Select your language
Language selection, contact details, search and navigation

CO₂ emission classes

Questions and answers

    • Vehicles are classified into carbon dioxide emission classes according to the requirements of Directive 1999/62/EC (infrastructure charging directive).
    • There will be five CO₂ emission classes
    • CO2emission class 5 applies to zero-CO₂ emission vehicles (electric vehicles and hydrogen combustion vehicles as well as vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell). Vehicles in CO₂emission class 5 must have a CO₂ emission value of less than 1 g/km. Vehicles in CO₂ emission classes 2 - 4 have different CO₂ emission limits. All vehicles for which no specific CO₂ emissions are documented (first registration before 1 July 2019) or which currently exceed the CO₂ reference value will automatically be assigned CO₂ emission class 1.

  • Partial toll rate for costs for carbon dioxide emissions per kilometre for vehicles or vehicle combinations subject to tolls, differentiated according to CO₂ emission class, emission class, Technically Permissible Maximum Laden Mass and number of axles in euros:

    Carbon dioxide emission class < 3,5 to < 7,5 t 7,5 to <12 t 12 to 18 t >18 t with up to 3 axles >18 t with 4 axles >18 t with 5 and more axles
    1 EURO I and worse 0,080 0,080 0,104 0,158 0,158 0,162
    EURO II
    EURO III    		 0,080 0,080 0,104 0,138 0,138 0,162
    EURO IV
    EURO V
    EEV class 1    		 0,080 0,080 0,100 0,134 0,134 0,160
    EURO VI 0,074 0,080 0,100 0,124 0,134 0,158
    2 0,070 0,076 0,096 0,118 0,128 0,150
    3 0,067 0,072 0,090 0,111 0,120 0,142
    4 0,037 0,040 0,050 0,063 0,068 0,079
    5 0 0 0 0 0 0

  • Every vehicle is assigned to a vehicle group depending on its axle and chassis configuration and its technically permissible maximum laden mass. In addition, for vehicle groups 4, 5, 9 and 10, vehicle sub-groups have been defined for typical mission profiles (UD: urban delivery, RD: regional delivery, LH: long-haul). A vehicle's sub-group is determined based on its engine power and type of driver's cab.

    A threshold value for CO₂ emissions is set for each vehicle subgroup, which is reduced from year to year. A vehicle's CO₂ emission class is determined by the percentage deviation from the relevant threshold value in its specific CO₂ emissions. The relevant threshold value depends on the vehicle sub-group and the vehicle's initial registration date.

    For vehicles that do not fall into vehicle sub-groups 4, 5, 9 or 10, no threshold values for CO₂ emissions have been defined so far. Consequently, vehicles in other groups can currently only be classified under CO₂ emission class 1, unless they are zero-emission vehicles.

    CO₂ emission class Definition Validity
    1 Vehicles which do not fall within any of the other four CO2 emission classes unlimited
    2 Vehicles of a vehicle subgroup whose CO2 emission levels at classification time t are more than 5 per cent below the reference value of the reporting period of t applicable to this vehicle subgroup. 6 years from the date of first registration, then reclassification
    3 Vehicles of a vehicle subgroup whose CO2 emission values at time t of classification are more than 8 per cent below the reference value of the reporting period of t applicable to this vehicle subgroup. at least 6 years from the date of first registration of the truck (or the start of the first validity period), then reclassification
    4 Low-CO22-emission trucks, i.e. vehicles in a vehicle subgroup, whose CO2 emission values are more than 50 per cent below the applicable reference value for this vehicle subgroup. unlimited
    5 Zero-CO2-emission vehicles (ZEV), i.e. trucks with less than 1 g CO2 / kWh or less than 1 g CO2 / km unlimited
    • To verify (validate) a justified change of emission class, copies of the vehicle registration certificate and, if applicable, the customer information file (CIF) and the certificate of conformity/declaration of compliance (CoC) must be attached to the application. In addition, the vehicle identification number (VIN) is required for the comparison of all documents. The necessary documents must be uploaded in the customer portal when applying.
    • It is not possible for by service providers such as the customer's fuel card and fleet card providers to change the emission class.

