Combating air pollution

Low-emission areas: tools to see where you can drive

Publié le 21 janvier 2025 - Mise à jour le 23 janvier 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

In 2025, 25 low-emission zones (LEZs) are active in the national territory. Simulators allow you to follow the regulatory developments of EPZs in your region. Service-Public.fr reminds you of the principle of this device and informs you about these tools.

The creation of Low Emission Zones (LEZs) was enshrined in the Mobility Guidance Act of 2019, and further strengthened by the Climate and Resilience Act of 22 August 2021. It imposed on agglomerations of more than 150 000 inhabitants establish such an area by December 31, 2024.

This national scheme is intended to deal with the regular exceedances of air quality standards in agglomerations (pollution levels higher than the values recommended by the World Health Organization-WHO).

New EPZs in 2025

In 2024, EPZs have already been established in 12 agglomerations. From 1er In January 2025, EPZs are to be extended to all metropolitan areas with a population of more than 150,000 that do not meet WHO recommended guide values. 40 EPZs are affected, which will gradually introduce the scheme.

The conditions for establishing EPZs and the restrictions related to Crit'Air vignettes differ from one city to another, with some imposing stricter rules than others.

Because of this phasing-in and differentiation according to geographical areas, you will need to check on the evolution of the regulations put in place during 2025.

Reminder

The Crit’Air sticker is issued by the Ministry of Ecological Transition to regulate the circulation of polluting vehicles and reduce their environmental impact. There are 6 Crit'Air levels depending on the level of pollution of the vehicle. The sticker is mandatory to drive in all cities that have established an EPZ or during episodes of pollution for which the prefect introduces differentiated traffic.

You can check the classification of your vehicle with the simulator Ministry of Ecological Transition. There is only one official website to order the Crit'Air vignette.

Where to find out about EPZs?

To check if you live in an area where EPZs are established, you can check these regularly updated sites:

  1. Breathing better in town. This site lists the EPZs active in France with:
    • the regulations in place in each metropolis;
    • the timing of restrictions on Crit'Air vignettes;
    • a tool for requesting local derogations to circulate in EPZs.
  2. Itineriz. This platform offers a path simulator ensuring that the vehicle is authorized to travel in the various metropolitan areas concerned by EPZs.

FYI  

Since 1er January 2025, vehicles with a Crit'Air 3 sticker (registered between 2006 and 2010 for diesel; between 2000 and 2010 for petrol) are no longer allowed to drive in several large agglomerations.

TO Paris, Lyon, Montpellier and Grenoble, certain vehicles bearing Crit'Air 3, 4 and 5 stickers are prohibited in EPZs. However, derogations exist, including the ZFE Pass which allows to circulate a certain number of days a year whatever its Crit'Air sticker (12 days in Grenoble, 24 days in Paris and 52 days in Lyon and Montpellier).

Traffic restrictions in Paris and Grenoble do not apply on weekends, nights and public holidays for cars and 2-wheelers.

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