German Vehicle Tax (Kfz-Steuer) Calculator
Estimate Germany's annual vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer) by entering engine displacement, CO2 emissions, and first registration date. Supports gasoline, diesel, and electric vehicles, including the EV tax exemption period.
How Germany's vehicle tax (Kfz-Steuer) works
Germany's Kfz-Steuer is a combined tax based on two factors for passenger cars first registered on or after July 1, 2009: engine displacement and CO2 emissions. A flat rate applies per 100cc of displacement (2.00 EUR for gasoline, 9.50 EUR for diesel), and an additional tiered surcharge (2.00-4.00 EUR per gram) applies to CO2 emissions above a 95 g/km threshold.
Unlike Japan's vehicle tax, which is based on displacement alone, Germany explicitly factors in CO2 emissions as an environmental metric. Electric vehicles benefit from a temporary exemption under §3d KraftStG (up to 10 years from registration, through December 2035 at the latest). This tool estimates the annual amount based on the current rate schedule published by German customs (Zoll).
How to use it
- Choose the fuel type Select gasoline, diesel, or electric. Displacement and CO2 emissions are not needed for electric vehicles.
- Enter the engine displacement Use the cc figure from the vehicle registration document (gasoline and diesel only).
- Enter the CO2 emissions Use the WLTP-based figure in g/km from the registration document (gasoline and diesel only).
- Enter the first registration date For used cars, this is the date the original owner first registered the vehicle.
- Review the estimated tax See the breakdown of the displacement-based base amount and the CO2-based surcharge.
Tips for getting more out of it
- Enter the exact cc figure from field "P.1" of the vehicle registration document (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I). Any partial 100cc is rounded up to a full unit (2.00-9.50 EUR).
- CO2 emissions come from field "V.7" of the same registration document, measured under the WLTP standard. The surcharge only kicks in above 95 g/km.
- The diesel base rate is about 4.75 times the gasoline rate (9.50 EUR vs. 2.00 EUR per 100cc), which offsets the lower fuel duty diesel pays at the pump.
- Electric vehicles are exempt from this tax for 10 years from first registration (through December 2035 at the latest), but only if first registered between May 18, 2011 and December 31, 2030.
- For a used car, enter the date it was first registered by its original owner, not the date you personally registered it.
Use cases
Estimate running costs before buying a car in Germany
Enter a candidate car's displacement and CO2 rating to see the annual tax before you commit to a purchase.
Budget for a relocation or expat assignment to Germany
Combine this with a German net salary calculation to estimate the total fixed cost of owning a car.
Compare gasoline, diesel, and electric options
Switch the fuel type to see how much the tax differs for the same displacement and CO2 figures.
Check how long an EV tax exemption lasts
Enter the first registration date to see the exact month the exemption ends.
Glossary
- Kfz-Steuer
- Germany's annual motor vehicle tax, collected by German customs (Zoll), roughly equivalent to Japan's automobile tax.
- Hubraum (displacement)
- The total engine displacement in cc, one of the two factors used to calculate the base tax for gasoline and diesel cars.
- CO2-Ausstoß (CO2 emissions)
- Carbon dioxide emissions measured in g/km under the WLTP standard. A tiered surcharge applies above 95 g/km.
- Freibetrag (tax-free allowance)
- The portion of CO2 emissions excluded from the surcharge calculation; currently set at 95 g/km.
- §3d KraftStG
- The law provision granting a temporary tax exemption for electric vehicles, for up to 10 years from first registration (through December 2035 at the latest).
- Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I
- Germany's vehicle registration certificate, which lists displacement, CO2 emissions, and first registration date.
Frequently asked questions
Side Note — Why Germany taxes CO2 emissions, not just engine size
Germany introduced the current displacement-plus-CO2 formula in July 2009. Before that, the tax was based purely on engine displacement. The change was driven by EU environmental goals aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport, adding CO2 output as a second factor so that more fuel-efficient cars pay less tax even at the same displacement.
The CO2 tax-free allowance started at 120 g/km but was lowered to 95 g/km in January 2014, reflecting improvements in average fuel efficiency across the market. Regulators judged that keeping the older, more lenient threshold would have blunted the incentive to buy cleaner cars, and further reductions remain possible as engine technology continues to improve.
The electric vehicle tax exemption was originally set to expire in 2015, but it has been extended repeatedly since then. It now applies to vehicles first registered through the end of 2030, with the exemption itself lasting until the end of 2035 at the latest. Each extension reflects an ongoing tension between the policy goal of accelerating EV adoption and the government's need to eventually recover the tax revenue.