Parking in Belgium

I want to rent a car in Belgium. As a non-resident am I allowed to leave the car for a couple hours (~10) outside the non-free parking spots and don't worry about receiving a penalty from the local police? I mean at shop parking or places like what is shown here, it can be away from town centers. The car will be rented so it will probably be registered with Belgian plates. Does it mean when driving it, I have the same privileges as a Belgian resident?

automobiles belgium

Pictures about "Parking in Belgium"

Parking in Belgium - Bare Trees Near Building

Parking in Belgium - Low angle of asphalt road with parked vehicles near aged residential buildings in historical district of Bruges in sunny morning

Parking in Belgium - Traffic on city road among buildings on overcast sky

Is parking free in Belgium?

If you did not know, parking is actually free in Belgium, which is a major selling point from our perspective. No one wants to pay an extra $20 or $30 just to go out and have a good time right now. Outside is already expensive enough as it is!

Why there is free parking in Belgium?

Belgian performer Shauna Dewit quite amusingly explained why parking is free in Belgium. She pointed out that the meters run off of solar power, and when there isn't any sun the meters don't function properly. Being that it rains much of the time, parking is often free.

How much is parking in Belgium?

Parking costs and fines in Belgium If you have a 'blue zone' disc, this usually entitles you to two hours of free parking. Otherwise, typical rates are between \u20ac1-2 per hour.

How do I pay for parking in Belgium?

Parking in Brussels

Start and stop your parking session with the smartphone app or by sending a text to 4810;

Pay per minute and only for the actual parking time;

Pay at the end of each month by direct debit or credit card;

Gain insight into all your parking activities and costs;

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Paul Deetman, Marci Geicz, Gotta Be Worth It, Sinitta Leunen