Effective July 1, 2024, the enforcement of Germany's Federal Trunk Road Toll Act will bring significant changes for companies involved in goods transportation, extending toll requirements to vehicles with a total mass exceeding 3.5 and under 7.5 tonnes used for road transport. This measure marks a pivotal shift in the German road toll landscape, directly impacting many businesses, particularly those in the artisan sector.
Nevertheless, the legislation allows for specific exemptions for vehicles used by artisan businesses under certain conditions, outlining a scenario where a detailed understanding of the new rules is crucial to avoid unnecessary financial burdens. The commercial exemption applies when the vehicle is driven by an employee of the artisan business, and if it is transporting materials, equipment, or machinery necessary for performing services and works for the artisan's activity, or if it is transporting artisanal goods that have been produced, processed, or repaired by the artisan's own business.
The conditions for the commercial exemption are met by all professions listed in Annexes A and B of the Code of Professions and Crafts (Handwerksordnung), as well as by recognized training professions in Germany where the professional profile is comparable to that of a skilled trade. The commercial exemption also extends to foreign artisan businesses, providing a degree of flexibility and acknowledgment of the cross-border value of artisan skills.
On the Toll Collect website, artisan businesses can report vehicles with a technical maximum allowable mass exceeding 3.5 and under 7.5 tonnes that are on the road and meet the requirements for the commercial exemption. With this information, toll checks can be organized to minimize waste and administrative proceedings. For trips that do not meet the commercial exemption requirements, tolls can be booked and paid before the trip begins via the Toll Collect app or on the Toll Collect website.
For vehicles belonging to artisan businesses that predominantly do not travel under the commercial exemption conditions, it is recommended to install an On-Board Unit (OBU) from Toll Collect or a provider of the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) for convenient toll payments. Toll Collect offers OBUs (windshield OBUs or Din slot OBUs) for all vehicles over 3.5 and under 7.5 tonnes.
The OBUs are installed at an authorized workshop. Businesses should arrange an installation appointment with one of the 1,300 service partners as soon as possible. With the introduction of tolls for the weight class over 3.5 tonnes of maximum allowable mass, toll rates for some vehicle classes will slightly decrease from July 1, 2024.
