Description
What is the intention of the Crit’Air Vignette?
The French vignette Crit’Air was created within the framework of the law on the transformation of the energy system and, in particular, its objectives to reduce air pollution in France. The objective is to reduce emissions and atmospheric pollutants in the medium and long term, promote new and energy efficient vehicles and gradually exclude old and polluting vehicles from circulation. The French environmental label is mainly aimed at reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate emissions.
The obligation to have aCertificat qualité de l’Air on the vehicle in order to be able to circulate in the Paris low-emissions zone was introduced on 01.07.2016. Other cities and municipalities such as Grenoble, Lyon, Lille, Strasbourg and Toulouse followed and regulated the introduction of the French vignette in their respective decrees.
Appearance
There are 6 French environmental stickers with 6 different colors: gray, brown, orange, yellow, violet and green. The vignettes have a diameter of 70 millimeters. The numbers on the stickers (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) are white and represent the different classes of pollutants, not the Euronorm. There is also a white license plate field in which the vehicle license plate is printed in black. In addition, each Certat qualité de l’Air has an individualized 2D-DOC data matrix code. This code is used for quick and efficient vehicle checks. The stickers shown here are symbolic images.
Mandatory cities
Which stickers should I get?
Penalties (fines)
Fines will apply in case of missing or incorrect French Crit’Air environmental sticker from July 1, 2017. Fines will depend on the different types of vehicles. The fines will depend on the different types of vehicles, which means that, for example, trucks will be fined much higher than passenger cars and motorcycles.
68 euros for passenger cars and all other vehicles (“penalty category 3 infringement”)
135 euros for trucks and buses (infringement of “category 4 penalty”)
If the fine is not paid within a maximum period of 45 days, it will be increased for “penalty 3” to 180 euros and to 375 euros for “penalty 4”.
Important to know for foreigners:
A fine equal to or greater than 70 euros, in accordance with EU Directive 2011/82 of 25.10.2011 “to facilitate the cross-border exchange of information on traffic offenses that jeopardize road safety”, if the fine is not paid, the enforcement process will take place in the country of origin and will continue until the prison sentence is handed down.
Exemptions
The general exceptions to the tag requirement in French low-emission zones are very manageable. Especially public service vehicles (police, fire, emergency service, etc.) and other public company vehicles.
Each city regulates exceptions individually, so that in Paris, for example, decommissioned ZFE vehicles and classic cars over 30 years old are allowed.
