Berlin’s Environmental Zone

What is part of the environmental zone?

The city centre of Berlin has an environmental zone, i.e. only vehicles that meet certain emission standards are allowed to be driven. To drive your car in the city centre, you must have a sticker that indicates its pollutant group. Since 2010, only vehicles with a green badge are permitted.

To find out where the environmental zone is located exactly, go to the pages of the Senate Department.

Where can I get the green badge?

Even if you are a tourist, you can get the sticker at the vehicle registration office, vehicle testing centres such as TÜV, DEKRA, GTÜ, FSP and KÜS, as well as the roughly 850 authorised inner city garages in Berlin. The environmental sticker is valid throughout Germany. The validity does not have a time limit, but is linked to the vehicle registration number.

For more information on the Senate Department and options for buying the sticker online, go to berlin.de. You can also buy the sticker online at the environmental sticker shop of the vehicle registration office for EUR 6.

The stickers for vehicles can also be bought online from the website of the Climate Company, www.umwelt-plakette.de.

Note: Even if you come to Berlin with your vehicle from abroad, you may drive in the environmental zone only with a green sticker. This also applies to all vehicles, including coaches, from abroad.

More information for Coach drivers

Additional information on the environmental zone for tourists and visitors from abroad can be found in all languages on the website of the Senate Department for the Environment, Urban Mobility, Consumer Protection and Climate Action.  

Excemptions from the driving ban in Berlin

In any case, the prerequisite for individual excemptions in Berlin is that the vehicle cannot be retrofitted to comply with the environmental sticker standards. Exceptions can be made for vehicles belonging to severely disabled persons with the “G” code and low income, as well as for special vehicles in combination with a special business idea or extensive special equipment.

For more information on exemptions and application forms, go to the pages of the Senate Department for the Environment, Urban Mobility, Consumer Protection and Climate Action.

Find here more tips for a sustainable trip to Berlin.