According to Section 1 paragraph 1 sentence 1 German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act (Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz) there is an obligation to pay fees on federal trunk roads and federal motorways (HGV toll).

The following routes are exempt from the HGV toll obligation according to Section 1 paragraph 3 German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act:

1. Sections of A 6 motorway from the German-French border to the Saarbrücken-Fechingen junction in both directions,
2. Sections of A 5 motorway from the German-Swiss border to the Müllheim/Neuenburg junction in both directions,
3. sections of motorway for the use of which a toll is levied in accordance with the applicable version of Section 2 of the Private Financing of Trunk Roads Act of 30 August 1994 (Federal Law Gazette I, page 2243).
   

You can see the entire toll route network (federal trunk roads and federal motorways) under the toll table.

In accordance with Section 1 paragraph 1 clause 2 of the German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act (Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz), the HGV toll is generally applicable to vehicles or vehicle combinations

• which are intended for transportation of goods (1st alternative)

  or

• which are being used for this purpose (2nd alternative)

and whose maximum technically permissible maximum laden mass is more than 3.5 tonnes.

Toll must be paid both for solo vehicles with a technically permissible maximum laden mass of more than 3.5 t and for vehicle combinations that have a motor vehicle with a technically permissible maximum laden mass of more than 3.5 t when using federal highways.

The technically permissible maximum laden mass of a vehicle combination is calculated based on the total of technically permissible maximum laden masses for the individual vehicles (motor vehicle and trailer) for the purpose of the HGV toll.

One of the two alternatives is sufficient to justify the obligation to pay the toll.

Toll obligation according to the 1st alternative:

This results from the general purpose of the vehicle for road haulage based on typical vehicle and body types.
It exists, for example, for articulated vehicles or trucks.

The 1st alternative is regardless of whether

• a journey is for privat purposes,
• goods are actually being transported,
• transportation of goods is for commercial or internal purposes (own-account transport operations) or
• the affected vehicle is exempt from vehicle tax.

Toll obligation according to the 2nd alternative:

Motor vehicles or vehicle combinations with a maximum technically permissible maximum laden mass of more than 3.5 tonnes without the typical vehicle and body types used in road haulage transport (such as self-driving machines) can also be subject to the toll.
The 2nd alternative, however, assumes that they are specifically used for road haulage transport in accordance with the German Road Haulage Act.

The decisive factor is a paid or business-related transport of goods within the meaning of Section 1 German Road Haulage Act (commercial road haulage or internal traffic).

In accordance with the German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act (Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz), certain vehicles and vehicle combinations are not subject to the toll.

On the one hand, these are vehicles

• that do not fall under the definition criteria of the toll vehicle (toll-free vehicles)

  and, on the other hand vehicles

• for which the legislature has created special exceptions (toll-exempt vehicles).

Whether a vehicle is or is not subject to toll is directly determined by the law in all cases. On-demand determination by the German Federal Logistics and Mobility Office (BALM) or the operating company Toll Collect GmbH is neither provided for nor required.

Toll-free vehicles that do not fall under the legal definition of a vehicle subject to toll in accordance with Section 1 paragraph 1 clause 2 German Federal Trunk Road Act are vehicles that

a) are neither structually intended for road haulage (e.g. self-propelled working machines)
b) nor used for commercial road haulage or own-account transport operations for charged or business-related transportion of gooeds (in accordance with Section 1 of the German Road Haulage Act (Güterkraftverkehrsgesetz).

Toll exemption only results if both requirements are fulfilled. If one of the two alternatives applies, there is a toll obligation.

Toll-exempt vehicles and vehicles combinations that fall under one of the exceptions provided for in Section 1 paragraph 2 of the German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act are:

