Blue sticker on the rear of the car: the meaning!

Thomas Wachsmuth 21 April 2023 Test sites, laws, offenses, information

Reading time 4 Min.

Recently updated on October 23, 2023 at 07:37 am

[Update: 23.10.2023] This post was updatedto take more recent information into account. In addition to decorative stickers, there are also mandatory stickers for vehicles, such as the environmental badge or, more recently, one blue sticker with a letter and number combination. A blue sticker on a car is becoming more and more common and is causing confusion for some. What does this blue sticker mean? Vehicles with blue stickers are approved Limousine or minibus companieswho operate commercial passenger transport. These include rental car companies such as Uber, FreeNow or Bolt. Since the amendment of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG) in 2021, this sticker has been mandatory if a vehicle is used for such a company.

the assignment should be made easier

The blue sticker makes it easier to identify the vehicles and assign them to a type of transport. For example, labeling at airports helps distinguish between rental cars and taxis, although it has long been mandatory for taxis to have this type of labeling on the rear window. The serial number for rental cars often begins with a letter that indicates the origin of the vehicle, e.g. B. a "B" for Berlin. Sometimes, however, only numbers are shown on the sticker.

The blue sticker on the car has the following meaning:

Letters: The letter at the beginning of the combination indicates which city, municipality or district the vehicle comes from. This makes it easier to identify the vehicle's place of origin and helps to assign it to a specific type of transport or region. For example, a "C" at the beginning of the combination stands for a vehicle from Chemnitz.
Numbers: The sequence of numbers following the letters represents a unique identification number for the specific rental vehicle. This number helps the authorities to quickly and easily identify and allocate the vehicle if necessary. The number combination can also be used to record the number of vehicles from a specific company in a region.

Together, the letter and numbers on the blue sticker form a unique serial number that is used to identify and regulate rental vehicles in the commercial passenger transportation sector. Since the amendment of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG) in 2021, this sticker has been mandatory for such vehicles in Germany, as already mentioned.

What is the blue sticker on the car with white numbers?

The blue stickers on the rear windows of cars shows combinations of white numbers and letters. This is in connection with the innovation of Ordinance on the operation of motor vehicle companies in passenger transport (BOKraft) to understand. It shows serial numbers for rental cars operated by companies such as Uber, Bolt and FreeNow.

Why is there the blue sticker on the car?

Since 2021, all vehicles used for a rental company must have this blue sticker carry. The goal is to make cars easier to identify and assign them to a specific type of traffic. This makes it easier to distinguish between taxis and rental cars at airports.

What is the blue sticker on my car called in the legal text?

According to the Clause 27 According to BOKraft, a plate with the serial number issued by the approval authority must be attached to the lower right corner of the rear window of rental cars. This sticker should be visible both externally and internally.

What advantages does the blue sticker have for consumers?

The blue stickers allows consumers to check whether the vehicle they have booked belongs to a registered company. Without this number, they could get into an unlicensed vehicle and take unnecessary risks, such as driving safety or insurance coverage.

How do I know which region the rental vehicle comes from?

The serial number on the blue sticker often begins with a letter that indicates which city, municipality or district the vehicle comes from. For example, an “F” indicates Frankfurt and “ED” stands for the Erding district.

What is the feedback on the blue sticker?

The regulation of the blue sticker on the car was first introduced in Berlin and then adopted by many other districts and regions. According to the Berlin Senate Administration, the regulation is being received positively by most consumers.