For information only. This guide is an editorial orientation resource. It does not constitute legal, tax, or administrative advice, and does not recommend or encourage any specific course of action. Regulations, procedures and entitlements change; always verify current requirements with your mission or organisation, the relevant Belgian authorities, and qualified advisers before taking any decision.
Do you need a car in Brussels?
Brussels has a public transport network of metro, trams and buses covering the capital region. For postings within the European Quarter and central Brussels, daily commuting by public transport is practical. Many diplomatic families, however, do find a car useful for school runs to campuses outside the city (Tervuren, Waterloo, Uccle), for weekend travel, and for work involving regular trips to outlying Belgian cities or to other European capitals.
Parking in Brussels is managed at municipality level, and the Brussels-Capital Region’s 19 separate communes each maintain their own parking policy. CD plates do not confer automatic parking exemptions. This is worth factoring into a decision about whether to register a vehicle.
The legal framework
Diplomatic vehicle registration in Belgium is governed by the Royal Decree of 30 October 1991 on the residence documents of certain categories of foreigners and by the Vienna Conventions as implemented in Belgian law. The Protocol Directorate of FPS Foreign Affairs manages the CD plate process and coordinates with the Vehicle Registration Service.
What CD plates look like in Belgium
Belgian CD plates follow the European format. The plates are white, with the letters “CD” in ruby red followed by two letters and three numbers. This differs from the green plates used in France and the blue or green plates used in Switzerland.
The registration procedure
Applications for CD plates pass through your mission or organisation’s administrative office and are submitted to the Protocol Directorate, which forwards them to the Vehicle Registration Service (DIV / Dienst Inschrijvingen Voertuigen).
The Protocol Directorate contact for CD plate applications is: Protocol.CD@diplobel.fed.be
Documents typically required (confirm with your mission):
- Completed registration and fiscal regularisation form (available from the Protocol Directorate)
- Copy of special identity card (D or C card, or equivalent)
- Vehicle registration or certificate of conformity
- Proof of Belgian RC liability insurance
Incomplete applications or unsigned forms delay the process. The Protocol Guide notes explicitly that incomplete submissions cause significant delays.
Insurance
All vehicles registered in Belgium, including those with CD plates, must carry third-party liability insurance (assurance responsabilité civile automobile / burgerlijke aansprakelijkheidsverzekering) from a Belgian-authorised insurer. Diplomatic status does not exempt a vehicle from this mandatory requirement.
Parking in Brussels
Brussels has 19 municipalities, each with its own parking regulations. In most of the Brussels-Capital Region, street parking requires a paid ticket (horodateur / parking meter) or a residents’ parking permit (carte de riverain / bewonerskaart). If you are a resident of a Brussels municipality, you can apply for one residents’ card free of charge (second cards carry a charge).
CD plates do not grant free or unrestricted parking across the region. Check the parking rules of your municipality directly, as the rules vary even street by street in some areas.
Cancelling plates at end of mission
Road tax in Belgium continues to accrue until the plate is formally cancelled. On end of mission, return your plates to the DIV or drop them in the box at the DIV main office. The cancellation date is the date of receipt of the plates.
If leaving Belgium, plates can also be returned by post to: DIV, Service Radiations, Rue du Progrès 56, 1210 Brussels.
Driving licence
In Belgium, driving licences from other EU member states are generally valid. They do not need to be exchanged for a Belgian licence unless the licence is of unlimited duration and the holder has lived in Belgium (under a Belgian residence card) for at least two years. It is advisable to register your national licence with your municipality’s driving licence department in case of loss or theft.
For diplomatic staff, driving licences are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (not the commune). Confirm the current procedure with the Protocol Directorate.
Official sources
- FPS Foreign Affairs: Protocol Directorate (CD plates)
- FPS Foreign Affairs: Protocol Guide on Immunities and Privileges
- Brussels Commissioner: Private car registration
- Belgium.be: Vehicle Registration Service (DIV)
- Royal Decree of 30 October 1991 (Légifrance Belgian equivalent: ejustice.just.fgov.be)