Since 1 July 2016, in order to tackle the increasing level of air pollution affecting air quality (and, consequently, quality of life), the French government has been implementing an action and control plan on vehicle traffic. Like the DGT, the French authorities decided to classify each vehicle according to its components and the CO2 emissions it can emit, and granted each type of vehicle with an environmental badge. This is known as the Crit'Air sticker.
Currently, in France, the regulations stipulated by each city to control the circulation of motorised vehicles in key areas are set according to the Crit'Air environmental sticker awarded to vehicles. Thus, vehicles wishing to access certain areas must carry this sticker in order for the authorities to detect and limit the parking and circulation of the most polluting cars.
The zones restricted to traffic in order to reduce carbon emissions are known as ZBEs. They limit the circulation of the most polluting vehicles during certain hours of the day, and their measures can become more prohibitive depending on the pollution levels reached during certain periods of the year.
Here you can find a list of cities with ZBE zones on their roads: ZBE zones France
How can I find out which Crit'Air category your vehicle is in and obtain the certificate?
There are 6 classes of Crit'Air badges. Each one corresponds to different categories of vehicles according to the type, the energy used and the Euro standard. Vehicles that fall outside the Crit'Air classifications are considered to be the most polluting and will therefore be the most affected for driving in France's ZBE zones.
The Crit'Air environmental sticker must be affixed to the windscreen of the vehicle and has no expiry date. It does not need to be renewed as long as the sticker is legible and the vehicle is in use.
How to get this sticker? Simple: online! Through the official website of the French authorities, which is available in different languages (including English), you can fill in a form that you must fill in with the vehicle information. This information can be found on your vehicle registration certificate and, once you have filled in the fields, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. Here is the link to access this procedure: Obtain the Crit'Air ZBE France label.
Obtaining the Crit'Air sticket can take between 10 and 30 working days. In the meantime, if you need to drive in a ZBE in France, you will get a provisional certificate within 24 hours of requesting your sticker in a second email.
In short, if you are planning to travel to France with your car, getting your Crit'Air certificate will only give you benefits:
- You will be able to find parking in all zones
- You will be able to drive in ZBE zones without fear of fines.
- You will be able to drive in privileged traffic conditions.
Why wait to get your badge now? :)