A heating element for an exhaust line includes a substantially tubular housing, which merges with an exhaust pipe of the exhaust line, and a heating disk that is arranged across a passage cross-section of the tubular housing. The heating element also includes at least one pad and at least one restoring member, where the at least one pad is fastened to a distal end of the at least one restoring member. The at least one restoring member is able to hold the at least one pad in abutment against the heating disk.