The Netherlands has introduced a distance-based truck toll for heavy commercial vehicles, requiring trucks weighing more than 3.5 tonnes to pay a road usage charge based on the number of kilometres travelled.
The new system took effect on 1 July 2026 and applies across almost all Dutch motorways as well as a number of provincial and municipal roads. While battery-electric trucks benefit from significantly lower rates than diesel vehicles, they are not exempt from the new toll.
Distance-Based Charging
The toll applies to N2 and N3 vehicle categories, covering trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating above 3.5 tonnes.
Road usage is measured through a mandatory on-board unit (OBU) installed in each vehicle and linked to an approved toll service provider. Charges are calculated according to the distance travelled, vehicle weight, and carbon dioxide emission class.
The system includes four weight categories ranging from 3.5 tonnes to over 32 tonnes and five CO₂ emission classes, with Class 5 representing the cleanest vehicles, including battery-electric trucks.
Although electric trucks remain subject to the toll, they pay substantially less than conventional diesel vehicles. For example, a battery-electric truck weighing 32 tonnes or more is charged €0.038 per kilometre, compared with €0.165 per kilometre for a similarly sized diesel truck in the mid-range CO₂ emission Class 3.
Battery-electric vans weighing up to 4.25 tonnes remain exempt from the scheme.
Revenue to Support Electrification
The Dutch government said a large share of the revenue generated through the truck toll will be reinvested in the road freight sector.
Funding will support incentives for companies investing in battery-electric trucks, charging infrastructure, and other technologies designed to improve transport efficiency and reduce emissions.
The introduction of the new charging system also coincides with the abolition of the Eurovignette requirement in the Netherlands.
In addition, the domestic vehicle tax for trucks weighing up to 12 tonnes has been abolished. For heavier N3 trucks, vehicle tax will be temporarily reduced to a zero rate from 1 July 2026 until 1 January 2027, before moving to the European minimum tax level from 2027.
Transitional Measures
Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and Water Management Vincent Karremans said the new system is intended to accelerate the transition toward cleaner freight transport.
“After years of preparation, the lorry toll has been introduced today. The majority of the revenue will flow back into the sector. Thanks to this ‘reflux mechanism’, the electrification of the sector can be accelerated.”
He added:
“This is not only better for air quality and leads to lower CO₂ emissions but also ultimately makes the transition to electromobility economically attractive for transport companies.”
Karremans also noted that recent tensions affecting the Strait of Hormuz highlighted the importance of reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
During the first six months of operation, vehicles found without the required on-board unit will receive only half the standard penalty. A temporary 22.3% reduction in toll rates will also apply between 1 September and 31 December 2026, following a request from the Dutch House of Representatives to help offset higher fuel costs affecting the freight sector. Until then, the standard toll rates remain in force.
