Updated in August 2026
The Low Emission Zone in Benidorm, also known as Benidorm LEZ, is already implemented and affects different areas of the city centre, Levante and Poniente.
If you are visiting Benidorm by car, if you have a second home, if you work inside the regulated area, if you are staying at a hotel, if you park in a public car park or if you need to access the city centre, it is important to understand how the LEZ works in order to avoid fines.
Benidorm’s Low Emission Zone regulates vehicle access, circulation and parking with the aim of improving air quality, reducing emissions, organising traffic and promoting more sustainable mobility.
In this guide, we explain clearly and practically what the Benidorm LEZ is, which areas it affects, who can enter, when you need authorisation, how to avoid fines and what you should do before accessing the area with your vehicle.
🚗 What Is the Low Emission Zone in Benidorm?
A Low Emission Zone is an area defined by the Town Hall where vehicle access, circulation and parking are regulated.
The aim is to:
✔ Improve air quality
✔ Reduce polluting emissions
✔ Reduce noise
✔ Organise traffic
✔ Reduce unnecessary vehicle circulation
✔ Protect areas with high pedestrian traffic
✔ Promote a healthier and more sustainable city
In Benidorm, the LEZ forms part of a more sustainable urban mobility model and mainly affects central areas, seafront promenades and places with a high presence of pedestrians, residents, hotels, shops and visitors.
📅 Since When Has the Benidorm LEZ Been Active?
The Benidorm Low Emission Zone began operating on 1 January 2025 in an information phase.
This first phase allowed residents, workers, hotels, car parks, businesses and visitors to become familiar with the system, ask questions and start processing authorisations.
After this information period, the LEZ became fully operational from 1 July 2025.
Currently, the LEZ is already in operation and access is controlled by cameras that read vehicle number plates.
🚨 Are There Already Fines for Entering Without Authorisation?
Yes. Benidorm is already issuing fines for vehicles that enter the LEZ without authorisation when the vehicle requires an active permit.
Failing to comply with the restrictions of a Low Emission Zone is considered a serious offence and can result in a fine of €200.
According to information published in August 2026, fines may be reduced to €100 for prompt payment.
One of the most common mistakes is not necessarily entering intentionally without permission, but forgetting to renew an authorisation that has expired.
That is why, if you already have permission to enter the Benidorm LEZ, it is very important to check that it is still valid.
📍 Which Areas Are Included in the Benidorm LEZ?
The Benidorm Low Emission Zone covers approximately 74 hectares and is divided into three main subzones:
1. City Centre Area
This includes part of the traditional centre, the Old Town and the central urban area.
It is one of the areas with the highest concentration of services, shops, pedestrian streets, hotels, restaurants and people moving around the city.
The City Centre Area is generally located between areas such as Avenida Jaime I, L’Aigüera and streets in the urban centre.
2. Levante Area
This affects the seafront promenade and surrounding area of Levante.
It is a particularly sensitive area due to its high presence of pedestrians, tourists, hotels, restaurants and commercial activity.
3. Poniente Area
This affects the promenade and surrounding area of Poniente.
As in Levante, this is an area closely linked to tourism, pedestrian walking routes, beach access and urban mobility by the sea.
📷 How Is Access Controlled?
Access to the Benidorm LEZ is controlled by cameras installed at different entry and exit points.
These cameras read vehicle number plates and check whether the vehicle has the right to enter or the required authorisation.
Therefore, it is not enough to “just enter for a moment” or assume that there will be no control. If the number plate is not authorised when authorisation is required, the system can detect the access.
✅ Who Can Access the Benidorm LEZ?
In general, access may be allowed for:
✔ Residents of the area
✔ Registered residents who meet the established requirements
✔ Urban public transport
✔ Vehicles with special authorisation
✔ Workers with permits
✔ Vehicles linked to garages, hotels or authorised car parks
✔ Vehicles with occasional or temporary permits
✔ Public services and essential vehicles
However, there is one very important point:
Having an environmental sticker does not always mean you can enter.
Even if your vehicle has a B, C, ECO or ZERO environmental label, you may still need to apply for a permit if you want to access certain areas of the LEZ.
