In a process for adapting an amount of reducing agent for a removal of nitrogen oxides from the gases in an exhaust line, a first alignment of the amounts of nitrogen oxides measured by upstream and downstream sensors is performed without injection of agent and with a catalyst of the system emptied of ammonia. A second alignment of the estimated reduction of nitrogen oxides with the measured reduction is performed by a difference between amounts of nitrogen oxides upstream and downstream during a substoichiometric injection of reducing agent without creating a store of ammonia in a catalyst of the system with a first correction of the amount of agent. A third alignment of an estimated efficiency of retaining nitrogen oxides with a efficiency measured by the sensors is performed, this third alignment taking place via a second correction of the amount of reducing agent injected as an adaptive correction.