The Metropolitan register (Metropolitan Register of Foreign Vehicles and other Authorised Vehicles) is a service for the processing of permits for vehicles to drive within the restricted area of ZBE (low emissions zones) of the metropolis Barcelona, according to the regulations in force.
If you own a vehicle that does not have an environmental label, or if you own a foreign-registered vehicle, the service enables you to obtain information about, apply for and manage — mainly through digital means — the different types of permits to drive in the restricted area.
Registration for the ZBE metropolitan permit is a one-off procedure. To register, the owner of the vehicle must send an application form to the Metropolitan register.
Once your application has been accepted, you can activate and pay the single-day permits, up to 24 per year, from the user area on the registration website. A single-day permit can be activated up until 11.59 pm on the day after accessing the ZBE. You can also request and pay single-day permits at any post office (Correos), with the correponding management cost.
Exceptionally, single-day permits can be requested two days after access presenting a urgency justificant.
Vehicles registered outside Spain are not classified according to criteria of the DGT environmental label. Therefore, all these vehicles need to be registered before they can drive in the ZBE Rondes de Barcelona.
Vehicles that can prove that they meet the equivalent technological requirements may apply for a long term permit:
Motorcycles, mopeds and other category L light vehicles classified as Euro 2 or higher (typically those first registered after 2003).
Cars (M1) and vans (N1) classified as electric, petrol Euro 3 or higher (typically those first registered after 2000), or diesel Euro 4 or higher (typically those first registered after 2005).
Lorries (N2, N3), buses and coaches (M2, M3): 'electric', 'diesel Euro 4' or higher (typically those first registered after 2005). By way of exception, during the grace period stated in the bylaws, commercial vehicles, buses and coaches are granted a permit, even when they do not meet the environmental standards.
It is necessary to attach the vehicle's documentation, showing the owner, the registration, as well as the type of fuel, the Euro level and the date of first registration. If you do not have the official documentation showing the information about the Euro level, you must demonstrate compliance with emissions levels of NOx and equivalent particles by means of an official document.
Vehicles that do not meet the environmental requirements or need an urgent permit may request one-day permits (up to 24 daily permits per year).