Build or modify a professional, commercial or agricultural building
Verified 26 February 2026 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You want to carry out work such as the construction of a professional, commercial or agricultural building, the extension or the change of destination of an existing building. You must obtain a city planning authorization from the town hall. You must make a building permit (PC) or a prior declaration (DP) for modifications and smaller constructions. We guide you through the steps of the process.
You must first ask your town hall to know if your project is located in a protected site.
The content of the city planning authorization file, the number of copies to be provided and the processing times are different when your project is located in a secure site.
Warning
Work authorizations that relate to a public institution (LES) are subject to specific procedures. Similarly, the work on a historic monument are subject to special procedures and authorizations depending on the nature and situation of the project (except for ordinary maintenance or repair work and work on buildings that require secrecy for security reasons).
General case
Step-by-step approach
New construction, work on existing buildings and the change of destination may be the subject of building permit or a prior declaration.
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Construction of a new building
The choice of city planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
Creation of a floor area or a footprint of up to 5 m²
If you build buildings including the floor area and theright of way on the ground are inferior or equal at 5 m2 and whose height is less than 12 m, you have no need for city planning authorization.
Warning
You must, however comply with city planning rules applicable in your municipality. You can inquire at your town hall.
Creation of a floor area or a footprint of up to 20 m²
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Creation of a floor area or footprint greater than 20 m²
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Extension of buildings
The extension is the expansion of an existing construction that has a physical and functional connection with it, and smaller dimensions than it. The extension can be horizontal or vertical, by raising, excavating or enlarging.
Before carrying out the work, you must obtain a city planning authorization.
The regulations vary if your project is located in an urban area of a MORE :
Outside an urban area of a PLU
The floor area and theright of way on the ground of the project determine the nature of the authorization to be submitted:
Floor area or footprint of 5m² or less
An extension that creates 5 m² or less of spaceright of way on the ground or floor area is subject to advance notification (RFP), because you change the appearance of your construction.
Floor area or footprint up to 20 m²
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Floor area or footprint greater than 20 m²
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
In urban areas of the local urban plan (PLU)
Lcity planning authorization depends on the value of the floor area of the existing building in relation to the threshold of 150 m2. For the farm buildings, this threshold is 800 m2.
Building with a floor area of more than 150 m² before work
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Building with a floor area of 150 m² or less before work
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area final of the building after extension work:
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
An extension that creates 5 m² or less of spaceright of way on the ground or floor area is subject to advance notification (RFP), because you change the appearance of your construction.
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
An extension that creates 5 m² or less of spaceright of way on the ground or floor area is subject to advance notification (RFP), because you change the appearance of your construction.
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Change of destination
There are 5 types of destination:
- Agricultural and forestry holding
- Dwelling
- Trade and service activities
- Equipment of collective interest and public services
- Other activities in the secondary or tertiary sectors.
Each destination is broken down into sub-destinations.
There is change of destination when you move from one category to another. This is the case, for example, when you transform a home into a business premises or an office into a business.
Changes of destination of buildings may be subject to a building permit or a prior declaration.
Change of destination accompanied by works modifying the supporting structures or the facade of the building
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Change of destination without modification of the supporting structures or the facade of the building
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
The application for a building permit is addressed to the town hall by natural persons and morals following:
- Owner(s) of the land or its agent
- Acquirer of the property
- Company authorized by the owner(s) to carry out the work
- Person in undivided or its authorized representative
- Trustee and co-owner
- Beneficiary of a expropriation (public service, public establishment, chamber of commerce...).
Depending on the work you want to do, you must file a prior declaration or a building permit.
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Completing an advance declaration
General case
You must complete your RFP file by dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality or on a paper form. Ask on the website of the town hall or on site.
On the internet
You can complete your RFP application on the internet:
Form
You must complete the following form:
Prior declaration of constructions and works not subject to building permits
Please note
By filling out the permit application form, you can choose to receive correspondence from the administration by LRE: titleContent or by another equivalent electronic method.
The RFP file includes the form and documents to be provided.
In the RFP form, a " attachment filing slip ” gives a full list of all the documents that the city planning department may ask you to examine your project.
You must provide the following documents:
- Situation Plan land for all projects (you can get it on the Geoportal website)
- Ground plane if you are creating a new construction or changing the volume of an existing construction
- Cross-sectional plane if you change the profile of the land (for example, building a buried pool)
- Plan facades and roofs if you change them.
Other parts may be requested depending on the nature of your project.
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Office reception and service to the user (Basu) of Paris: one-stop shop
Complete a building permit
General case
You must complete your PC file by dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality or on a paper form. Ask on the website of the town hall or on site.
On the internet
You can fill out your PC application file on the internet:
Form
You must complete the following form:
Application for a building permit (other than for a detached house or its annexes)
When several people file a building permit together, they attach an additional sheet in which they give the identity and contact details of each owner.
Supplementary file/other applicants for the same project
Please note
By filling out the permit application form, you can choose to receive correspondence from the administration by LRE: titleContent or by another equivalent electronic method.
The building permit application file includes the form and documents to be provided.
In the form, a “ attachment filing slip ” gives the full list of all documents that the city planning service may request from you.
