France Scrappage Bonus Suppressed — What Owners Can Still Claim
The "prime à la conversion", France's flagship scrappage bonus paying up to €6,000 to drivers replacing polluting cars with cleaner ones, was suppressed on 2 December 2024. No new applications have been accepted since. This English-language guide for expats and cross-border drivers in France summarises what remains and how to scrap or sell an older car legally.
What replaced the prime à la conversion?
- Bonus écologique — still available for new electric vehicles purchased by private buyers under income caps. Capped lower than before.
- Leasing social — €100/month leases on selected electric vehicles for low-income households (revenu fiscal de référence sous plafond).
- Local authority aids — Île-de-France, Métropole de Lyon, Grand Paris, etc., still offer top-up bonuses, cumulable in some cases.
- Prime au rétrofit — still alive for converting an internal-combustion vehicle to electric (specific to electric retrofitters).
Scrapping a Crit'Air 4/5 without the prime — what changes?
The legal obligation hasn't changed: an Authorised Treatment Facility (centre VHU agréé) must collect and destroy the vehicle and issue a Certificat de destruction. What changes is the financial calculus — the €3,000 to €6,000 incentive that made many owners scrap an old diesel and replace it with an EV is gone. For many drivers, the rational path is now:
- Get an instant quote from InterCar France vehicle buying — even with high mileage or motor damage, our network often pays more than scrap value.
- If the car can't be sold, free pickup by an épaviste agréé InterCar with the Certificat de destruction issued automatically.
- For ZFE owners (Crit'Air 4/5 in restricted zones), check whether your métropole still offers a top-up before scrapping — some regional aids survived.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting for a "prime à la conversion 2026" to return — it won't, the legislative budget has reallocated those funds.
- Selling to an unauthorised yard for cash — illegal under French waste regulations and you stay liable for the vehicle.
- Forgetting the 15-day ANTS declaration after the sale or scrap.
For a complete walkthrough on the destruction paperwork itself, read our guide on the crossed-out carte grise.
