Umweltzone in Germany: Environmental Zones, Green Stickers, and Fines
Find your route
3 quick steps
An Umweltzone is an urban environmental zone where passenger cars, buses, or trucks are generally only allowed to enter if they have a valid environmental sticker on the windshield. As of 2026, the green Umweltplakette is the only one that matters for existing German Umweltzonen: red and yellow stickers remain in the classification system, but they no longer grant access to active zones.
For drivers, the most important thing is to check three things: whether the city has an Umweltzone, whether the vehicle meets the requirements for a green sticker, and whether there are any additional restrictions on older diesel vehicles on a specific street. The sticker is valid throughout Germany, but city-level diesel restrictions may be local.
What Is an Umweltzone?
The Umweltzone, or low-emission zone, restricts access for vehicles that pollute the air more heavily. The system was introduced as a measure to combat PM10 particulate matter and NO2 nitrogen oxides in cities and metropolitan areas.
The legal basis is the Federal Emissions Control Ordinance (35. Verordnung zur Durchführung des Bundes-Immissionsschutzgesetzes (35. BImSchV)). This regulation defines pollutant groups, the design of the stickers, the procedure for marking vehicles, and exemptions.
In practice, drivers will see a Umwelt ZONE sign. Below it is an additional sign indicating the color of the permitted sticker. If the sign shows a green sticker, entry is permitted only with a green Feinstaubplakette or an official exemption.
Signs marking the start and end of environmental zones in German cities.
How many environmental zones are in effect in Germany
According to the Umweltbundesamt, following the abolition of several zones, 35 Umweltzonen remain in Germany. Their number fluctuates: cities may abolish zones after air quality improves or revise the rules due to new EU air quality requirements.
The most reliable way to check is not the list in this article, but the official map from the Umweltbundesamt and the website of the specific city. On the map, you can see the zone boundaries and links to local regulations.
Distribution of environmental zones on a map of Germany—areas where entry is permitted only with a green sticker are marked.
How to quickly check a city
- Open the Umweltbundesamt map: Umweltzonen in Deutschland.
- Find a city or zoom in on the desired area.
- Check the zone’s boundaries, because it may not cover the entire city.
- Before driving into the city center, check the city’s website: it lists exceptions, roadwork, and local restrictions.
- Once you’re there, follow the road signs. They’re what determine where the restriction begins.
In Berlin, the environmental zone mainly covers the inner city within the S-Bahn Ring. In Munich, the low-emission zone is centered around the Mittlerer Ring, but it’s best to check the exact boundaries before your trip.
Berlin’s environmental zone looks like this on the map.
Munich’s environmental zone on the map.
Types of Environmental Stickers
The Umweltplakette is also known as the Feinstaubplakette, Plakette, or environmental sticker. It indicates the vehicle’s emissions class:
| Group | Color | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No sticker | Older vehicles with high emissions; entry into the Umweltzone is prohibited |
| 2 | red | low environmental category; usually insufficient for active zones |
| 3 | yellow | intermediate category; usually insufficient for active zones |
| 4 | green | the most important category for entering existing Umweltzonen |
Since 2012, vehicles with a green sticker have been permitted in active German Umweltzonen. The sticker must be clearly visible on the inside of the windshield, and the number on it must match the vehicle’s license plate.
Emissions class stickers for German vehicles
Who Needs an Umweltplakette
The sticker is required not only for German vehicles but also for foreign vehicles if they enter an Umweltzone. Having a vehicle registered outside of Germany does not exempt it from these rules.
Typically, the sticker is required for:
- passenger cars;
- motorhomes;
- minibuses and buses;
- vans;
- trucks.
Electric vehicles also need a sticker if they fall into the category of vehicles subject to the Umweltzone. The sticker must display the full license plate number, including the letter E, if it appears on the German license plate.
Who Usually Doesn’t Need a Sticker
According to Section 35 of the BImSchV, the following vehicles, in particular, are exempt from the Umweltzone regulations:
- motorcycles, mopeds, and three-wheeled vehicles;
- agricultural and forestry tractors;
- work vehicles and certain types of special-purpose equipment;
- vehicles belonging to the police, fire department, ambulance service, and other emergency services with Sonderrechte;
- classic cars with an “H” registration code or a red “07” license plate;
- Vehicles for people with disabilities bearing the appropriate designations, such as aG, H, or Bl.
For unusual situations, it’s best to check the original text of Section 35 of the BImSchV or contact the local Zulassungsstelle: exemptions do not automatically apply to all vehicles.
