Running a business that delivers goods in Amsterdam? Or maybe you’re planning a move to the city? Then you’ll need to get your head around the zero emission zones coming to Amsterdam in 2025. Starting 1 January 2025, Amsterdam started enforcing new rules that ban most combustion-engine commercial vehicles from the city center.
The aim? Cleaner air, quieter streets, and a big cut in CO2 emissions across the inner city.
The ZEZ—zero-emission zone—mainly targets vans, trucks, and new scooters. If your vehicle runs on diesel or petrol, you can’t just drive into the restricted area unless you have a specific exemption.
These changes hit everyone from local couriers to big international freight companies passing through the Netherlands. Whether you’re an expat settling in or a logistics operator serving Dutch clients, knowing these rules will save you hassle, money, and maybe a few nasty fines.
New to city life? A broader guide to Amsterdam will help you out beyond just traffic rules.
What Changed In Amsterdam From 1 January 2025
Amsterdam set up an emission-free zone inside the S100 ring road, covering the historic city center. The city also tightened up its environmental zones within the A10 ring for older diesel cars and lorries.
The main change is pretty simple. From 1 January 2025, only fully emission-free vans and lorries—so battery-electric or hydrogen-powered—can enter the area inside the S100 if they’re newly registered.
The EU’s urban mobility observatory points out that older vans and trucks registered before that date get a transition period until 2030.
Amsterdam also expanded its low-emission zone for diesel cars and vans to the whole area inside the A10 ring road. If your diesel car or van doesn’t meet emission class 5 or higher, you’re out of luck.
Diesel lorries working between the A10 and S100 now have to meet emission standard 6 or higher.
The city wants to improve air quality. Amsterdam ended its separate taxi low-emission zone, so taxis now just follow the same passenger car rules as everyone else.
New scooters registered from 2025 onward also have to be emission-free. Amsterdam really is leading the way for other Dutch cities on this.
If you’re thinking about owning a car in the Netherlands, these emission rules should be a big part of your decision.
Which Vans And Trucks Can Still Enter
Only zero-emission vehicles—like electric vans and hydrogen-powered trucks—can enter the S100 zone freely if they’re newly registered from 2025 on. Older commercial vehicles have a phased timeline and some exemptions.
If you registered your van or truck before 1 January 2025, you’re not banned right away. Amsterdam built in transition rules so existing diesel, petrol, and LPG commercial vehicles can keep operating inside the zone until 2030.
The Dutch Chamber of Commerce says this gives businesses some breathing room to replace their fleets.
The Dutch cabinet agreed to a year-long reprieve from penalties, thanks to a compromise from State Secretary Chris Jansen. So, enforcement in 2025 focuses more on education than on heavy fines.
From 2026, expect things to get stricter.
Amsterdam put together a transition package to help you switch. You can get a subsidy of €3,000 for buying an electric van or trying out other zero-emission vehicles.
If you have a diesel car or van with emission class 4 or lower, you can get €1,000 (or €1,500 with a Stadspas) for scrapping it. These subsidies last until June 2028 or until the money runs out.
You can check your vehicle’s eligibility using Amsterdam’s online registration number tool. If you’re looking into Amsterdam taxi services, remember that taxis now follow the same rules as regular cars.
How Amsterdam Fits Into The Dutch Rollout
Amsterdam is part of a national effort—at least 15 municipalities launched zero-emission zones on 1 January 2025, and that number should reach 29 cities by 2030.
Cities like Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Eindhoven, Maastricht, Assen, Zwolle, Nijmegen, Tilburg, Amersfoort, Gouda, Leiden, and Delft all rolled out their zones alongside Amsterdam.
Clean Cities analysis says that by mid-2025, 78 percent of new van registrations in the Netherlands were zero-emission. That’s a huge jump, and it shows the policy is really speeding up electric adoption.
The Dutch ZEZ for freight is actually the world’s first nationwide scheme targeting goods vehicles.
Getting here wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. The new coalition government wanted a delay, but the four biggest cities pushed forward.
State Secretary Chris Jansen compromised by letting municipalities go ahead while giving a one-year soft enforcement period.
Industry groups like RAI raised concerns about readiness, but the cities argued that more delays would waste years of planning and investment.
Now, there’s a patchwork that’s getting more unified. Each city sets its own zone boundaries, but the vehicle standards are the same nationwide.
If your electric van qualifies in Amsterdam, it qualifies in Rotterdam or Utrecht too. That’s a big deal for logistics companies working in multiple cities.
The Netherlands is now leading Europe’s transition to zero-emission freight, and Amsterdam is right in the middle of it.
Keeping up with Dutch laws changing in 2025 will help you stay on top of the wider rules.
How Businesses Can Prepare Now
If you want to keep operating in Amsterdam’s city center for the long haul, you’ll need to switch your fleet to zero-emission vehicles. Honestly, it’s not really a choice anymore.
Start early. That way, you can grab available subsidies, pick from a wider range of vehicles, and actually have time to set up your charging points.
Begin by checking your current fleet. Use Amsterdam’s online tool to look up each vehicle’s emission class and registration date.
If you spot any van or truck registered before 2025 that still meets the transitional standards, you’ve got a little breathing room. But don’t wait too long—by 2030, every commercial vehicle in the S100 zone has to produce zero tailpipe emissions.
Look into financial support next. Amsterdam offers a €3,000 subsidy for electric vans, which is a pretty decent incentive.
Some municipalities even throw in extra local programs, so it’s worth digging into what’s out there. The price gap between diesel and electric vans keeps shrinking, and running electric vehicles usually costs less since electricity is cheaper and maintenance isn’t as much of a headache.
Don’t ignore charging infrastructure. If you’ve got a depot or warehouse, set up your own chargers—it’s just more reliable.
No private parking? No problem. Amsterdam and other cities keep rolling out more public charging spots. You might also find shared charging hubs built for commercial fleets.
Rethink your routes, too. Deliveries in a zero-emission zone might mean different schedules, smaller vehicles, or combining shipments.
Try using route planning software that takes ZEZ boundaries into account. That can save you from expensive slip-ups.
If you’re new to the Netherlands and still getting settled, a moving to the Netherlands checklist could help you juggle the big stuff while you figure out your business plans.