# Umwelt Zones Reminder



## Don_Madge

From 1 January 2008 a total of 33 German cities will require all motorists to purchase a "Pollution Badge" in the form of a windscreen sticker in order to enter city centre 'Umwelt Zones' (green zones).

The participating cities are: Augsburg, Berlin, Braunschweig, Köln (Cologne), Darmstadt, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt am Main, Hannover, Heidelberg, Islfeld, Karlsruhe, Kassel, Leipzig, Leonburg, Ludwigsburg, Madgeburg, Mannheim, Mühlacker, München (Munich), Neu-Ulm, Nürnberg (Nuremberg), Pforzheim, Pleidelsheim, Regensburg, Reutlingen, Ruhr Area, Schwäbish-Gmund, Stuttgart, Tübingen and Ulm.

You must present your vehicle registration document at Pollution Badge (Umwelt Plakette) sales outlets, including vehicle repair centres, car dealers, MOT (Tüv) stations and vehicle licensing offices, and you will be issued with a badge, coloured (Red/Yellow/Green) according to your vehicle's Euro emission rating.

The cost of the badge is understood to be between €5 and €10 and, once issued, covers you throughout Germany for the life of your vehicle. Failure to display a badge could incur a fine of €40. Enforcement will be managed by the police, local authorities and traffic wardens.

This website gives a lot of information (in German): http://www.umwelt-plakette.de
Also http://www.umwelt-plakette.de/umwel...o Englisch.pdf?SID=q0j3lb93ftbufcg576a3aq6914

Safe travelling

Don


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## 104705

Good information, but does this apply to foreign registered vehicles. The information required will not be held by the German registration authorities?

I note that this information is supplied by a handling company?


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## Don_Madge

Freetochat said:


> Good information, but does this apply to foreign registered vehicles. The information required will not be held by the German registration authorities?
> 
> I note that this information is supplied by a handling company?


You can buy your badge in advance at http://www.umwelt-plakette.de/sprachauswahl_foreignshop.php

Don


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## peejay

Thanks for the reminder Don.

Freetochat, yes it does apply to foreign registered vehicles.

You have 2 options, apply for it online via Dons link which will cost €30 or purchase it when you arrive from a vehicle registration office if you know the location of one.

I intend to get mine online as we might be visiting Berlin in February. To do this you need to scan your registration document and email it to them.

pete


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## sallytrafic

Does it apply to any autobahn passing through these cities, or areas, (such as the Ruhr). Although the idea of my van polluting the Ruhr is a difficult one to get my head around


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## peejay

sallytrafic said:


> Does it apply to any autobahn passing through these cities, or areas, (such as the Ruhr)


Good question Frank. Haven't a clue really but knowing the Germans and their regulations it will probably be tough luck and you'll have to give the area a wide berth unless you 'cough' up :wink:

pete


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## 104705

peejay said:


> Thanks for the reminder Don.
> 
> Freetochat, yes it does apply to foreign registered vehicles.
> 
> You have 2 options, apply for it online via Dons link which will cost €30 or purchase it when you arrive from a vehicle registration office if you know the location of one.
> 
> I intend to get mine online as we might be visiting Berlin in February. To do this you need to scan your registration document and email it to them.
> 
> pete


Thanks for that. The only reason I asked was that in general, charges can be applied (ie tolls), but regulatory requirements are applied by the host country. Hence hamonisation of EU laws?


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## brandywine

Mine being a 1995 Fiat 2.5TD does not have CO2 emission listed on V5.

Can anyone say what this will mean?


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## LPDrifter

Thanks for the reminder and the helpful links


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## Boff

Hi all,

as promised in another thread, here are the latest updates about the German "Umwelt Zones": 

The number of cities which have now really introduced Umwelt Zone regulations on 1st January 2008 has reduced to 3: Berlin, Cologne (Köln) and Hannover. Some more cities, all of them in the provinces Bavaria and Baden- Württemberg in the south of Germany, are still planning to introduce them during 2008. 

