Quick answer: Any vehicle driven inside the Paris A86 ring road on a weekday (Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00) must display a Crit’Air anti-pollution vignette. The sticker costs around €4.80 all-in, lasts the lifetime of your vehicle, and takes up to 30 days to arrive by post. Buy only from the official French government site: certificat-air.gouv.fr. Everything you need to know is below.
Crit’Air at a glance – key facts for UK drivers
- Who needs one: Every vehicle (including UK-registered) entering the Paris A86 zone on weekdays 08:00–20:00
- Cost: €4.80 total (sticker + UK postage) from the official government site only
- Delivery time: Allow up to 30 days – apply at least 4 weeks before travel
- Validity: Lifetime of the vehicle – no annual renewal needed
- Fine for non-display: €68 rising to €180 if unpaid
- Disabled drivers: Exempt – a valid Blue Badge replaces the sticker
- UK RHD placement: Lower-left corner of the windscreen (passenger side, inside)
What Is the Crit’Air Sticker?
The Crit’Air vignette (Certificat Qualité de l’Air) is a colour-coded round sticker issued by the French government showing how polluting your vehicle is. Every motor vehicle – cars, motorbikes, vans, buses – driven in a French low-emission zone (ZFE) must display one, regardless of whether it is French or foreign-registered. The scheme launched in Paris in 2017 and has since expanded to Lyon, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Marseille, Toulouse, and many more cities.
There are seven categories in total, from the cleanest (Crit’Air 0) to the most polluting (Crit’Air 5), plus an unclassified band for vehicles too old to qualify. Your category is determined by your vehicle’s Euro emission standard, not how you drive.
Crit’Air categories at a glance
| Category | Colour | Vehicles covered | Typical first reg. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crit’Air 0 | Green | 100% electric & hydrogen | Any year |
| Crit’Air 1 | Purple | Petrol Euro 5/6; plug-in hybrids | 2011 onwards |
| Crit’Air 2 | Yellow | Petrol Euro 4; diesel Euro 5/6 | Petrol 2006–2010 / Diesel 2011+ |
| Crit’Air 3 | Orange | Petrol Euro 2/3; diesel Euro 4 | Petrol 1997–2005 / Diesel 2006–2010 |
| Crit’Air 4 | Brown | Diesel Euro 3 | 2001–2005 |
| Crit’Air 5 | Grey | Diesel Euro 2 | 1997–2000 |
| No sticker possible | – | Pre-1997 petrol or diesel | Before 1997 |
Once issued, a Crit’Air sticker is valid for the lifetime of the vehicle – no annual renewal. The sticker is tied to the vehicle registration. Sell the car and the sticker stays with it; buy a new car and you need a new sticker.
Who Needs a Crit’Air Sticker, and When?
The Crit’Air zone in Paris covers Paris itself and 77 surrounding communes inside the A86 motorway – a permanently designated low-emission zone (ZFE). If your route takes you anywhere inside that boundary during restricted hours, you must display a valid sticker.
Paris restricted hours: Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00, excluding public holidays. Evenings, nights, and weekends are unrestricted for private cars and motorcycles. The A86 motorway itself is exempt if you do not exit onto city roads.
Which categories are currently banned in Paris? (2025–2026)
Having a sticker does not automatically mean your vehicle is permitted – Paris progressively bans older categories during weekday hours. Current position:
| Category | Status in Paris – weekdays 08:00–20:00 |
|---|---|
| Crit’Air 0 and 1 | ✅ Permitted |
| Crit’Air 2 | ✅ Permitted |
| Crit’Air 3 | ⚠️ Banned from January 2025 – limited day-pass scheme available (up to 24 passes/year) |
| Crit’Air 4 | 🚫 Banned |
| Crit’Air 5 | 🚫 Banned |
| No sticker (pre-1997) | 🚫 Banned – cannot obtain a sticker |
Driving a Crit’Air 3 vehicle? From January 2025 these are banned during Paris weekday hours. A limited day-pass exemption of up to 24 days per year is available – check certificat-air.gouv.fr for how to apply. Rules tighten each year, so check before every trip.
