Seville low emission zone in 2026: who it affects, fines and the grants left for going electric

What the Seville low emission zone is

The Seville low emission zone (Zona de Bajas Emisiones, ZBE) is the area where the City Council limits the most polluting vehicles. It exists because Law 7/2021 on climate change and energy transition requires municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants to have one. Seville amended its Traffic Bylaw in May 2022 and in June that year opened the public consultation on the ZBE of the Isla de la Cartuja, which is the one operating today.

Many people assume the ZBE covers the whole city centre, or that a petrol (gasoline) car with a B label can no longer enter. That is not the case. Let us look precisely at what is in force, what is being processed and what to bear in mind if you are considering changing your car.

Where it is and when it applies

The current ZBE has two sectors, both on the Isla de la Cartuja:

• Cartuja Norte: around the Engineering School and the Science and Technology Park, inside the ring formed by Américo Vespucio, Leonardo da Vinci and the SE-30 slip road.
• Cartuja Sur: between Calle Marie Curie and Camino de los Descubrimientos.

It applies Monday to Friday, except public holidays, from 7:00 to 19:00. Outside those hours, and at weekends and on public holidays, there is no restriction.

Who it affects: environmental labels

Spanish vehicles carry an environmental label (distintivo ambiental) issued by the DGT, the national traffic authority, according to their emissions.

Residents, vehicles of people with reduced mobility, emergency vehicles and goods delivery vehicles are exempt. In addition, any vehicle with no label can make up to 10 entries a month by registering them in the municipal app.

Fines: what applies and what may change

Enforcement is by cameras and information panels. After an awareness period during 2024 and 2025, fines have applied since 1 January 2026, with a 200-euro fine for entering with no label and no exemption.

That regime is under review. A political agreement at the City Council proposes removing fines for driving with no label except on high pollution days, and in June 2026 the public consultation opened on a new bylaw regulating low emission zones. As of the date of this article the process remains open and there is no approval date.

Will the ZBE be extended?

There is no official timetable restricting B or C labels in 2027 or 2028. There are political proposals in opposite directions: some to extend the ZBE to the historic centre (Casco Antiguo) and others to repeal it. Be wary of any specific date you see published: today there is none. The prudent approach is to follow the processing of the new bylaw and bear in mind that Law 7/2021 will still require the City Council to keep a ZBE.

If you are thinking about going electric: grants in 2026

The Cartuja ZBE does not force anyone to change their car, but if you are considering it, it is worth knowing which grants remain open. These are the ones in force in 2026:

Auto+ Programme for buying the vehicle

The Auto+ Programme (Royal Decree 609/2026) replaces MOVES III for vehicles. It has 400 million euros: 350 million for individuals, with applications from 4 August to 31 December 2026 or until funds run out, and 50 million for companies and the self-employed from 1 October. The grant reaches 4,500 euros per car for individuals (6,000 euros for the self-employed and micro-businesses), for cars of up to 45,000 euros before tax and with no need to scrap an old one. By mid-October 74 % of the budget for individuals had already been requested. It does not cover the charger.

15 % income tax deductions

Royal Decree-law 7/2026 extended two 15 % deductions in Spanish income tax (IRPF) to 31 December 2026: one for buying plug-in electric vehicles, with a maximum base of 20,000 euros, and another for installing a charging point in a property you own, with a maximum base of 4,000 euros (up to 600 euros saved). We explain the charger deduction in depth in our article on the EV charger tax deduction in Spain. These deductions only help if you file a Spanish IRPF return.

Road tax in Seville

The sources consulted mention a 75 % reduction in road tax (impuesto de circulación) for five years for electric vehicles, on application. Confirm it in the current tax bylaw of the Seville Tax Agency before counting on it. The City Council does not, however, offer any direct grant for installing chargers.

Taxis, ride-hailing and vans

For fleets there is the MOVES Flotas programme, with 9,000 euros per electric taxi or VTC (ride-hailing) car when an old vehicle is scrapped.

Where you will charge: the piece that decides whether it pays off

An electric car pays off above all if you can charge at home. On a tariff with cheap night hours, driving 100 km costs around 1.8 euros, against 9 to 11 euros in petrol.

• House: a single-phase charging point costs 800 to 1,600 euros including unit and installation. See home EV charger for houses.
• Communal garage: 1,200 to 2,200 euros depending on the distance to the meter room. You do not need the comunidad’s (community of owners’) permission, only to notify it. See EV charger in a communal garage.
• Public charging: in 2022 Seville awarded a municipal network of 350 double positions (700 points) on public streets, and the first 56 points came into service in April 2024, precisely around the Cartuja. In the province there are of the order of 720 to 780 public points depending on the map consulted.

All the installation options are in our EV charger installation section, and help with the deduction on EV charger grants and tax relief.

Practical conclusion

Today Seville’s ZBE is small and mild: only the Cartuja, only on working days from 7 am to 7 pm and only for vehicles with no label, with 10 courtesy entries a month and a new bylaw in progress that may change the fines regime. If your car has a B label or higher, it does not affect you. If you are considering an electric car, combine the Auto+ Programme for the car with the income tax deduction for the charger, and remember that both end on 31 December 2026, and Auto+ sooner if funds run out. More guides on our blog.