All vehicles that want to travel inside of an Umwelt Zone need to display a sticker ("Umweltplakette") on the windscreen. This sticker is available in three colours, red, yellow and green, where red stands for worst and green for best emission values. During 2008 all Umwelt Zones will be open for all sticker colours, but vehicles with red sticker will be banned from the Umwelt Zone in Hannover from 2009 on, and in Cologne from 2010 on. Berlin will allow all stickers until end of 2009, and afterwards only green stickers. The regulations of other cities are still subject to change.

Motorways are (so far) exempted from the Umwelt Zone regulations, even if they pass through such zones. 

The Umwelt Zone regulations also affect foreign vehicles! 

It is possible to get Umwelt stickers at all German "TÜV" and "DEKRA" offices, which you usually find (pretty well signposted) somewhere in the industrial districts of most German towns. These are the institutions which do the regular technical checks on motor vehicles (like British MOT). With your van's VIN number these institutions should be able to find out which sticker is suitable for your vehicle, and hand it out within some minutes. If you don't find one, ask local people or at petrol stations for the nearest "TÜV". An alternative would be to contact a German representative of your MH's base vehicle manufacturer, or a local car registration office ("Kfz-Zulassungsstelle"). 

BTW, the "TÜV" charges only EUR 5.- for a sticker.

The sticker colours correspond to the EURO emission classes, they have nothing to do with the CO2 emissions. Class EURO 1 vehicles do not get any stickers, so they will be banned from all Umwelt Zones. Class EURO 2 vehicles get the red sticker, class EURO 3 vehicles (like the popular Ducato 2.8 JTD engine) yellow, and EURO 4 vehicles green. 

Under certain conditions older vehicles might receive a "better" sticker if a particle filter is retrofitted.

Hope that helps!

Best Regards,
Gerhard

P.S: My MH now has a yellow sticker. Bought at the "TÜV" in Bamberg, Bavaria, for EUR 5.-.


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## peejay

Further to Gerhards info, I've found a few links for locations of TÜV, DEKRA and Veh Registration Offices that might help if you are purchasing as you enter Germany;

Some links are German, some English, but all are fairly self explanatory...

::TÜV stations North::

::TÜV Stations Rheinland or Mid::

::TÜV Stations South::

::Veh Registration Centres or Zulassungsstelle::

:EKRA Centres::

Theres plenty listed, so you should have no trouble finding one. For a quick example, quite a few will probably enter Germany via the A4 Aachen;

TÜV Aachen
Hubert Wiehen Strasse 36
52070
Aachen

DEKRA Aachen
Rottstrasse 41
52068
Aachen

Kfz Zulassungsstelle Aachen
Carlo-Schmid Strasse 4
52146
Aachen-Wurselen

pete


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## gazza333

seems to be 5 euro from here
http://www.stadt-koeln.de/en/lowemissionzone/article/11609/index.html


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## sheringham

Thanks gazza333 and all.

We are off to Germany again in April so have applied to Koln (Cologne) for the necessary Umweltplake.

Just sent copies of V5 doc and "original" German Fahrzeugbrief along with 5 Euros.

I reckon on pollution category Euro 3 but will wait to see what comes if any as it seems so uncomplicated. 

Happy New Year and happy travels to everyone.   

Ron


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## hhhh

This PDF should have all the info you'll need in English.


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## sheringham

*Impressive*

SORTED....Applied via post on the 6th along with 5.00 Euro note and received "Gelbe Feinstaubplakette" (Class 3) in post today from City of Cologne.

Roll on April.