1. buses and coaches,
2. vehicles owned by the military, the police authorities, civil defence and disaster control vehicles, fire service and other emergency vehicles and federal government vehicles,
3. vehicles used exclusively for road maintenance and road operation, including road cleaning and winter services,
4. vehicles used exclusively in the showperson and circus trade,
5. vehicles used by non-profit-making or charitable organisations to transport humanitarian emergency aid in serious humanitarian crises,
6. agricultural or forestry vehicles in accordance with Section 2 paragraph 1 no. 7 of the Germand Road Haulage Act and the associated empty trips,
7. emissions-free heavy commercial vehicles in the sense of Article 2 paragraph 1 number 29 letter a of Directive 1999/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 1999 on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures (Abl. L 187 of 7/20/1999, p. 42), which was most recently amended by Directive (EU) 2022/362 (Abl. L 069 dated 3/4/2022, p. 1), through December 31st, 2025,
8. vehicles powered mainly by natural gas that are delivered from the factory for operation with CNG (compressed natural gas), LNG (liquefied natural gas) or for operation as dual fuel engines with LNG/diesel, and which have system approval in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 595/2009 (emission class Euro 6), in the period between January 1st, 2019 and 31st 2023.
9. emissions-free vehicles in the sense of number 7 with a technically permissible maximum laden mass of up to 4.25 t. Emissions-free vehicles are also considered to include vehicles with combustion engines whose primary energy source used to provide drive energy in the purely chemical combustion reaction does not produce carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide fractions in exhaust resulting from the combustion of technical auxiliary materials are not taken into consideration in this classification.
10. vehicles according to § 1 para. 2 with a technically permissible maximum ladenl mass of less than 7.5 t that are used to transport materials, equipment or machines which the driver requires to carry out their trade, or to deliver goods produced by artisans, if the transport is not commercial.
    Further information on the “Artisan exemption” to the HGV toll will follow on the websites of the BALM and Toll Collect GmbH.

The prerequisite for toll exemption, in the cases listed in no. 2 to no. 4, is that the motor vehicles are outwardly recognisably intended for the respective purpose.

Advantage of vehicle registration by Toll Collect

Toll Collect offers the opportunity to register vehicles that are permanently exempted from the toll. This is not obligatory – registration is voluntary. By registering, unnecessary stops, checks and investigations are avoided. Registration is valid for a maximum of two years. It can then be extended. Any registration that is not extended by the date of expiry automatically lapses. You can find out more under “Toll exemption” on the Toll Collect website.

The technically permissible maximum laden mass is the maximum total indicated by the manufacturer of the empty weight plus the maximum load of the vehicle.

The valid technically permissible maximum laden mass is stated in the vehicle documents.

For domestic and international vehicles with EU harmonized vehicle documents (registration certificate part I), the information is stated under letter F.1: Technically permissible maximum laden mass in kilograms. The vehicle manufacturer’s COC (Certificate of Conformity) states the technically permissible maximum laden mass under clause 16.1.

The empty weight of the vehicle is not significant for the HGV toll.

Reducing the weight of the vehicle without making technical modifications is irrelevant for tolling purposes.
Reason: Based on the regulations of the third law to amend tolling law regulations ((Bundesgesetzblatt Part I No. 315 from November 24th, 2023) as of December 1st, 2023 the tolling obligation is no longer determined according to the permitted total weight of the vehicle (entered into part I of the registration certificate under F.2 but rather according to the technically permissible maximum laden mass of the vehicle (entered under F.1 in part I of the registration certificate).

The HGV toll for the technically permissible maximum laden mass of a vehicle combination is calculated based on the technically permissible maximum laden masses for the individual vehicles

(§ 1 para. 1 clause 4 of the German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act). Drawbar, imposed and load weight are not taken into consideration.

According to Section 2 clause 1 German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act (Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz) the person is liable for the toll,

• who is the owner or keeper of the motor vehicle,
• who determines the use of the motor vehicle,
• is the driver of the motor vehicle,
• to whom the motor vehicle is registered or
• to whom the registration number of the motor vehicle is assigned.

There is a joint and several liability for all the persons listed.

The toll rates are defined in the German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act.

The toll rate in cents per kilometer is composed of four rate components for

1. infrastructure costs,
2. air pollution costs,
3. noise pollution costs and
4. costs for traffic-related CO2 emissions.

The rate components for infrastructure and noise pollution costs are dependent on the weight class and by the number of axles as well above a technically permissible maximum laden mass of 18 t.

The rate component for air pollution is determined based on the emission class, the weight class and the number of axles as well above a technically permissible maximum laden mass of 18 t. Each vehicle is assigned to one of the seven categories A, B, C, D, E, F and G depending on its Euro emission class.

The BALM has issued guide for determining the Euro emission classes of commercial vehicles.

