What Is a Crit'Air Sticker? - UK Driver's Guide 2026

A Crit’Air sticker is a small, round, colour-coded windscreen badge that classifies your vehicle according to its exhaust emissions. Officially called the Certificat Qualite de l’Air, it is mandatory for any vehicle driving in a French low-emission zone (ZFE-m). Without one, you risk an on-the-spot fine of between EUR 68 and EUR 450.

Why France introduced the Crit’Air system

France launched the Crit’Air programme in 2017 to tackle urban air pollution. French cities consistently exceeded EU nitrogen dioxide limits, and the government needed a simple, enforceable way to restrict the most polluting vehicles from town centres.

The scheme assigns every vehicle a category from Crit’Air E (zero-emission) through to Crit’Air 5 (the most polluting), based on the vehicle’s fuel type, Euro emission standard, and registration date. City mayors can then set local rules banning certain categories on specific days or permanently.

By January 2026, every French city with a population over 150,000 is required to operate a ZFE-m zone. That includes not only Paris, Lyon, and Marseille but also popular tourist stops like Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Nice, and Montpellier. The scheme now covers the vast majority of urban driving you are likely to do on a French holiday.

Who needs a Crit’Air sticker?

Any vehicle entering a ZFE-m zone needs a Crit’Air sticker displayed on the windscreen. This applies to:

• UK-registered cars, vans, and motorhomes
• Motorcycles, scooters, and mopeds
• Hire cars (these should already have one, but check)
• Commercial vehicles and coaches

It does not matter whether you live in France or are visiting for a day. Foreign-registered vehicles are treated the same as French ones. If you drive into a zone without the correct sticker, you can be fined EUR 68 for a car or EUR 450 for a coach or HGV.

Motorways and rural driving

If your entire trip stays on autoroutes and rural roads, you may not technically need a sticker. However, ZFE-m boundaries are not always obvious, and many motorway exits feed directly into controlled zones. Carrying the sticker is strongly recommended even if you think you will avoid cities entirely.

The 6 Crit’Air categories

Every vehicle falls into one of six numbered categories, or is classed as “unclassified” and banned from all ZFE-m zones.

Category	Colour	Typical vehicles	Euro standard
E	Green	Electric, hydrogen	Zero emission
1	Purple	Petrol/hybrid from Jan 2011, gas vehicles	Euro 5 & 6
2	Yellow	Petrol from Jan 2006, diesel from Jan 2011	Euro 4 (petrol), Euro 5 & 6 (diesel)
3	Orange	Petrol from Jan 1997, diesel from Jan 2006	Euro 2 & 3 (petrol), Euro 4 (diesel)
4	Burgundy	Diesel from Jan 2001	Euro 3 (diesel)
5	Grey	Diesel from Jul 1997	Euro 2 (diesel)
Unclassified	None	Pre-1997 petrol, pre-1997 diesel	Euro 1 or earlier

The lower the number, the cleaner the vehicle. Paris currently bans Crit’Air 3 vehicles on weekdays and Crit’Air 4 and 5 vehicles at all times within the A86 ring road.

How the category is determined

Your Crit’Air category depends on three things:

1. Fuel type - petrol, diesel, electric, hybrid, or gas
2. Euro emission standard - printed on your V5C logbook (field V.9)
3. Date of first registration - used as a fallback if the Euro standard is unclear

For UK vehicles, the Euro standard is the most reliable indicator. If your V5C does not show it, the registration date is used instead. Our lookup tool above cross-references DVLA data to find your exact category.

How to apply from the UK

The official French government site accepts applications from foreign vehicles, but the process requires a French-format form and can take 4 to 6 weeks for postal delivery outside France.

Through France Stickers, the process is simpler:

1. Enter your registration number
2. We fetch your vehicle details from the DVLA
3. Confirm your address and pay GBP 7
4. Receive your official Crit’Air sticker at your UK address

The sticker you receive is the genuine article issued by the French Ministry, not a replica. We handle the French-language application and V5C translation on your behalf.

How long does a Crit’Air sticker last?

A Crit’Air sticker never expires. Once issued, it remains valid for the lifetime of the vehicle. You only need a new one if:

• The sticker becomes damaged or illegible
• You change vehicles
• You need a duplicate because the original was lost

Because categories are based on the vehicle’s emission standard (which never changes), your category will not be downgraded over time. However, city-level restrictions can tighten, meaning a Crit’Air 3 vehicle that is permitted today may be banned from certain zones in future years.

What happens without one?

Driving in a ZFE-m zone without a valid, visible Crit’Air sticker is a class 3 offence in France. The fines are:

• Cars and motorcycles: EUR 68 (reduced to EUR 45 if paid within 15 days)
• Coaches and HGVs: EUR 135 to EUR 450

French police can and do stop foreign-registered vehicles. Automated camera enforcement is also being rolled out in Paris, Lyon, and other major cities, meaning you can receive a fine by post even after returning to the UK.

Temporary pollution alerts

During high-pollution episodes, French prefectures can activate circulation differenciee (differential traffic) rules at short notice. When this happens, only vehicles with certain Crit’Air categories are allowed to drive. These temporary bans can affect categories as high as Crit’Air 2 in severe cases. Having your sticker already in place means you are prepared for these events without any last-minute scramble.

Electric and hybrid vehicles

Fully electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles receive the Crit’Air E (green) sticker and enjoy unrestricted access to every ZFE-m zone in France. Plug-in hybrids are categorised based on their combustion engine, so most modern PHEVs receive Crit’Air 1.

Standard (non-plug-in) hybrids are classified the same as their petrol equivalent, typically Crit’Air 1 for models registered after January 2011.