How do I prove my car is insured now France no longer issues stickers?

Reader Question: I recently renewed my car insurance but did not receive a green sticker proving this from the company. If I am pulled over by the police, how do I prove my vehicle is insured?

Since April 1, the physical green insurance stickers (vignette) are no longer needed to prove your vehicle is insured.

These were placed on a vehicle’s windscreen, and could be checked by authorities. 

Now, however, a digital system has taken the place of the sticker, and drivers need not display anything or carry an insurance certificate in their car.

Police officers and other authorities who have the right to stop vehicles all have access to an online database called the fichier des véhicules assurés (FVA). 

Officers can consult the FVA, using a car’s number plate, to check it is correctly insured. 

This police check can be undertaken on the spot and will not require drivers to attend a police station at a later date (unless there is a problem). 

Drivers of foreign vehicles (insured from a non-French company) should still have the physical insurance information at hand, in case they are asked for it.

Do I need to do anything now there are no longer insurance stickers for French cars?

The FVA contains the insurance information for all vehicles insured in France, with insurers updating the information themselves.

As a driver, you do not need to do anything to make sure your vehicle is on the register, as your insurance company should take care of this itself. 

However, you can check if your vehicle is correctly on the database using the FVA website. 

Read more: Insurance change for drivers: Can I see if car on new French database?

Note that the removal of insurance stickers does not affect the filling out of constat amiable (vehicle accident) forms, in the case of an accident. 

Read more: End of car insurance stickers in France: what happens in an accident?