Tax withholding, vaccines, burials and driving bans: what changes in Belgium on 1 November

Several rules change in Belgium on 1 November 2026, according to De Standaard and La DH. The most visible for many workers is the tax reform, which starts to show on payslips from that date. Employers will withhold less professional withholding tax, so net salaries can rise.

Net pay may also be adjusted downward, depending on each worker's individual situation. A royal decree changing the withholding tax rules was published in the Moniteur belge, the official journal, on 2 October and takes effect on 1 November. The changes align with a law of 15 July 2026 reforming personal income tax. They apply to pay, but not to pensions and certain unemployment benefits with a company supplement.

The FPS Finance says it is not possible to identify categories of taxpayers who would systematically win or lose from these changes alone. It recommends the withholding tax simulator on Fisconetplus, which has been adapted to the new rules, for personalised simulations.

Infant vaccination schedule

From 1 November, the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles changes its infant vaccination schedule. The hexavalent vaccine will be given at two, four and 12 months instead of in four doses. The last dose of the PCV13 pneumococcal vaccine is postponed from 12 to 15 months, to avoid three injections at the same time. The change follows an opinion from the Conseil supérieur de la Santé.

Other recommended free vaccines in the schedule include measles, rubella and mumps, and an oral rotavirus vaccine at two, three and four months. The schedule also has a meningococcal ACWY vaccine at 15 months and protection against RSV before or during the RSV season.

Burials in Wallonia

A reform of burials takes effect in Wallonia on 1 November 2026. It is based on a 2024 decree, which gave municipalities time to adapt. Coffins must match their purpose and be made of solid wood or biodegradable materials.

Burial with a deceased pet becomes possible, but the animal must have been cremated. Burial in a flexible coffin is allowed only in open ground, not in a vault. Such a coffin must be opaque, waterproof for eight weeks, have solid handles and be designed to start decomposing after eight weeks. Shrouds remain banned for hygiene reasons.

Confiscation of vehicles

From 1 November, a vehicle driven despite a driving ban is confiscated and becomes state property. It is then sold at public auction, with the proceeds going to the public treasury. The change modifies a 1968 law and was voted in March 2026.

Confiscation is now the rule when the legal conditions are met. Judges can still decline to impose it, but they must give specific reasons.

Other changes

Other changes from 1 November include rules on small imported parcels and physiotherapy reimbursement for tetraplegic and paraplegic patients. Reports say 1 November 2026 falls on a Sunday.