For all projects, you must provide the following documents:
- Situation Plan land you can get on the Geoportal website
- Ground plane
- Cross-sectional plane
- Notice presenting the land, its surroundings and the project (location, access, parking, planned developments, materials and colors of buildings, plantations)
- Plan of facades and roofs
- Graphical document (photomontage for example) to assess the project in relation to other nearby buildings and landscapes
- Original photograph to locate the land in its nearby environment
- Original photograph to locate the land in its distant environment.
Other documents are requested depending on the nature of your project.
The recourse to the architect may also be required for an enlargement.
If the floor area of your construction is more than 150 m², you must have the plans drawn up by an architect.
If the floor area of your farm building is more than 800 m², you need have the plans drawn up by an architect.
Construction or extension of buildings and energy renovation works must comply with the environmental regulations 2020.
You must provide a certificate of compliance with this regulation that you can obtain on the Internet:
Certificates of consideration of environmental regulations RE 2020 and thermal RT 2012
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Office reception and service to the user (Basu) of Paris: one-stop shop
You must file your application for prior declaration or building permit in town hall.
Depending on whether you are in Paris or in another municipality, you must submit your application:
- By dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality (find out more on the website of the town hall or on site)
- Per letter RAR: titleContent
- Hand-held.
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Submit a prior declaration
General case
By internet
You can send your application via the internet:
Assistance for your planning permission application
The town hall issues you a receipt. When you submit your application electronically, the receipt is the electronic acknowledgement of receipt.
It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin.
Deposit in town hall or by mail
Your prior declaration can be submitted or sent by post RAR: titleContent to the town hall.
You must deposit in town hall 2 complete files (with the requested attachments).
You will attach to these complete files 2 additional copies of situation plan.
In the case of a construction, you will also need to provide 2 additional copies of the ground plane, the plan of the facades and roofs and the cross-sectional plane.
The town hall issues you a receipt. It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin.
This receipt specifies that, within 1 month from the filing of the file, the City Hall can notify you of a different deadline to start your work. She also has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete.
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Office reception and service to the user (Basu) of Paris: one-stop shop
Submit a building permit
General case
By internet
You can send your application via the internet:
Assistance for your planning permission application
The town hall issues you a receipt. When you submit your application electronically, the receipt is the electronic acknowledgement of receipt.
It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin.
Deposit in town hall or by mail
Your permit application can be submitted or sent by mail RAR: titleContent to the town hall.
You must deposit:
- 4 complete building permit application files
- 5 copies of situation plan additional
- 5 copies of ground plane additional
- 5 copies of cross-sectional plane additional.
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
The town hall issues you a receipt. It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin. When you submit your application electronically, the receipt shall consist of the electronic acknowledgement of receipt.
This receipt specifies that, within 1 month from the filing of the file, the City Hall can notify you of a different deadline to start your work. She also has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete.
The processing times vary for a prior declaration and a building permit.
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Deadlines for the examination of a prior declaration
The processing time varies depending on whether you submit a complete or incomplete file to the town hall:
Your file is complete
The time limit for the investigation is 1 month from the date of filing of the RFP in the town hall.
Your file is incomplete
The town hall has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete. You must complete it within 3 months. If you do not provide the missing documents, your request will be considered rejected.
The investigation delay starts when your file is complete.
Time limits for the examination of a building permit
The processing time varies depending on whether you submit a complete or incomplete file to the town hall:
Your file is complete
For a detached house, the time limit for the investigation shall be 2 months from the date of submission of the complete file to the town hall.
For the other projects, the time limit shall be 3 months.
Your file is incomplete
The town hall has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete. You must complete it within 3 months. If you do not provide the missing documents, your request will be considered rejected.
The investigation delay starts when your file is complete.
The decision is sent to you by letter RAR: titleContent or by LRE: titleContent or an equivalent electronic method.
There are several possible cases:
- Authorization or lack of response
- Authorization with requirements
- Refusal
- Stay of proceedings.
Please note
Within 3 months of the date of the decision, the mayor may withdraw a city planning authorization if he considers that it has been issued illegally (false surface, truncated plan of the land, request for authorization on the basis of a lapsed offer to purchase...).
Authorization or lack of response
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Prior declaration
In principle, when your request for work is accepted, you do not receive a response. This is a decision tacit of non-opposition to your work (agreement).
On simple request from you, the town hall must issue you a certificate of non-opposition. You thus have proof to assert your rights (obtaining a loan, taking out insurance).
Building permits
The decision to grant you a building permit takes the form ofan order signed by the mayor.
If you do not receive a response from the town hall at the end of the deadline for the investigation, your project is accepted. This is a tacit building permit.
On simple request from you, the town hall must issue you a certificate of non-opposition. You thus have proof to assert your rights (obtaining a loan, taking out insurance).
Authorization with prescriptions
If the city hall has reservations about your work, it takes a arrested with requirements. You must then do your work according to these imposed rules.
The reasons for the decision and the means and time limits for appeal are specified in the order.
Refusal
If City Hall refuses your project, it takes a arrested of opposition.
Reasons for decision, avenues and time limits for appeal are specified in the order.