In case of the rate components for infrastructure costs, air pollution costs and noise pollution costs, the weight classes are differentiated as follows:

• over 3.5 t to 7.49 t
• from 7.5 t to 11.99 t
• from 12 t to 18 t
• over 18 t with up to 3 axles
• over 18 t with 4 or more axles

The rate component for traffic-related CO2 emissions is determined based on the CO2 emission class, the Euro emission class, the weight class and the number of axles as well above a technically permitted total mass of 18 t.

The following weight classes are differentiated:

• over 3.5 t to 7.49 t
• from 7.5 t to 11.99 t
• from 12 t to 18 t
• over 18 t with up to 3 axles
• over 18 t with 4 axles
• over 18 t with 5 or more axles

Toll Collect GmbH provides a CO2 emissions class finder on its homepage in order to classify vehicles and vehicle combinations in CO2 emissions classes 1 through 5.

A tandem axle is counted as two axles, and a tridem axle as three axles. Lift and hoist axles are always taken into consideration. Whether a vehicle axle is loaded during transport or raised up, meaning it is not in contact with the roadway, is not important.

The following overview shows the toll rates valid as of July 1st to 31. December 2025.

Obligation to provide evidence

All those who are obligated to pay toll are obliged to prove the correctness of the relevant facts for the toll collection upon request by the Federal Logistics and Mobility Office. This is done by submitting suitable documents (Section 5 of the German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act in conjunction with Section 6 of the German Truck Toll Regulations ). A violation of the obligation to provide evidence is subject to a fine.

The Euro emission class of a truck registered in Germany can be verified, in particular, by

• the vehicle registration,
• the certificate of registration part I,
• the current motor vehicle tax assessment in German or
• the COC (Certificate of Conformity) for the vehicle.
  (§ 7 para. 1 of the Truck Toll Regulation)

For vehicles not registered in Germany, the following time-dependent presumption regulations apply. This applies if the Euro emission class cannot be verified in any other manner, in particular through documents for fulfilling certain environmental requirements in CEMT traffic (§ 7 para. 2 of the Truck Toll Regulation).

CEMT (Conférence Européenne des Ministres des Transports - European Conference of Ministers of Transport)

By

• automatic booking via an on-board unit from the German toll operator, Toll Collect GmbH, after registering with the operating company and installing the device into the vehicle subject to the toll
• automatic booking via a vehicle device from an EETS provider (EETS = European Electronic Toll Service) that provides international toll processing with just one vehicle, one contract and one invoice
• manual booking via the Toll Collect app
• online booking on the homepage of Toll Collect via stationary computers as well as tablets and smartphones

Manual bookings using the app and online bookings must be completed before beginning the trip. The booking process is similar to purchasing a ticket. The start time of the trip, starting location, destination, and locations passed through must be provided, as well as all relevant vehicle data such as the license plate, number of axles, Euro emission class and weight as well as CO2 emission class.

In the case of automatic booking via the on-board unit from Toll Collect, the on-board device transmits

• vehicle-specific characteristics and
• route data

to the Toll Collect computing center in an encrypted format. There, data is compared to the route network subject to the toll and the toll is calculated.

Toll bookings can be cancelled if the entire booked route has not yet been driven. In addition, the time of cancellation must be before the expiry of the validity period.

It is also possible to change the course of a booked route by cancelling it and booking a new route.

Any booking method can be used for manual cancellation.

Immediate cancellations within 15 minutes of booking are free of charge. However, the validity period must not have started yet. For all other cancellations a fee of 3 Euro will be charged.

After the validity period of the booking has expired, a refund can be requested from the Federal Logistics and Mobility Office for routes that are only partially or completely unused.

The legal regulations must be observed:

• application within two months after the expiry of the validity period
• proof that prior assertion was not possible for factual reasons

You can find further information under Toll reimbursement.

A fee has to be paid for the reimbursement procedure. The amount of the fee is limited to a maximum of 20 Euro in accordance with Section 4 paragraph 5 clause 3 German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act (Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz).

The operating company, Toll Collect, performs automatic enforcement on federal motorways via 300 enforcement gantries and on federal trunk roads via approximately 600 enforcement posts.