Disneyland Paris: The resort sits outside the A86 zone. Driving only to Disneyland without entering the city does not technically require a sticker. However, many routes from Calais or the Channel Tunnel skirt the zone boundary – having a sticker is always the safer choice.
How to Buy a Crit’Air Sticker – and How to Avoid Scams
Only one official source: certificat-air.gouv.fr – the French government site. The official price is €4.80 all-in to a UK address. If you are being charged more than €6, you are on the wrong website. One well-known scam site charges €29.65 for the same sticker.
The application is entirely online – you cannot buy a Crit’Air sticker at a ferry port, petrol station, or shop in France. Here is exactly what to do:
- Go to certificat-air.gouv.fr and switch the language to English using the flag selector at the top of the page.
- Enter your vehicle details from your V5C log book: registration number, date of first registration, vehicle type, and Euro emission standard. Enter the plate exactly as shown on your V5C, including spacing.
- Upload a copy of your V5C – a clear scan or photo (PDF or image file, under 400 KB). Use a free image compressor if your file is too large.
- Enter your UK delivery address. The sticker will be posted here directly, even if the V5C shows a different registered-keeper address (e.g. for leased or company cars).
- Pay online by debit or credit card – approximately €4.80. UK cards are accepted with no issues.
- Save both confirmation emails: an application confirmation (usually within 1–2 days) and an invoice/certificate PDF (within about a week). The PDF is your temporary proof of compliance if the physical sticker has not arrived before your trip.
Scam sites to avoid
Numerous unofficial sites target British drivers. Warning signs: a URL that resembles the official domain but is not .gouv.fr; prices of €15–€30; offers of “priority processing”; or prompts to call a premium-rate phone number. Never call a 118 or premium-rate number for Crit’Air information – the official helpline is a standard-rate number listed on the government site.
How Much Does a Crit’Air Sticker Cost?
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Sticker (Certificat Air) | €3.70 |
| Postage to UK address | €0.91 |
| Total to a UK address | €4.61 (approximately £4) |
This is a government-set fee designed only to cover production and postage costs. The price has barely moved since launch (€4.18 in 2017). Once paid, the sticker covers every trip to France for the lifetime of that vehicle. Two vehicles means two separate applications – there is no multi-vehicle discount.
Lost or damaged sticker? There is no free replacement scheme. If your sticker is destroyed – during a windscreen replacement, for example – you must reapply and pay the fee again. Keep your confirmation email so you have proof of category while waiting for a replacement.
How Long Does the Sticker Take to Arrive?
The French government’s official estimate is 5–10 working days from approval. Most UK drivers receive their sticker within 1–3 weeks, but delays of up to 30 days are possible. The safest approach is to apply at least four weeks before your trip.
Travelling before your sticker arrives? Print the confirmation email or the PDF certificate and carry it with you. This document shows your registration, Crit’Air category, and certificate number. French police accept it as evidence of good-faith compliance. It is not a permanent substitute for the physical sticker – affix it as soon as it arrives.
Watch your letterbox: The sticker arrives in a small plain envelope that can look like junk mail. Check your post carefully. If nothing has arrived after 30 days, contact Crit’Air support through certificat-air.gouv.fr.
Where to Put the Sticker on Your Windscreen
| Vehicle type | Correct placement | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| French / European left-hand drive | Inside windscreen, lower-right corner | Passenger side – not in driver’s sightline, visible from kerb |
| UK / right-hand drive | Inside windscreen, lower-left corner | Passenger side on a RHD car – officially confirmed by Crit’Air; avoids UK MOT critical vision zone |
For UK right-hand-drive cars, the
Application tips:
- Clean and thoroughly dry the glass before applying.
- Hold the sticker (backing still on) against your chosen spot and check visibility from outside before committing.
- The adhesive is strong and tamper-evident – it cannot be cleanly removed once pressed in place. Choose your position carefully first time.
- Apply from the inside of the glass only – do not stick it to the exterior.
- Position it low enough to sit outside the wiper-swept arc where possible.
