Crit'Air vs ULEZ - What's the Difference? UK Driver's Comparison 2026
Updated 29 March 2026
If you understand London’s ULEZ, you already understand the concept behind Crit’Air — but they work very differently in practice. Both restrict vehicles based on emissions. The key difference: ULEZ charges you a daily fee. Crit’Air bans you entirely.
Check your Crit'Air category
Side-by-side comparison
| ULEZ (London) | Crit’Air (France) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Daily charge for non-compliant vehicles | Physical sticker required, non-compliant vehicles banned |
| Cost | £12.50/day (cars) | One-off sticker fee (a few pounds, lifetime validity) |
| Non-compliance | Pay the daily charge and drive in | Cannot enter at all — no pay-to-enter option |
| Fine for violation | £160 (reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days) | €68–€450 depending on vehicle type |
| Categories | Pass or fail | 6 categories (0–5) plus unclassified |
| Coverage | Greater London | Multiple cities across France |
| Enforcement | ANPR cameras only | ANPR cameras + police spot checks |
| Physical requirement | None — checked by camera | Sticker on windscreen required |
The biggest difference: you cannot pay to enter
In London, if your car fails ULEZ, you can still drive in — you just pay £12.50 per day. Some people pay regularly and treat it as a cost of driving.
In France, if your Crit’Air category is banned from a ZFE zone, you cannot enter at all. There is no daily charge option. You either have a compliant vehicle with a valid sticker, or you do not drive in that zone. The fine for violating this is €68–€450, and repeated violations can lead to vehicle immobilisation.
ULEZ compliance does not give you a Crit’Air sticker
This is the most common misconception. Even if your car is fully ULEZ compliant and you drive through London every day without a charge, you still need to separately apply for a Crit’Air sticker for France.
The two systems have no connection. ULEZ is run by Transport for London. Crit’Air is run by the French government. Neither system recognises the other.
How the categories compare
ULEZ (pass/fail)
- Petrol: Euro 4 or later (generally 2006 onwards) — compliant
- Diesel: Euro 6 or later (generally 2015 onwards) — compliant
- Anything older — non-compliant, £12.50/day
Crit’Air (six categories)
| Category | Fuel | Typical registration years |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Electric / Hydrogen | Any year |
| 1 | Petrol Euro 5–6 / All hybrids | 2011 onwards |
| 2 | Petrol Euro 4 / Diesel Euro 5–6 | Petrol 2006–2010 / Diesel 2011+ |
| 3 | Petrol Euro 2–3 / Diesel Euro 4 | Petrol 1997–2005 / Diesel 2006–2010 |
| 4 | Diesel Euro 3 | 2001–2005 |
| 5 | Diesel Euro 2 | 1997–2000 |
Different French cities ban different categories. Paris currently bans Crit’Air 4, 5, and unclassified vehicles. Other cities may have different thresholds.
What this means in practice
If your car is ULEZ compliant
Your car is almost certainly Crit’Air 1 or 2, which means you can currently enter every active ZFE zone in France. You still need to apply for the physical sticker.
If your car is ULEZ non-compliant
Your Crit’Air category depends on exactly how old your car is and what fuel it uses:
- Petrol, 1997–2005: Crit’Air 3 — allowed in most current zones, but restrictions are tightening
- Diesel, 2001–2005: Crit’Air 4 — already banned in Paris and some other cities
- Pre-1997: Cannot get a Crit’Air sticker at all — banned from all ZFE zones
If your car is electric
ULEZ exempt and Crit’Air 0. You are allowed everywhere in both systems. You still need to apply for a Crit’Air sticker in France — even electric vehicles must display one.