The Federal Logistics and Mobility Office works with:

• mobile enforcement of vehicles in road traffic both on federal motorways and on federal trunk roads
• stationary enforcement on vehicles subject to toll in car parks located past the enforcement gantries
• on-site enforcement

For more information, see Enforcement.

The toll system enables control based on the license plate number.

In addition, the following must be kept ready:

• vehicle registration document (registration certificate section 1)
• driving licence
• identity card
• if necessary, documents to verify the EURO emission class (motor vehicle tax assessment, manufacturer´s certificate)
• if necessary, documents to verify the CO2 emission class (COC - Certificate of Conformity, CIF - Customer Information File) vehicle tax receipt, manufacturer’s certificate)
• booking receipt or payment receipt with booking number for manual bookings

This speeds up the control.

Anyone who does not pay the toll properly is violating the statutory provisions and is acting improperly.

In the event of a toll violation, there are two regular procedures:

Subsequent collection procedure

In the subsequent collection procedure, the toll is collected retrospectively. This can be done at a road control by control staff or by means of a written notice of recovery.

Administrative offence proceedings

The toll violation is regularly punished as an administrative offence with an administrative offence procedure. The legislature has provided a fine of up to 20,000 Euro for violations. The fine is set by means of a written notice.

In the case of minor administrative offences, a warning is possible instead of a notice of fines.

The warning procedure is a simplified special procedure.

In the case of minor administrative offences, a warning can save the person concerned the inconvenience of formal proceedings (administrative fines). At the same time, there is no need for such a procedure.

A warning with a penalty fee or a mere warning is possible.

The warning procedure is an offer without a legal claim.

The warning is only effective with the consent of the person concerned. In addition, the warning fee must be paid correctly and in due time.

In this case, no formal administrative offence proceedings (fine proceedings) can take place for the punished violation. Legal remedies against a warning are not possible.

If those affected do not accept the warning or do not pay correctly and in due time, the Federal Logistics and Mobility Office usually initiates administrative fines.

Good to know: A fine is generally much more expensive than a warning.

Toll violations have significantly longer limitation periods than the three-month period known from traffic offences.

The subsequent collection of the HGV toll can take place within the deadline. This begins at the end of the calendar year in which the toll road network is used. It is usually four years (Section 4 paragraph 2 clause 1 German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act (Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz) in conjunction with Section 13 paragraphe 3 German Federal Fee Act (Bundesgebührengesetz).

As an administrative offence, the toll violation can also be punished for up to three years from the date of the offence (see Section 31 paragraphe 2 no. 1 of the German Administrative Offences Act (Gesetz über Ordnungswidrigkeiten)).

On the one hand, the unpaid toll for the relevant journey will be collected. If the actual distance cannot be determined, a flat-rate subsequent survey for 500 km follows (Section 8 paragraphe 2 clause 1 German Federal Trunk Road Toll Act (Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz)).

On the other hand, the toll violation is punished as an administrative offence.

The fine for punishing the administrative offence depends on whether the offence was committed intentionally or negligently.

You can find the regular fines and the warning fines in the relevant catalogue of fines (in German).

Administrative fines for toll violations when exercising a trade are entered in the central trade register.
Condition: The fine is more than two hundred Euro.

See: Section 149 paragraphe 2 no. 3 German Trade Regulations (Gewerbeordnung)

There is no entry in the register of suitability to drive of the Federal Motor Transport Authority in Flensburg, better known as the “Traffic offender file”, in the event of a toll violation. There are no points in the fitness to drive assessment system.

Toll Collect GmbH (Operating company)

Customer Service

Postfach 11 03 29

10833 Berlin

Germany

For calls within Germany: Telephone: 0800 222 26 28

For calls from outside Germany: Telephone: 008000 222 26 28

Fax: + 49 (0) 180 1 22 26 28

E-mail: info@toll-collect.de

Internet: www.toll-collect.de

Federal Logistics and Mobility Office

Postfach 19 01 80

50498 Cologne

Germany

Visitor address: Werderstraße 34, 50672 Cologne, Germany

Telephone: + 49 (0) 2 21 / 57 76 - 0

Fax: + 49 (0) 221 / 5776 - 1777

E-mail: poststelle@balm.bund.de

Internet: www.balm.bund.de

You can find more information about the HGV toll on the website of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.