If you plan to travel to Paris with your car, you must request a Crit’Air Air Quality Certificate. In this article, we tell you what it is and how to apply for it.
Paris, a low emission area
As of July 1, 2019, Paris is a low emission zone with restricted traffic. To be able to cycle in the city it will be necessary to be a Crit’Air eco-label holder.
This restriction extends to the Ring Road, the Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes and all major Paris communes.
If you wish to drive in Paris, you must order a Crit’Air sticker and affix it to the lower right part of the windshield to be able to drive without being fined.
The poster is also required in other cities: Lyon, Grenoble, Lille, Toulouse and Strasbourg.
What is the Crit’Air Label?
Environmental label Air quality certification. This sticker is applied to the windshield of the car and allows you to identify the pollution level group to which your car belongs. The aim is to regulate pollution in French cities.
In France, there are six types of environmental labels corresponding to six different levels of pollution.
The type of label depends on the type of vehicle engine. The small decal is individual and attached to the vehicle’s license plate and is valid for an unlimited time.
What vehicles are authorized to move around in Paris and other cities in France?
Since the regulation was established, it has been implemented in phases and vehicle entry has been gradually restricted.
The restrictions apply to heavy goods vehicles daily from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and to all other vehicles only from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
From June 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022
Vehicles with the sticker only Create Air 3 can spread.
- Diesel heavy vehicles, €5, registered as of October 1, 2009.
- Heavy-duty petrol or gas vehicles, Euro 3.
- Euro 4 cars and vans, registered as of January 1, 2006.
- Cars or trucks powered by petrol or gas, Euro 2.
- Euro 2 motorcycles, registered as of July 1, 2004.
Since July 1, 2022
Vehicles with the sticker only Crit’Air 2 He will allow her to move.
- Diesel heavy vehicles, €6, registered since January 1, 2014
- Heavy vehicles powered by petrol or gas, 5 euros, registered since October 1, 2009
- Cars and Van Diesels, Euro 5, registered since January 1, 2011.
- Petrol or gas-powered cars or trucks, €4, registered since January 1, 2006.
- Euro 3 motorcycles registered as of January 1, 2007.
From January 1, 2024
No diesel vehicles will be allowed. Vehicles with the sticker only Crit’Air 1 He will allow her to move.
- Petrol and gas-powered vehicles and trucks, €5, registered since January 1, 2011.
- Motorcycles registered since January 1, 2007.
- Scooters, registered since January 1, 2018.
From 2030
All petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned. Only electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are allowed to deploy.
All vehicles must have a green sticker.
Fines for driving without a Crit’Air sticker range from €68 for light vehicles to €135 for heavy vehicles.
How do you apply for a Crit’Air eco-card for travel in Paris or other cities in France?
The certificate must be requested on the official website of the Ministry responsible for the environment or on specialized websites such as vignettecritair.com.
Select the Vehicle Registered in France option and fill in all the required information. It is necessary to have the vehicle technical sheet in order to complete the form.
The foreign car sticker price is 3.72 EUR per vehicle. Home delivery is free.
Once you have ordered and paid for the certificate, you will receive it at your home in less than 15 days.
There are other websites that offer the procedure, but the cost may be up to 25 euros, so it is better to do the operation on the official website.