Driving in Belgium? Make sure you have these items

With different speed limits in different regions and unpredictable Belgian motorists, driving in Belgium can be stressful. But did you know that it is compulsory to have these items in your vehicle at all times?

The Brussels Times, alongside the VIAS Road Safety Institute, has compiled this guide for non-Belgian drivers planning a road trip across Belgium.

Driver's licence

It goes without saying that drivers should carry a driver's licence with them at all times on Belgian roads. But those with a foreign driver's licence should keep in mind that not all licences are recognised equally.

Expats living in Belgium and using a foreign driver's licence should ensure that they exchange their foreign driver’s licence if required. As a general rule, plastic bank card-style licences can be used by expats up until three months before their expiry date, after which time they should be exchanged for a Belgian one.

Likewise, European drivers with a paper licence, those without an expiry date, or licences valid for over 15 years should be exchanged at the expat's local commune after two years of use since registering at the commune.

Credit: Belga / Siska Gremmelprez

Those driving in Belgium – even in transit – on a non-EU driver's licence and whose country does not have an agreement with the EU, should carry an international drivers licence in addition to their national licence. Motorists from the UK may travel on just their national licence.

While some countries (such as Norway, South Korea, Denmark, Kosovo, among others) issue digital driver's licences, these are not accepted in Belgium. Only physical licences are currently considered valid.

Non-EU citizens residing in Belgium must exchange their foreign driving licence for a Belgian one within 185 days of registering at their local commune.

Foreign drivers, as well as their passengers, must also carry a valid passport in case they are stopped by the police. EU citizens may also present a valid national ID card.

Insurance documents

In Belgium, it is compulsory for all drivers to carry insurance documents in their vehicle. "In theory, you should always have the originals of these documents with you," the VIAS Institute told The Brussels Times.

The driver must have in their vehicle a car insurance policy document, a vehicle registration certificate, a document proving that the vehicle has passed its MOT (contrôle technique), as well as a certificate of conformity. If the vehicle does not belong to you, you should also have a document with written permission allowing you to drive the vehicle.

Credit: Skoops / Wikimedia Commons

These in practice should all be originals in their paper format. However, Belgium car insurance companies are increasingly issuing digital car insurance certificates, which are valid in Belgium. Non-Belgians may also present their car insurance certificate (green card) digitally, but it is still advisable to bring a paper original.

Safety tools

While many drivers remember all of their vehicle documents, other compulsory items are commonly forgotten and drivers can be fined up to €55 on the spot for not having them to hand during police checks.

A fluorescent jacket is compulsory for all vehicles in Belgium, even those passing through from abroad, according to the Drivers' Code. The law requires motorists to have at least one jacket per vehicle, but it is advisable for all passengers have their own jacket in the event of a breakdown.

Credit: Roulex 45 / Wikimedia Commons

These fluorescent jackets should be put on when you get out of the vehicle in a place where you cannot typically stop or park. This is not exclusive to motorways. Motorcyclists are not required to have a fluorescent jacket, but are strongly advised to do so.

Drivers are also required to have a warning triangle. In the case of a breakdown in a location where stopping is not typically allowed, this item should ideally be placed 100 metres – or at a minimum 30 metres – from the vehicle. Motorcyclists do not have to carry this item.

VIAS notes that drivers must also carry a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher. These items are required by law, and the fire extinguisher must be easily accessible to the driver.

For vehicles weighing less than 3,500 kg, the extinguisher must have 1 kg of flame retardant powder. For 3,500-7,500 kg, it should have 2 kg of powder. For large vehicles over 7,500 kg, it should contain 3 kg. The extinguisher must be in date, with an intact seal, and compliant with Belgian standards. They should also be replaced every five years.

A first aid kit is also a legal obligation and must contain different types of dressings, bandages, safety pins, and first aid guidelines. Other items, such as a torch or sunglasses, are not legally required but may still prove useful, VIAS notes.

Travelling through France?

Many people travelling by road – especially those coming from the UK – will pass through France. On the roads leading from the ports of Dunkirk and Calais, French traffic police are known to conduct on-the-spot checks for safety equipment. Many foreign drivers are unaware of the French rules, which are different to those in Belgium.

While hands-free car sets are allowed in Belgium, they are banned in France. If pulled over by the police using a hands-free device, motorists can face hefty fines. Fortunately for foreign motorists, the French requirement to carry a certified breathalyser or alcohol detection kit has been revoked and no longer applies.

Don't forget

UK motorists should remember that they are now obliged to have a sticker on the back of their car with a country code, so that they may be identified on the roads. For British drivers, this sticker must now say 'UK' instead of 'GB', following Brexit.

Drivers of vehicles designed for left-hand traffic must also have anti-dazzle headlight convertor stickers to ensure that the beam is pointed at the right side of the road. In many modern vehicles, this can now be adjusted in the car settings.

Belgian speed limits are different to neighbouring countries. The set speed limits are as follows:

30 km/h (19 mph) across the region, with exception of certain main roads with dedicated higher speed sections

50 km/h (31 mph) in built-up areas

70 km/h (43 mph) outside built-up areas in the Flemish Region and the Brussels-Capital Region

90 km/h (56 mph) outside built-up areas in the Wallonia Region