Emissions Stickers
Clearance for environmental zones in city centres – also for cars registered abroad:
Motorists with cars registered abroad who wish to operate their vehicles everywhere in Germany, also in city centres where environmental zones have been established, will need low-emission cars and emissions stickers in the future.
The rationale behind emissions stickers.
Road traffic accounts for roughly one-third of particulate pollution. In cities, conurbations and near busy roads, particulate emissions often account for clearly over 50 % of air pollution. In an effort to protect human health, the EU has passed a European Directive which allows municipalities to establish environmental zones in city centres and conurbations. Whether such zones are established and when they will become effective depends on the local conditions.
In Germany, environmental zones are identified by a rectangular road sign. In these zones, no vehicular traffic is allowed.
Exceptions from a general ban on vehicular traffic are indicated by an additional sign.
Clearance for environmental zones in city centres with emissions sticker:
In specially designated environmental zones, vehicles may be operated if they have the emissions sticker which is shown on the additional sign and required to enter the zone.
The sign may show
- one sticker (green),
- two stickers (green and yellow), or
- all three stickers
and exempts cars with these windscreen stickers from the general ban on vehicular traffic.
Which sticker for which motor vehicle?
Affected by possible bans on vehicular traffic are passenger cars, trucks and buses. Excluded are two- and three-wheel motor vehicles, industrial trucks, agricultural and forestry tractors, mobile machinery and equipment, vintage cars, cars of disabled people and motor vehicles operated with special permits.
There are four emission classes: The lower the particulate emission, the higher the emission class.
Motor vehicles in Class 1 are not eligible for emissions stickers. This class includes passenger cars without catalytic converter, pre-EURO-I and EURO-I diesel cars and trucks. All other motor vehicles are eligible for emissions stickers.
Vehicles registered abroad are classified on the basis of the European emissions standard according to which they have been registered, provided this standard is identified in their vehicle registration documentation or can otherwise be proved. If this is not the case, a simplified approach based on the first year of registration is used to issue emissions stickers to foreign cars:
| Euro Level | Emissions Class | First registration passenger cars | First registration trucks | Sticker |
| Diesel cars | ||||
| EURO I or Pre-Euro I | 1 | Before 1st Jan. 1997 | Before 1st Oct. 1996 | None |
| Euro II | 2 | From 1st Jan. 1997 to 31st Dec. 2000 | From 1st Oct. 1996 to 30th Sept. 2001 | Red |
| Euro III | 3 | From 1st Jan. 2001 to 31st Dec. 2005 | From 1st Oct. 2001 to 30th Sept. 2006 | Yellow |
| Euro IV | 4 | From 1st Jan. 2006 | From 1st Oct. 2006 | Green |
| Petrol cars | ||||
| Pre-EURO I (without catalytic converter) | 1 | Before 1st Jan. 1993 | None | |
| EURO I and higher | 4 | From 1st Jan. 1993 | Green | |
Where can you obtain an emissions sticker?
You can obtain the emissions stickers either at one of our 300-plus TÜV SÜD Service Centers or on the Internet. TÜV SÜD Service Centers are conveniently located and offer parking and customer-friendly opening hours – often also on Saturdays.
To obtain your emissions sticker, you will need part I of your vehicle registration certificate (and/or your vehicle registration document). You need not bring the vehicle itself. Emissions stickers cost € 5,-- including VAT if you collect the sticker at one of our Service Centers.
Alternatively, you can also simply order your emissions sticker here on the Internet (see below). To do so, you need part I of your vehicle registration certificate (and/or your vehicle registration document) in electronic form (e. g. as a pdf or jpg file).
For € 14,99 including VAT and postage, you will receive your emissions sticker in the post without delay. (If your car does not qualify for an emissions sticker, we will inform you free of charge and reimburse your payment in full.)
Your contact at TÜV SÜD:
TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH
Ridlerstrasse 57
D-80339 München
E-mail: bys-muc@tuev-sued.de
Internet: www.tuev-sued.de/service-centre
Subject to change (updated 05/08-lw)
[119167]