Fines for Not Having a Crit’Air Sticker
€68 fine for cars and motorcycles · Rises to €180 if unpaid · €135 for HGVs and buses · Repeat offences can lead to vehicle impoundment
Enforcement happens two ways: roadside checks by Paris police or gendarmes (particularly during high-pollution periods), and automated cameras that read number plates and cross-reference them with the national Crit’Air database in real time. Cameras do not need to stop you – a fine notice is posted to the registered keeper, including UK addresses.
Post-Brexit, the UK and France have reciprocal arrangements for cross-border traffic fines, so ignoring a notice is not a safe strategy. If you are in a rental car, the hire company receives the fine and charges it to your card along with an administration fee – typically £30–£50 – turning a €68 fine into a £100+ charge.
The same fines apply if you drive a banned category (e.g. a Crit’Air 3 car in Paris on a weekday from 2025). The sticker itself will not stop you entering the zone – it is your responsibility as the driver to know whether your category is permitted on that day.
Driving a Hire Car in Paris
The Crit’Air sticker is tied to the vehicle registration, not the driver. This creates a specific challenge for rental cars:
- French-registered rental cars collected in France should ideally already have a Crit’Air sticker. Check the windscreen at collection. If it lacks one and you plan to drive in a ZFE city, ask the desk for a compliant vehicle immediately.
- UK-registered hire cars taken across the Channel are more problematic – the hire company holds the V5C, making an independent application difficult. Ask in writing before you travel whether the vehicle is Crit’Air compliant.
- If fined in a hire car: the company passes the fine to you plus an admin fee of typically £30–£50. The driver is liable under standard rental terms, even if the company failed to equip the vehicle.
- Protective step: Notify the rental company in writing at booking that you intend to drive in Paris. If subsequently fined because they failed to provide a stickered vehicle, that written notification gives you grounds to dispute the admin fee – though it is not guaranteed.
Tip: If your hire car lacks a sticker, consider parking outside the ZFE boundary and using the Métro, RER, or bus into central Paris. It avoids fine risk and the expense of central Paris parking.
Disabled Drivers – Blue Badge Exemption
Vehicles displaying a valid European Blue Badge (disabled parking permit) are fully exempt from Crit’Air requirements. You do not need a sticker, and you can drive any vehicle category – including those too old to qualify – in any French ZFE during restricted hours. The exemption is established by French law and applies to all Blue Badges, including those issued in the UK.
- Display your Blue Badge clearly on the dashboard or windscreen whenever driving in a ZFE during restricted hours.
- Carry the accompanying photo card or paperwork as supporting proof.
- You may still choose to apply for a Crit’Air sticker if your vehicle qualifies – it is not required, but can avoid confusion at a routine inspection.
- The exemption covers driving in the zone. Normal parking rules apply separately – Paris generally permits free parking for badge holders in designated bays.
- If driving a hire car and you hold a Blue Badge, the exemption still applies – display the badge and no sticker is needed.
Crit’Air in Other French Cities
One Crit’Air sticker is valid across all of France – it is not Paris-specific. However, each city sets its own activation hours and banned categories:
| City | ZFE status | Typical restricted hours |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | Permanent ZFE | Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00 |
| Lyon (Métropole) | Permanent ZFE | Mon–Fri 07:00–19:00 |
| Grenoble | Permanent ZFE | Mon–Fri 07:30–19:30 |
| Strasbourg | Permanent ZFE | Mon–Fri 07:30–19:30 |
| Marseille | Active ZFE | Varies – check local authority |
| Toulouse | Active ZFE | Varies – check local authority |
Always check the current rules for every city on your route before travelling. City-specific ZFE information is available at certificat-air.gouv.fr.
Top Tips from UK Drivers Who’ve Done It
- Apply at least four weeks before your trip. Delivery can take up to 30 days. The sticker never expires, so there is no reason to delay.
- Never use a third-party site. The only legitimate source is certificat-air.gouv.fr. One notorious scam site charged €29.65 for a €4.80 sticker.
- Print your confirmation email. If the sticker has not arrived before departure, carry the PDF certificate in the glovebox. Police accept it as proof of registration.
