The Crit’Air sticker has become essential for every driver traveling through French cities. This small round decal placed on the windshield classifies each vehicle according to its pollutant emissions and determines access to low emission zones. In 2026, despite the recent announcement of a phase-out of LEZs, the sticker remains mandatory and its absence still triggers a 68-euro fine.
What is the Crit’Air sticker and what is it used for?
The Crit’Air sticker, officially called air quality certificate, is a secure decal that classifies vehicles according to their atmospheric pollutant emissions. Introduced by the French decree of June 29, 2016, it meets a public health objective: reducing fine particles and nitrogen oxides emitted in cities, two pollutants responsible each year for tens of thousands of premature deaths in France according to Sante publique France.
In practical terms, the sticker allows local authorities to modulate traffic based on the pollution emitted by each vehicle. Inside a low emission zone, the most polluting cars are progressively banned from circulation. During a pollution peak, the prefecture can also trigger differentiated traffic that only allows the cleanest vehicles to drive.
The scheme applies to all motorized vehicles: passenger cars, utility vehicles, two-wheelers, heavy goods vehicles and coaches. Only vintage vehicles registered more than 30 years ago are exempt in some LEZs, subject to a specific vehicle title.
The 6 Crit’Air categories and affected vehicles
The Crit’Air classification splits vehicles into 6 categories, from the cleanest (Crit’Air 0) to the most polluting (Crit’Air 5). Classification depends on three criteria: the type of engine, the vehicle’s Euro standard and its first registration date.
| Category | Color | Engine type | Affected vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crit’Air 0 | Green | Electric, hydrogen | All 100 % electric or hydrogen vehicles |
| Crit’Air 1 | Purple | Plug-in hybrid, gas, recent petrol | Petrol Euro 5 and 6 (from 2011), LPG, CNG |
| Crit’Air 2 | Yellow | Petrol Euro 4, recent diesel | Petrol 2006 to 2010, diesel Euro 5 and 6 (from 2011) |
| Crit’Air 3 | Orange | Intermediate petrol and diesel | Petrol 1997 to 2005, diesel Euro 4 (2006 to 2010) |
| Crit’Air 4 | Red | Older diesel | Diesel Euro 3 (2001 to 2005) |
| Crit’Air 5 | Grey | Very old diesel | Diesel Euro 2 (1997 to 2000) |
Vehicles registered before 1997 cannot obtain a sticker and are classified as “unclassified”. They are banned from circulation in most LEZs. To check the category of a given vehicle, the official site certificat-air.gouv.fr offers a free simulator based on the license plate number.
How to obtain a Crit’Air sticker: price and procedure
The Crit’Air sticker costs 3.85 euros including shipping in 2026, a price fixed by the State and identical for all categories. The only legitimate ordering channel is the official site certificat-air.gouv.fr, operated by the Imprimerie nationale on behalf of the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
The process takes about five minutes. Simply enter the license plate number, the first registration date, the brand and the model of the vehicle. A scan of the vehicle title is required to validate the order. Payment is made by credit card and the sticker is sent to the address listed on the registration certificate within 10 business days on average.
Many fraudulent sites offer the sticker between 15 and 40 euros by pretending to be an official intermediary. None are authorized to issue the certificate. Always verify the presence of the .gouv.fr extension in the web address and avoid any sponsored advertisement in search results, a reflex particularly important for drivers unfamiliar with online administrative services.
Once received, the sticker must be placed in the bottom right of the windshield, on the inside, so that it remains visible from outside. It is valid for the lifetime of the vehicle, as long as it remains readable. In case of a change of vehicle, a new order is required.
Where is the Crit’Air sticker mandatory? LEZs and fines
As of January 1, 2026, 43 French urban areas with more than 150,000 inhabitants have implemented a permanent low emission zone. The main ones are Paris and its Grand Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Marseille, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Montpellier, Lille, Rouen and Reims. Restriction rules vary from one city to another but all require the presence of the sticker for authorized vehicles.
In the Grand Paris for example, vehicles classified Crit’Air 3, 4, 5 and unclassified are banned from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 8 pm. In Lyon, rules are similar but with a specific schedule for weekends. Each LEZ publishes its own municipal decree and it is recommended to check it before a trip.
Besides permanent LEZs, the sticker is required throughout France during differentiated traffic episodes triggered by the prefecture during a pollution peak. The goal is then to quickly reduce the number of vehicles on the road by authorizing only the cleanest ones.
