EXPLAINER: the DGT Environmental Quality Seal

AS cities across Spain cut down on car emissions, the DGT has begun issuing Environmental Quality Seal stickers to show whether vehicles are environmentally friendly. Some cities are now requiring these stickers to drive through them.

Our guide below tells you everything you need to know about the new scheme.

• What is the DGT Environmental Quality Seal?

The DGT Environmental Quality Seal is an instantly recognisable sticker that identifies the most environmentally friendly vehicles. There are two types of stickers: One for motorcycles and one for vehicles.

• What vehicles have the Environmental Quality Seal?

There are four quality seal categories based on the vehicle’s emission levels:

Zero emissions quality seal, blue. Applies to: Battery electric vehicles (BEV); Range­extended electric vehicles (REEV); Plug­in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) with a minimum range of 40 km; and fuel cell vehicles.

Eco­quality seal, green and blue. Applies to:

Plug­in hybrid vehicles with a range of less than 40 km; hybrid electric vehicles (HEV); natural gas vehicles; and natural gas (CNG and LNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles.

C­quality seal, green. Applies to: Lightweight petrol cars and vans registered from January 2006; Lightweight diesel cars and vans registered from 2014; and heavy petrol or diesel vehicles with more than eight seats registered from 2014.

Petrol vehicles must meet the Euro 4, 5 and 6 standards and diesel vehicles must meet the Euro 6 standard.

B­quality seal, yellow. Applies to:

Lightweight petrol cars and vans registered from January 2000; Lightweight diesel cars and vans registered from January 2006; and heavy petrol or diesel vehicles with more than eight seats registered from 2005.

Petrol vehicles must meet the Euro 3 standard and diesel vehicles must meet the Euro 4 and 5 standards.

• Where do vehicles need the Environmental Quality Seal?

Spain’s new low­emission zones are in place in Madrid and Barcelona. Spanish motoring authorities in these cities require you to have the official DGT Environmental Quality Seal sticker on the rear window of a vehicle indicating its emission levels. You also have to register your vehicle to drive through these cities.

• How do I get the Environmental Quality Seal?

The easiest way to get the DGT Environmental Quality Seal is through Correos, or any other post office, either in ­ person or online here: www.market.correos.es/product/dis tintivo­ambiental­dgt

Correos is authorised by the DGT to issue its environmental quality seals and the sticker costs just €5 to purchase.

First, find the relevant sticker for your vehicle or motorcycle and add it to your basket on the Correos website. You are required to submit your documentation including the registration certificate of the vehicle for which you are requesting the quality seal, and the ID of the vehicle owner or the person authorised to make the request.

You will receive the sticker within 48 hours of your request and you will need to stick it on the lower­right corner of your windscreen or another visible part of the vehicle.