Authorisation depends on your specific situation: whether you are a resident, worker, hotel guest, car park user, garage owner, occasional visitor or service vehicle.
🟢 People Registered as Residents in Benidorm
If you are registered as a resident in Benidorm and also pay the Vehicle Tax in the city, you do not need to request permission to access the City Centre Area of the LEZ.
However, this does not mean you can freely access every point.
In the Levante and Poniente areas, especially along the seafront promenades, the restricted access model remains in place: only residents of the area with municipal authorisation may access these zones.
🏠 Second Home Inside the LEZ
If you have a second home inside the Low Emission Zone, you may access it, but you must apply for the corresponding permit through the official Benidorm LEZ platform.
It is advisable to do this before entering the area in order to avoid problems with the control cameras.
🅿️ Owned or Rented Garage Inside the LEZ
If you have an owned or rented parking space inside the LEZ, you may access it, but you must complete the corresponding permit process beforehand.
Having a parking space does not remove the need to register the vehicle number plate correctly.
💼 People Who Work Inside the LEZ
If you work inside any of the three LEZ areas, you must request an access permit.
This permit is processed through the official platform by means of a responsible declaration and, according to municipal information, is valid for one year.
Important: if your permit expires and you continue to enter without renewing it, you may receive a fine.
👨👩👧 Family or Friends Visiting Residents
People registered as residents inside the LEZ may have monthly permits to authorise the entry of vehicles belonging to family members or friends.
This can be useful for visits, assistance to elderly people, accompaniment or specific situations.
In any case, it is advisable to manage the permit before access or check the applicable procedure on the official platform.
🏨 If You Are Staying at a Hotel Inside the LEZ
If you are staying at a hotel located inside the Low Emission Zone, do not assume access is automatic.
The hotel may manage the communication of guest number plates through the platform, especially if the guest uses the hotel car park or an authorised loading and unloading area.
Even so, the recommendation is clear:
✔ Contact the hotel before arriving
✔ Provide your vehicle number plate
✔ Ask whether the hotel is inside the LEZ
✔ Confirm whether they manage the authorisation
✔ Keep any confirmation you receive
If you need to load or unload luggage, it is also important to ask the accommodation how you should do it.
🅿️ If You Park in a Public Car Park Inside the LEZ
If you need to enter the LEZ to park in an authorised public car park, the car park itself may communicate vehicle number plates to the system.
In that case, the user would not have to complete the process personally, provided that the car park manages the access correctly.
Even so, it is advisable to confirm with the car park that the system is active and that your number plate will be registered.
Blue-zone parking inside the LEZ is generally reserved for authorised residents and workers, so you should not enter assuming that you can park freely on any street.
🚌 Coaches and Discretionary Transport
Discretionary transport, such as tourist buses or coaches, is also regulated.
The aim is to organise passenger loading and unloading, avoid congestion and control access to the most sensitive areas.
The operation includes booking time slots and waiting areas outside the urban environment until the moment of access for loading or unloading.
This particularly affects groups, organised excursions, tourist transport and professional services.
🚘 What Happens If My Vehicle Has a C, ECO or ZERO Label?
The environmental label helps classify the vehicle, but in Benidorm it does not automatically replace the municipal permit when one is required.
In other words:
✔ You may have a C label and still need a permit
✔ You may have an ECO label and still need a permit
✔ You may have a ZERO label and still need a permit
✔ You may have the right to enter, but still need to register your number plate
The key is not only which label your car has, but why you need to enter and whether your number plate is authorised.
🔎 How Can I Check My Vehicle’s Environmental Label?
The Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic allows you to check the environmental classification of a vehicle by entering its number plate.
There are four main categories:
✔ ZERO label
✔ ECO label
✔ C label
✔ B label
The most polluting vehicles may not have the right to an environmental label.
Although displaying the sticker is generally voluntary, many municipal regulations use the environmental label to manage access, restrictions or mobility benefits.
🌍 Foreign Vehicles
Foreign vehicles must also comply with the Benidorm LEZ regulations.
