Berlin
Berlin low-emission zone: map and entry rules
You need a green emissions sticker to drive in the Berlin low-emission zone unless your vehicle is exempt. This also applies to foreign-registered vehicles.
Zone in force since 2008-01-01
Check your hotel address and route before driving to Berlin. Staying outside the zone does not guarantee that your approach avoids it. Visitors are covered by the same rules, and a short stay does not create an automatic exemption.
Berlin accepts the same green Umweltplakette as Germany’s other low-emission zones. If you already have one, make sure it is attached to the windscreen and clearly shows your vehicle’s current registration number. You do not need a separate Berlin sticker.
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.
Berlin’s low-emission zone covers around 88 km² of the central city, mostly within the Ringbahn railway loop.
Areas covered
The boundary does not follow the railway exactly. For example, Kanzowstraße in Prenzlauer Berg is included despite lying beyond the loop. Check the official Berlin map for individual streets.
Through routes and roads outside the zone
Designated sections of the A100 and certain access roads are outside the zone, as is the corridor across Elsenbrücke. Turning onto nearby city streets may take you into the zone.
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 Berlin 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
Check the whole approach to your hotel
Find your accommodation on the official map and check the motorway exit and final streets too. An automatic diversion may take you through the zone.
Park outside if you have no sticker
If your vehicle has neither the required sticker nor a valid exemption, park outside the zone and continue by public transport. Two P+R options to the south and southeast are listed below. Check current parking conditions and services.
One green sticker works in other cities too
You can use the same valid green sticker in other German low-emission zones. Check local rules at each stop, as some cities impose additional restrictions.
P+R Altglienicke
The car park by Altglienicke S-Bahn station is southeast of central Berlin, outside the zone, near Am Seegraben (B96a). Continue towards the centre on the S9. Check current services and engineering works.
Parking information ↗P+R Schichauweg
This P+R by Schichauweg station is south of central Berlin, outside the zone, at the corner of Schichauweg and Miethepfad. The S2 runs towards the centre. Check current services and engineering works.
Parking information ↗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?
Berlin’s low-emission zone covers around 88 km² of the central city, mostly within the Ringbahn railway loop. The boundary does not follow the railway exactly. For example, Kanzowstraße in Prenzlauer Berg is included despite lying beyond the loop. Check the official Berlin map for individual streets.
Does a new Euro 6 car need a sticker?
Yes, unless a statutory exemption applies. Meeting Euro 6 does not replace the required green sticker.
Does the zone cover all of Berlin?
No. It mainly covers the central area within the S-Bahn railway loop. Use the official map for streets close to the boundary.
Can I enter Berlin with a Euro 4 or Euro 5 diesel?
For the low-emission zone, you need a green sticker or a valid exemption. The former additional street-level bans on diesels up to Euro 5 were lifted in September 2022. The zone’s sticker requirement remains in place.
Can I use the A100 without a sticker?
The southern section of the A100 and specified access roads are excluded. Leaving for ordinary city streets may take you into the zone. Follow the official map and road signs.
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.
Do electric cars and hybrids need a green sticker?
Vehicles displaying electric-vehicle identification recognised under section 11 FZV have a statutory exemption. This may be a German E registration, a blue German E sticker or equivalent foreign identification. Electric or hybrid propulsion alone is insufficient without the required identification. For a diesel hybrid, also check the local diesel restrictions.
← 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.