Driving in Belgium

iStockphoto

The roads crisscrossing Belgium's flat countryside are labeled and categorized by letters of the
alphabet.

In this article:
1. Driving in Belgium
2. Exploring Belgium by Car: Legal Issues

Although Belgium is not exactly a big country, driving allows you to make use of its modern, toll-
free road network and to see the local sights at your own convenience. The InterNations guide gives
you a succinct introduction to the most important aspects of driving in Belgium.

If you plan on living in Belgium as an expat, you are probably keen on driving in Belgium too.
Owning a car allows one to easily travel through this beautiful country. Despite the fact that
Belgium is a fairly small nation, where the distance between two points is never more than 300 km,
most Belgians own at least one car per household.

Road Infrastructure in Belgium

Belgium’s 154,012 kilometers of roads follow an orderly network. Belgian roads are labeled and
differentiated by letters of the alphabet. A-roads connect major cities and international destinations
and usually radiate out from Brussels. B-roads are shorter routes between other, slightly smaller
cities. R-roads are ring roads that form around large cities, and N-roads connect secondary cities and
towns. Provincial roads abound in Belgium; however, they rarely have signposts.

There are no toll roads in Belgium, aside from the Liefkenshoek Tunnel in Antwerp. The Belgian
highway system is purportedly among the best lit in Europe, which eases driving at night.
If you are planning on driving in Belgium’s capital, be very cautious concerning the traffic, as
congestion in Brussels is terrible. Don’t be surprised if you spend a fair amount of time waiting in
traffic. Additionally, the city is reportedly quite dangerous to drive in. This is mainly due to the fact
that many Belgians drive at extreme speeds. A 2012 nationwide study conducted by the Belgian
Institute for Road Safety reports that in built-up areas less than one in ten Belgians adhere to the
maximum speed limit. Although highways have a standard speed limit of 120 km/h the study
announces that 40% of drivers go much faster.

Brussels’ R0 Ring is apparently a nightmare concerning traffic; however, the Agency for Roads and
Traffic is presently working on improving this congestion.

Compared to its neighbors France, Germany and Netherlands, Belgium has the highest road death
rate per capita amongst all three, thus having one of the highest in Western Europe.

How to Get a Driving Permit in Belgium

Persons with a valid driver’s license that was originally issued in a European Union member state
can go on driving in Belgium with their normal license until it expires. It is recommended to trade it
in for a Belgian license though, as this simplifies things for the police and can serve as a form of
identification.

If your license was issued in a non-EU country, you are allowed to drive with an international
driving permit for visits that are up to six months in duration. However, if you intend to visit the
country for a longer time or if you establish resident status, you need to apply for a local license for
driving in Belgium. The country has a license agreement with some nations, so their citizens are
able to simply trade their license in for a Belgian one. Citizens from most other countries must take
both the written and practical driving test in order to legally drive in Belgium.

To find out which non-EU countries need to meet which requirements, visit the Federal Public
Service of Mobility and Transport and check their list of countries whose citizens qualify for
swapping their national permits for driving in Belgium.

The application for a Belgian driver’s license takes place at the town hall in the municipality you are
registered in. You need to supply a completed application form, proof of residency, your original
license, an application fee, and passport photos. After that, there are no more obstacles to driving in
Belgium.