If you are visiting Benidorm with a vehicle registered outside Spain, it is advisable to check the applicable procedure in advance and confirm whether you need to register the number plate or request a permit.
Do not wait until you are already inside the restricted area to resolve it.
📲 How Are Permits Requested?
Permits are managed through the official Benidorm LEZ platform.
From this platform, users can carry out different procedures, such as:
✔ Registering as a user
✔ Checking whether an address is inside the LEZ
✔ Checking vehicle information
✔ Requesting access permits
✔ Managing temporary or permanent authorisations
✔ Checking the status of an application
The system is designed to make the process easier for residents, workers, property owners, garage users, businesses, car parks and other groups.
⏳ Do Permits Need to Be Renewed?
Yes. According to municipal information, permanent permits are renewed annually, except for occasional permits, which have limited validity.
This is very important because an expired authorisation can result in a fine, even if the driver previously had permission to access the area.
Before entering the LEZ, check:
✔ That your permit is still active
✔ That your number plate is correctly registered
✔ That the authorisation covers the correct area
✔ That the validity date has not expired
✔ That the reason for access is correctly justified
🚨 Streets Where More Fines Are Being Concentrated
According to information published in local press in August 2026, some fines for unauthorised access are being concentrated especially on Calle Pérez Llorca and, to a lesser extent, on Calle Esperanto.
This does not mean that only these streets are monitored.
The LEZ has several access and exit points controlled by cameras, so any unauthorised entry can be detected.
🧭 Tips to Avoid Fines in the Benidorm LEZ
Before entering central Benidorm with your car, follow these tips:
✔ Check whether your destination is inside the LEZ
✔ Check whether you need authorisation
✔ Do not rely only on the environmental label
✔ Register your number plate if necessary
✔ If you are going to a hotel, send your number plate before arriving
✔ If you are going to a car park, confirm that the car park communicates number plates
✔ If you have an annual permit, check the expiry date
✔ If you are a worker, renew your authorisation on time
✔ If you do not need to enter, park outside and walk
✔ If you have doubts, check the official platform or contact the Town Hall
🚶 Alternatives for Moving Around Benidorm Without Entering the LEZ
Benidorm is a very comfortable city to explore on foot, by public transport or by using strategic car parks.
If you do not need to enter the centre by car, you can:
✔ Park outside the regulated area
✔ Use public transport
✔ Walk along the seafront promenade
✔ Use a taxi or authorised transfer
✔ Arrive at your accommodation and leave the car in a car park
✔ Explore Benidorm on foot, by bike or by Segway
In many cases, avoiding entering the LEZ by car is the easiest, fastest and safest option.
🌱 Why Has the LEZ Been Implemented in Benidorm?
The implementation of Low Emission Zones responds to national regulations requiring cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants to adopt sustainable mobility measures.
In Benidorm, the LEZ aims to improve air quality, reduce emissions, organise tourist traffic, promote public transport, encourage cycling, improve park-and-ride facilities and move towards a more sustainable urban model.
The city wants to remain a leading tourist destination, while also becoming healthier, more accessible and more efficient.
✅ Quick Summary
The Benidorm LEZ is already active and controls access using cameras.
Remember:
✔ The LEZ affects the City Centre, Levante and Poniente
✔ It has been operational since 2025
✔ Entering without authorisation can result in a €200 fine✔ The fine may be reduced for prompt payment
✔ The environmental label is not always enough to access
✔ Many permits must be processed through the official platform
✔ Annual permits must be renewed
✔ Hotels and car parks may manage number plates in some cases
✔ If in doubt, check your situation before entering
The Benidorm Low Emission Zone is now part of the city’s daily mobility.
If you are going to enter the city centre, Levante, Poniente or any regulated area by car, the most important thing is to get informed in advance, check whether you need a permit and make sure your number plate is authorised.
Benidorm is still an easy city to visit, but it is now more important to plan vehicle access properly.
Before entering the LEZ, check your authorisation, consult official information and avoid unnecessary fines.
Enjoy Benidorm in a comfortable, safe and responsible way.
