Germany emission sticker guide

Driving into one of Germany’s Umweltzonen (environmental zones) requires an emission sticker, the Umweltplakette. It’s a small colored decal that shows your vehicle’s emissions class, and without the correct one, you can be fined even if your car is relatively clean.

Important 2026 update: Only the green sticker is permitted in Germany’s existing Umweltzonen. Red and yellow stickers are still part of the German emissions classification system, but vehicles displaying them cannot enter an Umweltzone where the green-sticker requirement applies.

What is the Umweltplakette and why you need one

The Umweltplakette (also called the Feinstaubplakette) is a windshield sticker showing which emissions category your vehicle falls into. It’s required to enter a German Umweltzone: a designated urban area where only sufficiently clean vehicles may drive, aimed at reducing particulate and NOx pollution in city centers. Outside these zones, on the ordinary road network and Autobahn, no sticker is required at all.

Which sticker do you need?

For driving in an existing Umweltzone, there is now only one practical answer: the green sticker. It is the only sticker currently permitted in Germany’s existing Umweltzonen. Whether your vehicle qualifies depends on its emissions classification:

Fuel type	Qualifies for a green sticker if…	Sticker issued
Diesel	Euro 4 or newer, or Euro 3 with an approved particulate filter retrofit, subject to the vehicle’s official emissions classification and pollutant group.	Green
Diesel	Euro 3 or older without an approved particulate filter retrofit	Not eligible for a green sticker; cannot enter existing Umweltzonen where a green sticker is required
Petrol	Euro 1 or newer with a catalytic converter (generally from 1 Jan 1993)	Green
Petrol	Pre-Euro 1, without a catalytic converter	Not eligible for a green sticker; cannot enter existing Umweltzonen where a green sticker is required
Electric / hydrogen	Qualifies for the green category; vehicles with an E license plate or qualifying equivalent marking are exempt from the sticker requirement once the amended rules take effect	Green / exempt

If your vehicle does not qualify for a green sticker, it generally cannot enter an Umweltzone where the green-sticker requirement applies.

Validity and coverage

• An Umweltplakette does not have an expiry date. It remains valid for the vehicle as long as the registration number shown on the sticker remains unchanged.
• It’s tied to a specific registration number and cannot be transferred to another vehicle.
• Coverage applies only inside designated Umweltzonen; you don’t need to display it anywhere else in Germany.
• Some cities layer additional, stricter rules on top of the standard zone, notably diesel-specific restrictions in Stuttgart, so always check local rules before arriving, even if you already hold a valid green sticker.

Environmental zones in Germany

The number of active Umweltzonen has declined in recent years, and the exact list can change as cities introduce or lift restrictions. Major German cities that have had Umweltzonen include Berlin, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart.

Stuttgart continues to enforce additional diesel restrictions beyond the standard Umweltzone requirement. Diesel vehicles meeting Euro 4/IV or worse are banned throughout the city, while Euro 5/V and worse are restricted in the smaller Umweltzone. Always check a city’s current rules before traveling, since local restrictions can apply on top of the national Umweltplakette requirement.

No new blue Umweltplakette is currently in force in Germany.

How to buy an emission sticker

• Online: through avignette.com, or directly via TÜV, DEKRA, or other certified providers who ship to any address.
• In person in Germany: at TÜV, DEKRA, or similar technical inspection centers, at garages, or at city vehicle registration offices.

You’ll need your vehicle’s registration document (or the foreign equivalent, such as a V5C) to confirm your Euro emissions standard. Prices vary by issuing authority and provider. Check the current price before ordering, especially when purchasing from outside Germany. Once received, affix the sticker to the inside of your windshield, usually the lower right-hand corner, so it’s clearly visible during checks.

Fines for not having the right sticker

Driving in an Umweltzone without the required sticker or exemption can result in a €100 fine. This also applies to foreign-registered vehicles. Drivers should check whether any specific exemption applies to their vehicle.

Tolls and road charges in Germany

Unlike Austria, Switzerland, or the Czech Republic, Germany has no general toll or vignette for cars. Passenger cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes are generally not subject to a distance-based motorway or federal-road toll.

Where tolls do apply

• Two toll tunnels: the Warnow Tunnel in Rostock and the Herrentunnel near Lübeck, both open to all vehicles and charged regardless of emissions class.
• The LKW-Maut: a distance-based toll for freight vehicles, administered by Toll Collect.

Since 1 July 2024, the LKW-Maut applies to vehicles used for goods transport with a technically permissible maximum laden mass of more than 3.5 tonnes. This is a significant change from previous years and catches many vans and light commercial vehicles that weren’t tolled before.

Tunnel toll prices 

• Warnow Tunnel (Rostock): €5.40 for a standard car in summer and €4.40 in winter when paying the base cash tariff; discounted year-round rates are available with a TAG, Oscard, or RFID system.
• Herrentunnel (Lübeck): toll rates vary by vehicle type and payment method. Check the operator’s current tariff before traveling.

Confirm current prices on each tunnel’s official site before traveling, as they’re adjusted periodically and vary by vehicle class.

How the LKW-Maut is calculated

The per-kilometer rate consists of four components: infrastructure costs, air-pollution costs, noise-pollution costs, and CO₂ emissions costs. The toll rate varies according to the vehicle’s weight class, number of axles, Euro emissions class, and CO₂ emissions class.

• Qualifying zero-emission vehicles remain exempt from the truck toll until June 30, 2031. Vehicles with a technically permissible maximum laden mass of up to 4.25 tonnes and qualifying zero-emission drives are permanently exempt from the truck toll.
• From 1 July 2026, the CO2 classification for trucks over 16 tonnes changes under new EU rules adopted in late 2025, which may alter toll costs for many vehicles in that weight class.
• Certain heavy goods vehicles are subject to Germany’s weekend and public-holiday driving restrictions. Check the current rules before planning a long-distance HGV journey.

Paying and enforcing the LKW-Maut

1. TollNow app: registered vehicles can have toll charges recorded automatically during the journey using the smartphone app; advance route booking is not required.
2. On-board unit (OBU): an installed Toll Collect OBU automatically records the journey and calculates the toll.
3. Manual log-on: toll journeys can also be logged on through Toll Collect’s available manual booking options.

Compliance is monitored through automatic and mobile toll controls, including enforcement gantries, mobile enforcement systems, and inspections by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM). Unpaid tolls can lead to subsequent toll claims and penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions