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The Crit’Air sticker (vignette Crit’Air) shows how polluting your car is. You need one only to drive in a French low-emission zone (ZFE), such as Greater Paris inside the A86, or where traffic is restricted during a pollution episode, but in those places it’s compulsory for foreign cars too. It costs €3.11 plus postage from the only official site, certificat-air.gouv.fr, and it lasts for the life of the car. Order it at least three weeks before you travel.
Which Crit’Air class is your car?
From Service-Public's Crit'Air classification for cars, checked 10 October 2026. The official site gives your exact class when you apply.
Do you need a Crit’Air sticker?
According to Service-Public, the sticker is compulsory in two situations:
- Low-emission zones (zones à faibles émissions mobilité, ZFE-m): to drive in one, every vehicle needs a sticker, including foreign-registered vehicles. Each zone sets which classes may enter and when.
- Pollution episodes: when the prefect orders traffic restrictions by Crit’Air class (circulation différenciée), the sticker shows whether you can drive.
Outside those, you don’t need one: on autoroutes and most roads in France, a sticker isn’t required. But if your trip takes you into or through a city with a zone, it’s simplest to have one.
Low-emission zones aren’t going away. In spring 2026 the French parliament voted to abolish them as part of a wider law, but on 21 May 2026 the Conseil constitutionnel struck that part of the law out. The zones remain, although how strictly each city enforces its zone varies.
The Crit’Air classes for cars
| Sticker | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Green (electric) | Electric and hydrogen vehicles, whatever their age | |
| Crit’Air 1 (purple) | Euro 5 and 6 (from 2011). Also gas and plug-in hybrids, whatever their age. | – |
| Crit’Air 2 (yellow) | Euro 4 (2006 to 2010) | Euro 5 and 6 (from 2011) |
| Crit’Air 3 (orange) | Euro 2 and 3 (1997 to 2005) | Euro 4 (2006 to 2010) |
| Crit’Air 4 (burgundy) | – | Euro 3 (2001 to 2005) |
| Crit’Air 5 (grey) | – | Euro 2 (1997 to 2000) |
| Not classified | Before 1997 (Euro 1 and older): no sticker | Before 1997 (Euro 1 and older): no sticker |
From Service-Public’s classification for cars. The Euro standard decides the class; the years are a guide. Vans, motorbikes, lorries and coaches have their own tables.
How to apply from the UK
- Go to certificat-air.gouv.fr, the only official site, and choose the option for a vehicle registered abroad. Foreign-registered vehicles can only apply online.
- Enter your car’s details and upload a scan or clear photo of your V5C log book.
- Pay €3.11 plus postage by card.
- Wait for the sticker to arrive by post from France.
Order your Crit’Air sticker more than two weeks before you travel. Ours took exactly two weeks to arrive.
So allow at least three weeks to be safe.
Beware of copycat sites
Search for “Crit’Air sticker” and the first results are often adverts for other websites that order the sticker for you and charge more than the official price. The official site, certificat-air.gouv.fr, calls itself the only official site that issues the sticker, and Service-Public says the same. Check the address before you pay: it ends in .gouv.fr.
Where to put it
Stick it on the inside of the windscreen, on the lower right-hand side (looking out from the driver’s seat), so it can be seen from outside. The sticker has no expiry date: it stays valid for as long as it’s legible, so you only buy one for each car. If you change car, you need a new one.
Paris and other zones
Greater Paris: the zone covers everything inside the A86 ring road, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, for cars. Since 1 January 2025, Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 and unclassified cars are restricted; Crit’Air 3 cars get a 24-hour pass for 24 days a year. The City of Paris says the educational period runs to 31 December 2026, with no penalties during it. See driving in Paris.
Other cities: Lyon, Grenoble and other French cities have their own low-emission zones, with their own classes, hours and enforcement. Check the rules for the city on your route before you travel.
Fines
Driving in a low-emission zone without the right sticker, or with a class that isn’t allowed, is usually a €68 fixed fine for a car, and can be up to €450, according to Service-Public. During a pollution episode with traffic restrictions, the same applies. People displaying a disabled parking card (carte mobilité inclusion) can’t be barred from a zone.
Hire cars, motorhomes and motorbikes
- Hire cars: check whether the car has a sticker when you collect it, if you’ll drive into a zone.
- Motorhomes, vans and motorbikes need their own sticker too, with their own classification tables.
Crit’Air sticker: do you need one, and how to get it FAQs
Do tourists need a Crit'Air sticker?
Only to drive in a low-emission zone (ZFE), or in an area where the prefect has restricted traffic during a pollution episode. In those places it's compulsory for every vehicle, including foreign-registered cars driving there just once. On most French roads you don't need one.
Where do I get a Crit'Air sticker?
Only from the official French government site, certificat-air.gouv.fr. Foreign-registered vehicles can only apply online there. Other websites that sell the sticker charge more than the official price.
How much is a Crit'Air sticker?
€3.11 plus postage on the official site. Service-Public gives €3.85 including postage for delivery in France; postage abroad costs a little more. Unofficial sites charge more.
How long does a Crit'Air sticker take to arrive in the UK?
Allow at least three weeks. The sticker is posted from France, and delivery to the UK can take two weeks or more.
Can I drive in France without a Crit'Air sticker?
Yes, on most roads. You need one only in low-emission zones and in areas with pollution restrictions. Driving in a zone without one is usually a €68 fixed fine for a car, and can be up to €450.
Is Crit'Air being abolished?
No. In spring 2026 the French parliament voted to abolish low-emission zones, but on 21 May 2026 the Conseil constitutionnel, France's constitutional court, struck that part of the law out. The zones and the Crit'Air sticker remain.
Where do I put the Crit'Air sticker?
On the inside of the windscreen, on the lower right-hand side as you look from inside, so it can be seen from outside the car. It doesn't expire and doesn't need renewing while it stays legible.
What Crit'Air class is my car?
It depends on the fuel and Euro standard. For petrol cars: Euro 5 or 6 (from 2011) is Crit'Air 1, Euro 4 (2006 to 2010) is 2 and Euro 2 or 3 (1997 to 2005) is 3. For diesel: Euro 5 or 6 is 2, Euro 4 is 3, Euro 3 is 4 and Euro 2 is 5. Electric cars get the green sticker, plug-in hybrids Crit'Air 1, and cars from before 1997 aren't classified.
Do I need a Crit'Air sticker for Paris?
Yes, to drive in Greater Paris inside the A86 on weekdays from 8am to 8pm. Crit'Air 3, 4, 5 and unclassified cars have been restricted there since January 2025. The City of Paris says no penalties will be issued until 31 December 2026, but the rules still apply.