What kind of stickers are there?
How do I get a sticker?What kind of stickers are there?
Which pollutant group does my vehicle belong to?
How is the classification of the pollutant group for foreign vehicles carried out?
Legal basis
What kind of stickers are there?
The round, coloured stickers in red, yellow and green indicate the pollution categories 2, 3 and 4.
Pollution category 1 is reserved for vehicles with especially high pollution levels. They don't get a sticker. For example, these vehicles are diesel vehicles classified as Euro I and worse as well as petrol vehicles without any or with an unregulated catalytic converter.
At present you are free to drive into the Low Emission Zone if you have a yellow or green sticker.
Which pollutant group does my vehicle belong to?
The proof of the pollutant group for vehicles, and with it the allocation of a sticker, is explicitly regulated by the certification regulations. If you registrated your car after October 1st 2005, you can find the key numbers at the Permit I (number 14.1). In case you registrated your car before October 1st 2005, you will find the emission-key number within your car registration certificate at the "keynumber 1" in the fifth and sixt place of the code.
Find out here which pollutant group your vehicle belongs to:
Assignment of pollution category according to emission-key numbers [PDF, 63 KB]How is the classification of the pollutant group for foreign vehicles carried out?
The proof of the pollutant group for foreign vehicles, and with it the allocation of a sticker, is explicitly regulated by the certification regulations. If it is identifiable from the Permit I (number 14.1), which exhaust emission standard in Europe the vehicle has been approved by, the classifica-tion can be carried out according to the certification regulations.
Otherwise the classification takes place on the basis of the registration date of the vehicle.
How do I get a sticker?
Online
Online applicationYou can also apply online at our registration office.
With this form you can apply for a sticker for vehicles registered abroad.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office, customer centre and registration office
Environmental badgeYou can also order the sticker at our Driver and Vehicle Licensing office (KFZ-Zulassungsstelle).
It is also possible to apply for the stickers at our customer centre and our district registration offices.
Garages and test houses
Garages and testhouses, which carry out exhaust emission checks, are also allowed to issue the stickers.
Traffic service
Since April 1st 2008 you can get environmental badges at the offices of the traffic service.
Environmental badges on weekends
The below mentioned petrol stations sell the badges at not only on working days but also on weekends. If you need a environmental badge during a weekend you can get it here:
Mundorf Tank W. Meyers
Rolshover Straße 420, 51105 Köln
Telefonnummer: 0221 / 8301240
Ausgabe von Feinstaubplaketten:
Täglich 24 Stunden
SB-Tankstelle Z. Hariklar
Schmittgasse 44, 51143 Köln
Telefonnummer: 02203 / 982111
Ausgabe von Feinstaubplaketten:
Samstag: 8 bis 20 Uhr
Sonntag: 10 bis 17 Uhr
Montag bis Freitag: 7 bis 21 Uhr
SB-Tankstelle Keimes
Dellbrücker Hauptstraße 9-11, 51069 Köln
Telefonnummer: 0221 / 684754
Ausgabe von Feinstaubplaketten:
Samstag und Sonntag: 7 bis 22 Uhr
Montag bis Freitag: 6 bis 23 Uhr
Hotel visits
If you plan to stay overnight in a Cologne hotel, think about the particulate emissions sticker when making your reservation. Enquire in your hotel: many hotels in Cologne are happy to get hold of a sticker for you, which is ready for you on arrival.
In writing
You can also apply for a particulate emissions sticker in writing. There's no form to fill in - just sent a copy of your car documents to us at the Kfz-Zulassungsstelle, Max-Glomsda-Straße 4, 51105 Köln (Cologne). Enclose 5 euros in the form of a crossed cheque or in cash.
You can also order a particulate emissions sticker from the following commercial providers:
You can order a particulate emissions sticker here for vehicles which are registered in the Netherlands. Please note that the TÜV Nord charges 17.85 euros for particulate emissions stickers.
Particulate emissions stickers online from a commercial providerYou can order particulate emissions stickers online from a commercial provider on this page. Please note that this service can cost up to 49.90 euros. If your vehicle cannot be issued with a sticker for technical reasons, charges of at least 15 euros will be incurred.
Legal basis
Legal basis is the by-law for identification of low-emission vehicles ("Verordnung zur Kennzeichnung emissionsarmer Kraftfahrzeuge").
KennzeichnungsverordnungPDF-Download (167 KB) of the Federal Ministry of Justice (Bundesministerium der Justiz)
First amendment of the ordinance of the law of identification of low-emission vehicles (Kennzeichnungsverordnung)PDF-Download (46 KB) of the Federal Ministry of Justice (Bundesministerium der Justiz)
