Since 2008 the inner city area of Berlin is a so called emission zone or environmental zone. This means you have to have a valid environmental badge (the round green stickers almost all Berlin cars have) for your vehicle (Umweltplakette) to enter this environmental zone – otherwise you may face consequences and get a ticket.
How to recognize the environmental zone
The inner city area of Berlin, where the emission zone is in effect, is marked by street signs, as it can be seen in the photo above. The signs feature a red circle with the word “Umwelt” (“environment”) and the word ZONE below the circle as well as a stylized version of the actual green environmental badge. But you don’t have to check all the street signs all the time – the environmental zone is basically defined by the inner city S-Bahn ring. At the entry points to that zone you will find the street signs described above.
What to do to enter the Berlin emission zone
The process of getting such a badge will only take you a few minutes since all of the above ‘badge points’ have lists of basically all cars, campers and mini vans – so there is no actual testing involved. You just have to hope that your vehicle in on the list with the green badge.
Ordering the environmental badge online
Update: you may now also order your environmental badge online. As of 2016 ordering the badge online will cost you 6 Euro. As of 2018 ordering the green badge though the ‘partnering website’ umwelt-plakette.de will cost you 9,90 Euro when you order in German – and around 31,90 Euro when you order in any other languae. I have no idea why this is this way.
You will have to enter your registration number – and upload a copy of your registration papers (e.g. COC-Paper) with the technical details of the vehicle. Then it may take some 7 to 14 days and you’ll receive the badge via snail mail. For further information and the online application check this page at berlin.de: Online-application environmental zone sticker
Further information about the Berlin emission zone and the environmental badge can be found from the homepage of the City of Berlin: “Berlin’s Environmental Zone – The green sticker”
see also:
- Berlin by Car
- Parking your Car
- Parking ticket vending machines explained
- How to read German Parking Signs
Do you have and thoughts, suggestions, additional recommendations or comments? Please feel free to leave your comment below. Thank you!