On 24 March 2017, I read an HJ Back Room post about driving in environmental zones in France, which touched on such zones in other EU countries. I have done some research on driving in environmental zones in Germany (DE), which may be of help to readers, particularly in maintaining their bank balance.

There are many towns/cities in DE with central environmental zones, which require the motorist to have a "green 4" Umweltplakette to permit diesel vehicles of Euro 4 and better, to enter without being fined E80. Details can be found on http://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/topics/air/particulate-matter-pm10/low-emission-zones-in-germany

If you do not need to access a central Umwelt zone and are confident that you will not accidentally stray into it, you may be able to avoid purchasing an Umweltplakette.

Otherwise, the trick is to avoid using a privately operated website, which charges E31-90 to send one to UK customers and instead use an official one, such as the Berlin "licensing office" www.berlin.de/labo/mobilitaet/kfz-zulassung/feinstaubplakette/shop.86595.en.php#Shop from which I have just ordered a Green 4 Umweltplakette - valid across all environmental zones in DE - for E6.

The process is simple, you scan the vehicle details page of the V5, save it and in turn attach it during the application process, pay the fee of E6 by card and wait for "7-14 days". There are other Umweltplakettes for Euro 2 and 3 diesel vehicles and Euro 1 and better petrol vehicles, which need to be researched. The Umweltplakette is valid for the life of the vehicle, if the reg is unchanged and can be displayed on the LHS of the windscreen. E & OE