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 awarded 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 that include ZBE zones in their streets: ZBE zones France.
The spoiler is already in advance: Paris is among the cities that include ZBE zones.
What do you need to know to drive your car in Paris?
First of all, it is important to know all the areas covered by the Paris authorities. The Greater Paris Métropole is an inter-municipal organisation comprising Paris, the 123 communes of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne and seven towns in Essonne and Val d'Oise.
From 1 June 2021, vehicles that do not have any markings, as well as Crit'Air 5 and Crit'Air 4 vehicles, will not be allowed to drive on the entire inner zone of the A86 motorway, with the exception of:
- Buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles: every day of the week from 08:00 to 20:00.
- Private vehicles, light commercial vehicles, two-wheelers, tricycles and quadricycles: Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 20:00 except on public holidays.
How can I find out which Crit'Air category your vehicle is in and obtain the certificate?
There are 6 types of Crit'Air badges. Each one corresponds to different vehicle categories 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 when 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 email. Here is the link to access this procedure: Obtain Crit'Air sticker ZBE Paris
Obtaining the Crit'Air sticker can take between 10 and 30 working days. In the meantime, if you need to drive in a ZBE in France, you will receive a provisional certificate 24 hours after requesting your sticker in a second email.