UPDATED AUGUST 2026

Crit’Air Criteria – Does your car need a vignette to avoid fines?

If you drive in France, you may have come across the Crit’Air sticker – the small coloured vignette displayed on the windscreen which identifies a vehicle according to its emissions.

Crit’Air is particularly important when driving into one of France’s low-emission mobility zones (Zones à Faibles Émissions mobilité, or ZFE-m). These zones restrict the circulation of the most polluting vehicles in order to improve air quality.

There are now ZFEs in a number of French cities and metropolitan areas, but the rules are not identical everywhere. Each local authority determines which Crit’Air categories can enter its zone, and the restrictions can change over time. The government’s interactive ZFE map is therefore the best way to check the rules before setting off.  

PLAN 2025. CHECK WEBSITE FOR ANY 2026 UPDATES 

What is the Crit’Air sticker?

The Crit’Air certificate is an official French government vignette showing the pollution category of your vehicle. There are six Crit’Air categories, from Crit’Air 0 (the cleanest) through Crit’Air 5.

Crit’Air 0, the green category, is for electric and hydrogen vehicles. The other categories cover vehicles according to their type, fuel or energy source, emissions standard and date of first registration.

Importantly, not every older vehicle is eligible for a Crit’Air sticker. Vehicles which cannot be classified are referred to as “unclassified” and can be subject to restrictions in some ZFEs.

The sticker belongs to the vehicle, not the driver. Once issued, it does not need to be renewed simply because you change driver or move to another French city. However, having a Crit’Air sticker does not automatically mean that you can enter every ZFE: the permitted categories vary from one zone to another.

Near Home….What about Montpellier?

Montpellier’s ZFE has been in operation since 1 July 2022. Initially it covered 11 municipalities around Montpellier, but since 1 July 2026 the ZFE has been extended to all 31 municipalities of Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole.

The restrictions apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week, although there are specific derogations and certain routes where different arrangements apply.

At present, Montpellier is among the French ZFEs where Crit’Air 3 vehicles are subject to restrictions. The national government currently describes Montpellier as being in a “période pédagogique”, or educational period, but motorists should still check the current local rules before travelling.

The Montpellier Métropole website provides the latest information about the zone, its boundaries, exemptions and permitted routes.

And Perpignan?

Perpignan was expected to introduce a ZFE, but a ZFE is not currently in force there. Perpignan Méditerranée Métropole has been examining different scenarios for implementing a ZFE, including an assessment looking towards 2026.

Do I need a Crit’Air sticker if my vehicle is registered abroad?

Yes.

Crit’Air rules apply to vehicles registered outside France as well as French-registered vehicles. This includes visitors, tourists and people simply passing through a ZFE.

So if you are driving a British-registered car into a French ZFE, you should check its Crit’Air classification and order the appropriate sticker in advance.

How do I find out which Crit’Air category my car has?

The easiest way is to use the official French government Crit’Air website.

You can enter the information from your vehicle registration document – including the fuel or energy type and date of first registration – to find out the vehicle’s classification.

For a foreign-registered vehicle, you will need to provide additional information from the registration document.

How much does a Crit’Air sticker cost?

The current official price is €3.11 per vehicle, plus postage. The postage charge varies according to the country to which the sticker is being sent.

This is a one-off purchase: you do not have to renew the sticker every year.

The official website says that, because of the increasing number of ZFEs, delivery times can sometimes be longer than usual. The payment receipt includes a provisional certificate which can serve as proof that you have ordered the vignette while you wait for the sticker to arrive.

How to order your Crit’Air sticker

1 Go to the official government website: certificat-air.gouv.fr.
2 Choose whether your vehicle is registered in France or abroad.
3 Enter the information requested from your registration document.

4 Pay online.
5 Keep the confirmation/provisional certificate until your physical sticker arrives.
6 Stick the Crit’Air vignette on the windscreen as instructed.

There is only ONE official website for ordering the Crit’Air sticker. Be particularly careful with websites which look official but charge additional fees. 

3.  Input your car’s registration number and the date it was first registered (this is written in the B. category of your carte grise, if you have a French registered car.)

Any questions we haven’t answered here can be found on the Crit’air website in FAQS