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The truck toll is a new per-kilometer charge that has been in effect since July 1, 2026, for all trucks over 3.5 metric tons in the Netherlands: carriers will now pay per kilometer driven instead of a fixed annual amount, with rates of up to €0.34 per kilometer. At the same time, the Eurovignette is being phased outand the motor vehicle tax is being reduced. For companies that have waste transported—such as waste generators (companies that produce waste), waste collectors, and recycling companies—this could significantly impact transportation costs.
What is the truck toll?
The Eurovignette—the vignettes that carriers have had to purchase until now to drive on European highways—is being phased out in the Netherlands. In addition, every truck must now have a valid on-board unit (OBU) on board, even if it only travels on roads where no toll applies. This is because the toll does not apply to every road: virtually all highways are covered, along with a number of provincial and municipal roads that have been added to prevent trucks from using smaller roads to avoid the toll (so-called “cut-through traffic”). Carriers arrange this through one of the seven authorized providers. These providers register the vehicle and supply the unit, which uses GPS to track the number of taxable kilometers driven.
The rate of the new toll depends on the truck’s weight and its CO2 emission class. On average, this amounts to about €0.19 per kilometer, but the range—the difference between the lowest and highest rates—is wide: from approximately €0.04 to €0.34 per kilometer. For example: a 16-metric-ton Euro 6 truck pays approximately €0.16 per kilometer, while a truck weighing over 32 metric tons pays about €0.20 per kilometer. If that same heavy truck is fully electric, the rate drops to just €0.035 per kilometer. Cleaner and more fuel-efficient driving is therefore handsomely rewarded.
Good news in the short term: from September 1 through the end of 2026, a temporary22.3 percent discounton the rates will apply, reducing the average rate from €0.191 to €0.148 per kilometer. This discount was implemented at the request of the House of Representatives, which wanted to provide immediate relief to the transportation and construction sectors due to the sharp rise in fuel costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
What will change with the adjustment to the motor vehicle tax?
Motor vehicle tax is also being adjusted; this is a long-standing tax that truck owners pay for owning their vehicle, regardless of how much they drive. For trucks up to 12 metric tons, this tax is being eliminatedentirely, and for trucks over 12 metric tons, it is being reduced to the European minimum level. This is relevant because the European Eurovignette Directive stipulates that a country cannot simply impose both forms of tax side by side: if a country introduces a per-kilometer charge, the fixed vehicle tax must be reduced to prevent carriers from being double-taxed.
The underlying principle is that the motor vehicle tax and the truck toll actually serve the same purpose: to have carriers contribute to the cost of the road infrastructure they use. Previously, the Netherlands did this through the flat-rate vehicle tax plus the Eurovignette. If a variable per-kilometer charge is added on top of that without reducing the flat-rate tax, a carrier effectively pays twice for the same thing: once as a flat rate for ownership, and once as a variable charge for usage. To prevent this, countries that introduce a per-kilometer charge must lower their flat-rate vehicle tax.
When does the truck toll take effect?
The truck toll has already taken effect: it has been in force since July 1, 2026. The temporary 22.3 percent rate reduction begins on September 1, 2026 and runs through the end of this year.
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Why was the truck toll introduced?
The truck toll has two main objectives. First, the measure is intended to reduce CO2 emissions from freight traffic, as cleaner and lighter trucks pay less than heavy, polluting vehicles. Second, the truck toll makes road use fairer: previously, foreign carriers often drove on Dutch highways for free. With the kilometer toll, all trucks—whether Dutch or foreign—contribute proportionally to the maintenance of the infrastructure they use.
Who is affected by the truck toll?
The truck toll primarily affects transportation companies and owners of trucks weighing more than 3.5 metric tons, both Dutch and foreign. This specifically applies to companies that transport waste by truck or have it transported, such as waste generators (companies that produce waste), waste collectors, and recycling companies. They will see their cost structure change: no longer a fixed Eurovignette or lower motor vehicle tax, but instead a variable per-kilometer charge that depends on how much and how cleanly they drive. For companies that drive many kilometers with less fuel-efficient trucks, this could mean in practice that transportation costs for collecting and hauling waste will increase. Carriers that have already invested in electric or cleaner vehicles, on the other hand, stand to benefit, as they pay a lower rate per kilometer. Ultimately, these additional costs may also be passed on in the rates that waste management companies charge their own customers, and thus be indirectly felt by companies further down the waste chain.
How does the truck toll work in Belgium?
A similar per-kilometer charge has been in place in Belgium for much longer—since 2016—and is regulated on a regional basis (Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels). Here, too, the rates have changed effective July 1, 2026. Starting on that date, Flanders will introduce a CO2 surcharge on top of the existing toll, divided into five CO2 emission classes. The bottom line is: the cleaner and lighter the vehicle, the lower the rate. For example, a truck weighing over 32 metric tons in the best CO2 class pays approximately €0.204 per kilometer in Flanders. The major difference compared to the Netherlands is that Belgium has already had the kilometer charge system in place for ten years and is now further refining it with a CO2 component. The Netherlands, on the other hand, is introducing the kilometer charge for the first time, including the elimination of the Eurovignette and adjustments to the motor vehicle tax. For international carriers traveling through both countries, this means that starting in the summer of 2026, they will have to account for a distance-based toll in both the Netherlands and Belgium, with slightly different rules and rates in each country.
How can I minimize the impact of the truck toll on my business?
To minimize the impact of the truck toll, it’s wise to assess the efficiency of your transport operations. Are trash bins being emptied weekly even though they aren’t completely full? By analyzing this, you can determine whether unnecessary kilometers are being driven. This not only affects the rates due to the truck toll but also reduces CO2 emissions. At Milgro, we’d be happy to assess your unique situation and help you organize your transport operations more efficiently. Feel free to contact one of our colleagues, who will be happy to assist you further.
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