Changes in April in France for drivers, health patients and homeowners

End to vehicle insurance stickers

Vehicles will no longer need to show a green insurance vignette from April 1.

Instead, all insurance information will be contained on an online system accessible by police, who can use it to check the status of a vehicle.

Our previous articles which you can find below cover the change in depth, and show you how you can check if your vehicle already appears on the database before the change.

Read more: End of green car insurance sticker in France: Eight questions answered

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

Read more: End of car insurance stickers in France: what about driving abroad?

Mandatory roadworthiness test for motorbikes

Motorbikes and other vehicles that previously did not have to undergo mandatory roadworthiness (contrôle technique or CT) tests in France will need to from April 15.

The process will be slowly rolled out, with the oldest vehicles (those first registered before 2017) needing their tests done in 2024.

By 2027, all motorbikes currently on the road will have needed a CT test.

Licence-free cars will also now need these tests.

Read more: How will new contrôle technique tests work for motorbikes in France?

Medical fee price increase

The cost of the franchise médicale, a mandatory charge not covered by social security on medicine payments, will double from 50c to €1 on March 31.

This also applies to paramedical consultations and medical transport costs (rising to €2 and €4 respectively).

However, the €50 annual maximum limit for such charges will remain.

Read more: Medicines in France will cost patients more from spring

Benefit payment increases

A number of benefits paid by the Caf (caisses d'Allocations familiales) will increase by 4.6% from April 1.

Notably, these include the Revenu de solidarité active (RSA) prime d’activité, allocations familiales (family benefits), allocation aux adultes handicapés (AAH) and the aide personnalisée au logement (APL) housing benefits, among others.

This is also the case for those who receive benefits through the Mutualité sociale agricole (MSA).

Applicants will not need to do anything, and the new rates will be automatically applied.

Energy renovation scheme funding lowered

Funding for some renovation projects using the MaPrimeRénov’ scheme will drop by as much as 30% from April onwards.

These changes mostly affect households categorised as having the ‘most modest’ (les plus modestes) income levels.

Notably, aid for those who heat their homes with wood pellets or woodchips in this category will drop from €2,500 to €1,800.

In addition, after April 1 other grants will require a ‘compulsory energy audit’ (audit énergétique obligatoire) instead of an ‘incentive energy audit’ (audit énergétique incitatif).

These ‘compulsory audits’ will also be the only ones eligible for partial reimbursement.

Read more: Act soon if applying for wood heating grant in France as aid to drop

End of winter rental truce and rent caps

The trêve hivernale, which limits the ability for landlords to evict tenants, ends on April 1.

During this period, landlords cannot evict tenants, even if they are in arrears for their rents.

The rules do not apply to squatters.

A rent cap that has limited increases to only 3.5% will also end on March 31, however landlords will only be able to increase prices when contracts are being renegotiated (or on a date stipulated in a signed rental contract).

Minimum taxi app price hikes

Taxi booking applications such as Uber (called véhicules de tourisme avec chauffeur or VTCs in French) now have a minimum ride cost of €9, regardless of distance travelled.

In addition, a one-hour journey now costs at minimum €30, and there is a minimum rate of €1 per kilometre travelled.

The changes apply to all such apps, and came into force on March 26.

Property tax raises

Local councils have until April 15 to set the rates for the taxe foncière property tax.

This is paid by all property owners, and calculated using a property’s theoretical rental value called the VLC and a tax rate set by the council.

VLCs will increase by 3.9% across the board in 2024, but councils have the possibility to raise or lower rates.

Payments will not need to be made until later in the year, however.

Read more: Taxe foncière explainer: Who pays and the exemptions

Related articles

Stay up-to-date: 14 recent or upcoming changes in France

What changes in France in March 2024 for residents