Vehicle markings for police vehicles in Germany use the following colours: traffic blue (5017), fluorescent yellow (or sometimes fluorescent-reflective) and reflective silver.
Visibility and thus safety are increased due to the contrasting colours blue and yellow as studies confirm (VESBA).
Guidelines for Marking Police Vehicles
Technische Richtlinie Funkstreifenwagen (technical guidelines for patrol cars) from 2010 regulates the uniform marking of police vehicles in Germany.
Section 2 defines external design and equipment (including colour scheme and lettering) as follows:
Sheeting must be UV-resistant and colourfast, as well as washable and environmentally friendly. The marking materials should have a durability of at least five years.
Police Gaps (Segmented Conspicuity Tape) |
Retro-reflective rectangles measuring 90 x 30 mm, 90 x 40 mm or 90 x 50 mm (depending on vehicle conditions) shall be applied to the entire upper and lower edge of the traffic blue side surfaces.
The gap between the individual rectangles shall be 15 mm and the retroreflectivity has to correspond to values specified for ECE 104, class C.
The contour marking with police gaps should be continued on the rear if possible.
Polizei Lettering |
On each side of the vehicle, the lettering “POLIZEI” has to be applied (material according to ECE 104): Arial, uppercase, font height 140 or 155 mm.
Contrasting Colours
As a contrast to the traffic blue, a fluorescent yellow sheeting is applied. For the rear of the vehicle, it is recommended to apply a chevron design that resembles the shape of a warning triangle (pointing upwards).
However, it does not explicitly state how the exact marking for police motorbikes should look like.
Marking of police vehicles outside of Germany
Other countries have different regulations regarding lettering, colours and reflective conspicuity tape for police vehicles.
For example, in the United Kingdom or Sweden, police vehicles are marked with a blue and yellow Battenberg pattern (alternating rectangles).
In Belgium, police vehicles are marked with three dark blue stripes on the rear side areas and bumpers have been marked in fluorescent orange (luminous orange RAL 2005) since 2008.
In Austria, vehicles of the Federal Police are marked with blue sheeting and red stripes.
Find our product range on the overview page Marking of Police Vehicles | . It includes Police Gaps, fluorescent films and lettering.