Stay of proceedings
In certain circumstances, the mayor may postpone his decision for up to 2 years. The mayor takes a arrested stay of proceedings which indicates its duration. Your request is neither accepted nor refused. It will be reviewed later.
The stay of proceedings may concern any application for authorization concerning works, constructions or installations in the following cases:
- Land that is part of the perimeter of a collaborative development area (Zac: titleContent)
- Initiation of the investigation prior to the declaration of public utility (DUP: titleContent) of an operation
- Proposed construction that may compromise or make more expensive the performance of public works or the carrying out of a development operation
- Planned constructions likely to compromise or make more expensive the execution of the future local urban plan (MORE: titleContent)
- Project located in a space intended to appear in the heart of a national park.
The reasons for the decision and the remedies and time limits for appeal shall be specified in the order.
Within 2 months of the expiry of the period of validity of the stay, you must confirm your application for a permit. Within 2 months of your request, you will receive the mayor's decision. If you do not receive the mayor's decision within this period, your permit is considered granted.
FYI
The owner of land that has been stayed may apply to the community (or the utility that initiated it) to purchase the land. The community has 1 year to make a decision.
When the mayor refuses your application for city planning authorization or takes a arrested from stay of proceedings, you can challenge his decision in 2 ways:
- Appeal to the mayor (and/or the prefect in a municipality without MORE: titleContent, nor municipal card)
- Appeals to the administrative judge.
These 2 appeals can be made independently one from the other or simultaneously.
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Appeal to the mayor (and/or prefect)
You have 1 month to make a ex gratia before the mayor from the date of notification of its refusal (date of deposit or postmark). If your municipality is without MORE no municipal card, within the same period, you can also deposit a hierarchical redress before the prefect, in addition to the appeal to the mayor.
To make your request, you write your appeal on free paper. You can drop it off by hand or send it to the town hall and/or the prefecture by post RAR: titleContent.
In the absence of a response from the mayor and/or the prefect in the 2 months which follow the date on which your appeal was sent or lodged, your request is rejected.
Appeals to the administrative judge
You have 2 months to make a litigation before the administrative judge from the date of notification the refusal of the mayor or the date of implied rejection (date of deposit or postmark). This time limit remains 2 months, even if you have previously appealed to the mayor and/or the prefect.
To make your application, you must refer the matter to the administrative judge by letter in which you justify your appeal. You don't have to hire a lawyer.
You must apply to the administrative court on which the municipality where your project is located depends.
You can do your recourse with the help of an online service:
Citizens' telemedicine (appeal to the administrative judge)
You can also drop it off by hand or send it to RAR: titleContent.
The prior declaration and the building permit have a period of validity three-year-old.
This period shall start from the notification of the decision of the town hall. It is sent to you by mail RAR: titleContent (or electronically if you have accepted this method in the permit application form).
Depending on the method of transmission of the notification, the period of validity of your authorization starts on the following date:
- 1re presentation of registered mail
- The day after the date of electronic notification.
Without a written response from the City Council, the validity period is calculated from the date of initial submission of the application.
Example :
A building permit order is sent by post RAR: titleContent . It shall be presented or received by hand on 22 July 2024. The permit is valid until July 22, 2027.
A building permit order is sent electronically on July 22, 2024. It is valid until July 23, 2027.
Your authorization no longer valid if you do not start the work within 3 years or if after this period you interrupt it for more than 1 year in a row.
Please note
The period of validity of authorizations issued between 1er January 2021 and May 27, 2022 is 4 years.
The period of validity of authorizations issued between 28 May 2022 and 28 May 2024 shall be 5 years. In this case, the authorization cannot be extended.
Object of the display
You must view city planning permission on the ground.
An extract of your authorization is posted in the town hall within 8 days of its issuance and for 2 months.
Display Time
The display of the city planning authorization on the east field mandatory. You must make this display as soon as notification of thearrested or as soon as the processing time for your file is over (certificate of non-opposition).
It must remain in place during the entire duration of the work.
Formalism of display
You must use a rectangular panel with dimensions greater than 80 cm. It must be visible from the outside. The information on your billboard must be legible from the public highway or open to the public.
The display displays the following information:
- Name, business name or company name of the beneficiary
- Date and number of authorization
- Nature of the project, land area
- Address of the town hall where the file can be consulted
- Name of thearchitect author of the architectural project.
Depending on the nature of the project, it shall also indicate the following:
- Floor surface authorized and the height of the construction(s), expressed in meters in relation to the natural ground, if the project provides for construction
- Maximum number of lots planned if the project is for a subdivision
- Total number of sites and, if applicable, the number of sites reserved for light recreational housing if the project involves a campground or residential recreational park
- Area of building(s) to be demolished if the project involves demolition.
The posting shall also inform of the possibilities of appeal by mentioning the following information:
« Right of appeal:
The time limit for litigation is two months from the first day of a continuous period of two months of display on the ground of this panel (art. R. 600-2 of the city planning code).
