Emission Sticker Guide 2026: Crit'Air EUR 5.11, by Post
Which countries need a windscreen sticker and which only read your plate: a French Crit'Air costs EUR 5.11 posted, Germany's green Plakette EUR 5-15.
Germany needs the green Umweltplakette (EUR 5-15, Euro 4 and newer), France a posted Crit'Air at EUR 5.11, Belgium a free plate registration; UK and Dutch zones use cameras and no sticker.
Which Sticker Do I Need?
All Emission Zone Sticker Requirements at a Glance
| Country | Sticker Name | Cost | Enforcement |
|---|
A French Crit’Air vignette arrives by post, so ordering it two weeks before departure matters more than the EUR 5.11 it costs. Germany works the opposite way: the green Umweltplakette is sold over the counter at TÜV and DEKRA stations for EUR 5-15 and can be bought near the border on the day, while Belgium asks only for a free online plate registration and London’s cameras want no sticker at all, just a compliant vehicle or the daily charge. This page sets out, country by country, which document you actually need, what it costs, where the official seller is, and which Euro class each colour corresponds to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The Umweltplakette (environmental sticker) must be displayed on the windscreen before entering any German Umweltzone. All Euro 4 petrol and Euro 4 diesel (or newer) vehicles qualify for the green sticker. Buy from an authorised provider online, at TÜV/DEKRA inspection stations, or at some service centres near the border. Cost: EUR 5–15.
The Crit'Air vignette must be ordered from the official government website certificat-air.gouv.fr. Cost: EUR 5.11 including postage. It will be sent by post — order at least 2 weeks before your trip. The sticker colour (0 to 5) is based on your vehicle's registration date and engine type. Class 0 (EV) and 1 (newest petrol) can enter all zones. Class 3+ is banned from some ZFE areas.
No physical sticker is required for the London ULEZ or other UK Clean Air Zones. The system is enforced by automatic cameras (ANPR) that read number plates and check compliance against a database. If your vehicle is non-compliant, you pay a daily charge (£12.50 for cars, £100 for larger vehicles). Register your foreign plate at tfl.gov.uk/ulez.
The official cheapest option is to buy directly from a TÜV or DEKRA station (EUR 5–10). Online providers typically charge EUR 10–15 due to postage and handling. The sticker is the same regardless of where you buy it — the colour sticker is what matters, not the seller. Avoid unofficial third-party websites that charge significantly more.
No. Registering for Belgian LEZs (Antwerp, Ghent, Brussels, Mechelen) is free. You register your vehicle number plate online at lez.be. If your vehicle is compliant, access is automatic. If not, you can apply for a day pass (fee applies). The registration is permanent and applies to all Belgian LEZ cities.
Austria's Umweltpickerl is based on the same Euro emission standard system as the German Umweltplakette, but is a separate sticker and system. If you have a German green sticker, you still need the Austrian one for Austrian Umweltzonen. However, Austria's main motorway toll system uses the e-Vignette — a separate product entirely.