Planning Services
Urbanism Certificate
A Certificat d’Urbanisme is an essential document when purchasing land or planning construction in France. It provides preliminary information about the buildability of the land, applicable planning regulations, and related taxes. The local authority has up to 2 months to process the application, and once issued, the certificate is valid for 18 months.
Preliminary Declaration
The Déclaration Préalable de Travaux is mandatory for small-scale works such as façade modifications, interior or exterior alterations, surface extensions, or changes in the use of a building.
- Processing time: 1 month.
- Decision can be withdrawn within 3 months if deemed illegal.
- Appeals may be submitted by mail within 2 months in case of refusal.
- Validity: 3 years.
- Renewal: Twice for 1 year each, provided planning regulations have not changed. Renewal request must be made at least 2 months before the end of validity.
Building Permit
A Building Permit is required when constructing a new building with a floor area or footprint larger than 20 m², or when carrying out significant modifications to an existing structure. This includes major interior or exterior changes, as well as changes in the building’s intended use. All PCs should be signed by an architect, except if the total built area is less than 150 m².
- Processing time: 2 months (single-family homes), 3 months (other projects).
- Incomplete applications: Missing documents must be supplied within 3 months.
- Validity: 3 years.
- Extensions: Twice for 1 year each, if regulations remain unchanged. Requests must be made at least 2 months before expiry.
Retrospective Building Permit
When construction has been carried out without the necessary building permit, it is possible to regularise the situation through a retrospective planning application. This does not remove possible civil or criminal liability but ensures the legality of the construction.
- Must follow the same process as a regular building permit.
- If not completed, the building is considered legally non-compliant, making its sale impossible.
- Must be finalised before selling the property to ensure legal security of the transaction.
Demolition Permit
A Permis de Démolir is required for partial or complete demolition of a building in certain designated areas. These include zones where the local council mandates the permit, surroundings of historic buildings, restoration zones, and protected or listed heritage sites.
- Processing time: 2 months
- Missing documents must be supplied within 3 months.
- Validity: 3 years.
- Extensions: Twice for 1 year each, if regulations remain unchanged. Requests must be made at least 2 months before expiry.
- Refusals may be appealed within 2 months.