How do you use this tool?
- Pick the fuel type (gasoline, diesel, hybrid, LPG, CNG, or electric).
- Enter engine displacement (cm³) and CO2 emissions (g/km) from the registration certificate — fields 8.1 and 49.4.
- Add the year of first registration; vehicles 30 years or older surface the H-plate hint automatically.
- Read annual and monthly tax directly. For a purchasing decision, switch to compare mode and place three drivetrains next to each other.
What does the German vehicle tax calculator do?
This tool estimates the annual German Kraftfahrzeugsteuer (Kfz-Steuer) — vehicle tax — under the current Kraftfahrzeugsteuergesetz (KraftStG), including the six-tier CO2 component in force since 1 January 2021. For every car first registered after 1 July 2009, it splits the bill into two parts: the displacement base under §9 (1) No 2 and the progressive CO2 component under §9 (1) No 2b. The two are added to give the annual tax that the local Hauptzollamt (main customs office) debits once per year.
Three modes cover the most common situations: single for the tax on your current vehicle, compare for the purchasing decision between three drivetrains side by side, motorhome for the special calculation by weight and emission class. For vehicles older than 30 years since first registration, the tool automatically surfaces the H-plate (Oldtimer) flat rate: €191.73 per year for cars, €46.02 for motorcycles. Pure electric vehicles fall under §3d KraftStG — exempt for ten years from registration when first registered between 18 May 2011 and 31 December 2025, capped at 31 December 2030.
This calculation is a non-binding estimate. The binding figure is issued by the Hauptzollamt.
How does the displacement base work?
The base depends only on engine displacement (field P.1 of the German registration certificate) and the fuel type. The legislature fixed a flat euro amount per started 100 cubic centimeters:
- Gasoline, gasoline hybrid, LPG, CNG: €2.00 per started 100 cm³
- Diesel, diesel hybrid: €9.50 per started 100 cm³
“Started” 100 cm³ means rounding up: 1,199 cm³ counts as 1,200, 1,201 cm³ counts as 1,300. Mathematically Math.ceil(cc / 100) — and that’s exactly how the tool calculates it. Example: a 1,498-cm³ gasoline engine yields 15 started 100-cm³ units at €2.00 each, so €30.00 base. The same displacement as a diesel costs 15 × €9.50 = €142.50 base — nearly five times as much. This gap compensates for the lower German energy tax on diesel fuel at the pump.
The base does not depend on CO2 or emission class. Only the CO2 component brings those variables into play. A sports diesel with 2,998 cm³ pays €285 base before any gram of CO2 is counted; a 660-cm³ kei-car gasoline pays €14, fifteen to twenty times less.
How does the CO2 component work?
Up to 95 grams of CO2 per kilometer (field V.7 of the registration certificate, WLTP value since September 2018), the CO2 share is tax-free. Above that, the progression kicks in across six tiers — similar to income tax: each gram segment is taxed at the rate of its tier, and all amounts are summed.
| Tier | Range (g/km) | Rate per gram |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 96 – 115 | €2.00 |
| 2 | 116 – 135 | €2.20 |
| 3 | 136 – 155 | €2.50 |
| 4 | 156 – 175 | €2.90 |
| 5 | 176 – 195 | €3.40 |
| 6 | above 195 | €4.00 |
Example: a 130-g/km car is split across two tiers. The first 20 grams (95 to 115) cost 20 × €2.00 = €40.00. The next 15 grams (115 to 130) cost 15 × €2.20 = €33.00. Total CO2 component: €73.00. A 220-g/km SUV passes through all six tiers: €40.00 (tier 1) + €44.00 (tier 2) + €50.00 (tier 3) + €58.00 (tier 4) + €68.00 (tier 5) + 25 × €4.00 (tier 6) = €360.00 CO2 component.
The tiers were adopted in the 2030 Climate Action Programme and have been in force since 1 January 2021. For vehicles first registered between 2009 and 2020, the older, less progressive tariff (95-g threshold, then €2.00 per gram flat) still applies — a key carry-over rule for second-hand purchases of pre-2021 stock.
When is my electric vehicle exempt?
