The environmental label Crit’Air is a compulsory sticker in France designed to classify vehicles according to their level of polluting emissions. Implemented in 2016 as part of policies to combat air pollution, this sticker has become a key element in regulating access to certain urban areas, especially the so-called Low Emission Zones (ZFE, for its acronym in French). This article contains information on how to obtain it, when it is mandatory and the consequences of not wearing it.
What is the Crit’Air sticker?
The Crit’Air is a circular sticker that is placed on the windscreen of the vehicle and classifies vehicles into six categories according to their environmental impact, each with a different colour. There is also a category without a badge for the oldest and most polluting vehicles, which do not meet the minimum requirements. This is the classification that the French authorities have established for obtaining the Crit’Air sticker and the vehicles included in each category:
- Crit’Air 0 (green)
- Vehicles that are 100% electric or run on hydrogen. They have no traffic restrictions.
- Crit’Air 1 (purple)
- Petrol or hybrid vehicles registered on or after 1 January 2011 (Euro 5 and 6 standards).
- Gas vehicles (LPG or CNG).
- Motorcycles registered from 1 July 2017 (Euro 4).
- Crit’Air 2 (yellow)
- Petrol vehicles registered between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010 (Euro 4).
- Diesel vehicles registered from 1 January 2011 (Euro 5 and 6).
- Motorcycles registered between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2017 (Euro 3).
- Crit’Air 3 (orange)
- Petrol vehicles registered between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2005 (Euro 2 and 3).
- Diesel vehicles registered between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010 (Euro 4).
- Motorcycles registered between 1 July 2004 and 30 June 2007 (Euro 2).
- Crit’Air 4 (burgundy)
- Diesel vehicles registered between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2005 (Euro 3).
- Motorcycles registered before 30 June 2004 (without Euro or Euro 1 standard).
- Crit’Air 5 (grey)
- Diesel vehicles registered between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2000 (Euro 2).
- No label
- Petrol or diesel vehicles registered before 1 January 1997.
- Motorcycles registered before 1 June 2000.
This classification applies to all motor vehicles, both French and foreign. Some cities allow exceptions to the use of the environmental label for emergency vehicles or vehicles used by people with reduced mobility.
How to find out which Crit’Air label my vehicle has
The official website of the French government has a simulator tool to determine the Crit’Air category of a vehicle. The data required to make this check are: type of vehicle, fuel and date of first registration. The tool is free of charge and does not require registration to make the query. It is a practical way to verify the classification before driving in a low emission zone in France.
How to obtain the Crit’Air sticker step by step
Applying for the Crit’Air environmental label is a simple process that is done online through an official French government website. These are the steps to follow:
- Go to the official website www.certificat-air.gouv.fr. It is the only authorised site; avoid unofficial platforms that charge additional fees.
- Select your option: If your vehicle is registered outside of France, choose the section for ‘foreign vehicles’.
- Fill in the form: Enter details such as the registration number, the date of first registration and the type of fuel. You must attach the vehicle registration document in jpg or pdf format. It is not compulsory to indicate CO2 emissions if you do not know them. You must also provide your personal details, including your email address, to which a provisional certificate is sent, and your address, to which the physical sticker is sent.
- Review the information: Before proceeding with the payment, verify that the information is correct.
- Make the payment: The total cost is 3.81 euros for French vehicles. For foreign vehicles the price is 4.91 euros (3.11 euros for the vignette + 1.80 euros for international shipping costs). You can pay by credit/debit card or PayPal.
- Receive confirmation: After payment you will receive an email with a provisional receipt (temporarily valid). The physical Crit’Air is sent by post within 5 to 10 days, although it may take longer depending on demand.
- Apply the sticker: Once received, stick it in the lower right-hand corner of the windscreen (or on the front mudguard for motorbikes). The label is valid for life as long as it remains legible and your licence plate number does not change.
It is advisable to apply for the sticker well in advance to avoid problems, especially if you plan to travel and drive through a French city. If you do not receive it in time, the provisional receipt can serve as proof to the traffic authorities.
When is it compulsory to use the Crit’Air sticker?
The French anti-pollution sticker is not necessary in rural areas or on motorways outside of restricted traffic zones, but its use is spreading to most French cities. On the other hand, its use is obligatory in the following areas:
- Low Emission Zones (ZFE): cities such as Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Lille and Toulouse have implemented permanent low emission zones in which the environmental sticker is mandatory for driving and parking.
- Air Protection Zones (ZPA): in cases of pollution peaks, air protection zones are activated in which the Crit’Air sticker is also required. These restrictions depend on the weather conditions and local regulations. Strasbourg, for example, applies this policy.
The use of the French environmental label is also mandatory for vehicles with foreign number plates driving in these areas. The Crit’Air label is only valid in France; other European countries, such as Spain or Germany, have their own environmental labels.
Fines for not using the environmental label in France
Failure to display the Crit’Air sticker in a ZFE or ZPA where it is compulsory can result in fines ranging from 68 euros for cars and motorcycles to 135 euros for lorries and buses. The amount of these fines may be increased in the event of late payment.
The sticker is used by the police to quickly determine whether a vehicle is allowed to drive in certain areas. At the entrances to urban low emission zones there are camera controls that automatically detect violations and issue the corresponding fines.