Driving in low-emission mobility zones (LMZ or LMZ)

Verified 05 October 2026 - Entreprendre Service Public / (Prime Minister)

The low-emission mobility zones (LFEs or LFE-m) are territories in which traffic the most polluting vehicles may be restricted to reduce air pollution. Vehicles traveling in these areas must have a Crit'Air thumbnail to identify their level of pollution and thus attest whether they are allowed to circulate.

One low emission mobility zone (LEMA) is an area created on all or part of the territory of a municipality or EPCI: titleContent by the mayor or the president of the EPCI, in order to combat air pollution.

The law distinguishes 2 case for which the establishment of an EPZ is mandatory, depending on the local pollution level:

  • The agglomerations of more than 150,000 inhabitants not complying with the health recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these are exempted if it is demonstrated by a modeled assessment that the actions implemented are as effective as an EPZ in such short time frames. The list of the agglomerations concerned and the municipalities they include can be consulted in a arrested available on Legifrance.
  • EPZs established due to regular exceedance of pollution standards (metropolises of Paris and Lyon). In these higher-stakes EPZs, the law imposes minimum restrictions.

In total, 38 These territories are currently covered by the obligation to implement an EPZ and two agglomerations (Paris and Lyon) remain subject to the enhanced EPZ scheme.

EPZs are established by an order of the mayor or the President of theEPCI: titleContent which determines the:

  • Territories of the agglomeration in which the EPZ applies
  • Restrictive measures the applicable driving conditions and any pedagogical periods during which restricted vehicles are not penalized 
  • Categories of vehicles concerned, in particular as a function of Crit'Air thumbnail of vehicle
  • Days and hours of application of restrictions
  • Legitimate grounds for which individual exemptions may be granted (e.g. work in staggered hours, traveling trade or for a festive event, daily pass for all vehicles without proof a limited number of days per year).
ZFE National Portal - Breathing Better in the City

Ministry for Ecological Transition

Pour en savoir plus

Please note

The site « Breathing better in the city » provides access to:

  • To the regulations in place in each metropolis
  • To the calendar of restrictions related to Crit'Air vignettes
  • To a tool for requesting local exemptions to travel in EPZs
  • Frequently Asked Questions about EPZs.

It exists currently 25 EPZ in metropolitan France. The updated list of existing EPZs is available on the « Breathing Better in the City » website dedicated to information on EPZs:

List of Low Emission Areas (LEAs)

Ministry for Ecological Transition

Pour en savoir plus

The creation of an EPZ is accompanied by a local information campaign, with a minimum duration of 3 months, which shall inform the public of the controlled perimeter and the traffic restrictions implemented.

The order establishing the EPZ is also accompanied by a regulatory study including the assessment of the environmental (in particular the benefits for air quality and health) and social-economic impacts of the proposed restriction measures. Both documents are subject to public consultation prior to the establishment of the EPZ.

The EPZs do not generally cover the entireconurbation.

Agglomerations that have EPZs have generally created an EPZ website. These sites have a mapping of the territory covered by the EPZ.

FYI  

Links to these sites are available at the « Better breathing in the city » website dedicated to EPZs.

Specificities of each EPZ

All vehicles operating in an EPZ must have a Crit'Air thumbnailwhich certifies that the vehicle is capable of being driven.

FYI  

Websites without any link to the Ministry of Ecological Transition are placed in intermediaries and offer the Crit'Air sticker at a price much higher than the actual price.

THEunique official website to order the Crit'Air est sticker certificate-air.gouv.fr.

Each EPZ has specific characteristics:

  • Restrictive measures applicable traffic rules
  • Categories of vehicles concerned, in particular according to the Crit'Air sticker of the vehicle
  • Hours and days of application of traffic restrictions
  • Reasons for individual exemptions which may be granted (examples: work in staggered hours, traveling trade or for a festive event, daily pass for all vehicles without proof a limited number of days per year).

In case of peak pollution, temporary measures movement restrictions may be in addition to those provided for by the EPZ.

FYI  

Mainly intended for the actors of the transport of goods, the Itineraries, financed through energy savings certificates, provides access to:

  • all the characteristics of the existing EPZs (territory and vehicles concerned, derogations, etc.)
  • travel simulator making it possible to ascertain the authorization to travel of one's vehicle.

Itineraries: list of EPZs and route simulation

Restrictions within the scope of the EPZ

In the EPZs established due to regular exceedance of pollution standards (metropolises of Paris and Lyon), the local authority shall provide for movement restrictions on light commercial vehicles (Crit'Air class freely defined by the community) and passenger cars Crit'Air 3 and more, i.e.:

  • Diesel vehicles and non-plug-in diesel hybrids of which 1re registration date before 1er January 2011
  • Gasoline and non-plug-in hybrid vehicles including 1re registration date before 1er January 2006.

This does not apply to vehicles with an all-electric range in the city greater than 50 miles.

For the other agglomerations that comply with regulatory air quality thresholds, but whose concentrations regularly exceed the values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), only one obligation is provided for by law: the implementation of a low-emission zone with at least one traffic restriction for a category of « unclassified » vehicles.

Access to the EPZ is still allowed vehicles of the following categories:

  • Of general interest : ambulances, first aid vehicles, etc
  • To Department of Defense vehicles 
  • Showing a mobility inclusion card with the words ‘ parking for people with disabilities » or another disabled parking card
  • To low-emission passenger transit vehicles 
  • For a limited time, public transport vehicles whose Crit'Air category has just been restricted.

In addition, at the level of the EPZ, temporary authorizations may be issued by the local authority to respond to specific situations.

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