§3d KraftStG ties the EV exemption to two conditions: first registration must fall in the window between 18 May 2011 and 31 December 2025, and the ten years of exemption end no later than 31 December 2030. Three common misunderstandings:
First: “All EVs are free until 2030” overlooks the cutoff date. An EV first registered in January 2026 falls outside the exemption window and immediately pays the reduced curb-weight-based rate. The legislature set 31 December 2025 as a hard boundary.
Second: A 2020 registration does not give ten years from 2020 — it gives ten years, capped at 31 December 2030. 2020 + 10 = 2030, that still works. A 2025 registration would calculate to 2035 — but the exemption nonetheless ends in 2030. The benefit melts down with each year of registration delay.
Third: Plug-in hybrids are not pure electric under §3d. They pay the standard combustion tax and appear in the calculator under “Hybrid (gasoline)” or “Hybrid (diesel)” — any CO2 advantage only flows through the tier math, not through the exemption.
After 2030 — the post-exemption tariff is defined in the law as half the standard car-tax base on curb weight (§9 (2) KraftStG). The tool shows a clear Hauptzollamt referral for EVs outside the window because the reduced rate depends on the unladen weight, which the calculator does not request.
What does a German motorhome cost?
Motorhomes (Wohnmobile) sit in their own category under §9 (1) No 2a KraftStG. Instead of displacement, the permissible total mass (field F.2) drives the tax; instead of CO2, the emission class. The calculation runs in two weight bands: up to 2,000 kg and above.
| Emission class | Up to 2,000 kg (per 200 kg) | Above 2,000 kg (per 200 kg) | Annual cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euro 4 and better | €16.00 | €10.00 | €800 |
| Euro 3 | €24.00 | €10.00 | €1,000 |
| Euro 2 | €24.00 | €10.00 | €1,000 |
| Euro 1 and worse | €40.00 | €10.00 | €1,000 |
Worked example for a typical 3,500-kg Euro-6 motorhome: in the first band (up to 2,000 kg), ten started 200-kg units at €16 each — €160. The remaining 1,500 kg yields eight started 200-kg units at €10 each — €80. Total: €240 per year. The same vehicle with Euro 1 would land at €400 (tier 1) + €80 (tier 2) = €480 per year.
The cap kicks in for heavy vehicles. An 8-tonne Euro-6 liner mathematically comes to €760 — the €800 cap effectively bites above ~8,500 kg total mass. With Euro 1, the €1,000 cap arrives near 6 tonnes.
Important: classification as a “Wohnmobil” requires registration under vehicle class code 5400. A self-converted Sprinter without an official motorhome entry is taxed as a car or a truck — usually much higher than the favorable motorhome rate.
When does the historic plate (H-Kennzeichen) pay off?
The H license plate becomes available once a vehicle has reached at least thirty years since first registration (§2 No 22 FZV) and a positive appraisal under §23 StVZO by an accredited body (TÜV, DEKRA, GTÜ) confirms the car is largely period-correct, in good condition, and suitable for preserving automotive heritage. Vehicles that qualify pay a flat annual rate: €191.73 for cars, €46.02 for motorcycles (§9 (4) KraftStG).
A rough threshold: when the regular tax (base + CO2) exceeds €200 per year, the H plate is the cheaper choice — for vehicles old enough to qualify. Concrete cases:
- Mercedes 230 E (W124) 1990, 2,299 cm³ gasoline: regular 23 × €2 = €46 base, no CO2 entry (pre-2009 cars rarely have one) → regular is cheaper.
- Porsche 911 Carrera (964) 1991, 3,600 cm³ gasoline: 36 × €2 = €72 base, no CO2 → regular is cheaper.
- BMW 530d (E39) 2000, 2,926 cm³ diesel: 30 × €9.50 = €285 base → H plate saves €93/year.
- VW Golf IV TDI 1995 (once it reaches 30 years in 2025): 1,896 cm³ diesel, 19 × €9.50 = €180.50 → marginal H-plate saving.
Rule of thumb: H plates pay off most for large classic diesels and for vehicles registered after 2009 with high CO2 values on file. For pre-CO2-era classics without a V.7 entry, regular car taxation is often already cheaper.