Any administrative appeal or any contentious appeal must, on pain of inadmissibility, be notified to the author of the decision and to the beneficiary of the permit or of the decision taken on the prior declaration. This notification must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt within fifteen clear days from the filing of the appeal (Article R. 600-1 of the city planning Code). »
The situation is different depending on whether you have obtained a prior declaration or a building permit:
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Prior declaration
You must not not declare the opening of the construction site.
Building Permits
General case
Before you begin your work, you must declare the opening of the site on a form in 3 copies to be deposited or sent to the town hall, preferably by letter RAR: titleContent :
In Paris
Before you begin your work, you must declare the opening of the site to Basu only by dematerialized means:
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
You can start your work as soon as you receive thearrested of PC. In the absence of an answer, you can start your work at the end of the investigation period.
The period of validity may be extended 2 times for a period of 1 year if the city planning rules and administrative easements have not changed.
You have to make it there request At least 2 months before the expiry of the initial period of validity of your city planning authorization (or before the end of the period of validity of your 1re request for extension).
Example :
An authorization valid from 5 June 2025 to 5 June 2028 may be extended for 1 year if you apply before 5 April 2028.
It can be extended a 2e once if you request it 2 months before the end of the 1re extension granted.
The request must be sent on free paper, in 2 copies, by letter RAR: titleContent or dropped off at city hall.
Upon receipt of your request, the town hall has 2 months to answer you.
The extension is granted if you do not receive a reply within this period.
Only the valid city planning permissions may be extended.
If the city planning rules and administrative easements have changed, you cannot apply for an extension of your authorization. You must file a new application for city planning in accordance with the new rules.
Warning
Authorizations issued between 28 May 2022 and 28 May 2024 shall be valid for 5 years. In this case, they cannot be extended at the end of 5 years.
When you have finished your work, you must send to the town hall a Declaration of Completion and Compliance (DAACT).
The method of transmission of your DAACT differs depending on whether you are in the province or in Paris:
General case
You must submit your DAACT file to the town hall:
- By dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality (find out more on the website of the town hall or on site)
- Per letter RAR: titleContent
- Hand-held.
On the internet
You can complete your DAACT application on the internet:
Form
You can complete your DAACT application using a form:
In Paris
You must file your DAACT file at Basu: titleContent only by dematerialized means.
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
Obtaining a building permit or a prior declaration entails the payment of a development tax and a preventive archeology tax.
You can do a simulation of the amount of your development tax:
City planning tax simulator (development tax and preventive archeology tax)
Development tax
You report and pay development tax on different dates, if the floor area of your project is less than 5,000 m2 or if equal to or greater than:
Project with a floor area of less than 5,000 m²
You declare from your secure space on the tax site the elements necessary to calculate the development tax within 90 days after the completion of your work for tax purposes.
Where the amount of the tax is less than €1,500, you will receive a one-time payment request from 90 days after the completion date of the work.
If it exceeds €1,500, it is divided into 2 equal parts. You will receive the collection documents within the following deadlines:
- From 90 days from the date of completion of your work
- 6 months after the 1re ask.
FYI
The work is considered as completed for tax purposes, as soon as their state of progress allows effective use of the construction, even if there is still interior design work to be done.
Project with a floor area equal to or greater than 5,000 m²
You declare from your secure space on the tax site the elements necessary to calculate the development tax within a period of 7 months after the issue of the authorization.
From the issuance of the authorization, you have 2 installments of the tax to pay on the following dates:
- 9e months: 50% of tax
- 18e months: 35% of the tax.
They shall be deducted from the final amount of the development tax due.
Preventive Archeology Fee
The preventive archeology tax relates to all work that fulfills the following 3 conditions :
- Work constituting a construction, reconstruction, expansion or development operation of building
- Work subject to a declaration or prior authorization scheme (examples: building permits, planning permits)
- Works having a impact on the basement, regardless of depth.
You must declare the work in a period of 90 days from the completion of the work for tax purposes, via the online service " Manage my real estate ”, accessible on impots.gouv.fr.
When the surface of the construction is greater than 5 000 m², part of the tax shall be paid in the form ofinstallments :
- 1er down payment : equal to 50% the amount of the tax, at 9e month after the city planning authorization is issued
- 2nd down payment : equal to 35% of the amount of the tax, on the 18the month after the issue of the city planning authorization.
FYI
A construction is considered as completed for tax purposes, as soon as the progress of the work allows it to be used effectively, even if there is still work to be done on the interior.
Sectors protected
Step-by-step approach
New construction, work on existing buildings and the change of destination may be the subject of building permit or a prior declaration.
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Construction of a new building
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
Floor area or footprint of the building not exceeding 20 m²
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the height of the building:
Height of the building less than or equal to 12 m
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Height of the building greater than 12 m
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Floor area or footprint of the building greater than 20 m²
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Extension of buildings
The extension is the expansion of an existing construction that has a physical and functional connection with it, and smaller dimensions than it. The extension can be horizontal or vertical, by raising, excavating or enlarging.
Before you can perform any extension work, you must obtain a city planning authorization.
The regulations vary if the project to extend an existing building is located in an urban area of a MORE :
General case
The floor area and theright of way on the ground of the project determine the nature of the authorization to be submitted: building permit or prior declaration.
