On January 1, 2025, Bordeaux officially implemented its permanent low emission zone (Zone à Faibles Émissions mobilité - ZFE-m). Enforcement with fines began in July 2025 and remains fully active in 2026.
If you need a crit air sticker, UK delivery is the fastest way to ensure you are compliant before leaving home.
If you're a UK driver heading to Spain, this matters. Almost every route from UK ports to Northern Spain goes through or around Bordeaux. We drove the Bordeaux A630 ring road ourselves — here's everything you need to know for 2026.
What Is the Bordeaux ZFE?
Understanding Bordeaux's Low Emission Zone
Implementation timeline:
- Official start: January 1, 2025
- Grace period: January–June 2025 (warnings only)
- Enforcement began: July 2025 (fines now issued)
- Fully active with automated cameras throughout 2026
What it covers:
The ZFE covers everything inside the Rocade ring road (A630/N230). This includes Bordeaux city centre, most hotels and restaurants, main fuel stations, shopping districts, and industrial areas.
CRITICAL: The ring road (A630/N230) itself is EXEMPT.
You CAN drive around Bordeaux on the bypass without entering the restricted zone.
Who Needs to Comply?
Does This Apply to UK Drivers?
YES. Absolutely.
The ZFE applies to all French-registered vehicles, all foreign-registered vehicles (including UK), cars, vans, motorcycles and trucks, and all vehicles transiting or entering the zone.
There are NO exceptions for:
- Tourist vehicles
- "Just passing through"
- "Didn't know about it"
- Foreign plates
- Rental vehicles
If you enter the zone without a valid Crit'Air sticker: you get fined.
Why Bordeaux Matters for UK → Spain Routes
Can You Avoid Bordeaux Completely?
Technically yes. Practically no.
All major UK → Spain routes go through the Bordeaux area:
Route 1: Eurotunnel → A28 → A10 → Bordeaux
Most direct, goes straight through Bordeaux area, uses A630 ring road or enters city
Route 2: Ferry (Caen) → A28 → A10 → Bordeaux
Same as above, can't avoid Bordeaux without major detour
Route 3: Ferry (St Malo) → Rennes → Nantes → Bordeaux
Still goes through Bordeaux area
To completely avoid Bordeaux:
Requires a detour via the Atlantic coast (N10), adding 2–3 hours minimum on slower, more stressful roads. Most people don't bother.
Bottom line: unless you're willing to add significant time, you're going through Bordeaux.
The Ring Road Exception
The A630/N230 Rocade ring road itself is EXEMPT.
You can drive around Bordeaux on the bypass with no Crit'Air sticker required for the ring road itself — this is the route most UK → Spain traffic uses.
But here's the catch.
Most services are inside the ZFE: hotels, restaurants, shopping centres, and many fuel stations. Google Maps may also route you through the city if the ring road has traffic, and it is easy to accidentally cross into the restricted zone.
Our approach:
We display our Crit'Air sticker regardless, because we might need fuel or food in the city, traffic could force a diversion, and at £19.95 one-time it is simply peace of mind.
The sticker works in ALL French ZFEs — Paris, Lyon, Rouen and beyond.
Current Restrictions (2026)
Which Vehicles Are Banned?
Banned from Bordeaux ZFE (24/7):
- ❌ Unclassified vehicles (generally pre-1997)
- ❌ Crit'Air 5 (oldest diesel, pre-2001)
- ❌ Crit'Air 4 (diesel 2001–2005)
Currently allowed:
- ✓ Crit'Air 0: Electric/hydrogen vehicles
- ✓ Crit'Air 1: Petrol post-2011, latest diesel and hybrid
- ✓ Crit'Air 2: Petrol 2006–2010, diesel 2011+
- ✓ Crit'Air 3: Petrol pre-2006, diesel 2006–2010 (for now)
Upcoming restrictions:
- Crit'Air 3 diesel: expected to be banned 2026–2027
- Crit'Air 2 diesel: possible 2027–2028
Most UK vehicles registered after 2006 are currently allowed.
But check your specific vehicle classification before travelling — and note that Lyon is introducing systematic fines for Crit'Air 3, 4 and 5 vehicles from July 2026.
Fines and Enforcement
What Happens If You Don't Have a Sticker?
Fines (2026):
- Private cars: €68
- Commercial vehicles/vans: €135
- Repeat offenders: up to €750
Enforcement is via automated ANPR cameras installed throughout the ZFE zone, which read every licence plate and cross-reference with the Crit'Air database. An automatic fine is issued if no valid sticker is registered. Police spot checks also occur.
Fines are posted to your registered vehicle address 2–6 weeks after the infringement — no warning, no chance to fix it.
The grace period is long over. 2026 means active fines from day one.
Need a Crit'Air Sticker?
Order yours now — £19.95
Delivered to your UK address. Digital certificate by email in 48 hours.
Order Now →BORDEAUX FINES ACTIVE IN 2026
Automated cameras throughout restricted zone
€68 (cars) | €135 (vans)
Fine posted to UK address 2–6 weeks later
Don't risk it — get your sticker sorted:
- ✓ Physical sticker posted to your UK address
- ✓ Works in ALL French ZFEs (not just Bordeaux)
- ✓ Lifetime validity — one-time cost
- ✓ English-language support — we handle the forms
- ✓ £19.95 total (inc. government fee)
How to Get Your Crit'Air Sticker
Ordering Your Certificate
Option 1: Official French Government Site
- Website: certificat-air.gouv.fr
- Cost: €5.11 government fee (including postage)
- Delivery: 4–6 weeks by post from France
- Requires: Uploading your V5C and manual data entry in French
Option 2: UK Facilitation Service (including Europermits)
- Cost: £19.95
- Physical sticker posted to your UK address
- English-speaking UK support
- We handle all the forms
Which to choose?
Use the official site if you have 6+ weeks before travel and are comfortable navigating French bureaucracy. Use a UK service if you are travelling within the next few weeks or simply want the process handled for you.
Practical Advice for UK → Spain Drivers
- Order your sticker at least 2–3 weeks before travel if using the official site
- Place the sticker on the inside of the windscreen, bottom right, passenger side (for UK right-hand drive vehicles)
- Follow the A630 ring road to avoid entering the restricted zone
- But have your sticker displayed regardless — you may need to enter for fuel or food
- Keep a photo of your order confirmation on your phone as backup
Other French Cities with ZFEs
One Crit'Air sticker works in ALL French ZFEs. Other zones you may encounter on the UK → Spain route include:
Paris & Greater Paris
- Inside the A86
- Strictest rules, high camera density
Rouen
- On the A28 route from Calais
Lyon
- M6/M7 motorways
- Systematic fines for Crit'Air 3, 4 and 5 from July 2026
Tours
- A10 route, centre restricted if you exit for services
Marseille
- Port and centre restricted on the Mediterranean coastal route
FAQ: Do I Need a Crit'Air Sticker Just Passing Through France?
Do I need a Crit'Air sticker just passing through France?
Yes.
Even if you are not stopping in a French city and are simply driving straight through to Spain, you will likely need a Crit'Air sticker.
Major transit motorways — like the A86 around Paris and the M6/M7 through Lyon — fall entirely within permanent low-emission zones.
Temporary emergency zones can also be activated across whole departments on short notice.
Order Your Crit'Air Sticker — £19.95
Works in Bordeaux, Paris, Lyon, and all French ZFEs
- ✓ Physical sticker posted to your UK address
- ✓ One-time cost, lifetime validity
- ✓ English-language support — we handle the forms
Last Updated: May 2026