Under what conditions can you make a fireplace in your home?

Verified 10 January 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Making a fire at home, in a fireplace or in a wood or pellet stove is regulated. The right to use wood or pellet heating (for your pleasure or as supplementary or main heating) depends in particular on the region in which you live.

General case

You can make a fire in your fireplace (with or without insert) or with your wood stove or granules if you meet the following 2 conditions:

  • The sweeping of your chimney or stove is done in compliance with the local rules set by municipal or prefectural decree (these rules are available in town hall). In general, sweeping must be done at least every year.
  • Your co-ownership rules don't forbid it
Who shall I contact

In Île-de-France

The conditions to be met differ depending on whether you live in Paris or in a other municipality in a sensitive area and according to your equipment.

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In Paris

Closed fireplaces (fireplace with an insert or stove)

You can make a fire for your pleasure or as main or auxiliary heating if you meet the following 3 conditions:

Who shall I contact
Open fireplace (chimney)

You can make a fire for your pleasure or as a supplementary heater if you meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Sweeping is done in accordance with the local rules laid down by municipal or prefectural decree (these rules can be consulted in town hall). In general, sweeping must be done at least every year.
  • Your co-ownership rules don't forbid it
Who shall I contact

However, you cannot use your open fireplace as your main heating system.

Other municipality in sensitive area

Closed fireplaces (fireplace with insert or stove)

You can make a fire for your pleasure or as main or auxiliary heating if you meet the following 3 conditions:

  • You respect emission and performance standards for new equipment. For existing equipment, there are no emission and performance standards.
  • Sweeping is done in accordance with the local rules laid down by municipal or prefectural decree (these rules can be consulted in town hall). In general, sweeping must be done at least every year.
  • Your co-ownership rules don't forbid it
Who shall I contact
Open fireplace (chimney)

You can make a fireplace fire for your pleasure or as a supplementary heating if you meet the following 2 conditions:

  • Sweeping is done in accordance with the local rules laid down by municipal or prefectural decree (these rules can be consulted in town hall). In general, sweeping must be done at least every year.
  • Your co-ownership rules don't forbid it
Who shall I contact

However, you cannot use your open fireplace as your main heating system.