Free parking for cars with green license plates to end in Budapest from January 1, 2027

From January 1, 2027, environmentally friendly cars with green license plates will no longer be able to park free of charge in Budapest’s parking zones. Under the plans, vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes will be charged twice the standard parking fee. A civic initiative has been launched in Budapest to reverse the changes. The petition aims to retain free parking and abolish the double fee for heavier vehicles.

What is changing about parking in Budapest?

Under the current municipal regulations, until December 31, 2026, environmentally friendly cars with green license plates are exempt from parking fees in Budapest’s parking zones. This concession will end on January 1, 2027. The change will also affect fully electric cars: they will also have to pay parking fees in the affected zones.

The other change is related to vehicle weight. Under the plans, vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes will have to pay twice the standard parking fee. The source describes this as a planned fee structure and does not specify an exact parking fee. The end of the green-plate concession and the planned weight-based fee may therefore be of particular concern to cars that meet both criteria.

Free parking in Budapest for cars with green license plates was introduced on January 1, 2016. In 2024, the Metropolitan Assembly had already adopted a decision that included preparations for ending the concession. Under the changes now outlined, the exemption will remain in effect in the capital’s parking zones until December 31, 2026.

Who could be affected by the planned double fee?

The weight-based fee could particularly affect some electric cars, as many models exceed the 2-tonne limit because of the weight of their batteries. According to the initiative’s organizers, this could result in an electric car costing more to park than a similar petrol or diesel car weighing less than 2 tonnes.

According to calculations cited by Villanyautósok and the Hungarian Electromobility Association, 4.5 percent of the passenger-car fleet in Pest County weighs more than 2 tonnes, while the figure for fully electric cars is 18.7 percent. The organizers also cite these figures to argue that the weight threshold could particularly affect electric-car owners.

If you park a car with green license plates in Budapest, it is worth keeping an eye on when the exemption ends. If your vehicle also exceeds the 2-tonne limit, the planned double fee could affect you as well. You can check the zone code for paid parking zones using the zone finder.

Petition launched to reverse the changes

The civic initiative in Budapest was launched by Ádám Bálint on the official website of the Metropolitan Municipality. The petition is also supported by the Hungarian Electromobility Association. The organizers want cars with green license plates to continue parking free of charge in Budapest and oppose the introduction of the planned double parking fee for vehicles weighing more than 2 tonnes.

Only private individuals with a Budapest address can join the initiative. Support can be submitted online via the platform set up for this purpose by the Metropolitan Municipality. If the initiative receives at least 10,000 signatures of support, the Metropolitan Assembly must put the proposal on its agenda and discuss it. This rule requires the proposal to be discussed, not the requested changes to be adopted.

According to the organizers, the planned regulations could make using certain electric cars more expensive. The petition therefore calls for both parking changes to be reversed. For drivers, the confirmed date to note is when the green-plate concession ends: according to the source, free parking will end on January 1, 2027.

In Budapest, then, the parking concession for cars with green license plates will end, while the double fee for heavier vehicles is described in the source as a proposal. Anyone wishing to support the initiative opposing the changes must have a Budapest address.

Source: BpiAutósok.hu