Idling regulations

The Danish Ministry of the Environment often receives complaints from citizens about idling engines. In response, several measures have been taken to address this problem.

Regulations for vehicle idling
Municipalities are responsible for idling regulations, as nuisances normally occur locally in urban areas. Therefore, it is best if the individual municipality determine regulation is needed. Roughly one third of Danish municipalities have already introduced idling regulations.

Since 1982, municipalities have been able to issue regulations for vehicle idling. So contact your municipality for more information on idling regulations in your city.

For more information read Statutory Order no. 1517 of 14 December 2006 on environmental regulation of certain activities, chapter 4 (in Danish)

Campaigns against idling
Contraventions of the provisions on idling are reported to the police and may be punishable by a fine. However, it is difficult to monitor compliance in practice. The Environmental Protection Agency, municipalities and FDM (the Federation of Danish Motorists) have run various campaigns urging motorists to turn off idling engines.

Emissions of harmful substances from vehicle idling are regulated by the European emission standards (Euro norms). These norms have been considerably tightened over the last 15 years, leading to a general reduction of more than 90 percent of sulphur and nitrogen oxide emissions from new cars.

The Environmental Protection Agency therefore estimates that environmental damage from idling vehicles is significantly lower today than in 1982, when idling regulations were introduced. Localised pollution is still a matter of concern, however.

Read more about Danish low emission zones