# Emissions stickers



## Jo001 (Jul 1, 2019)

I have the emissions stickers for Germany and France but *stupid question alert*.  

Like a complete idiot, I have stuck them at the passenger side of our RH drive van, not the driver side which is obviously where all the French and German people put them. So, the stupid question - how are vehicles detected and checked? Is it by number plate recognition (which would mean I will be ok) or are the actual stickers detected (which would mean I probably won't be ok and will have to try and move them or get duplicates).

Thanks in anticipation of your help.


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## spigot (Jul 1, 2019)

Jo001 said:


> I have the emissions stickers for Germany and France but *stupid question alert*.
> 
> Like a complete idiot, I have stuck them at the passenger side of our RH drive van, not the driver side which is obviously where all the French and German people put them. So, the stupid question - how are vehicles detected and checked? Is it by number plate recognition (which would mean I will be ok) or are the actual stickers detected (which would mean I probably won't be ok and will have to try and move them or get duplicates).
> 
> Thanks in anticipation of your help.



Don’t bother, with France anyway. I’ve got the sticker but have not displayed it.

Just come back from France & did not see one sticker displayed, just a couple of German ones.


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## witzend (Jul 1, 2019)

Lot less trouble to get a couple of replacement sticker than have a disagreement with a foreign policeman


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## witzend (Jul 1, 2019)

I was told French vehicles don,t req these stickers as all their info is already held


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## TJBi (Jul 1, 2019)

Jo001 said:


> I have the emissions stickers for Germany and France but *stupid question alert*.
> 
> Like a complete idiot, I have stuck them at the passenger side of our RH drive van, not the driver side which is obviously where all the French and German people put them. So, the stupid question - how are vehicles detected and checked? Is it by number plate recognition (which would mean I will be ok) or are the actual stickers detected (which would mean I probably won't be ok and will have to try and move them or get duplicates).
> 
> Thanks in anticipation of your help.



I stuck my French vignette on the passenger side of my LHD van.  The instructions do state that they should be stuck on the bottom right (viewed from inside). To the best of my knowledge, in France the stickers are checked visually; don't know about Germany. NB: The French stickers are designed to become unusable if you attempt to remove them.


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## cworth (Jul 1, 2019)

I have bought the French sticker for my car, but not my van yet. The instructions on the English part of the website say it is fine to put them on the passenger side of uk vehicles. They are only needed at certain times when the weather conditions mean the pollution is not dispersed. They are needed for Paris (which I don't go to much) but also large cities like Lille, which I travel through about once a month. In the last 6 months I have only been through once when they have been in force. There is a hefty fine for not having one but I think it is only a visual check that is used. More and more French cars are now sporting them!


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## TJBi (Jul 1, 2019)

cworth said:


> I have bought the French sticker for my car, but not my van yet. The instructions on the English part of the website say it is fine to put them on the passenger side of uk vehicles. They are only needed at certain times when the weather conditions mean the pollution is not dispersed. They are needed for Paris (which I don't go to much) but also large cities like Lille, which I travel through about once a month. In the last 6 months I have only been through once when they have been in force. There is a hefty fine for not having one but I think it is only a visual check that is used. More and more French cars are now sporting them!



The instructions in English on the French government website are at https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/en/aide-certificat and state that one should clean the inside lower right-hand corner of the windscreen and affix the sticker there; on RHD, that's driver's side. 

There are a considerable number of zones in France, not exclusively in large cities. See French Environmental Zones – Crit-Air.fr


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## Snapster (Jul 4, 2019)

witzend said:


> I was told French vehicles don’t req these stickers as all their info is already held



I’m afraid you heard incorrectly. I know the French love rules, and love ignoring them more, but the stickers are compulsory if you use your car in a zone that requires them, otherwise you get a hefty fine. 
If you don’t travel near areas that need these stickers, you probably won’t see any vehicles with them displayed, it doesn’t mean the French don’t bother. 
We have the stickers on our car and van, dont be fooled into thinking no one in France bothers with them just because you don’t see any. 
The French love to bend and break rules, but have to comply with the crit air scheme if it affects them


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## Jo001 (Jul 4, 2019)

Thanks for the replies all - but just to go back to my question, does anyone know how the vehicles are actually detected?


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## Snapster (Jul 5, 2019)

Jo001 said:


> Thanks for the replies all - but just to go back to my question, does anyone know how the vehicles are actually detected?



I don’t think there is any information about that actually tells you how it is enforced, I haven’t been able to find any, but didn’t look too hard as I have stickers on our vehicles so don’t need to worry.

However they do it, they seem to be very efficient at it. In Lyon in just a few days in March almost 850 motorists were fined for not complying with the scheme when it was in force.


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## TeamRienza (Jul 5, 2019)

I cannot offer any light on the ways of enforcement, but look at this snippet dated 4th July on the critair site.

2019-07-04 – Crit-Air.fr


Davy


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## Snapster (Jul 5, 2019)

***** said:


> Probably Mr Plod at a peage,(they often are)  or a control, or just looking out in a town or anywhere else.
> For the money, it ain't worth the hassle of not getting one
> We even have one for our scooter



Surely that should be Monsieur Le Plod ?


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## witzend (Jul 5, 2019)

Snapster said:


> I’m afraid you heard incorrectly.



I heard it from a french police man who spoke english well at a roadside check


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## phillybarbour (Jul 6, 2019)

If they are in the window you will be fine, I’ve seen French cars with them on side windows.


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