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Motorists can expect new taxes, rules, and obligations in the new year 2026—from the last adhesive vignette to higher fees and stricter driver’s license regulations.
The vignette price will be adjusted for inflation: in 2026, the annual vignette will cost €106.80 for a car (three euros more than in 2025) and €42.70 for a motorcycle (plus €1.20). The shorter-term variants (2-month, 10-day, and daily vignettes) will also be adjusted accordingly.
Adjustments to insurance tax and NoVA
There will be an increase in the engine-related insurance tax for new registrations. For new cars with combustion engines that cannot be charged externally, the tax will increase by around €35 per year in most cases, according to the ÖAMTC. The situation is somewhat more complex for plug-in hybrids, so it is advisable to clarify this before purchasing. For pure electric cars, there will be no change to the engine-related insurance tax that has been in force since April 2025.
The NoVA, which is a one-time payment, will increase for some new vehicles at the turn of the year. “For a few hybrid models, the majority of plug-in hybrids, and all electric cars, you will continue to pay no NoVA due to low or zero CO2 emissions on the road,” the ÖAMTC reassures us.
What is new is the end of refunds for older vehicles: from the middle of next year, it will no longer be possible to reclaim the proportionate NoVA when selling or transferring a vehicle abroad, unless it is a vehicle that was first registered no more than four years ago.
Relief for commuters and electric car drivers
The transport allowance, which is automatically deducted from income tax each year and covers the costs of travel between home and work on a flat-rate basis, will increase to €496 in 2026. There will also be an increase in the commuter allowance. In 2026, employers will be able to reimburse 32.806 cents per kilowatt hour tax-free for charging company electric cars at home.
Changes planned for bicycles and e-scooters
There are also changes to be aware of in legal matters, such as trespass lawsuits and driver’s licenses, as well as for bicycle and e-scooter riders. However, not everything has been finalized yet. The plan is to classify e-mopeds as motor vehicles, which would require registration, including a driver’s license, insurance, and helmet. From May 1, 2026, the blood alcohol limit for e-scooter riders is expected to be lowered to 0.5 per mille, and e-scooters will also have to have indicators from this date. The amendment to the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) will also introduce a helmet requirement for e-bikers up to the age of 14 and for e-scooter riders up to the age of 16.
There are also plans for automated access controls using cameras in municipalities and cities for certain areas. The city of Vienna in particular has been pushing for years to enable traffic calming in the inner city by means of camera-based access control. Critics fear excessive bureaucracy and also have data protection concerns.
Stricter rules for cheating on driving tests
Those who do not pass the theoretical or practical driving test on their first attempt will be allowed to retake it after twelve days instead of the previous two weeks. On the other hand, cheating will become less attractive: the waiting period will be extended from nine to 18 months. According to the ÖAMTC, changes to the driving license system are expected to come into force on May 1, 2026.
Traffic changes abroad
Travelers will face changes in popular vacation destinations such as Spain, Greece, and Croatia, most of which will involve bureaucratic red tape. Croatia, for example, will switch to a digital highway toll system in the fall of 2026. Things will become easier in Bulgaria, as the country will introduce the euro on January 1, 2026.
New toll rates for trucks
New toll rates are coming for freight carriers. The key point here is that in 2026, they will be charged €42 million for external costs such as air pollution, noise pollution, and CO2 emissions from heavy vehicles. However, the adjustment of the infrastructure share of the truck toll to inflation will be waived on a one-off basis. Trucks with four or more axles will pay 11.49 cents per kilometer (excluding VAT) for infrastructure costs in CO2 emission class 5. Worse emission classes will pay 45.91 cents. In addition, there will be costs for special toll routes.
- source: APA/picture: pixabay.com
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