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Umweltplakette · environmental sticker

Environmental sticker Germany

Driving into a German Umweltzone, for example in Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, or Cologne? A valid Umweltplakette on your windscreen is mandatory. Unlike our digital vignettes, this is a physical sticker: you apply for it once, and it then stays valid for the life of your vehicle.

Price & delivery time

One fixed price, with no vehicle types or validity periods to choose from. The Umweltplakette applies to every vehicle, once, for life.

One-time · valid for life

Umweltplakette

€ 24.95
  • Delivery time: 3–5 business days, one of the fastest environmental stickers we offer
  • The sticker is sent by post, directly from Germany
  • Applying once is enough: you never need to renew or reapply, not even next year
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Almost always the green sticker: virtually every modern Dutch petrol or diesel car qualifies for the green Umweltplakette, the highest category, which lets you drive into any German Umweltzone.
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Physical sticker, no digital link: unlike our toll vignettes, you'll receive an actual sticker by post here. Stick it yourself to the upper right inside your windscreen, clearly visible for checks from outside.

How ordering works

You enter your licence plate and delivery address and pay securely right away via iDEAL, Bancontact, or PayPal. We then apply for the sticker with the German authority on your behalf. There's nothing else for you to arrange.

How long does the sticker stay valid?

The Umweltplakette is linked to your licence plate and stays valid for life, for as long as you own the same vehicle. So you never need to renew it annually. If you sell the car, the new owner applies for their own new sticker.

The 3 colours of the Umweltplakette

Germany originally had three Schadstoffgruppen: red, yellow, and green. In recent years that system has, in practice, been reduced to a single usable colour: of the more than 50 German Umweltzones, virtually none still accepts a red or yellow sticker (the last exception is Neu-Ulm, which still allows yellow). Below you'll find all three colours, so you understand why we almost always apply for the green sticker on your behalf.

How to recognise an Umweltzone

Official German road sign Zeichen 270.1: round white sign with a red border, marking the start of an Umweltzone

An Umweltzone always begins at this round white sign with a red border and the word "Umweltzone". Once you pass this sign, your vehicle must display a valid (green) Umweltplakette on the windscreen. Major cities with an active Umweltzone include Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne, Frankfurt am Main, Düsseldorf, Leipzig and the entire Ruhr area. Note that this changes: Hannover (February 2024), Freiburg (May 2025) and Mainz (October 2025) actually abolished their Umweltzone again because air quality now comfortably meets the legal standards. Not sure about a specific city? Check in advance, since the number of zones keeps changing across Germany.

In practice, enforcement mainly relies on regular police checks on moving traffic, supplemented by municipal traffic monitoring of parked vehicles — unlike, for example, London's ULEZ system, this doesn't (yet) rely on structural camera enforcement specifically for the Umweltzone.

Fines and enforcement

Drive into a German Umweltzone without a valid Umweltplakette, and you risk a fine of € 100 — this applies equally to German and foreign licence plates. Since the 2014 points reform, this no longer adds points to the German traffic register (Fahreignungsregister, "Flensburg"): it's purely a monetary fine, not a road-safety offence.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about the German Umweltplakette

Do I need to apply for the sticker even if I'm only driving through Germany once?+

Yes. Even a one-off transit or drive-through of an Umweltzone requires a valid Umweltplakette — there's no exception for short or one-time use. The sticker then remains valid for life, including for future trips.

What does a fine cost if I drive into an Umweltzone without a valid sticker?+

€ 100, regardless of whether your vehicle has a German or foreign licence plate. Since 2014, this no longer adds points to the German points system.

Does the Umweltplakette apply across the whole of Germany?+

No, only within the boundaries of the Umweltzones of specific cities — recognisable by the round "Umweltzone" sign. Outside those zones, no sticker is needed. Note that the number and boundaries of zones change over time, as shown by the recent abolition in Hannover, Freiburg and Mainz.

How is it checked whether I have a valid sticker?+

Mainly through regular, physical police checks on moving traffic, supplemented by municipal traffic monitoring — there's no structural automatic camera enforcement specifically for the Umweltzone yet, unlike, for example, London's ULEZ system.

Is the Umweltplakette also mandatory for motorcycles?+

No, motorcycles are exempt from the Umweltplakette requirement in Germany and may enter any Umweltzone without a sticker.

What happens to the sticker if I sell my car?+

The sticker is linked to the licence plate and stays on the car. As long as the licence plate stays the same, the new owner doesn't need to do anything; if the licence plate changes, a new application is required.

Can I also apply for an Umweltplakette with a rental car or foreign licence plate?+

Yes. Tick "foreign licence plate" during the application and enter the vehicle details (fuel type, Euro standard, date of first registration) yourself — we can't look these up automatically with the RDW in that case.

How long does delivery take, and can I depart on time?+

Delivery takes 3–5 business days after payment is received. So apply for the sticker well before departure; we can't speed up this timeframe, since it's set by the issuing authority.

What if my licence plate isn't found automatically?+

Tick "foreign licence plate" and enter the vehicle details yourself. This is also necessary if you have a non-Dutch licence plate, since we can't use an RDW lookup in that case.

Are emergency vehicles, vehicles for people with disabilities, or classic cars exempt from the Umweltplakette requirement?+

Yes. Emergency vehicles, vehicles with a disabled parking permit, and classic cars with a German H-plate are exempt and may enter any Umweltzone without a sticker too.

I've lost my sticker or it's damaged — can I apply for a replacement?+

Yes, you can apply for a new Umweltplakette for the same licence plate; the old, damaged or lost sticker then becomes invalid.

Is the Umweltplakette the same as a toll vignette — do I also need to buy a vignette for Germany?+

No, these are two different things. Germany has no general toll vignette for cars on the motorway; the Umweltplakette is only needed for access to Umweltzones in specific cities.

Do I need the sticker even if I only have to pass briefly and unavoidably through an Umweltzone?+

Yes, even a brief, unavoidable pass-through (for example because your navigation allows no other route) requires a valid sticker. There's no exception based on how long you stay in the zone.

Is the sticker also mandatory for a camper van or a car with a trailer?+

Yes, camper vans fall under the same rules as cars. A trailer itself doesn't need its own sticker; only the towing vehicle needs a valid sticker.

Can I use the same sticker if I switch cars (for example with a lease car change)?+

No, the sticker is linked to the specific licence plate it was applied for and is fixed to that car's windscreen. For a different car, you apply for a new sticker.

Is the sticker also valid if I then continue on to an Umweltzone in another country?+

No, the German Umweltplakette is only valid in German Umweltzones. If you continue on to, for example, France or Spain, you'll need a separate environmental sticker of your own there.

Is the sticker also checked when parking, or only while driving?+

Checks mainly happen while driving, through regular police checks. With long-term parking within an Umweltzone, however, a missing sticker can also come to light through municipal enforcement.

Why apply through EuropeVignettes.eu instead of directly with the German authority?+

We handle the full application for you in English, without you having to fill in German forms yourself or needing a German address, and you simply pay via iDEAL, Bancontact, or PayPal.