city planning certificate
Verified 01 January 2022 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of city planning
The city planning certificate is an information document, not an authorisation. There are 2 types: the information certificate and the operational certificate. 1to gives the city planning rules on a given field, the 2nd tells you about the feasibility of a project. The application for a certificate is optional, but is recommended for the purchase of real property (building land or building) or a construction operation.
Information Certificate
The certificate provides you with general information on the ground:
- City planning rules applicable to the land
- Administrative limitations on property rights (easements public use, protection area within the perimeter of a historical monument)
- Location in an area subject to right of first refusal
- Location in a former listed industrial site
- City planning taxes and contributions
The city planning certificate guarantees stability of all information it provides, for 18 months from its issue.
The city planning authorisation will be processed in accordance with the rules in force at the time of issue of the certificate and the fee will not be increased.
Finally, if right of first refusal shall be established after the issue of the certificate, it shall not be exercised for the entire period of its validity.
The certificate must specify whether a postponement of the decision, called stay, could be applied to a pre-declaration or application for a building permit. He then indicates the circumstances under which a stay of proceedings could be decided.
You can fill out a form or use an online service to help you build your file.
City planning authorisation request assistance
Your city planning certificate request can be made on an online service with input help.
Support for your city planning authorisation request
The city planning certificate may be requested by the owner or any other person interested in the land.
Please note
when the authority issues a city planning certificate to a third party, it does not notify the owner.
The city planning certificate request shall specify the following information:
- Applicant Identity
- Location, area and cadastral references of the land
- Application Subject
Your certificate request must be made in 2 copies.
If your project is protected area of historic monuments, you will attach 1 additional copy.
If your project is located in the heart of a national park, you will find 2 additional copies.
Your file must be deposited or sent by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt to the town hall where the land is located. You can also transmit it in dematerialised form according to the terms defined by your municipality. To get to know them, you need to get closer to the city planning department of your town hall.
Form
City planning certificate request
The city planning certificate may be requested by the owner or any other person interested in the land.
Please note
when the authority issues a city planning certificate to a third party, it does not notify the owner.
The city planning certificate request shall specify the following information:
- Applicant Identity
- Location, area and cadastral references of the land
- Application Subject
Your certificate request must be made in 2 copies.
If your project is protected area of historic monuments, you will attach 1 additional copy.
If your project is located in the heart of a national park, you will find 2 additional copies.
Your file must be deposited or sent by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt to the town hall where the land is located. You can also transmit it in dematerialised form according to the terms defined by your municipality. To get to know them, you need to get closer to the city planning department of your town hall.
From the moment you receive your city planning certificate request, the town hall has a 1 month to process it.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Answer from City Hall
The information certificate shall be sent by registered letter with notice of receipt.
Failure to respond after investigation time
Failure by the City Council to reply after the end of the period of investigation shall constitute the issue of tacit certificate. However, city planning certificate is an act of information and it is not possible to give tacit information. Therefore, this tacit certificate only guarantees that, during the 18 months of its validity, the following points cannot be challenged:
- City planning rules applicable to the land
- Administrative limitations on property rights
- List of taxes and fees
The town hall is still obliged to issue a written reply, even late.
Term
The duration of the informational certificate is 18 months from the date of signature.
Extension
The city planning certificate may be extended by one year. An extension is possible as long as the city planning rules, utility easements and taxes applicable to the land have not changed.
The request for an extension must be sent to the town hall at least 2 months before the expiry of the certificate.
It is written on free paper, accompanied by the city planning certificate to be extended.
It is deposited or sent by registered mail to the town hall.
The absence of a written reply within 2 months of receipt of the request shall be considered as an extension of the certificate. The extension shall take effect upon the expiry of the original certificate.
Operational Certificate
You apply for an operational certificate if you already have a construction project in the field.
The certificate tells you whether your project is feasible and tells you the status of existing or planned public facilities (lanes and networks) serving the land.
The certificate provides you with general information on the ground:
- City planning rules applicable to the land
- Administrative limitations on property rights (easements public use, protection area within the perimeter of a historical monument)
- Location in an area subject to right of first refusal
- Location in a former listed industrial site
- City planning taxes and contributions
The city planning certificate guarantees stability of all information it provides, for 18 months from its issue.
