Ho Chi Minh City’s Public Transport Management Center (under the Department of Construction) recently proposed establishing an emissions zone restricting gasoline and diesel vehicles in the city center starting in 2026. Vehicles not meeting specific emission standards, Euro 4 for cars and Euro 2 for motorcycles, may face restrictions or bans within the inner city.

The proposal outlines a phased approach. The first phase, starting in 2026, will restrict commercial motorcycles not meeting Euro 2 standards and commercial cars not meeting Euro 4 standards from operating in the low emission zone (LEZ) in the city center. Heavy diesel trucks will be completely banned. From 2027 to 2032, restrictions will extend to all motorcycles below Euro 2 and cars below Euro 4. From 2032, emission standards will be further raised for both cars and motorcycles within the LEZ, and the zone will expand to encompass the entire District 1 area.

The central area of Ho Chi Minh City proposed as the LEZ. Graphics: Hoang Khanh

Many people are now wondering which emission standard their vehicles meet and whether they will be affected by the new policy.

What are vehicle emission standards?

In Vietnam, emission standards for cars and motorcycles are categorized into levels generally corresponding to Euro standards. For example, level 2 in Vietnam is equivalent to Euro 2. The "Euro standards" are a set of emission limits for pollutants from internal combustion engines, established by the European Union in the early 1990s. The Euro levels (from Euro 1 to Euro 6) regulate maximum limits for pollutants like CO (carbon monoxide), NOx (nitrogen oxides), HC (hydrocarbons), and particulate matter. Higher Euro levels impose stricter requirements, meaning vehicles must use more advanced engine technology and exhaust treatment systems, and fuel standards must also comply.

A bus emitting black smoke on a Hanoi street. Photo: Khanh Chi

Euro 7, the latest iteration of the European Union's emission standards, is scheduled for implementation in 2030 for passenger cars and 2031 for trucks and buses. Compared to Euro 6, Euro 7 controls not only engine emissions but also particulate matter from brakes and tires, a new element relevant to electric vehicles. However, Vietnam has not yet adopted Euro 6 or 7; the highest level currently implemented is equivalent to Euro 5 for cars.

How to check your vehicle's emission standard

Emission standards in Vietnam are applied separately for cars and motorcycles. For cars manufactured, assembled, or imported after 2017, the minimum requirement is level 4. This was raised to level 5 in 2022. For motorcycles manufactured, assembled, or imported after 2017, the minimum requirement is level 3. Previously, level 2 was sufficient.

The simplest way to determine a vehicle's emission standard is to check its year of manufacture. This information is recorded in the vehicle registration papers, inspection certificate, or can be found using the 10th character of the 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN).

According to TCVN 6578:2014 (equivalent to ISO 3779:2009), the 10th character of the VIN indicates the year of manufacture, represented by a letter or number (excluding I, O, Q, U, Z, and 0 due to potential confusion with other characters).

Motorcycles manufactured before 2010 were not required to comply with emission standards. Those manufactured between 2010 and June 30, 2017, adhere to level 2, while those manufactured after July 1, 2017, adhere to level 3. From July 1, 2026, new motorcycles must meet level 4. For cars, level 4 applies to those manufactured or imported from 2017, and level 5 from 2022. Cars manufactured or imported before 2017 might meet level 2 or 3.

Owners can use the year of manufacture to determine the minimum emission standard their vehicle should meet. However, some vehicles may exceed the minimum requirements. For instance, certain large-displacement Honda motorcycles like the CB1000R, CB650R, and CBR650R launched in 2021 already met level 5. Therefore, owners can consult authorized dealers or their point of purchase for precise information.

Ho Tan