Is a 2018 petrol Euro 4 too old for Paris's ZFE?

No, but only just. Paris excludes Crit'Air 3 and worse, which for petrol means Euro 3 and older. Euro 4 is the oldest petrol still admitted, so this car sits exactly on the line rather than above it.

What's the fine if the Crit'Air vignette is missing?

EUR 68 for a car, regardless of how far above the emission floor it sits - the sticker is checked separately from the Euro class.

When does the ZFE actually restrict driving?

Only Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 20:00, with public holidays excluded. Evenings and weekends are unrestricted for every vehicle.

Why is petrol allowed so much further back than diesel in Paris?

The Crit'Air nomenclature treats the two fuels differently: Crit'Air 2 starts at petrol Euro 4 (registered from 1 January 2006) but only at diesel Euro 5 (from 1 January 2011), so a petrol car of a given age usually classes better than a diesel of the same age.

Do I need the vignette even with this much margin?

Yes. The Crit'Air vignette is mandatory for every vehicle entering the ZFE during restricted hours, no matter how far above the current floor its Euro class sits.

2018 Petrol Euro 4 Is Paris's Exact ZFE Floor in 2026

Checked against official sources 19 Sep 2026 · Next review 2026-12-18

Paris restricts cars in its Zone à Faibles Émissions Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 20:00, holidays excluded, and the petrol line falls at Euro 4 — a 2018 Euro 4 car sits exactly on it, classed Crit’Air 2. The Crit’Air vignette (EUR 5.11) must still be on the windscreen.

Can your car enter Paris?

Enter your vehicle's fuel + Euro class → instant verdict for Paris (ZFE). Fine if wrong: EUR 68 (cars, motorcycles, light commercial) / EUR 135 (HGV, buses, coaches) under art. R411-19-1 — not applied until 31 December 2026, while the metropolitan educational period runs and checks stay informational.

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Can a petrol Euro 4 car enter Paris?

Yes, but exactly on the line. The Ville de Paris bans “Crit’Air 5, Crit’Air 4, Crit’Air 3 et Non Classé” inside the A86 (paris.fr, updated 30 December 2025), and for petrol Crit’Air 3 covers Euro 2 and Euro 3. Euro 4 is the first class above that, so this car is admitted with no margin to spare. The Crit’Air vignette is still required — Paris doesn’t exempt compliant vehicles from displaying it.

What to arrange before driving in

Order the Crit’Air vignette from certificat-air.gouv.fr — EUR 5.11 including postage, and the only version the ZFE accepts.
The restriction only runs weekdays 08:00-20:00, public holidays excluded — a weekend or evening arrival means none of this applies regardless of the sticker.
Petrol has a much shorter banned list than diesel here: only petrol Euro 1 and older is currently excluded, so most petrol cars from the last two decades clear it easily.

If you’re arriving without the sticker

Time the drive outside 08:00-20:00 on a weekday if the vignette hasn’t arrived — the ZFE simply isn’t active then.
Park outside the A86 and take the RER or Métro in rather than risk the EUR 68 fine for an unstickered but otherwise compliant car.
Skip resellers charging a markup — the official portal price is fixed and low.

Why petrol has more room than diesel

The gap between the fuels is written into the Crit’Air nomenclature rather than into the Paris rule: Crit’Air 2 begins at petrol Euro 4, first registered from 1 January 2006, but at diesel Euro 5, first registered from 1 January 2011. So a petrol Euro 4 enters Paris while a diesel Euro 4 does not — same Euro number, different verdict.

Quick compliance checklist for Paris

✅ Confirm Euro 4 on the CoC — anything older is Crit’Air 3 and barred
✅ Order the Crit’Air vignette from certificat-air.gouv.fr (EUR 5.11)
✅ Remember restrictions apply weekdays 08:00-20:00 only, holidays excluded
✅ Treat the EUR 68 fine as a missing-sticker risk, not an emissions failure