  • Zero-emissions vehicles such as electric vehicles and hydrogen combustion vehicles as well as vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell with a Technically Permissible Maximum Laden Mass greater than 4.25 tonnes remain toll-free until 30 June 2031.

    Emission-free vehicles up to 4.25 tonnes Technically Permissible Maximum Laden Mass are permanently exempt from the toll.

  • Toll-exempt vehicles also do not have to pay a partial CO₂ toll rate.

  • According to the EU Directive on infrastructure costs or the VECTO Directive, a CO₂-neutral fuel has no effect on the specific CO₂ emissions or CO₂ emission class. (VECTO = Vehicle Energy Consumption Calculation Tool)

  • The VIN or vehicle identification number is required for matching the submitted documents with the application for a better CO₂ emission class.

    • In the vehicle documents, specifically in the vehicle registration document (vehicle registration certificate part I) and in the vehicle title (vehicle registration certificate part II) or
    • In the certificate of conformity/declaration of compliance (CoC).

  • You have to edit each vehicle individually. We recommend that you do the CO₂ class and TPMLM check together.

  • The BALM constantly monitors the correct payment of the toll. If too little or no toll is paid due to the incorrect declaration of the Technically Permissible Maximum Laden Mass (TPMLM), subsequent collection and administrative offence proceedings will be initiated.

  • The On-Board Unit (OBU) displays CO₂ emission class 0 if it has not yet been able to contact the Toll Collect computing centre. Please carry out an ignition reset by restarting the vehicle. This connects the On-Board Unit to the Toll Collect systems and the CO₂ emission class stored for the vehicle is transferred to the On-Board Unit. The transmitted CO₂ emission class has a value between 1 and 5. If this does not work repeatedly, please check the mobile phone network coverage at your location or contact a Toll Collect service partner.

    If the OBU displays CO₂ class 0, the toll rate for CO₂ class 1 is applied. CO₂ class 0 is then displayed in the invoice.

  • For vehicles with temporary licence plates, the possible CO2 emission classes are 1, 4 and 5: emission class 1 is a "catch-all class" and emission class 5 is for zero-emission vehicles. Classification within CO2 emission classes 2 and 3 is not possible without initial registration. According to German case law, the issue of a short-term licence plate for a vehicle transfer or test drive does not constitute initial registration.

    A vehicle with a temporary licence plate is considered to have low emissions and is classified in CO2 emission class 4 if its specific CO2 emissions are over 50% lower than the reference value for CO2 emissions for its vehicle subgroup (EU Infrastructure Charging Directive 2022/362). The following table shows the highest possible values:

    Vehicle subgroup Highest specific CO2 emissions in gCO2/tkm for CO2 emission class 4
    4-UD 153,61
    4-RD 98,57
    4-LH 52,97
    5-RD 41,99
    5-LH 28,29
    9-RD 55,48
    9-LH 32,57
    10-RD 41,62
    10-LH 29,12

    The specific CO2 emissions can be found in fields 2.3 or 2.6.1 of the CIF, field 49.5 of the COC or field V.7 of the VRC.

    The vehicle subgroup can be found in field 1.1.5a or 1.1.5 of the CIF or in field 49.7 of the COC. If only the vehicle group (4, 5, 9 or 10) is entered here, you can determine the vehicle subgroup using the CO2 emission class finder . Please note that this tool cannot currently determine the CO2 emission class of vehicles with temporary licence plates.

  • Please first check whether your vehicle is toll-exempt . If your vehicle is toll-exempt, then it is not necessary to determine the CO₂ emission class.

    For the purpose of determining the CO₂ emission class, a vehicle is considered a commercial service vehicle if this is entered in field 1.1.9 of the CIF or 49.3 of the COC (EU Directive 2019/318). Such a vehicle currently always falls into CO₂ emission class 1 or, if it has a zero-emission drive (e.g. an electric drive), into CO₂ emission class 5.