 tonnes.
In order to use the Belgian road network, all heavy goods vehicles subject to the per-kilometre charge must be equipped with an OBU (On Board Unit), a recording system that calculates the toll charge owed via a satellite signal. To obtain this OBU, each user must enter into a contract with a service provider that is recognised and approved in Belgium. The list of service providers can be found on the VIAPASS website.
Vehicle drivers are expected to check that the OBU in their vehicles are switched on as soon as they enter the Belgian road network, regardless of whether there is a per-kilometre charge to use the road.
Several types of vehicles fall “outside the scope” of the per-kilometre charge :
- Vehicles intended for transporting passengers: school buses, mobile homes, motor homes, etc.
- Construction equipment: cranes, elevators with telescopic arms (if their payload does not exceed 500 kg), excavators, bulldozers, concrete pumps without mixers, dumpers, etc.
- Tractors used in farming, horticulture and forestry,without a trailer or tool attached (mowing machines, pruners, etc.).
- “Training” vehiclesif they meet the four following conditions :
- They have dual controls in the cabin ;
- They carry no goods (except for educational purposes, such as concrete blocks) ;
- They are externally recognizable by the name “driving school” on the cabin ;
- They are registered in the name of a driving school or a social fund for transportation and logistics.
- Vehicles with a Y-type test drive license plate.
- Vintage vehicles with an O licence plate.
If a vehicle mentioned above transports goods, it falls within the scope of the per-kilometre charge. Owners of vehicles registered in the Walloon Region can check whether the vehicles fall outside the scope of the charge by contacting SOFICO (rue du Canal de l’Ourthe, 9/3, 4031 Angleur or via contact@sofico.org). The request must be accompanied, if possible, by a recto-verso copy of the registration certificate, a photograph of the vehicle and the vehicle identification report issued by Motor vehicle inspection body.
Users may declare a vehicle that falls outside the scope of the per-kilometre charge if they wish to avoid being subjected to constant checks. For vehicles registered in Wallonia, this declaration may be e-mailed to SOFICO via contact@sofico.org. For vehicles registered abroad, this declaration can be made via VIAPASS, the inter-regional entity.