Floor area or footprint less than or equal to 20 m²
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Floor area or footprint greater than 20 m²
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
In urban areas of the local urban plan (PLU)
Lcity planning authorization depends on the value of the floor area of the existing building in relation to the threshold of 150 m2.
For the farm buildings, this threshold is 800 m2.
Building with a floor area of 150 m² or less
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area final building after extension:
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Building with a floor area of more than 150 m²
The choice of thecity planning authorization depends on the floor area and the right-of-way on the ground created:
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
You must file an application for building permit at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Change of destination
There are 5 types of destinations:
- Agriculture and forestry,
- Dwelling
- Trade and service activities
- Equipment of collective interest and public services
- Other activities in the secondary or tertiary sectors.
Each destination is broken down into sub-destinations.
There is change of destination when you move from one category to another. This is the case, for example, when you convert a home into a business premises.
Changes in the destination of buildings may be subject to a building permit or a prior declaration.
Change of destination and sub-destination with works modifying the supporting structures or the facade of the building
You must submit an application for a building permit to the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
Change of destination and sub-destination without modification of the load-bearing structures or the building facade
You must file a prior declaration at the town hall of the municipality where your project is located.
The application for a building permit is addressed to the town hall by natural persons and morals following:
- Owner(s) of the land or its agent
- Acquirer of the property
- Company authorized by the owner(s) to carry out the work
- Person in undivided or its authorized representative
- Trustee and co-owner
- Beneficiary of a expropriation (public service, public establishment, chamber of commerce...).
Depending on the work you want to do, you must file a prior declaration or a building permit :
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Completing an advance declaration
General case
You must complete your RFP file by dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality or on a paper form. Ask on the website of the town hall or on site.
On the internet
You can complete your RFP application on the internet:
Form
You must complete the following form:
Prior declaration of constructions and works not subject to building permits
Please note
By filling out the permit application form, you can choose to receive correspondence from the administration by LRE: titleContent or by another equivalent electronic method.
The RFP file includes the form and documents to be provided.
In the RFP form, a " attachment filing slip ” gives a full list of all the documents that the city planning department may ask you to examine your project.
You must provide the following documents:
- Situation Plan land for all projects (you can get it on the Geoportal website)
- Ground plane if you are creating a new construction or changing the volume of an existing construction
- Cross-sectional plane if you change the profile of the land (for example, building a buried pool)
- Plan facades and roofs if you change them.
Other parts may be requested depending on the nature of your project.
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
Complete a building permit
General case
You must complete your PC file by dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality or on a paper form. Ask on the website of the town hall or on site.
On the internet
You can fill out your PC application file on the internet:
Form
You must complete the following form:
Application for a building permit (other than for a detached house or its annexes)
When several people file a building permit together, they attach an additional sheet in which they give the identity and contact details of each owner.
Supplementary file/other applicants for the same project
Please note
By filling out the permit application form, you can choose to receive correspondence from the administration by LRE: titleContent or by another equivalent electronic method.
The building permit application file includes the form and documents to be provided.
In the form, a “ attachment filing slip ” gives the full list of all documents that the city planning service may request from you.
For all projects, you must provide the following documents:
- Situation Plan land you can get on the Geoportal website
- Ground plane
- Cross-sectional plane
- Notice presenting the land, its surroundings and the project (location, access, parking, planned developments, materials and colors of buildings, plantations)
- Plan of facades and roofs
- Graphical document (photomontage for example) to assess the project in relation to other nearby buildings and landscapes
- Original photograph to locate the land in its nearby environment
- Original photograph to locate the land in its distant environment.
Other documents are requested depending on the nature of your project.
The recourse to the architect may also be required for an enlargement.
If the floor area of your construction is more than 150 m², you must have the plans drawn up by an architect.
If the floor area of your farm building is more than 800 m², you need have the plans drawn up by an architect.
Construction or extension of buildings and energy renovation works must comply with the environmental regulations 2020.
You must provide a certificate of compliance with this regulation that you can obtain on the Internet:
Certificates of consideration of environmental regulations RE 2020 and thermal RT 2012
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
You must file your application for prior declaration or building permit in town hall.
Depending on whether you are in Paris or in another municipality, you must submit your application:
- By dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality (find out more on the website of the town hall or on site)
- Per letter RAR: titleContent
- Hand-held.
Depending on whether you are in Paris or in another municipality, you must submit your application:
- By dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality (find out more on the website of the town hall or on site)
- Per letter RAR: titleContent
- Hand-held.
Who shall I contact
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Submit a prior declaration
General case
By internet
You can send your application via the internet:
Assistance for your planning permission application
The town hall issues you a receipt. When you submit your application electronically, the receipt is the electronic acknowledgement of receipt.
It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin.
Deposit in town hall or by mail
Your prior declaration can be submitted or sent by post RAR: titleContent to the town hall.
Depending on the situation of the land on which your project is located, you must submit a certain number of copies of the complete file (with the required attachments):
- Project located within the perimeter of a remarkable heritage site, to surroundings of historical monuments, in a classified site, registered site or nature reserve: 3 copies
- Project located in a heart of national park : 4 copies
- Project submitted to commercial exploitation authorization: 4 copies (including 1 on dematerialized medium).
