Since January 1, 2008, several cities in Bavaria have had environmental zones in which driving bans apply to vehicles with particularly high exhaust emissions. Only vehicles marked with an appropriate sticker or exempt from the driving ban are allowed to drive in these zones.
Four pollutant groups have been defined, three of which are identified by stickers. These environmental stickers must be affixed to the vehicle in a clearly visible position behind the windshield. In order to ensure a smooth control of the vehicles in the environmental zones, it is recommended to attach them to the right edge of the windshield.
The environmental badge is valid throughout Germany. The validity is not limited. If the vehicle is re-registered and the license plate number changes, a new sticker is required, as the number on the sticker must match the license plate number.
You can obtain the environmental sticker from the following offices:
- Vehicle registration authorities of the independent cities or the counties.
- Approved bodies that are allowed to carry out exhaust emission tests (e.g. AU workshops, approved testing organizations such as TÜV Süd, DEKRA, FSP, GTÜ, KÜS).
These bodies determine whether your vehicle can be issued with an environmental badge and, if so, which one. It will then be issued to you.
The following vehicle groups do not need a fine dust sticker to enter the environmental zone:
- Mobile machines and equipment
- Working machines
- Agricultural and forestry tractors
- Two- and three-wheeled motor vehicles
- Ambulances and emergency vehicles
- Motor vehicles in which persons drive or are driven who are exceptionally disabled, helpless or blind and who can prove this by means of the symbols "aG", "H" or "BI" entered in the severely disabled person's identity card in accordance with § 3 Para. 1 Nos. 1 to 3 of the Severely Disabled Persons' Identity Card Ordinance.
- Vehicles for which special rights can be claimed in accordance with § 35 of the Road Traffic Regulations
- Vintage vehicles (as defined in Section 2 No. 22 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance) bearing a registration plate in accordance with Section 9 (1) or Section 17 of the Vehicle Registration Ordinance, as well as vehicles registered in another member state of the European Union, another contracting party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or Turkey, if they meet equivalent requirements
- Vehicles belonging to non-German troops of states not party to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that are in Germany within the framework of military cooperation, insofar as they are used for journeys for urgent military reasons
- Civilian motor vehicles used on behalf of the Bundeswehr, insofar as they are used for journeys that cannot be postponed for the performance of sovereign tasks of the Bundeswehr
Other notes:
- Quads and trikes:
If your quad is registered as a "motorcycle" or "agricultural and forestry machine", you do not need a sticker. Quads registered as "passenger cars," on the other hand, require a sticker. Trikes are three-wheeled vehicles and as such are not subject to the entry bans in the environmental zone. - Buses with tourists:
Basically, all vehicles that want to drive into the environmental zone need a sticker. This also applies to buses that take tourists to events. If you are based in the low emission zone and can prove that the vehicle cannot be technically retrofitted, you can obtain an individual exemption permit for a period of one year. - Motorhomes:
The same requirements apply to motorhomes as to other motor vehicles: without a sticker, driving in the low emission zone is prohibited. - Vintage cars:
Vintage cars are generally exempt from the driving ban if they carry the vintage car license plate "H" or the red 07 vintage car license plate. This also applies to vehicles registered in another member state of the European Union, another party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area or Turkey if they meet equivalent requirements. - Munich blanket exemption:
There is a blanket exemption for trips to the Grossmarkthalle via Schäftlarnstraße. In this case, you can drive into the low emission zone without a sticker.
If you select a location under "Localization" the contact details of the responsible authority and, if applicable, locally valid information will be displayed.