Cologne low-emission zone
Independent, non-governmental site: not an authority’s service, no sticker sales.
The preset is an old Euro 1 petrol car. Enter your vehicle and check whether it may enter the Cologne zone.
May I drive into Cologne?
No, entry not allowed
Cologne zone: you need a green sticker.
| Zone | Cologne |
| State | North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Green only since | 1 July 2014 |
| Status | active |
| Fine if you enter | €100, no points |
Sources: Federal Environment Agency list · stadt-koeln.de · umwelt.nrw.de
Cologne had one of Germany’s first low-emission zones. Stage one applied from 1 January 2008, then covering only the city centre. Since 1 July 2014 only vehicles with a green sticker may enter, as in every zone in North Rhine-Westphalia. On 1 October 2019 the city extended the area considerably: since then parts of Rodenkirchen, Lindenthal, Ehrenfeld, Nippes, Mülheim and Kalk have been included, so districts on the right bank of the Rhine as well. If you only know Cologne from earlier visits, do not assume the zone ends at the ring road. Cologne currently has no diesel ban; a diesel with a green sticker may go anywhere. A petrol car gets green with a regulated catalytic converter, usually from 1993 onwards, a diesel from Euro 4 or from Euro 3 with a particle filter. The sticker is required for the Cologne trade fair in Deutz, the cathedral, the old town and the arenas. Visitors from outside can use the park-and-ride sites on the edge of town and continue by train or bus.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Stages of the Cologne zone
| Stage | from |
|---|---|
| Stage 1: red, yellow, green allowed | 1 January 2008 |
| Stage 2: yellow and green allowed | 1 January 2013 |
| Stage 3: green only | 1 July 2014 |
The 2019 extension
According to the city of Cologne, the extended zone has applied since 1 October 2019. The German Environment Agency still dates the green stage to 1 July 2014; the extension enlarged the area rather than changing the rules. The North Rhine-Westphalia Environment Ministry lists Cologne among its existing zones.
Coming to Cologne from elsewhere
Many travel on from Cologne to Düsseldorf or the Ruhr area; both have their own zones with the same rules. Visitors from abroad will find the essentials on the foreign vehicles page, and the cost of an offence on the fines page.