Every vignette, toll and winter rule on your route, in one checklist.

• FranceCrit'Air stickerNeeded in every ZFE that restricts cars, foreign plates included (Nice and Saint-Étienne now restrict only heavier vehicles). €5.11 posted outside France, about 10 working days by post, only from certificat-air.gouv.fr.Buy before you go
• FranceHi-vis vest and warning triangleA CE-marked vest within reach inside the cabin, not in the boot, and a warning triangle. Not using them after a breakdown usually costs €135.Buy before you go
• FranceUK sticker (UK-registered cars)Needed unless the number plate shows UK with the Union flag. A plate with GB, the EU stars, a national flag or no identifier needs the sticker on the back.Buy before you go
• FranceDriving licenceEU, EEA or UK photocard licence: nothing to do. A US licence needs an International Driving Permit or an official French translation.Check before you go
• FranceRegistration and insurance papersThe registration certificate (V5C in a UK car, VE103 for a hire or leased car) and your insurance details. UK drivers do not need a green card.Pack
• FranceMotorway tollsBarriers, charged by distance: take the ticket, pick a lane with a card symbol. On the A13, A14, A79 and the Boulay interchange there is no barrier, and you pay online within 72 hours.Pay as you go
• FranceWinter kit1 November to 31 March in designated mountain communes: four snowflake tyres, or chains or snow socks in the boot.Check in winter
• FranceChild seatsChildren under 10 must use a seat suited to their size and must not sit in the front, with a few exceptions. On a hire car, book the seats with the car.Check before you go
• FranceRadar detectorLeave it at home: owning or carrying one in France can cost up to €1,500, and it is confiscated.Leave at home
• GermanyGreen UmweltplaketteValid in every Umweltzone, tied to the plate, never expires. €5–€10 at a test centre or registration office in Germany; by post from €6 at Berlin's registration office, 7–14 days.Buy before you go
• GermanySpeed-camera alerts offUsing a radar detector, or the speed-camera warning function of any app or sat nav, is banned while driving in Germany. A detector carried ready for use costs €75.Before the border
• GermanyWarning triangle, hi-vis vest and first-aid kitGerman rules require all three in a German-registered car; carry them in any car. The first-aid kit to DIN 13164.Buy before you go
• GermanyUK sticker (UK-registered cars)Needed unless the number plate shows UK with the Union flag.Buy before you go
• GermanyDriving licenceEU or EEA licence, or a UK photocard licence: nothing to do. A US licence can be used for up to six months with a German translation or an International Driving Permit.Check before you go
• GermanyMotorway tollsNothing to pay: Germany has no vignette and no motorway toll for cars.Nothing to buy
• GermanyWinter tyresNo dates: it applies whenever there is ice, snow or slush on the road. Since 1 October 2024 only the Alpine snowflake counts, not M+S.Check in winter
• GermanyChild seatsChildren under 12 and shorter than 150 cm need a suitable child seat. On a hire car, book the seats with the car.Check before you go
• AustriaMotorway vignette€9.60 a day, €12.80 for ten days, €106.80 a year. Valid at once at a petrol station counter; a two-month or annual one bought online starts only after 18 days.Buy before the motorway
• AustriaWinter tyres1 November to 15 April, in wintry conditions: M+S or snowflake, and at least 4 mm of tread.Check in winter

Driving electric? What charging costs on this route →

Every line comes from the page it links to, where the sources and the date each rule was checked are listed. Rules last checked 1 October 2026.