- UK car: always go lower-left. Driver’s-side placement causes MOT issues. One driver had their sticker peeled off and destroyed by a garage. Lower-left (passenger side) is officially sanctioned and MOT-safe.
- The sticker is permanent – choose your spot before applying. Hold it against the glass (backing on) and check from outside first. It cannot be cleanly removed once pressed in place.
- Windscreen replaced? Order a new sticker. There is no free duplicate. Reapply online and use your confirmation email as a temporary stopgap.
- Check your category’s current ban status before every trip. Rules tighten each year. A Crit’Air 3 sticker will not protect you from a camera fine if your category is now banned. Check at certificat-air.gouv.fr before you travel.
- Rental car: ask in writing before you travel. Confirm the vehicle has a sticker. If not, request a compliant car or plan to park outside the ZFE and take public transport.
- Cameras are everywhere and increasing. “I got away with it once” is not a strategy. Automated plate-reading cameras check in real time. A €4.80 sticker is far cheaper than a €68 fine plus a hire company admin fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes – if your route takes you inside the A86 ring road on a weekday between 08:00 and 20:00. If you stay on the A86 motorway without exiting onto city roads, or travel only at night or at weekends, the restriction does not apply to private cars. Given that plans change and pollution emergencies can trigger short-notice extra restrictions, carrying a sticker whenever driving in France is strongly advisable.
The official price is approximately €4.61 including postage to a UK address (€3.70 for the sticker plus postage). Buy only from the official French government site: certificat-air.gouv.fr. Any site charging more than €6 is a third-party reseller – one well-known scam site charges €29.65 for the same sticker.
Place it on the inside of the windscreen in the lower-left corner (passenger side). Standard French guidance says lower-right, but the Crit’Air authority has confirmed that lower-left is correct for right-hand-drive vehicles – it avoids the UK MOT critical vision zone and is visible to officers from outside the car.
€68 for cars and motorcycles, rising to approximately €180 if unpaid. For HGVs and buses the fine is €135. Rental car companies typically add £30–£50 in administration fees, meaning a hire car driver can face a total charge exceeding £100. Automated plate-reading cameras enforce the rule without requiring a police stop.
The official estimate is 5–10 working days from approval, but up to 30 days is possible. Apply at least four weeks before your trip. If your sticker has not arrived in time, print the confirmation email PDF and carry it as temporary proof of compliance – French police accept it as evidence of good-faith registration.
Yes. Any vehicle displaying a valid Blue Badge (European disabled parking permit) is fully exempt from Crit’Air requirements and may enter any French ZFE regardless of vehicle age or category. UK-issued Blue Badges are recognised in France. Display the badge clearly on the dashboard during restricted hours.
No. The sticker is valid for the lifetime of the vehicle and requires no annual renewal. If the sticker is destroyed – during a windscreen replacement, for example – you must reapply and pay the fee again. There is no free replacement scheme.
Yes – the sticker is tied to the vehicle, not the driver. Check the windscreen of any rental car collected in France. If hiring a UK-registered car, ask the company in advance to confirm the vehicle is Crit’Air compliant. If fined, the driver is liable under standard rental terms, plus the hire company’s administration fee on top.
From January 2025, Crit’Air 3 vehicles are banned in Paris on weekdays (08:00–20:00). A limited day-pass exemption of up to 24 days per year may be available – check certificat-air.gouv.fr for the current position before travelling.
One sticker is valid across all French ZFE cities – including Lyon, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Marseille, and Toulouse. You only need one sticker per vehicle regardless of how many cities you visit. Each city sets its own restricted hours and banned categories, so check the rules for each destination at certificat-air.gouv.fr before travelling.
Thousands of British drivers travel to Paris every year without Crit’Air drama – because they applied early, used the official site, and placed the sticker in the right corner. Once that small coloured circle is on your windscreen, you can focus on the drive: the Arc de Triomphe roundabout, the riverside quais, and the café at your destination. Apply before your trip at certificat-air.gouv.fr, carry your confirmation, and enjoy Paris.
Related: Crit’Air stickers in Lyon – how the scheme works and what it means for your vehicle