30/50 / 70 / 90 / 120 km/h depending on the road type

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Every Belgian speed limit by road type: 30, 50, 70, 90 and 120 km/h, including the differences between the three regions.

Coverage, 30/50 / 70 / 90 / 120 km/h depending on the road type

Lesson objectives

Know the 5 main speed limits (30, 50, 70, 90, 120 km/h) and quickly identify which limit applies depending on the road type. Understand the regional differences in Belgium (Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels) and adapt your driving accordingly. Recognize speed limit signs and know when a limit begins or ends.

The 5 key speeds to remember

In Belgium, 5 speed limits structure road traffic. Each corresponds to a specific road type or zone. They are imposed either by legal default (depending on the road type) or by sign C43 (speed limit signal).

The 5 main speed limits

Limit Road type / Zone Context 30 km/h Zone 30 (F4a), reserved paths (F99a/F101a) Protection of sensitive areas. Apart: residential zone and meeting zone 20 km/h; school street and pedestrian zone at walking pace 50 km/h Built-up area (default in Flanders and Wallonia) Cities and villages; in Brussels, the default speed is 30 km/h 70 km/h Ordinary roads outside built-up areas: default in Brussels and Flanders In Wallonia, 70 km/h only on the central lane roadway 90 km/h Ordinary roads outside built-up areas: default in Wallonia; in Flanders only with sign C43 Does not apply in Brussels 120 km/h Motorways and divided roads (2 lanes/direction minimum + separation) Fast lanes, fluid traffic

C43 (30 km/h)

Speed limited to 30 kilometres per hour. You must not drive at a speed exceeding 30 kilometres per hour until the next contrary signal.

C43 (50 km/h)

Speed limited to 50 kilometres per hour. You must not drive at a speed exceeding 50 kilometres per hour until the next contrary signal.

C43 (70 km/h)

Speed limited to 70 kilometres per hour. It is forbidden to drive at a speed exceeding 70 kilometres per hour until the next contrary signal.

C43 (90 km/h)

Speed limited to 90 kilometres per hour. You must not drive at a speed exceeding 90 kilometres per hour until the next contrary signal.

C43 (120 km/h)

Speed limited to one hundred twenty kilometres per hour. It is forbidden to drive at a speed exceeding one hundred twenty kilometres per hour until the next contrary signal.

In built-up areas: 50 km/h by default

As soon as you enter a built-up area (indicated by sign F1 ), the limit automatically changes to 50 km/h in Flanders and Wallonia. In the Brussels-Capital Region , the default speed is 30 km/h (since 2021), except on axes marked at 50 or 70 km/h. A sign can always impose a lower limit (30 km/h, 20 km/h in a residential zone, or walking pace in a pedestrian zone).

F1

Entry to built-up area with 50 km/h limit

Outside built-up areas: regional differences

Belgium is divided into 3 regions with different speed rules outside built-up areas. This is a key point for the exam: you must know which limit applies depending on your region.

Speed limits outside built-up areas by region (ordinary roads)

Region Ordinary roads Divided roads (2 lanes/direction + separation) Motorways Flanders 70 km/h (default) or 90 km/h with sign C43 120 km/h 120 km/h Wallonia 90 km/h (70 km/h on the central lane roadway) 120 km/h 120 km/h Brussels-Capital 70 km/h (the 30 km/h only applies within the built-up area) 120 km/h 120 km/h

Flanders: on ordinary roads outside built-up areas, the default is 70 km/h . To increase to 90 km/h, a sign C43 "90" must be displayed. Wallonia: it is the opposite, the default is 90 km/h ; only the central lane roadway is limited to 70 km/h. Brussels-Capital: the 30 km/h only applies within the built-up area . Outside built-up areas, the default is 70 km/h (art. 11.2).

Divided roads and motorways: 120 km/h

The 120 km/h limit applies on: Motorways (indicated by the motorway start sign) Roads for motor vehicles with at least 2 lanes per direction AND a physical separation (central verge, median, barrier) These roads offer better safety and more fluid traffic, hence the higher limit.

Divided road with central separation and 120 km/h limit

Beginning and end of speed limits: signs C43 and C45

A C43 sign imposes a speed limit from the signal until the next intersection inclusive . The limitation also ends at each new C43 signal, as well as at the signal marking the beginning or end of a built-up area, residential zone, meeting zone or pedestrian zone . The C45 sign explicitly ends the limitation imposed by C43. A C43 « 30 km/h » placed above the F1 signal applies to all roads in the built-up area; the corresponding C45 is then placed above the F3.

C45

The C45 sign indicates the end of the speed limitation imposed by the C43 signal. The previous limitation is no longer in effect: you can again drive at the maximum speed allowed for this type of road. In built-up areas: 50 km/h in Flanders and Wallonia, 30 km/h in the Brussels-Capital Region. Outside built-up areas, ordinary roads: 70 km/h in Brussels and Flanders, 90 km/h in Wallonia. Motorways: 120 km/h .

At the exam: if you are shown a C43 sign above a specific lane (on gantry or pole), this limit applies ONLY to that lane, not to other lanes. For example, a C43 « 50 » above an exit lane only affects that exit.

Built-up area

Urban area or village delimited by signs F1 (beginning) and F3 (end). The speed is limited by default to 50 km/h in Flanders and Wallonia, and to 30 km/h in the Brussels-Capital Region, unless otherwise indicated by a C43 signal.

Divided road

Road outside built-up area with at least 2 lanes per direction AND a physical separation (verge, central reservation, barrier). Limit: 120 km/h.

C43 sign

Speed limitation signal. Displays a number (30, 50, 70, 90 or 120 km/h) and imposes this limit until the next intersection or C45 sign.

30 km/h : 30 zones (F4a/F4b) and reserved paths (F99a/F101a); it is also the default limit in built-up areas throughout the Brussels-Capital Region. To distinguish: residential zone and meeting zone 20 km/h ; school street and pedestrian zone at walking pace . 50 km/h : default limit in built-up areas in Flanders and Wallonia. 70 km/h : ordinary roads outside built-up areas, by default in Brussels and Flanders; in Wallonia, only on the central lane roadway. 90 km/h : ordinary roads outside built-up areas in Wallonia (default); in Flanders only if a C43 « 90 » sign is displayed. 120 km/h : motorways and public roads with at least four lanes, two per direction, whose directions are separated otherwise than by road markings. Depending on the vehicle (art. 11.3): buses and coaches 75 km/h , vehicles over 7.5 t 60 km/h , class B mopeds 45 km/h , class A 25 km/h . On motorways: over 3.5 t and buses 90 km/h . The C43 sign applies until the next intersection inclusive, until another C43, until the C45 sign, or until the signal marking the beginning or end of a built-up area, residential zone, meeting zone or pedestrian zone.

What now?

First do the quiz of this lesson to validate your learning, then practice on the exam simulator and the MCQs . Next lesson: 50 / 70 / 90 / 120 km/h depending on the road .

BelgianLicenses

Passing the exam is about regularity, a little each day, and the code will hold no more secrets.