Do I need a Crit'Air sticker to drive in France this summer? France votes to abolish low emission zones

French ministers last month sensationally voted to abolish the nation's low emission zones, with the zones à faibles émissions (ZFEs) criticised for hitting hardest those who cannot afford less-polluting vehicles.

The measure was introduced during President Emmanuel Macron’s first term to reduce pollution in French cities.

However, on 29 May, a handful of his MPs joined opposition parties from the right and far right in voting 98-51 to scrap the zones, which have gradually been extended across French cities since 2019.

But until they are officially rescinded, UK drivers entering some of France’s largest metropolises still need to display a ‘Crit’Air’ badge - clean air stickers to non-French speaking motorists - to avoid fines when entering their boundaries.

The Government estimates over seven million Britons will drive their own motors in the country this year, and so, as summer holiday season is starting up, we’ve put together a guide to avoid you getting stung by France’s ULEZ equivalent.

From which cities require Crit’Air badges and how to buy one, to how serious the fines are, here’s everything you need to know before taking to French roads.

Crit’Air vignettes (stickers) are used in France to help authorities identify a vehicle's level of air pollution emissions.

While most new cars fall within the lowest polluting bands, and be allowed in low emission zones, they still require a badge to prove this.

The badge you need is based on Euro emission levels - the levels we've detailed below.

The sticker covers the vehicle for its entire lifetime, and less polluting vehicles are allowed to more access to France’s low emission zones, ZFEs, than more polluting vehicles.

There are six levels within the Crit’Air system, based on the Euro emissions levels, with green representing the cleanest vehicles and dark grey representing the dirtiest, most polluting vehicles.

The levels are as follows:

Crit’Air 0/E (Green) – Zero emission vehicles (electric and hydrogen vehicles)

Crit’Air 1 (Violet) – Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), Euro 5/6 petrol vehicles

Crit’Air 2 (Yellow) – Euro 4 petrol vehicles, Euro 5/6 diesel vehicles

Crit’Air 3 (Orange) – Euro 2/3 petrol vehicles, Euro 4 diesel vehicles

Crit’Air 4 (Red) – Euro 3 diesel vehicles

Crit’Air 5 (Grey) – Euro 2 diesel vehicles

Crit’Air 3 (orange), Crit’Air 5 (red) and Crit’Air 6 (grey) stickered vehicles are banned from driving in Paris, with orange and red vignette vehicles not allowed in Marseille, Rouen, and Strasbourg.

Marseille and Rouen recently relaxed its requirements, allowing Crit'Air 3 badge vehicles into the ZFE zones because there has been a significant reduction in air pollutant concentrations and improvement in urban air quality.

You can apply for your Crit’Air vignette on the official French government website. You’ll need to know your car’s European Emissions Standard for.

Upload an image or scan in your vehicles' V5C registration form – image specifications can be found on the website.

You can't buy it in France so make sure you order it before you leave the UK and display it.

Critically make sure you order it well in advance because the process can take up to six weeks (this is France after all).

It costs €4.51 for a UK-registered car which includes the cost of the sticker itself (€3.11) and international postage (€1.65).

Don’t forget it lasts for your vehicle’s lifetime, so once you've got it you don't have to apply again. Just don't remove it!

The sticker needs to be displayed on the lower right-hand side of the windscreen and be clearly visible.

Failure to have or properly display a sticker can result in fines of between €68 and €180. While many drivers have reported to have not been issued a fine, it is at your own risk if you want to chance not buying a Crit'Air badge before entering one of the French zones.

Cars too old to get a sticker can’t drive in certain cities during restricted times, for instance in Paris between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday.

Make sure you check beforehand where you’re driving and whether your car is compliant and apply accordingly.

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France first introduced low emission zones in 2015. Central Paris was the first zone with its ‘City of Paris ZCR’ which came in in September of that year and currently covers the entire area within the Boulevard Périphérique ring-road.

Crit’Air badges were introduced in 2016 to categorise vehicles based on their type, age, and emission class.

In 2019 the Greater Paris ZCR (ZPE – Zone à Faibles Emissions) - a permanent low emissions zone within the city’s A86 ‘outer’ ring road – was established, and Paris’ clean air zones have become progressively stricter since with only Crit’Air 1 vehicles permitted in the ZCR since 2024 and a zero-emissions zone planned for 2030.

By the end of 2024 12 ZFEs were operational, covering cities such as Paris, Lyon, Rouen, Reims, Strasbourg, Grenoble, Nice, Marseille, Montpellier, Toulouse, Saint-Étienne, and Clermont-Ferrand.

As of 1 January 2025 rules have been tightened with 42 cities now prohibiting vehicles with Crit’Air 3 stickers – diesel vehicles over 14 years old and petrol vehicles over 19 years old – from entering their ZFEs.

There are currently two different types of low emission zones in France: Permanent low emission zones (known as ZCR – Zone à Circulation Restreinte) and Temporary emergency low emissions zones (known as ZPA – Zone de la Protection de l’Air).

There are also emergency low emission zones (ZPA) that can come into play during certain high pollution conditions.

The French government introduced ZFE to reduce harmful vehicle emissions in areas of France where air quality is poorest.

It aims to remove atmospheric particles and reduce serious illnesses linked to exposure to vehicle pollution.

France is actually lagging behind its European neighbours, with aims to introduce 100 fewer LEZs than Spain despite having a population of almost 20 million more.

France has a higher-than-average number of diesel vehicles than many countries.

At the end of May, France’s National Assembly voted to abolish the low emission zones because they’ve been criticised for hitting drivers who can’t afford low polluting vehicle the hardest.

MPs from President Macron’s Renaissance party voted with opposition from the right and far right to scrap the zones, in a 98-51 majority.

The motion was put forward by Pierre Meurin of the far-right National Rally, and backed by some motoring organisations. Writer Alexandre Jardin set up a called Les #Gueux (Beggars), arguing that ‘ecology has turned into a sport for the rich’.

However, the abolition has to pass through the French Senate (the upper house), and it still needs to be approved in a broader bill in the lower house in June.

It will also have to be approved by France's Constitutional Council, before it comes into law, which is not guaranteed.

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis cautioned UK drivers thinking they’ll be spared from needing a Crit’Air in the immediate future, saying: ‘Despite the vote by France’s National Assembly to abolish the country’s low emission zones, it doesn’t yet mean the end of the need for Crit’Air stickers as there are still a number of political hurdles on the road ahead.

‘UK drivers planning to visit any city that has a ZFE should therefore still apply for a sticker in the usual way using the official website.’