Since January 1, 2025, the Crit'Air sticker has become mandatory in many large French cities. However, certain categories of vehicles benefit from temporary exemptions or derogations.
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With the transition to Low Emissions Zone – mobility (ZFE-m) of several cities in France, users discover that the Crit'Air sticker becomes de facto compulsory. Indeed, you must be able to prove that your vehicle is authorized to circulate. This is the case in Nancy in Meurthe-et-Moselle, for example, since January 1, 2025. Motorists encountered by one of our teams are surprised. Some haven't ordered it yet, others have, but it's put away.
On the website of the Métropole du Grand Nancy, we learn that “cThis type of system has already been implemented in 250 towns and cities in Europe, with a recognized effect on reducing emissions of pollutants from transport.”
The city presents the calendar: “Since January 1, 2025, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), buses/coaches and light utility vehicles (LCVs) classified Crit'Air 5 or Unclassified will no longer be authorized to circulate in the ZFE-m. As of January 1, 2028, this ban will be extended to light vehicles (cars and 2/3/4 motorized wheels) classified Crit'Air 5 or Unclassified.”
Violators risk a fine of 68 euros for a car
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© ALEXANDRE MARCHI / MAXPPP
Violators risk a fine of 68 euros for a car and 135 euros for a heavy goods vehicle.
The Greater Nancy metropolis has everything planned with the possibility of getting advice on your mobility, either by making an appointment with the Local Energy and Climate Agency (ALEC) or by telephone on 03 83 37 25 87. There is also financial aid “for owners of Crit'Air 4, Crit'Air 5 and Non Classified vehicles held for at least two years. They can be requested from 2025 for professionals and from 2026 for individuals. They require a prior appointment with the mobility advisor.” If your vehicle is Crit'Air 4, the Métropole can also offer you an appointment for financial assistance for a less polluting vehicle. Strasbourg, Paris, Toulouse, Grenoble, Lyon and Nice offer similar aid.
The Metz Eurometropolis (46 municipalities, 230,000 inhabitants), which must also respect this measure, has planned its implementation for the summer of 2025. In the Grand Est, five low-emission zones exist: Strasbourg and Reims, which had already implemented these ZFEs, now joined by Nancy and soon by Metz and Mulhouse.
For those who have not yet obtained the sticker, it is still possible on the ministry website.
Electric and hydrogen vehicles are classified Crit'Air 0: they can therefore circulate freely. But more surprisingly, collector's vehicles, registered before 1997 and having a collector's registration document, are not subject to the Crit'Air sticker. The same applies to emergency and rescue vehicles and, under certain conditions, vehicles transporting disabled people may also be exempt.
There are temporary exceptions for certain vehicles in Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in 2025.
In a document, the Metropole of Nancy, writes: “To meet occasional travel needs, the Greater Nancy Metropolis has created an exemption allowing occasional use of a vehicle in the form of a “ZFE Pass”. The ZFE pass allows any vehicle to obtain an exemption for 24 hours allowing it to travel and park within the ZFE. It can be requested a maximum of 24 times per year. Additional exemptions are proposed for:
- Ensure permanent access to care (hospitals and clinics),
- Supporting businesses in difficulty,
- Take delivery times into account (drivers who can justify the purchase of vehicles
compliant with significant delivery times), - Support certain economic sectors (non-sedentary itinerant traders,
supply of short circuits), - Support solidarity activities (civil security associations, associations and companies
having ESUS approval, vehicles for home help and support services,
etc.), - For the continuity of event organization,
- Technical or economic reasons: these concern vehicles for which alternatives
are difficult to envisage (converted vehicles (VASP), tank trucks, concrete mixers, vehicles
refrigerated goods, etc.), exceptional convoys, transport of dangerous materials.”
Elsewhere, Greater Lyon offers an exemption called “Petit Rouleur” which allows certain vehicles to circulate up to 52 days per year. Some cities may grant exemptions for specific events or special situations, such as moving or urgent work.
According to Public Health France, “each year nearly 40,000 deaths are attributable to exposure of people aged 30 and over to fine particles (PM2.5). Thus, exposure to ambient air pollution represents on average for people aged 30 and over a loss of life expectancy of almost eight months for PM2.5.“Let us point out that fine particles are emitted by human activities such as road traffic, heating or industry.
Other cities will soon be affected by the Low Emission Zone – mobility.
