Driving in France

Driving to France from the UK? Here's the kit, paperwork and rules you need for a UK-registered car, including Crit'Air stickers, tolls and the mountain winter rules.

Checked on 17 October 2026 against GOV.UK and the RAC and AA guides. Rules change, so check the official sources at the bottom before you travel.

What you must have

  • UK sticker on the rear (unless your number plate shows the UK identifier with the Union flag)
  • Reflective (hi-vis) jackets, kept inside the car within reach, put on before you get out
  • Warning triangle (place at least 30 m behind the car when safe; not on motorways)
  • Headlamp beam deflectors or adjusted headlamps
  • Crit'Air clean-air sticker if you'll drive into a low-emission zone (e.g. Paris, Lyon, Grenoble)
  • Winter tyres, or snow chains or snow socks for at least 2 wheels, in signed mountain areas from 1 Nov to 31 Mar

Worth packing

  • A hi-vis jacket for every passenger
  • First aid kit
  • Spare bulbs

Documents

  • Your full UK driving licence (photocard). If you still have a paper licence, GOV.UK says you may need to update it to a photocard or get an international driving permit.
  • Your V5C logbook. If the car is hired or leased in the UK, you need a VE103 certificate instead.
  • Your motor insurance certificate. Check with your insurer that you're covered abroad.
  • Your passport.
  • UK sticker: you need one unless your number plate shows the UK identifier with the Union flag. An old GB sticker must be covered or removed (GOV.UK).

Clean-air zones and stickers

Many French cities have low-emission zones where you must display a Crit'Air sticker, including Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Strasbourg, Nice and Toulouse, and more can be added. Some cities also bring in temporary zones when pollution is high (AA). GOV.UK says all vehicles in central Paris, Lyon and Grenoble must show a sticker from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. Very old cars can't get one (AA: cars registered before 1997). It comes by post, so order it well before you go and only from the official site.

Official sites:

Tolls and vignettes

Many 'A' autoroutes are toll roads (péage): take a ticket on entry, pay by card or cash on exit. Some routes are barrier-free and use electronic tags (AA).

Winter rules

From 1 November to 31 March in signed mountain areas (the Alps, Massif Central, Jura, Pyrenees, Vosges and Corsica), you need winter tyres on all four wheels, or snow chains or snow socks on board for at least 2 wheels (GOV.UK, AA).

Speed limits (cars)

Road Limit
Motorways 130 km/h (110 in rain)
Dual carriageways 110 km/h (100 in rain)
Other roads 80 km/h (70 in rain)
Built-up areas 50 km/h
Fog under 50 m visibility 50 km/h everywhere

Signs always take priority over these general limits.

Drink-driving limit

The limit is 0.5 g/l of blood (0.05%), and 0.2 g/l for drivers with under 3 years' experience (RAC). Police regularly run roadside alcohol and drug checks (GOV.UK). The limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 0.8 g/l.

Fines to know about

  • Standard speeding fine €135, reduced if paid within 15 days (RAC)
  • Over 40 km/h above the limit: licence can be taken on the spot (RAC)
  • Speed camera detectors banned, including sat-nav camera alerts; fines up to €1,500 (RAC)
  • Not showing your licence when asked: €38 (RAC)
  • Police give on-the-spot fines (GOV.UK)

Shop the kit

We don't currently stock UK stickers, headlamp beam deflectors, spare bulb kits or breathalysers. Ferry ports, Eurotunnel and most motoring shops sell them, so pick them up before you cross. Snow socks are accepted in place of chains in France.

See the full Driving abroad range. Clean-air stickers, vignettes and toll passes come only from the official sites linked above. We don't sell them.

FAQs

Do I need a breathalyser in France?

The current RAC and AA France guides (checked 17 October 2026) don't list a breathalyser among the items you must carry. Some drivers still carry a disposable one to check themselves.

Do I need a Crit'Air sticker?

Only if you'll drive into a low-emission zone such as Paris, Lyon or Grenoble, or a city running a pollution alert. Order it only from the official French government site, and allow time for it to arrive by post.

How many hi-vis vests do I need?

You must have a reflective jacket you can reach without getting out, and you put it on before you step out after a breakdown. Carrying one for every passenger is sensible.

Do I need snow chains in France?

From 1 November to 31 March, signed mountain areas (Alps, Pyrenees, Massif Central, Jura, Vosges, Corsica) require winter tyres, or chains or snow socks on board for at least two wheels.

Do I need a UK sticker in France?

Yes, unless your number plate shows the UK identifier with the Union flag. If you have an old GB sticker, cover it or take it off.

Sources

Checked 17 October 2026:

This page is a general guide for UK-registered cars, not legal advice. Always check the official sources before you travel.