A blue zone (zone bleue / blauwe zone) lets you park for free for a limited time — if you display a parking disc set to your arrival time. It's simple, but the small rules trip a lot of drivers.
How it works
Set the disc to the time you arrived (rounded up to the next half hour), place it visibly on the dashboard, and leave before the allowed period ends — usually the "blue" maximum shown on the sign, often two hours.
What gets you fined
- No disc, or one not visible through the windscreen.
- A disc set to a flattering time instead of your real arrival.
- Staying past the limit, even with a correct disc.
- Moving the car a few metres to "reset" the clock — controllers note this.
If you're fined unfairly
If your disc was correctly set and visible, that's a valid ground. A dashboard photo helps. Quitte reads a blue-zone fine and drafts the objection in French and Dutch.