You will attach to these complete files 2 additional copies of situation plan.
In the case of a construction, you will also need to provide 2 additional copies of the ground plane, the plan of the facades and roofs and the cross-sectional plane.
The town hall issues you a receipt. It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin.
This receipt specifies that, within 1 month from the filing of the file, the City Hall can notify you of a different deadline to start your work. She also has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete.
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
Submit a building permit
By internet
You can send your application via the internet:
Assistance for your planning permission application
The town hall issues you a receipt. When you submit your application electronically, the receipt is the electronic acknowledgement of receipt.
It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin.
Deposit in town hall or by mail
Your prior declaration can be submitted or sent by post RAR: titleContent to the town hall.
Depending on the situation of the land on which your project is located, you must file a number of copies of the complete file (with the required attachments):
- Project located within the perimeter of a remarkable heritage site, to surroundings of historical monuments, in a classified site, registered site or nature reserve: 3 copies
- Project located in a heart of national park : 4 copies
- Project submitted to commercial exploitation authorization: 4 copies (including 1 on dematerialized medium).
You will attach to these complete files 2 additional copies of situation plan.
In the case of a construction, you will also need to provide 2 additional copies of the ground plane, the plan of the facades and roofs and the cross-sectional plane.
The town hall issues you a receipt. It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin.
This receipt specifies that, within 1 month from the filing of the file, the City Hall can notify you of a different deadline to start your work. She also has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete.
In Paris
You must submit your file to the Reception and User Service Office (Basu: titleContent) only by dematerialized means.
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
The town hall issues you a receipt. It includes the registration number of your file and the information allowing you to know the date from which the work can begin. When you submit your application electronically, the receipt shall consist of the electronic acknowledgement of receipt.
This receipt specifies that, within 1 month from the filing of the file, the City Hall can notify you of a different deadline to start your work. She also has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete.
The processing times vary for a prior declaration and a building permit.
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Deadlines for the examination of a prior declaration
Your file is complete.
Within one month of filing your RFP, the city planning department will notified per letter RAR: titleContent one 2-month lead time in general.
If you have agreed in your prior declaration to receive the instructor's letters at an email address, the notification may be sent to you by email.
Your file is incomplete
The town hall has 1 month to inform you that your file is incomplete. You must complete it within 3 months. If you do not provide the missing documents, your request will be considered rejected.
The investigation delay starts when your file is complete.
Time limits for the examination of a building permit
Your file is complete
Depending on the situation of your project, the processing time may vary:
- 4 months for a project located within the perimeter remarkable heritage site
- 4 months for a project located in the surroundings of historical monuments
- 5 months for a project located in the heart of a national park
- 5 months for a project located in a national nature reserve or, in Corsica, a reserve classified by the State
- 5 months for one building listed as a historic monument.
You will be informed within one month of submitting your application.
The investigation period starts from the date of submission of the complete file to the town hall.
Your file is incomplete
Within 1 month of receiving or submitting your permit application to the City Hall, it will send you by letter or by electronic means a request for the missing parts.
You have 3 months to send the requested parts. If you do not provide them, your permit application will be considered rejected.
The investigation delay starts when your file is complete.
The decision is sent to you by letter RAR: titleContent or by LRE: titleContent or an equivalent electronic method.
There are several possible cases:
- Authorization or lack of response
- Authorization with requirements
- Refusal
- Stay of proceedings.
Please note
Within 3 months of the date of the decision, the mayor may withdraw a city planning authorization if he considers that it has been issued illegally (false surface, truncated plan of the land, request for authorization on the basis of a lapsed offer to purchase...).
Authorization or lack of response
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Prior declaration
In principle, when your request for work is accepted, you do not receive a response. This is a decision tacit of non-opposition to your work (agreement).
On simple request from you, the town hall must issue you a certificate of non-opposition. You thus have proof to assert your rights (obtaining a loan, taking out insurance).
Building permits
The decision to grant you a building permit takes the form ofan order signed by the mayor.
If you do not receive a response from the town hall at the end of the deadline for the investigation, your project is accepted. This is a tacit building permit.
On simple request from you, the town hall must issue you a certificate of non-opposition. You thus have proof to assert your rights (obtaining a loan, taking out insurance).
Authorization with prescriptions
If the city hall has reservations about your work, it takes a arrested with requirements. You must then do your work according to these imposed rules.
The reasons for the decision and the means and time limits for appeal are specified in the order.
Refusal
If City Hall refuses your project, it takes a arrested of opposition.
Reasons for decision, avenues and time limits for appeal are specified in the order.
Stay of proceedings
In certain circumstances, the mayor may postpone his decision for up to 2 years. The mayor takes a arrested stay of proceedings which indicates its duration. Your request is neither accepted nor refused. It will be reviewed later.
The stay of proceedings may concern any application for authorization concerning works, constructions or installations in the following cases:
- Land that is part of the perimeter of a collaborative development area (Zac: titleContent)
- Initiation of the investigation prior to the declaration of public utility (DUP: titleContent) of an operation
- Proposed construction that may compromise or make more expensive the performance of public works or the carrying out of a development operation
- Planned constructions likely to compromise or make more expensive the execution of the future local urban plan (MORE: titleContent)
- Project located in a space intended to appear in the heart of a national park.
