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Crit'Air · environmental sticker

Environmental sticker France

Driving in a French low-emission zone (ZFE), for example in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, or Grenoble? A Crit'Air environmental sticker on your windscreen is mandatory. Unlike our vignettes, this isn't a digital link. It's a physical sticker: you apply for it once, and it then stays valid for the life of your vehicle.

Price & delivery time

One fixed price, with no vehicle types or validity periods to choose from. The Crit'Air sticker applies to every vehicle, once, for life.

One-time · valid for life

Crit'Air sticker

€ 19.95
  • Delivery time: 10–21 business days (the official French shipping timeframe, not something we can speed up)
  • The sticker is sent by post, directly from France
  • Applying once is enough: you never need to renew or reapply, not even next year
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How ordering works: you enter your licence plate and delivery address and pay securely right away via iDEAL, Bancontact, or PayPal. We then apply for the sticker with the French authority on your behalf. There's nothing else for you to arrange.
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Physical sticker, no digital link: unlike our toll vignettes, you'll receive an actual sticker by post here. Stick it yourself to the upper right inside your windscreen, clearly visible for checks from outside.

Why is the Crit'Air sticker mandatory?

An increasing number of French cities have introduced a Zone à Faibles Émissions (ZFE) where only vehicles with a valid environmental sticker may drive, on certain days or permanently. Without a sticker you risk a fine, even if your car is actually clean enough: an inspection simply isn't possible without one.

How long does the sticker stay valid?

The Crit'Air sticker is linked to your licence plate and stays valid for life, for as long as you own the same vehicle. So you never need to renew it annually. If you sell the car, the new owner applies for their own new sticker.

Which Crit'Air category will your vehicle get?

France has 6 categories, from Crit'Air 0 through Crit'Air 5. The lower the number, the cleaner the vehicle is considered and the more access it has to a ZFE. Crit'Air 0 may drive everywhere, while Crit'Air 5 is already excluded from most zones. Which category your car gets is determined automatically by the French authority based on fuel type, Euro standard, and year of manufacture; we apply for the sticker on your behalf regardless of the outcome.

How to recognise a ZFE

Official French road sign B56: white with a red border and the word ZONE, marking the start of a Zone à Faibles Émissions (ZFE)

A Zone à Faibles Émissions always begins at this sign (type B56, white with a red border, "ZONE"), usually supplemented with a sub-panel reading "Zone à faibles émissions mobilités" and the permitted Crit'Air categories. In 2026 there are 42 ZFE agglomerations in France, up from 25 in 2025. The strictest are Paris and Grenoble; Crit'Air 4 and above is now also excluded in Lyon, Marseille and Toulouse. Note that enforcement varies widely by city — Grenoble already enforces actively, Lyon starts on 1 July 2026, and Paris has postponed actual enforcement until 2027.

On 21 May 2026, the Conseil constitutionnel (France's constitutional court) struck down a bill to abolish ZFEs nationwide. The ZFEs and the Crit'Air requirement therefore remain fully in force.

Fines and enforcement

Drive into a French ZFE without a valid Crit'Air sticker, and you risk a fine of € 68 (€ 45 with prompt payment, rising to € 180 for late payment) — article R411-19-1 of the Code de la route. This applies equally to French and foreign licence plates.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Crit'Air sticker

Do I need to apply for the sticker even if I'm only driving through a French ZFE once?+

Yes. Even a one-off drive-through or short visit to a city with an active ZFE requires a valid Crit'Air sticker on the windscreen.

What does a fine cost if I drive into a ZFE without a valid sticker?+

€ 68 standard, € 45 with prompt payment, up to € 180 for late payment (art. R411-19-1 Code de la route). This applies regardless of whether your vehicle has a French or foreign licence plate.

Does the Crit'Air sticker apply across the whole of France?+

No, only within the boundaries of the ZFEs of specific agglomerations. In 2026 there are 42 of these, including Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Grenoble. This number grows every year.

Is enforcement applied equally strictly everywhere?+

No, this varies widely by city: Grenoble already enforces actively, Lyon starts on 1 July 2026, and Paris has postponed actual enforcement until 2027. Applying for a valid sticker remains sensible in every case, even ahead of stricter enforcement.

Is the Crit'Air sticker also mandatory for motorcycles?+

Yes, motorcycles also need a valid Crit'Air sticker within a ZFE, just like cars and vans.

What happens to the sticker if I sell my car?+

The sticker is linked to the licence plate. When you sell the car, the new owner applies for their own new Crit'Air sticker.

What if my vehicle is from before 1997?+

Then it doesn't qualify for a Crit'Air sticker ("non classé") and has no access to most ZFEs.

How long does delivery take?+

10–21 business days, the official French shipping timeframe. So apply for the sticker well before departure.

Is the sticker also needed for rental cars or foreign licence plates?+

Yes, every vehicle entering a ZFE needs a valid Crit'Air sticker, regardless of the country of registration.

Are emergency vehicles, vehicles for people with disabilities, or historic vehicles (collection plates) exempt from the Crit'Air requirement?+

Yes. Emergency vehicles, vehicles with a disabled parking permit, and vehicles with a French 'collection' plate (generally 30 years or older) are exempt, even without a sticker.

I've lost my sticker or it's damaged — can I apply for a replacement?+

Yes, you can apply for a new Crit'Air sticker for the same licence plate; the old, damaged or lost sticker then becomes invalid.

Is the Crit'Air sticker the same as a toll vignette? Do I also need to pay toll in France?+

No, these are two different things. The Crit'Air sticker is only needed for access to ZFEs; toll on French motorways (péage) is charged separately, per trip, via toll gates, independent of this sticker.

Do I need the sticker even if I only have to pass briefly and unavoidably through a ZFE?+

Yes, even a brief, unavoidable pass-through requires a valid sticker. There's no exception based on how long you stay in the zone.

Is the sticker also mandatory for a camper van or a car with a trailer?+

Yes, camper vans fall under the same rules as cars, although heavy camper vans sometimes fall under the stricter category for commercial vehicles. A trailer itself doesn't need its own sticker; only the towing vehicle needs a valid sticker.

Can I use the same sticker if I switch cars?+

No, the sticker is linked to the specific licence plate it was applied for. For a different car, you apply for a new sticker.

Does the Crit'Air requirement also apply during temporary pollution peaks, sometimes even outside the fixed ZFE boundaries?+

Yes, during an announced pollution peak (épisode de pollution), a region can temporarily impose stricter Crit'Air restrictions, sometimes also outside the fixed ZFE boundaries. Having a valid sticker in advance means you're prepared for this.

Is the sticker also checked when parking, or only while driving?+

Checks mainly happen while driving, via cameras and physical checks. With long-term parking within a ZFE, however, a missing sticker can also come to light through municipal enforcement.

Why apply through EuropeVignettes.eu instead of directly with the French authority?+

We handle the full application for you in English, without you having to fill in French forms yourself, and you simply pay via iDEAL, Bancontact, or PayPal.