Beyond the money, H plates allow entry into all German Umweltzonen (low-emission zones) without a green sticker, and in many federal states the main inspection (Hauptuntersuchung) runs every two years like for any car instead of more frequently.
How do I use compare mode for a purchasing decision?
Compare mode places three drivetrains side by side. Per slot you set fuel type, displacement, CO2, and first registration; on the right the calculator shows the annual tax with a delta to the cheapest option. Three typical scenarios:
Gasoline vs. diesel vs. hybrid (compact class): A VW Golf with the 1.5-liter TSI (110 g CO2/km) pays €30 + €30 = €60/year. The same Golf as a 2.0-TDI (115 g CO2) lands at €190 + €40 = €230/year — nearly four times as much. The eHybrid (1.4-TSI hybrid, 85 g CO2) gets the CO2 exemption: €28 + €0 = €28/year. The annual tax advantage of the hybrid over the diesel is roughly €200 — over ten years of ownership, that is €2,000, a realistic input for the total cost of ownership.
Mid-size SUV comparison: An Audi Q5 with the 2.0-TFSI (165 g CO2) costs €40 + €152 = €192/year. The 2.0-TDI Q5 (140 g CO2) costs €190 + €95.50 = €285.50/year. The 50-TFSI-e plug-in hybrid (40 g CO2) pays only €36 + €0 = €36/year — the CO2 exemption hits in full because the hybrid lists at 40 g/km, below the 95-g threshold.
EV decision 2025 vs. 2026: A Tesla Model 3 first registered in December 2025 runs tax-free until December 2030 — five years of exemption. The same car registered in January 2026 pays the reduced curb-weight tariff right away, estimated €100 to €150 per year. The cutoff date alone is worth five to seven years of tax savings.
Compare mode deliberately does not link out to the insurance world — this is a pure tax tool, not an affiliate funnel. To roll insurance, depreciation, and fuel cost into the equation, combine the figures with the leasing-factor calculator and a separate mpg or l/100 km consumption tool.
What cases does the calculator not cover?
Deliberate gaps — none accidental, all chosen by design:
- Disability allowances with the aG, H, or Bl flag on the German disability card grant 100 % tax relief; the orange parking flag (G) grants 50 %. This relief must be claimed at the Hauptzollamt — the calculator shows the gross figure.
- Trailers are taxed separately (§9 (1) No 5 KraftStG) and not modeled — refer to the Hauptzollamt.
- Trucks, buses, semi-tractors follow a more complex tariff under §9 (1) No 3 and 4 — commercial vehicles go through a tax advisor.
- Seasonal plates (Saisonkennzeichen) pay pro rata, with partial months rounded up to whole months (§5 KraftStG) — the calculator shows annual and monthly values; the partial calculation from there is trivial.
- Heavy post-2030 EVs: the reduced post-exemption tariff applies, but is not trivially renderable above 3,500 kg curb weight. Refer to the Hauptzollamt.
For special tariffs, the full schedule is on the German Federal Ministry of Finance topic page and in the current law text at gesetze-im-internet.de. A solid overview is the Wikipedia article Kraftfahrzeugsteuer (Deutschland).
Why this calculator?
Four observations from the competitive sweep underlying the project’s wave plan:
The Federal Customs (Zoll) tool works, but it is a government tool — no mobile-first UI, no compare mode, no visualization of the CO2 tiers. Correct, but stiff.
ADAC and CHECK24 are primarily funnels: club membership at ADAC, insurance comparison at CHECK24. The tax calculation is a means to an end. Privacy-conscious users who just want the tax number face significant friction.
Affiliate sites (kfz-steuer-rechner.de, blitzrechner.de, and similar) deliver the value but heavily route click attention toward insurance or leasing offers. Functionally fine, aesthetically and privacy-wise weak.
Our angle: refined minimalism, mobile-first, no account sign-up, no tracking cookies, no affiliate push. Three clearly separated modes — single, compare, motorhome — with big-number output, clean breakdown between base and CO2, and a full disclaimer strip. The algorithm is verifiable in the browser DevTools, and all inputs stay in your browser. We don’t upload anything because we don’t need to.
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