Low-Emission Zones – Applying for an Exemption
Without the correct environmental sticker, you may only drive in low-emission zones if you have a special permit.
You do not need to apply for an exemption for test drives, trial runs or transfer journeys with temporary number plates, red number plates or export number plates.
These journeys are automatically exempt from the traffic restrictions.
Please note: Special regulations apply to the ‘diesel traffic bans’ in Stuttgart.
You can find further information on this on the website of the State Capital of Stuttgart.
Forms/Online Services
Responsible authority
the lower administrative authority
Depending on the location for which you are applying for an exemption, the lower administrative authority is either the city council or the district office.
Please note: You will only be directed to the relevant authority if an environmental zone has been established for the location you have entered.
There are currently three low-emission zones in Baden-Württemberg which can be accessed with a green sticker: in Stuttgart, in Pforzheim and in Ludwigsburg and the surrounding area. In Stuttgart, there are also additional traffic restrictions for diesel vehicles costing up to 4.00 EUR within the low-emission zone and for diesel vehicles costing up to 5.00 EUR in a smaller zone covering the city centre, Bad Cannstatt, Feuerbach and Zuffenhausen.
Details
Prerequisite
- Your vehicle was registered in your name before 1 January 2010 with a yellow sticker, within the municipal area of Remseck am Neckar and the Kornwestheim Pattonville district – which form part of the Ludwigsburg and surrounding area regional low-emission zone – before 1 April 2017;
- technical retrofitting is not possible,
- you do not have any alternative vehicles registered in your name available, and
- replacing the vehicle is not economically reasonable.
Under these conditions, you may be granted an exemption for certain journeys, for example:
- Journeys undertaken in the public interest
These include, for example:- journeys to supply the public with essential goods, particularly to deliver
- food retailers,
- pharmacies,
- care homes, hospitals and similar publicinstitutions, as well as
- weekly and special markets
- Journeys to provide the public with essential services, in particular
- for the maintenance and repair of technical equipment essential to operations,
- to repair damage to buildings, including water, gas and electrical damage, and
- for social andand care support services
- Journeys made with specialised vehicles (for example, cranes, heavy-goods vehicles and specialised towing vehicles used by fairground operators)
- Journeys in motorhomes for holiday purposes (restricted to motorhome owners within the low-emission zone)
- journeys to supply the public with essential goods, particularly to deliver
- Journeys in important individual cases
These include, for example:- essential medical appointments (e.g. for dialysis patients)
- Journeys by shift workers who cannot use public transportuse public transport
- Journeys to maintain manufacturing or production processes
- One-off journeys for specific reasons
- Journeys for people with severe disabilities who have difficulty walking and cancan provide evidence of
An exemption permit is generally also valid for all other green low-emission zones in Baden-Württemberg. However, the purpose of the journey must also apply within the other low-emission zone. As proof, you must always carry the exemption permit with you when travelling in environmental zones in Baden-Württemberg and display it clearly in the vehicle.
Procedure
First, check whether retrofitting is technically feasible. If not, you must obtain certification to this effect from
- a technical inspection body or
- a test engineer.
Note: If your vehicle was first registered before 1971, you do not need to have this confirmed separately. The vehicle documents are sufficient proof.
Check what you need an exemption for and whether it relates to journeys in the public interest or in important individual cases.
You will usually need to apply for the exemption in writing. Forms are available from most authorities.
The rest of the procedure varies. Please enquire at the relevant office.
Deadlines
You must also have the exemption permit to enter an environmental zone for the first time.
The exemption permit is valid for a maximum of one year. If you continue to meet the requirements, you may be able to have the exemption permit extended.
Required documents
- Registration Certificate Part I (for newer vehicles) or Vehicle Registration Document (for older vehicles)
- Certificate confirming that the vehicle cannot be retrofitted
You can obtain this, for example, from a test engineer or a technical inspection organisation (TÜV, DEKRA, GTÜ, KÜS, FSP). It is valid for one year but does not replace an exemption permit. - Evidence that replacing the vehicle would be economically unfeasible, for example for business owners: a reasoned statement from a tax adviser or a chartered accountant to the effect that replacing the vehicle would jeopardise your livelihood
Costs
These vary depending on the town or district.
Please note that there is also a charge for a certificate confirming that your vehicle cannot be retrofitted.
Miscellaneous
Please note: Certain vehicles are permitted to enter low-emission zones without an emissions sticker or a special permit, for example:
- Vehicles belonging to people with severe disabilities whose disability card bears the code ‘aG’, ‘H’ or ‘Bl’
- Ambulances and doctors’ vehicles bearing the appropriate ‘Doctor – Emergency Call-out’ marking
- Classic cars with an “H” registration plate
Tip: A list of these vehicles can be found in Annex 3 to Section 2(3) of the 35th Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (35th BImSchV).
Detailed information
- Detailed information on the environmental zones in Baden-Württemberg and the exemption authorisation can be found on the website of the Ministerium für Verkehr.
- "Diesel-Verkehrsverbote" in Stuttgart - Sonderregelungen
Legal basis
Verordnung zur Kennzeichnung der Kraftfahrzeuge mit geringem Beitrag zur Schadstoffbelastung (35. BlmSchV) (Regelung der möglichen Ausnahmen):
- § 1 Anwendungsbereich
- § 2 Zuordnung von Kraftfahrzeugen zu Schadstoffgruppen
- Anhang 3 zu § 2 Ausnahmen von der Kennzeichnungspflicht
Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung (StVZO):
- § 23 Gutachten für die Zulassung von Fahrzeugen als Oldtimer
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 22.06.2026