Warten
Forced to stand still by traffic — a red light, a queue, a barrier. It is neither Halten nor Parken, so no stopping ban touches it.
All chaptersTheorie · StVO
What is the difference between Halten and Parken under German traffic law?
Halten is a deliberate stop of three minutes or less where you stay with the car; Parken is longer than that, or leaving the vehicle at all, even for thirty seconds — a distinction that decides which ban sign applies. The exam then tests exact banned distances, such as 5 m from a junction. StVO §12, checked 2026-08-03.
Start with the three words. Almost every parking question is really a question about which of them you are doing.
Halten
A deliberate stop of up to three minutes, and you stay with the car. Zeichen 286 (eingeschränktes Haltverbot) still allows it.
Parken
Longer than three minutes, or leaving the vehicle at all — even for thirty seconds. Zeichen 283 (absolutes Haltverbot) bans both.
§12 Abs. 2 StVO
Signs that govern the kerb
- Eingeschränktes HaltverbotNo parking (limited stopping allowed)
- Absolutes HaltverbotNo stopping
- Beginn eines eingeschränkten Haltverbots für eine ZoneStart of a no-parking zone
- ParkenParking
- EinbahnstraßeOne-way street
- HaltestelleBus / tram stop
| Where | How much | What exactly is banned |
|---|---|---|
| Before and after a junction | 5 m each side | PARKING, measured from where the kerb lines cross — not from the corner of the building. It becomes 8 m before the junction where a cycle path runs along your right, so drivers can see cyclists coming. |
| Bus or tram stop sign | 15 m before and after | PARKING around the sign, whether or not the road is marked. The bus needs that whole length to pull in parallel to the kerb for prams and wheelchairs. |
| A light or sign you would hide | 10 m | STOPPING. The test is whether your car blocks the view of it, not the tape measure alone. |
| Level crossing | 5 m in town / 50 m outside | PARKING before and after, so the crossing stays visible from a distance. |
| Fußgängerüberweg | On it, and 5 m before | STOPPING and PARKING. A parked car hides the child stepping out — that single sight line is the whole reason for the rule. |
| Driveways and dropped kerbs | The whole entrance | PARKING in front of an entrance, and opposite it too on a narrow road. Dropped kerbs are wheelchair and pram crossings. |
| Fire brigade access | The whole marked area | Even STOPPING. You get towed rather than ticketed. |
| Narrow or blind spots, sharp bends, motorway slip lanes | — | STOPPING, outright, and no sign is needed for any of them. |
| Which side may you park on? | The right | Except in a one-way street, or where tram rails run along the right-hand side — then the left is allowed too. |
§12 StVO
On a slope, and getting out
First gear facing uphill, reverse facing downhill, handbrake on, wheels turned towards the kerb. Chock the wheels if the vehicle is heavy or the hill is steep.
Whoever opens the door carries the whole liability. Mirror, then look over your shoulder, and open with the far hand so your body turns towards the traffic. Children get out on the pavement side, and you supervise them doing it.
§14 StVO
The trap: Hazard lights do not create a right to stop. “I was only two minutes” is not a defence anywhere in the StVO.
Original practice questions — not the amtlicher Fragenkatalog. Every question, sign description and scenario here is written by us and covers the same StVO rules as the official Klasse B test. We are not TÜV, DEKRA or a Fahrschule, and we do not reproduce the official catalogue. Road signs themselves are amtliche Werke (StVO Anlage 1–3). Rules checked against StVO and FeV on 2026-08-03.
Information, not legal advice. The content on this page is provided for general information only. It may be incomplete or outdated. GermanDost is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with the Goethe-Institut, telc gGmbH, BAMF, or any German government body. We are not liable for any decision you make based on this content. See our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Last updated: 2026-08-03