Hesse
Frankfurt am Main low-emission zone: map and entry rules
You need a green emissions sticker to drive in the Frankfurt am Main low-emission zone unless your vehicle is exempt. This also applies to foreign-registered vehicles.
Zone in force since 2008-10-01
Frankfurt’s zone extends well beyond the historic centre. It lies within a motorway ring formed by the A5 to the west, A3 to the south and A661 to the east and north. Leaving these motorways towards the city may take you into the zone. Frankfurt Airport lies south of the A3, outside it; a drive from the airport to the centre enters the zone.
Frankfurt does not currently have a city-wide diesel ban like those in Stuttgart or Munich. For its low-emission zone, the green sticker or a valid exemption is what matters. Use current city guidance when planning your journey.
If your car cannot qualify for a green sticker, park outside the zone and continue by regional train or S-Bahn. The options below include Eschborn Süd west of the A5 and Maintal Ost east of Frankfurt. Keep the approach outside the Frankfurt streets within the ring.
Zone map and boundaries
View the map image
Overview based on German Environment Agency (UBA) boundary data. Street-level exemptions are not shown; consult the official local guidance.
Frankfurt’s zone covers about 110 km² within the A5, A3 and A661 motorway ring. The motorways themselves are outside it.
Areas covered
The zone includes the city centre, main station, exhibition grounds and other districts on both sides of the Main. Frankfurt Airport is outside it. Check the exact boundary for addresses close to the motorways.
Through routes and roads outside the zone
You can stay on the A5, A3 or A661 without a sticker. Leaving the motorway for the city may take you into the zone. Nearby Offenbach and Darmstadt have their own low-emission zones.
Which vehicles do the rules apply to?
We check your registration documents to see whether your vehicle qualifies for a green sticker. Your vehicle must also meet any local entry requirements.
| Vehicle | Sticker | Entry conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars | Green sticker | Display a green sticker on the windscreen. |
| Vans | Green sticker | Display a green sticker on the windscreen. |
| Lorries | Green sticker | Display a green sticker on the windscreen. |
| Motorhomes | Green sticker | Display a green sticker on the windscreen. |
| Buses and coaches | Green sticker | Display a green sticker on the windscreen. |
| Electric vehicles / hybrids | Green sticker | Display a green sticker or a blue E sticker on the windscreen. |
| Motorcycles / mopedsTwo- and three-wheeled motor vehicles | Not required | Exempt under Annex 3 to the 35th BImSchV. |
Local rules and exemptions
A green German emissions sticker (Umweltplakette) is required to enter the Frankfurt am Main low-emission zone unless your vehicle is exempt. The requirement also applies to vehicles registered outside Germany.
Attach the sticker clearly to the inside of the windscreen. It must show your vehicle’s current registration number. Vehicle documents and an order confirmation do not replace the physical sticker. The same valid green sticker is accepted in every German low-emission zone.
Exemptions
National exemptions include motorcycles and other two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles, certain working and emergency vehicles, and qualifying historic vehicles. The law also provides exemptions for transporting people with specified disabilities, subject to the required evidence.
Vehicles displaying electric-vehicle identification recognised under section 11 of the German Vehicle Registration Regulation (FZV) are also exempt. For a foreign-registered vehicle, this may be an equivalent foreign marking or a blue German E sticker. Electric or hybrid propulsion alone does not qualify without the required identification.
The full national exemptions are listed in Annex 3 to the 35th BImSchV. You can apply to the local authority for an individual exemption in qualifying circumstances. Obtain any required permit before travelling; submitting an application does not authorise entry.
When the rules apply
All year, 24 hours a day, including weekends and public holidays.
Penalties
The German penalty schedule sets a standard fine of €100 for a low-emission-zone offence. Administrative fees and expenses may be added. Other traffic offences are assessed separately.
Practical travel tips
The motorway ring is outside the zone
You can stay on the A5, A3 or A661 without a green sticker. Leaving towards the city centre may take you into the zone.
The airport is outside the zone
Normal access to Frankfurt Airport does not require a green sticker. A drive from the airport into the centre may cross the zone; you can continue by train or S-Bahn instead.
P+R Eschborn Süd
The P+R at Eschborn Süd S-Bahn station, Stuttgarter Straße 13, 65760 Eschborn, is west of the A5 and outside Frankfurt’s zone. Continue on the S3 or S4. Use the Eschborn exit from the A66; from the A5, join it at Nordwestkreuz Frankfurt towards Wiesbaden. Avoid turning into Frankfurt east of the A5. Check current parking operation and conditions.
P+R Bahnhof Maintal Ost
The car park by Maintal Ost station, on Bahnhofstraße in 63477 Maintal, is east of Frankfurt and outside the zone. Continue by regional train. From Hanau, approach on the A66 via the Maintal-Dörnigheim exit without continuing into Frankfurt. Construction may affect spaces and access, so check the current situation before travelling.
Frequently asked questions
Do foreign-registered vehicles need a sticker?
Yes. Vehicles registered outside Germany are covered by the same sticker requirement. Unless your vehicle qualifies for an exemption, attach a valid green sticker to the windscreen before entering the zone.
Where does the zone apply?
Frankfurt’s zone covers about 110 km² within the A5, A3 and A661 motorway ring. The motorways themselves are outside it. The zone includes the city centre, main station, exhibition grounds and other districts on both sides of the Main. Frankfurt Airport is outside it. Check the exact boundary for addresses close to the motorways.
Can I pass Frankfurt on the motorway without a sticker?
Yes. The A5, A3 and A661, including the motorway interchanges around the city, are outside the zone. Take care on the A66 from Eschborn towards Frankfurt: the section inside the ring ends in the zone.
Does Frankfurt have a diesel ban like Stuttgart?
There is currently no comparable area-wide diesel ban. Entry to the low-emission zone requires a green sticker or a valid exemption. Check current city guidance before travelling.
Do I need a sticker for the airport or exhibition grounds?
Frankfurt Airport is south of the A3, outside the zone, so normal access to the terminals does not require a sticker. Messe Frankfurt, the main station and the centre are inside the zone. Driving from the airport to these destinations on ordinary streets requires a sticker unless exempt.
Do the rules apply at weekends and for a short visit?
Yes. The zone operates around the clock, all year, including nights, weekends and public holidays. A short stay or a direct trip to a hotel does not itself create a general exemption.
Other cities in the same federal state
← All cities and the low-emission zone map
Sources and updates
Information last checked: .
Aktualizováno
Based on the UBA zone register, the relevant local authority’s guidance and the legislation linked below. Local details follow the source package checked on 25 October 2026; key national rules and zone status were checked again on 28 October 2026.