How to determine which sticker you’ll be issued
The class is determined by the vehicle’s registration documents, not by its appearance. For German documents, the “Emissionsschlüssel” in the “Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I” (Registration Certificate Part I) is important—usually found in field 14.1. In older documents, look for the “Schlüsselnummer zu 1.”
The numbers indicating the vehicle’s emission class are circled in red.
The authority that issues the sticker checks the vehicle registration documents and determines which Schadstoffgruppe the vehicle belongs to. You are usually not required to present the vehicle itself.
Based on your car’s emission class, you can immediately determine which sticker you are eligible to receive.
Where to Buy an Environmental Sticker
You can obtain an Umweltplakette in Germany or order it online in advance. Typical options include:
- Zulassungsstelle or Bürgeramt, if the city offers this service;
- technical inspection organizations and authorized AU/HU testing centers, such as TÜV, DEKRA, GTÜ, and KÜS;
- online services provided by TÜV, DEKRA, or city administrations;
- repair shops authorized to perform emissions testing.
To order one, you usually need the vehicle’s license plate number and a copy of the registration documents. After verification, you’ll receive a sticker with the vehicle’s license plate number printed on it. The cost depends on where you purchase it: it’s often lower at official city service centers, but may be higher when ordering online with delivery.
The green environmental sticker indicates that the vehicle is in emissions class 4 and is permitted to enter environmental zones.
How to affix the sticker and when to replace it
The sticker must be affixed to the inside of the windshield so that it is visible from the outside. Simply placing it on the dashboard or securing it with tape is not sufficient.
A new sticker is required if:
- A “” vehicle is re-registered as a “” and receives a new license plate;
- the number on the sticker is no longer legible;
- the windshield is being replaced;
- An old sticker with a different number is still on the windshield.
The Umweltplakette itself does not have a fixed expiration date. It is tied to the vehicle and its license plate.
Diesel Restrictions: A Green Sticker Might Not Be Enough
Separate from the Umweltzone, some cities have introduced or are introducing local restrictions on older diesel vehicles on specific streets or sections of road. Such restrictions may depend on the Euro standard, the type of vehicle, the purpose of the trip, and exemptions for residents, delivery vehicles, or special-purpose vehicles.
10_PUBLISHED/content/en/Diesel vehicle bans in Germany cities, Euro classes, and fines’s diesel restrictions cannot be assessed solely based on the presence of a green sticker: a Euro 4 or Euro 5 diesel vehicle may qualify for a green sticker but still be subject to a local traffic sign. Before driving into the center of major cities, check the city’s website and look for additional signs beneath the traffic signs.
The sign indicates that entry is permitted for vehicles with a green sticker and “Diesel fuel only (except for freight delivery and residents) with Euro 5/VI.”
Fine for Entering Without a Sticker
Entering an Umweltzone without a valid sticker or an authorized exemption is considered an administrative offense. The Umweltbundesamt lists the current fine as 100 euros.
A fine may be imposed if:
- No sticker;
- the sticker is the wrong color;
- the number on the sticker does not match the vehicle’s license plate number;
- The sticker is inside the vehicle but is not affixed to the windshield;
- There are several old stickers with different numbers on the windshield.
Checklist before driving to a German city
- Check whether the city has an Umweltzone.
- Check the zone boundaries on the Umweltbundesamt map or on the city’s website.
- Get a green Umweltplakette in advance, especially if your car is registered abroad.
- Make sure the number on the sticker matches your license plate.
- For diesel vehicles, check for additional city-specific restrictions.
- Once there, follow the “Umwelt ZONE” signs and any additional signs.
FAQ
Can you enter an Umweltzone in a foreign car without a German sticker?
No, foreign vehicles must follow the same rules. If a vehicle is subject to the Umweltzone regulations, it must have a valid sticker or an official exemption.
Is the sticker valid only in one city?
No. The Umweltplakette is valid in all Umweltzonen in Germany, provided the vehicle’s license plate number matches the number on the sticker.
Do you need a sticker to drive on the autobahn?
Usually not, unless the autobahn runs through a designated Umweltzone. The rule applies not based on the country or state, but on the presence of a specific “Umwelt ZONE” road sign.
Can you drive any diesel vehicle with a green sticker?
Not always. A green sticker is usually sufficient for an Umweltzone, but certain city-level diesel bans may impose additional requirements regarding the Euro emission standard.