Non-compliance with the regulation triggers a fixed fine of 68 euros for a passenger car, increased to 180 euros in case of late payment beyond 45 days. For a heavy goods vehicle, coach or bus, the fine reaches 135 euros and can be increased to 375 euros. Driving without a sticker in a LEZ automatically triggers the sanction, regardless of the actual emission level of the vehicle.
End of LEZs: what to do with your Crit’Air sticker in 2026?
Since the announcement of the progressive end of low emission zones made in mid-April 2026, many drivers wonder whether their sticker is still useful. The answer is clear: do not remove it or throw it away. The law that should formalize the end of the scheme has not yet been enacted and existing LEZs remain fully in force. Checks and fines continue unchanged.
Even in the scenario of a definitive repeal of permanent LEZs, differentiated traffic during pollution peaks will remain in force. This is precisely the mechanism, less publicized, that relies on the Crit’Air sticker most frequently: in 2025, the Lyon metropolitan area triggered it eight times and Paris eleven times according to Airparif and Atmo Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes data.
Concretely, a driver anticipating a trip in the city after the ministerial announcement has every interest in keeping their sticker until an official text is published. The 3.85 euros already spent covers the lifetime of the vehicle and cannot be refunded. Buyers of a new vehicle in 2026 still have every interest in ordering the sticker, especially as the prefecture remains free to trigger differentiated traffic at any time.
Crit’Air categories and Mercedes-Benz models
Most Mercedes-Benz models marketed since 2015 are Euro 6 certified and therefore benefit from a favorable Crit’Air category. This notably includes the Mercedes A-Class in its petrol version, classified Crit’Air 1, and its A 180d diesel version classified Crit’Air 2. The recent C-Class, E-Class and S-Class sedans follow the same logic depending on engine type.
Plug-in hybrid versions such as the EQE, GLC PHEV and E-Class 300e are classified Crit’Air 1, a positioning that allows them to drive in all LEZs without time restrictions. The fully electric models from the EQ range (EQA, EQB, EQC, EQE, EQS) benefit from the green Crit’Air 0 sticker, the most favorable level that allows circulation everywhere and at any time.
Conversely, older diesel Mercedes raise questions. An A 180 CDI from 2008 will be classified Crit’Air 3 and will therefore be banned from the Grand Paris during weekdays. For owners of these models, switching to a more recent engine is often necessary. A recent used Mercedes A-Class classified Crit’Air 2 or 1 is often an interesting economic trade-off that preserves the Mercedes standing while remaining mobile in urban areas.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Crit'Air sticker still mandatory in 2026?
Yes, the Crit’Air sticker remains mandatory in 2026 inside low emission zones (LEZs) and during differentiated traffic periods. Despite the announced phase-out of LEZs, no repeal date has been set. Drivers traveling through an affected city must therefore continue to display the sticker or face a 68-euro fine for passenger cars.
Are Crit'Air stickers still valid after the announcement of the end of LEZs?
Yes, stickers already ordered remain valid. They are issued for the lifetime of the vehicle and have no expiration date. Until the law ending the LEZs is officially enacted, controls and traffic restrictions continue to rely on the Crit’Air classification. There is no reason to remove the sticker from the windshield.
In which French cities is the Crit'Air sticker mandatory?
The sticker is required in the 43 urban areas of more than 150,000 inhabitants that have implemented a low emission zone. The main ones are Paris and its metropolitan area, Lyon, Grenoble, Marseille, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Montpellier, Lille, Rouen and Reims. It is also required throughout France during differentiated traffic episodes triggered by the prefecture in case of a pollution peak.
Which cars will no longer be allowed to drive in LEZs in 2026?
Vehicles classified Crit’Air 3 are being gradually banned in the strictest LEZs, notably in Paris and Lyon. This includes diesel engines registered between 2006 and 2010 and petrol cars registered before 2005. Crit’Air 4 and 5 vehicles are already banned in most large metropolitan areas. To check a vehicle’s category, simply look at the first registration date on the vehicle title and the corresponding Euro standard.
How much does the Crit'Air sticker cost and where can it be ordered?
The Crit’Air sticker costs 3.85 euros including shipping in 2026. The only official website to order it is certificat-air.gouv.fr, operated by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition. Beware of fraudulent websites that resell it between 20 and 40 euros, no intermediary is needed and the official site is enough to obtain the sticker within minutes.