The Crit’Air scheme seems to in a process of continual evolution.
There is now a scheme whereby one can apply for a maximum of 24 one-day exemptions each year allowing one to enter a Crit’Air zone regardless of the emissions category of your vehicle.
As an illustration, here’s the page on which one can apply for an exemption for the Rouen zone.
Only seems to apply to categories 4, 5 and unclassed. I guess 1, 2, 3 are OK all the time in Rouen.
However, “lors d’un stationnement sur le domaine public, le document doit être placé en évidence sur le tableau de bord du véhicule.”. I wonder should the pass be on the left or right of the dashboard?
I think you’ve mistranslated. My understanding is that the document should be under a rubber mat on the passenger side of the car…
There was a great ruckus when people realised they had a vehicle which was denied access… to (most of ?) Rouen.
Which is why this Exemption ticket can be ordered 24 times in the year January -December.
Best to only order an Exemption for a date you really need it (like a hospital appointment… or a visit to Aunty Flora) as the Exemption Date can’t be cancelled… so be prudent.
Le Pass ZFE-m autorise les véhicules concernés par les restrictions à circuler et stationner dans la ZFE-m 24 jours au maximum (de minuit à minuit) par année civile (du 1er janvier au 31 décembre) quel que soit le motif : court séjour, voyage, rendez-vous médical,traverser la zone, etc.
Is it free or does one have to pay for the pass ?
the 24H /24J Exemption is free…
A Crit’Air pass only costs a few euros and lasts for the life of the car, it’s not “per visit” like the London Congestion Charge. So worth getting if you can.
Thanks Stella.
Incidentally, @Robert_Hodge … the Exemption Pass is free, but that doesn’t mean that the actual “parking” is free… 
The folks in our area are more interested in traveling through Rouen in order to get to the ferry port at Dieppe. Avoiding the Rouen zone involves quite a bit of extra time and mileage if you are driving between Pays de la Loire and Dieppe.
How old are their cars though? At the moment it’s only the very worst polluting vehicles that can’t go through the Crit’Air zone - those that would have a Crit’Air category of 4 or 5. Category 3 or lower are fine - you just have to display a sticker.
Crit’Air 3 means vehicles that meet the Euro 4 standard which came in in 2006. So unless the car is more than 20 years old (roughly) it should be fine.
The rules will tighten to exclude Crit’Air 3 and 2 vehicles eventually, but that will happen over a period of years so again as long as your car is not too ancient it shouldn’t be a problem for most people.
The pass authorises those with non-compliant Crit’Air stickers to enter the zone
Yes I understand that, but I would have thought that many people would have cars that are compliant?
if they are compliant, they should be displaying the appropriate Crit’Air Sticker…
The site is quite clear… (brief) Exemption is only offered to Vehicles which do NOT comply… (all others Must apply for and display the Crit’Air Sticker…
Its not that bad, when the pont flaubert was out it was interesting to learn new ways around but they have a free pass now for non complying vehicles otherwise they have to buy the sticker.
Are you sure? Many parts of France do not require Crit’Air stickers and this concession appears to be intended to provide access into the Rouen zone up to twenty four times a year presumably for hospital appointments etc… That being so why would they have to obtain a sticker?
The Rouen Website says that the Exemption is for “Crit’Air 4,5 et non classe”
so perhaps someone would like to try applying for Exemption although their vehicle does not fall into one of the above…
it would be useful to have some first hand feedback…
EDIT: “non-classee” means this
…
Si votre véhicule n’est pas classé dans les catégories pour lesquelles les certificats qualité de l’air sont attribués, il n’est donc pas éligible au certificat . De ce fait, vous n’êtes pas autorisé à circuler dans les zones à faibles émissions mobilité durant les périodes de restriction.
Carte Grise de Collection has some advantages… sometimes…
Les véhicules de collection bénéficient d’une dérogation permanente dans la ZFE de Rouen. Pour être considéré comme véhicule de collection, le véhicule doit avoir plus de 30 ans d’âge et posséder une carte grise avec la mention « véhicule de collection ». Ces véhicules peuvent donc circuler librement dans la ZFE, quelle que soit leur classification Crit’Air.
I think Rouen has made its situation quite clear…
Non, il n’est pas possible de traverser Rouen sans vignette Crit’Air. La ZFE couvre l’ensemble de l’agglomération rouennaise et s’applique 24h/24 et 7j/7. Cependant, certaines voies d’accès aux parkings relais (P+R) en limite de zone sont exclues de la ZFE pour permettre aux véhicules non autorisés d’y accéder. Il est recommandé de se renseigner sur ces itinéraires spécifiques si vous n’avez pas de vignette Crit’Air valide.
This is true - but it’s a sensible precaution to get a (very cheap) Crit’Air sticker even if you don’t ever plan to intentionally go into a ZFE - Rouen is actually a good example of this as the most obvious route that comes down from Dieppe to the A28 takes you through Grand and Petit Quevilly and is within the Rouen ZFE, even though it’s not the “town centre”. Even if you spot the “Zone à Circulation Restreinte” signs and realise what they mean it may not be easy or obvious to someone who doesn’t know the area how you avoid the zone.
Tourists in particular who are not aware of the Crit’Air rules can easily get caught. I don’t think they are fully enforcing the zone yet, but once it goes to a camera-based system I think there will be surprise fines for many.