By the Directorate of Emergency Services
USAG Stuttgart
There currently are no restrictions on registering diesel vehicles through the USAG Stuttgart Vehicle Registration Office in relation to the diesel vehicle ban in the city of Stuttgart. Authorized members of the military community may still register diesel vehicles, but the upcoming diesel ban may prevent those vehicles from being driven in the Umwelt (Environmental) Zone which includes Patch, Kelley, and Robinson Barracks (see link for Umwelt Zone map).
Some members of the military community who live or work outside the Umwelt Zone may still choose to own and register a diesel vehicle in areas where operating these vehicles remains permissible. For residents of the city of Stuttgart (plates beginning with “S”), there will be a transitional period until March 31, 2019 – after April 1, 2019, they will also be subject to the traffic ban for diesel vehicles. Diesel vehicle owners who live or work on Patch, Kelley, and Robinson Barracks after April 1, 2019, may wish to consider selling the vehicle or converting it to another acceptable fuel source for use in the Umwelt Zone.
Individual vehicle owners may apply for a special permit for an exemption from the diesel vehicle ban on a case-to-case basis (Note: this request for a special permit must be submitted to the Office for Public Order of the City of Stuttgart and not to Vehicle Registration). Some examples where a special permit may be warranted include regular visits to the doctor (e.g. dialysis patients), trips by shift workers who cannot use local public transport, and select individuals with disabilities. More information on how to apply for a special permit can be found here.
Lastly, selling diesel vehicles may soon become challenging in the greater Stuttgart area. Diesel vehicle owners may want to consider selling their vehicles outside of the Stuttgart area, for example using a resale lot in Kaiserslautern or Wiesbaden versus the one at Panzer Kaserne.
Any further questions regarding the upcoming diesel vehicle ban should be referred to the City of Stuttgart with additional information on the ban available using the English version of the Stuttgart website.