The reasons for the decision and the remedies and time limits for appeal shall be specified in the order.
Within 2 months of the expiry of the period of validity of the stay, you must confirm your application for a permit. Within 2 months of your request, you will receive the mayor's decision. If you do not receive the mayor's decision within this period, your permit is considered granted.
FYI
The owner of land that has been stayed may apply to the community (or the utility that initiated it) to purchase the land. The community has 1 year to make a decision.
When the mayor refuses your application for city planning authorization or takes a arrested from stay of proceedings, you can challenge his decision in 2 ways:
- Appeal to the mayor (and/or the prefect in a municipality without MORE: titleContent, nor municipal card)
- Appeals to the administrative judge.
These 2 appeals can be made independently one from the other or simultaneously.
Warning
If you are in a remarkable heritage site or to approaches to a historic monument and if the refusal of authorization is based on an unfavorable opinion of theABF: titleContent, you have to make a compulsory prior administrative appeal (Rapo). It must be made to the regional prefect before your appeal before the administrative judge.
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Appeal to the mayor (and/or prefect)
You have 1 month to make a ex gratia before the mayor from the date of notification of its refusal (date of deposit or postmark). If your municipality is without MORE no municipal card, within the same period, you can also deposit a hierarchical redress before the prefect, in addition to the appeal to the mayor.
To make your request, you write your appeal on free paper. You can drop it off by hand or send it to the town hall and/or the prefecture by post RAR: titleContent.
In the absence of a response from the mayor and/or the prefect in the 2 months which follow the date on which your appeal was sent or lodged, your request is rejected.
Appeals to the administrative judge
You have 2 months to make a litigation before the administrative judge from the date of notification the refusal of the mayor or the date of implied rejection (date of deposit or postmark). This time limit remains 2 months, even if you have previously appealed to the mayor and/or the prefect.
To make your application, you must refer the matter to the administrative judge by letter in which you justify your appeal. You don't have to hire a lawyer.
You must apply to the administrative court on which the municipality where your project is located depends.
You can do your recourse with the help of an online service:
Citizens' telemedicine (appeal to the administrative judge)
You can also drop it off by hand or send it to RAR: titleContent.
The advance declaration and the building permit have a period of validity three-year-old.
This period shall start from the notification of the decision of the town hall. It is sent to you by mail RAR: titleContent (or electronically if you have accepted this method in the permit application form).
Depending on the method of transmission of the notification, the period of validity of your authorization starts on the following date:
- 1re presentation of registered mail
- The day after the date of electronic notification.
Without a written response from the City Council, the validity period is calculated from the date of initial submission of the application.
Example :
A building permit order is sent by post RAR: titleContent . It shall be presented or received by hand on 22 July 2024. The permit is valid until July 22, 2027.
A building permit order is sent electronically on July 22, 2024. It is valid until July 23, 2027.
Your authorization no longer valid if you do not start the work within 3 years or if after this period you interrupt it for more than 1 year in a row.
Please note
The period of validity of authorizations issued between 1er January 2021 and May 27, 2022 is 4 years.
The period of validity of authorizations issued between 28 May 2022 and 28 May 2024 shall be 5 years. In this case, the authorization cannot be extended.
Object of the display
You must view city planning permission on the ground.
An extract of your authorization is posted in the town hall within 8 days of its issuance and for 2 months.
Display Time
The display of the city planning authorization on the east field mandatory. You must make this display as soon as notification of thearrested or as soon as the processing time for your file is over (certificate of non-opposition).
It must remain in place during the entire duration of the work.
Formalism of display
You must use a rectangular panel with dimensions greater than 80 cm. It must be visible from the outside. The information on your billboard must be legible from the public highway or open to the public.
The display displays the following information:
- Name, business name or company name of the beneficiary
- Date and number of authorization
- Nature of the project, land area
- Address of the town hall where the file can be consulted
- Name of thearchitect author of the architectural project.
Depending on the nature of the project, it shall also indicate the following:
- Floor surface authorized and the height of the construction(s), expressed in meters in relation to the natural ground, if the project provides for construction
- Maximum number of lots planned if the project is for a subdivision
- Total number of sites and, if applicable, the number of sites reserved for light recreational housing if the project involves a campground or residential recreational park
- Area of building(s) to be demolished if the project involves demolition.
The posting shall also inform of the possibilities of appeal by mentioning the following information:
« Right of appeal:
The time limit for litigation is two months from the first day of a continuous period of two months of display on the ground of this panel (art. R. 600-2 of the city planning code).
Any administrative appeal or any contentious appeal must, on pain of inadmissibility, be notified to the author of the decision and to the beneficiary of the permit or of the decision taken on the prior declaration. This notification must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt within fifteen clear days from the filing of the appeal (Article R. 600-1 of the city planning Code). »
The situation is different depending on whether you have obtained a prior declaration or a building permit.
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Prior declaration
You must not not declare the opening of the construction site.
