Hanoi to phase in low‑emission zone, banning non‑compliant gasoline motorcycles by 2028

The Hanoi People's Council approved a resolution on 15 June to establish a low‑emission zone (LEZ) within the inner ring (Vành đai 1). The plan is rolled out in three stages.

Stage 1 (1 July – 31 December 2026) pilots the LEZ in Hoàn Kiếm district, limiting all non‑priority vehicles to travel only between 19:00 and 24:00 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and encouraging tech‑delivery services, motorcycles, scooters, buses and trucks to shift to cleaner fuels or operate outside peak hours.

Stage 2 (1 January – 31 December 2027) expands the zone to include districts 1, 2 and 3, tightening penalties: gasoline‑fuel tech‑delivery vehicles are prohibited, and trucks over 3.5 t are barred from the LEZ.

Stage 3 (from 1 January 2028) applies the LEZ city‑wide, banning gasoline motorcycles that do not meet the national emission standard QCVN 99:2025/BNNMT (level 3). A compliance deadline of 1 August 2028 gives owners time to switch to eligible vehicles.