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4. Certificats d'Urbanisme

What is a Certificat d'Urbanisme?
Types of Certificat d'Urbanisme
Application for a Certificat d'Urbanisme

4.1. What is a Certificat d'Urbanisme?

A certificat d’urbanisme is a planning advice certificate issued by the mairie or préfecture, which gives general planning information on a particular site.

It may be best described as an 'in principle' planning consent, but it is most definitely not planning permission for a particular project, for which specific approval must be sought.

A certificate will advise you whether there exists a right to build on the land and under what conditions - the planning rules and limitations of use on the site.

If you are buying land on which to build, convert a building, undertake major renovation, or redevelopment of a property, you should make purchase completion at least subject to receipt of a satisfactory planning certificate.

Indeed, for a new build project (or those involving major reconstruction) in a sensitive location, we would recommend you make sale completion subject to receipt of planning consent.

A planning certificate does offer a strong assurance for routine developments, but it cannot hope to offer the same level of guarantee as planning permission, as it does not go into the same level of detail. Neither is it subject to a right of opposition by third parties, in the same way as is available to opponents of a planning consent.

You need to also note that the first division of land for one or more new dwellings requires a special kind of consent called a déclaration préalable or a permis d'aménager (where more than one dwelling). This approval should have been obtained by the seller prior to placing the land for sale on the market.

Next: Types of Certificat d'Urbanisme

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