Building Permits
General case
Before you begin your work, you must declare the opening of the site on a form in 3 copies to be deposited or sent to the town hall, preferably by letter RAR: titleContent :
In Paris
Before you begin your work, you must declare the opening of the site to Basu only by dematerialized means:
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
You can start your work as soon as you receive thearrested of PC. In the absence of an answer, you can start your work at the end of the investigation period.
The period of validity may be extended 2 times for a period of 1 year if the city planning rules and administrative easements have not changed.
You have to make it there request At least 2 months before the expiry of the initial period of validity of your city planning authorization (or before the end of the period of validity of your 1re request for extension).
Example :
An authorization valid from 5 June 2025 to 5 June 2028 may be extended for 1 year if you apply before 5 April 2028.
It can be extended a 2e once if you request it 2 months before the end of the 1re extension granted.
The request must be sent on free paper, in 2 copies, by letter RAR: titleContent or dropped off at city hall.
Upon receipt of your request, the town hall has 2 months to answer you.
The extension is granted if you do not receive a reply within this period.
Only the valid city planning permissions may be extended.
If the city planning rules and administrative easements have changed, you cannot apply for an extension of your authorization. You must file a new application for city planning in accordance with the new rules.
Warning
Authorizations issued between 28 May 2022 and 28 May 2024 shall be valid for 5 years. In this case, they cannot be extended at the end of 5 years.
When you have finished your work, you must send to the town hall a Declaration of Completion and Compliance (DAACT).
The method of transmission of your DAACT differs depending on whether you are in the province or in Paris:
General case
You must submit your DAACT file to the town hall:
- By dematerialized means according to the arrangements made by your municipality (find out more on the website of the town hall or on site)
- Per letter RAR: titleContent
- Hand-held.
On the internet
You can complete your DAACT application on the internet:
Form
You can complete your DAACT application using a form:
In Paris
You must file your DAACT file at Basu: titleContent only by dematerialized means.
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
Obtaining a building permit or a prior declaration entails the payment of a development tax and a preventive archeology tax.
You can do a simulation of the amount of your development tax:
City planning tax simulator (development tax and preventive archeology tax)
Development tax
You report and pay development tax on different dates, if the floor area of your project is less than 5,000 m2 or if equal to or greater than:
Project with a floor area of less than 5,000 m²
You declare from your secure space on the tax site the elements necessary to calculate the development tax within 90 days after the completion of your work for tax purposes.
Where the amount of the tax is less than €1,500, you receive a one-time payment request from 90 days after the completion date of the work.
If it exceeds €1,500, it is divided into 2 equal parts. You will receive the collection documents within the following deadlines:
- From 90 days from the date of completion of your work
- 6 months after the 1re ask.
FYI
The work is considered as completed for tax purposes, as soon as their state of progress allows effective use of the construction, even if there is still interior design work to be done.
Project with a floor area equal to or greater than 5,000 m²
You declare from your secure space on the tax site the elements necessary to calculate the development tax within a period of 7 months after the issue of the authorization.
From the issuance of the authorization, you have 2 installments of the tax to pay on the following dates:
- 9e months: 50% of tax
- 18e months: 35% of the tax.
They shall be deducted from the final amount of the development tax due.
Preventive Archeology Fee
The preventive archeology tax relates to all work that fulfills the following 3 conditions :
- Work constituting a construction, reconstruction, expansion or development operation of building
- Work subject to a declaration or prior authorization scheme (examples: building permits, planning permits)
- Works having a impact on the basement, regardless of depth.
You must declare the work in a period of 90 days from the completion of the work for tax purposes, via the online service " Manage my real estate ”, accessible on impots.gouv.fr.
When the surface of the construction is greater than 5 000 m², part of the tax shall be paid in the form ofinstallments :
- 1er down payment : equal to 50% the amount of the tax, at 9e month after the city planning authorization is issued
- 2nd down payment : equal to 35% of the amount of the tax, on the 18the month after the issue of the city planning authorization.
FYI
A construction is considered as completed for tax purposes, as soon as the progress of the work allows for its effective use, even if there is still interior design work to be done.
Assistance for your planning permission application
Reception and user service office (Basu) in Paris: one-stop shop
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For more general information
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.
- Lundi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30Horaires exceptionnels le jeudi 2 avril de 08h30 à 09h45 et de 14h00 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
- Service free
The informants who answer you belong to the ministry in charge of housing and city planning.
For more information on a file
Town HallFor more information in Paris
Paris: Reception and user service office (Basu)For city planning policy information based on your industry's overall architecture
Architecture, city planning and Environment Council (CAUE)For information on the development tax or the preventive archeology fee
Departmental Center for Property Taxes (CDIF)
Recourse to architect (Article L431-3)
Time limit for appeal to the mayor and/or the prefect
Time-limit for bringing an action before the administrative court
New buildings subject to building permits
Work on existing buildings and changes of destination
Deposit receipt
Deadline for investigation
Specific time limits for investigation
Notification of the list of missing documents in case of incomplete file
RAPO in a remarkable heritage site or on the outskirts of a historic monument
Viewing Permission
Duration of validity
Composition of the building permit application file
Preventive Archeology Tax (General Case)
Development tax
Arrangements for the recovery of development tax
Online service