HGV Toll Germany: The Distance-Based Toll System with CO₂ Component

Germany operates one of the most extensive distance-based toll systems in Europe. Any haulier or driver using federal motorways or toll-liable federal roads cannot avoid Toll Collect.

The Toll System in Germany

The operator of the German toll system is Toll Collect GmbH, which handles the technical and commercial processing. Sovereign oversight lies with the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM). The system has been in operation since 2005 and has been expanded several times since then – most recently through the introduction of the CO₂ component in March 2024, which fundamentally changed the system.

The toll obligation applies to all vehicles and vehicle combinations with a permissible gross weight of more than 3.5 tonnes.

Which Roads Are Subject to Toll?

The following roads are subject to toll:

Federal motorways (A-Straßen) – in full
Federal roads (B-Straßen) – selected sections, progressively extended since 2018
Trunk roads (Kraftfahrstraßen) at federal level

State roads, district roads and urban streets are generally toll-free. The system operates on the free-flow principle: vehicles are automatically recorded at toll gantries by GNSS or microwave – there are no barriers and no waiting times.

Which Vehicle Data Determines the Rate?

The toll rate is derived from a combination of four factors:

Weight class – divided into 3.5–7.5 t, 7.5–12 t, 12–18 t and over 18 t. Vehicles over 18 tonnes are additionally differentiated by number of axles (2–3 axles, 4 axles, 5 or more axles), since more axles reduce road stress.
Number of axles – directly relevant to the tariff for vehicles over 18 t.
Euro emission class – from Euro 0 (highest rate) to Euro 6 (lowest rate in terms of air pollutants).
CO₂ class – five classes (1 to 5), mandatory component of the tariff since March 2024.

The CO₂ Class: The Most Important Change Since 2024

With the toll reform of 1 March 2024, a CO₂ component was introduced. Every toll-liable vehicle is assigned to one of five CO₂ classes:

Class 1: Standard diesel vehicles without CO₂ proof – applies as a fallback if no proof is registered with Toll Collect
Classes 2–4: Vehicles with certified lower emissions (e.g. LNG/CNG, HVO100, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen)
Class 5: Purely electric vehicles and direct hydrogen drive – fully exempt from toll until 30 June 2031

Important: Anyone who does not actively apply for a better classification and prove it to Toll Collect automatically pays the Class 1 rate – even if the vehicle would technically qualify for a more favourable class.

Current rates can be found in the toll rules for Germany.

How Is the Toll Paid?

There are three ways to settle the toll:

OBU (On-Board Unit): The Toll Collect onboard unit automatically records the journey by GNSS and debits the toll directly. The most convenient solution for frequent drivers – no manual booking required.

App and web registration: For occasional journeys, the toll can be booked manually before departure via the Toll Collect app or the web portal. Booking is route-based and must be completed before the start of the toll-liable journey.

Licence plate detection: As an emergency fallback, subsequent licence plate detection at toll gantries exists. However, this is not a regular payment method and leads to subsequent collection if no OBU is registered.

Special Regulations

Certain vehicle groups are exempt from the toll obligation, including vehicles belonging to the German armed forces, civil protection services and agricultural and forestry tractors. The same rates apply to vehicles with foreign licence plates as to domestic vehicles – the toll obligation applies regardless of the country of registration.

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