Leistungen A-Z

To enter an environmental zone, you need an environmental badge valid for this zone for the vehicle used.

Depending on the emission behavior of motor vehicles, red, yellow or green environmental badges are issued.

A green sticker is now required in almost all cases to enter a low emission zone.

Low emission zones are set up by the responsible authorities of the federal states to improve air quality. Only vehicles that meet certain emission requirements are allowed to enter environmental zones.

Motor vehicles

Motor vehicles are divided into pollutant groups 1 to 4 (Annex 2 of the 35th Federal Immission Control Ordinance [BImSchV]).

A green environmental badge (pollutant group 4) is issued to

• all gasoline passenger cars with a regulated first-generation catalytic converter and gasoline passenger cars from emission stage Euro 1,
• Diesel cars from emission stage Euro 4,
• Euro 3 diesel cars that have been retrofitted with an approved particulate reduction system.

A yellow environmental badge (pollutant group 3) is awarded to Euro 3 diesel cars and Euro 2 diesel cars that have been retrofitted with an approved particle reduction system.

A red environmental badge (pollutant group 2) is awarded to Euro 2 diesel cars and Euro 1 diesel cars that have been retrofitted with an approved particle reduction system.

All other vehicles (pollutant group 1) do not receive an environmental badge.

Commercial vehicles and buses

Commercial vehicles and buses with Euro I and higher emission standards are assigned accordingly:

Receive a green environmental badge (pollutant group 4):

• Diesel vehicles of emission stage Euro IV and better
• Euro III diesel vehicles that have been retrofitted with an approved particulate reduction system.

A yellow environmental badge (pollutant group 3) is awarded to Euro III diesel vehicles and Euro II diesel vehicles that have been retrofitted with an approved particle reduction system.

A red environmental badge (pollutant group 2) is awarded to Euro II diesel vehicles and Euro I diesel vehicles that have been retrofitted with an approved particle reduction system.

All other vehicles (pollutant group 1) do not receive an environmental badge.

Entering an environmental zone

Registration certificate part I

The costs for issuing the sticker vary (at the registration authorities they are EUR 5).

The environmental badge for the vehicle is issued by the issuing offices on presentation of the vehicle documents.

After the responsible issuing office has determined the pollutant group, the vehicle's license plate number is entered in the space provided on the sticker using a non-fading pen.

The vehicle owner must affix the sticker to the inside of the windshield. The sticker must be clearly visible and must be designed and affixed in such a way that it will be destroyed if removed from the windshield.

Issuing offices for environmental badges are

• the registration authorities,
• monitoring organizations and technical
  test centers,
• workshops that are authorized to carry out exhaust emission tests.

• §§ 2 - 5 Ordinance on the Labeling of Motor Vehicles with a Low Contribution to Pollution - 35th BImSchV
• Annex 2 Ordinance on the Labeling of Motor Vehicles with a Low Contribution to Pollution - 35th BImSchV

It is not permitted to enter an environmental zone without a sufficient environmental badge. A standard fine of EUR 80 has been set.

• Low emission zone in Germany

Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Planning