The city planning authorisation will be processed in accordance with the rules in force at the time of issue of the certificate and the fee will not be increased.
Finally, if right of first refusal shall be established after the issue of the certificate, it shall not be exercised for the entire period of its validity.
The certificate must specify whether a postponement of the decision, called stay, could be applied to a pre-declaration or application for a building permit. He then indicates the circumstances under which a stay of proceedings could be decided.
You can fill out a form or use an online service to help you build your file.
Form
City planning certificate request
The city planning certificate may be requested by the owner or any other person interested in the land.
Please note
when the authority issues a city planning certificate to a third party, it does not notify the owner.
The city planning certificate request shall specify the following information:
- Applicant Identity
- Location, area and cadastral references of the land
- Application Subject
It shall be accompanied by a brief description of the operation, indicating the destination of the building(s) to be built.
Your certificate request must be made in 4 copies.
If your project is protected area of historic monuments, you will attach 1 additional copy.
If your project is located in the heart of a national park, you will find 2 additional copies.
Your file must be deposited or sent by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt to the town hall where the land is located. You can also transmit it in dematerialised form according to the terms defined by your municipality. To get to know them, you need to get closer to the city planning department of your town hall.
City planning authorisation request assistance
Your city planning certificate request can be made on an online service with input help.
Support for your city planning authorisation request
The city planning certificate may be requested by the owner or any other person interested in the land.
Please note
when the authority issues a city planning certificate to a third party, it does not notify the owner.
The city planning certificate request shall specify the following information:
- Applicant Identity
- Location, area and cadastral references of the land
- Application Subject
It shall be accompanied by a brief description of the operation, indicating the destination of the building(s) to be built.
Your certificate request must be made in 4 copies.
If your project is protected area of historic monuments, you will attach 1 additional copy.
If your project is located in the heart of a national park, you will find 2 additional copies.
Your file must be deposited or sent by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt to the town hall where the land is located. You can also transmit it in dematerialised form according to the terms defined by your municipality. To get to know them, you need to get closer to the city planning department of your town hall.
From the moment you receive your city planning certificate request, the town hall has a 2 months to process it.
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Answer from City Hall
Positive response
The information certificate shall be sent by registered letter with notice of receipt.
When positive, the certificate only covers the following:
- Approximate location of the projected building(s) in the land unit
- Destination of future buildings
- Means of service by existing or planned public facilities
Negative Response
The certificate is negative when the project is not feasible in the field. The administration must justify its refusal.
Failure to respond after investigation time
Failure by the City Council to reply after the end of the period of investigation shall constitute the issue of tacit certificate. However, city planning certificate is an act of information and it is not possible to give tacit information. Therefore, this tacit certificate only guarantees that, during the 18 months of its validity, the following points cannot be challenged:
- City planning rules applicable to the land
- Administrative limitations on property rights
- List of taxes and fees
The town hall is still obliged to issue a written reply, even late.
Term
The duration of the operational certificate is 18 months from the date of signature.
Extension Request
The city planning certificate may be extended by one year. An extension is possible as long as the city planning rules, utility easements and taxes applicable to the land have not changed.
The request for an extension must be sent to the town hall at least 2 months before the expiry of the certificate.
It is written on free paper, accompanied by the city planning certificate to be extended.
It is deposited or sent by registered mail to the town hall.
The absence of a written reply within 2 months of receipt of the request shall be considered as an extension of the certificate. The extension shall take effect upon the expiry of the original certificate.
The city planning certificate may be subject to appeal where the City Council has issued a negative certificate.
In order to challenge the decision, the town hall should be contacted by way of ex gratia within 2 months of receiving your negative certificate.
In case of failure, you can refer the matter to the Administrative Court litigation.
- City planning Code: items A410-1 to A410-5City planning certificate Content
- City planning Code: Articles R*410-1 to R*410-3City planning certificate request procedure
- City planning Code: Article R*410-18Starting point of validity period
- City planning Code: Article L410-1City planning certificate Content
- Circular of 21 December 2018 for the presentation of the provisions for the immediate application of the law n°2018-1021 (Elan law) (PDF - 269.7 KB)
- City planning permissionService-Public.fr
- City planning - BTP