France's mandatory energy performance certificate — required for all property sales and rentals, rating the building on a scale from A (excellent) to G (very poor) for energy efficiency.
The DPE — Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique — is France's mandatory energy performance certificate, equivalent to the UK's EPC or Italy's APE. It rates a property's energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions on scales from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient), using a colour-coded label that must be included in all property sale and rental listings and must be provided to buyers or tenants before they are committed to a transaction.
The DPE became opposable (legally binding as a document) under reforms enacted in July 2021. This is significant: under the new rules, a buyer or tenant who discovers that the actual energy consumption significantly differs from the DPE can seek compensation from the seller, agent, or diagnostiqueur who issued the certificate. Pre-2021 DPEs (issued before 1 July 2021) lost their validity on 1 January 2025 and must now be replaced with a new DPE for any sale or rental.
For landlords in France, the DPE rating has become a major regulatory issue. Since 1 January 2025, properties rated G are prohibited from being rented in France. From 2028, properties rated F will also be banned from the rental market. From 2034, E-rated properties will be similarly affected. This so-called "passoire thermique" (thermal sieve) ban is driving significant renovation activity among French landlords and is depressing prices for lower-rated properties. Before purchasing any French investment property, check the DPE rating and budget for any required energy improvements.
The DPE is conducted by an accredited diagnostiqueur immobilier. It costs approximately €100–€300 depending on the property size and region. For sales, it forms part of a broader dossier de diagnostics techniques (DDT) that includes other mandatory surveys such as the diagnostic amiante (asbestos), diagnostic plomb (lead paint), état des risques naturels et technologiques (ERNT), and others. All DDT documents must be provided to the buyer at or before the compromis de vente stage.
When reviewing a DPE for a potential purchase, pay attention to the primary energy consumption figure (kWh/m²/year) and the greenhouse gas emissions rating. For old stone farmhouses (maisons en pierre) and traditional French country houses, D or E ratings are common and often improvable with straightforward insulation and heating system upgrades. F and G ratings require more significant — and expensive — works and carry rental ban risk if you intend to let the property.
Yes. A DPE is mandatory for all residential property sales and rentals in France. It must be included in the property listing (with the A-G label) and provided to the buyer or tenant as part of the DDT. Failure to provide a DPE can expose the seller or landlord to legal action and potentially void the transaction.
A DPE issued on or after 1 July 2021 is valid for 10 years. DPEs issued before 1 July 2021 were phased out: those issued between 2013 and 2017 expired on 1 January 2023; those issued between 2018 and 2021 expired on 1 January 2025. Any sale or rental now requires a current, post-July-2021 DPE.
Not under a new rental contract. Since 1 January 2025, new rental agreements for G-rated properties are prohibited in France (mainland). Existing rental contracts for G-rated properties can continue until they expire, but cannot be renewed as new contracts. From 2028, the same ban extends to F-rated properties.
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