New vignette rates in Latvia. Trucks will pay more
New road toll rates for heavy transport are now in force in Latvia. The changes took effect on March 1 and apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes. The new regulations link the vignette price to the vehicle’s emission class, while the network of roads subject to the toll has also been expanded.
The new rules make the road charge for trucks over 3.5 tonnes dependent on the engine emission class. For zero-emission vehicles the vignette is free of charge, while for other emission classes the rates have been increased. The change is intended to align the toll system with climate policy and gradually promote vehicles with lower emissions.
The amendment has also expanded the network of roads subject to the toll. In addition to the main national roads, the vignette now also applies on selected regional roads. This solution is intended to limit the practice of carriers bypassing toll sections by using alternative routes to avoid paying charges.
At the same time, the legislator introduced exemptions for certain road users. Farmers have been exempted from the obligation to purchase a vignette for nine months of the year. This means they are required to pay only during the winter months – December, January and February. As a result, the 270-day vignette has also been removed from the system.
Preferences have also been provided for large families and families of re-emigrants, who can purchase a vignette with a 50% discount for one commercial vehicle with a permissible gross weight from 3 to 3.5 tonnes, provided it is purchased for 30 days or one year.
Changes concerning lighter commercial vehicles with a GVW of up to 3.5 tonnes have been postponed. Toll increases for this category will only enter into force on January 1, 2027, in order to limit the impact of the new regulations on small businesses.
The vignette system in Latvia covers trucks using state roads and constitutes one of the main sources of financing for the maintenance and development of road infrastructure in the country. For carriers performing transport through Latvia, this means the need to take the new rules into account when planning transport costs.
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