France: Fines for lack of car pollution rating stickers from July 1

Event

Drivers in violation of new regulations regarding car pollution rating stickers in select cities will be subject to fines beginning on Saturday, July 1. The pollution rating stickers (“vignettes Crit’Air”) are mandatory for vehicles driving in or through Paris during the week or during the weekend at times of high pollution, as well as in Grenoble and Lyon when pollution levels are deemed high.

Other cities such as Lille and Strasbourg are currently establishing the framework for this law, which should be finalized by autumn 2017. Until the new policy is implemented later this year, alternate day travel restrictions will be applied during times of peak pollution.

Context

As a reminder, pollution rating stickers became compulsory for French-registered vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) driving in or through Paris in mid-January 2017; starting on April 1, 2017, they also became obligatory for foreign-registered vehicles. The stickers come in six colors/numbers according to the amount of pollutants produced by the vehicle (from green to grey/0 to 5).

Advice

Individuals driving in the abovementioned cities are advised to refer to the Ministry of Ecology and Transportation website for further information.