Ron


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## wotsit

Just a thought some of us tow or carry motorcycles / scooters. Does anyone know if this umwelt zone applies to these vehicles

Bill


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## Boff

wotsit said:


> Just a thought some of us tow or carry motorcycles / scooters. Does anyone know if this umwelt zone applies to these vehicles


Nope, it does not. 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles are exempted.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## peedee

Gerhard, 

I notice in the notes on exemption the following paragraph:

"motor vehicles driven by, or carrying persons with serious mobility impairments, helpless or blind persons who have a severe disablement document marked with disability codes »aG«, »H« or »Bl«;"

I don't understand the codes, do you know what they mean? Would it apply to motorhomes or is it only applicable to cars?

peedee


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## Boff

peedee said:


> "motor vehicles driven by, or carrying persons with serious mobility impairments, helpless or blind persons who have a severe disablement document marked with disability codes »aG«, »H« or »Bl«;"


Hi,

yes that is another exception. It applies to all motor vehicles, including motorhomes. The codes mean:

aG: "außergewöhnlich gehbehindert", means "ability to walk exceptionally impaired"

H: "hilflos", "helpless"

Bl: "Blind", "blind".

These are codes which can be found on Severely Handicapped Passes, issued by German authorities. Whether there are similar codes on UK Handicapped Passes, this I do not know. But if so, then also bearers of such foreign passes should be allowed inside Umwelt Zones without a sticker.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## peedee

Thanks very much Gerhard, no we do not have such codes on our passes, sounds like a good idea though. I have also been checking up on my engine, a Mercedes 316, and I believe it could be classed as Euro 3 but our registration agency in its infinite wisdom in 2001 never classified my vehicle and will probable want to charge me £28 to have it tested so I can have a certificate which is only valid for a year. Re testing will then be required every year again at a cost of £28! I don't mind paying a one off charge to get it corrected but an annual charge on top of the road test (MOT) which also includes an emission test is a bit steep. Given the few occasions I am likely to want to enter a low emission zone, I don't think I will bother a red sticker is cheaper!

peedee


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## Boff

peedee said:


> I have also been checking up on my engine, a Mercedes 316, and I believe it could be classed as Euro 3 but our registration agency in its infinite wisdom in 2001 never classified my vehicle and will probable want to charge me £28 to have it tested so I can have a certificate which is only valid for a year.


Hi Peedee,

never mind. This classification might have some meaning in UK, I don't know that, but for the German "Umweltplakette" it has not. Next time you go to Germany, just pull over at the next "TÜV" or "DEKRA", give them your registration document (they need VIN and reg. no.), and they will give you the right sticker.

Best Regards,
Gerhard

P.S: Sometimes it seems to me that foreign drivers have less problems with the Umwelt stickers than Germans, because it seems that German authorities have in the past issued quite a few wrong (too bad) classifications... 8O


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## peedee

Boff said:


> P.S: Sometimes it seems to me that foreign drivers have less problems with the Umwelt stickers than Germans, because it seems that German authorities have in the past issued quite a few wrong (too bad) classifications... 8O


I think the same is/will happen here and it is just beginning to dawn on people with the introduction of the Low emission Zone around London. I have only recently studied my registration document in any detail and am beginning to realise the increasing importance of having the right classification on it.

peedee


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## jeff8

*umwelt zones*

Can these stickers be placed anywhere on windscreen or do the Germans need it placed in a certain position


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## nicholsong

Anyone 'strayed' into a zone without the right sticker and received a fine at their non-German address?

It would be expensive for each city to connect to the registration computers of all countries.

Furthermore, if the 'fine' were issued by a local authority, rather than the Federal Government, could it be enforced in another jurisdiction without a German Court Order?

Geoff


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## chasper

*Re: umwelt zones*



jeff8 said:


> Can these stickers be placed anywhere on windscreen or do the Germans need it placed in a certain position


It shows them placed on the right hand bottom corner for a British van, and the same for a foreign one. wink:


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## DianneT

Most of the Towns and Cities that need Umwelt Plackett have good park and ride car parks. We have had a Plackett since its begining but only been into 1 City where we needed it Ulm


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