Dealing with Construction Permits in France

The table below summarizes the procedures, time, and costs to build a warehouse in France.

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Building a warehouse

Data as of: January 2009
Estimated Warehouse Value: EUR 325,000
City: Paris

Requirements Summary:


  Procedure Time to complete: Cost to complete:
1 Obtain building permit 60 days no charge
2 Declare intention to build to the prefecture 1 day no charge
3 Apply for water connection 1 day no charge
4 SEDIF visits the site to prepare a cost estimate (devis) for water connection 1 day no charge
5 Apply for electricity connection 1 day no charge
*6 EDF visits the site to prepare a cost estimate (devis) for the electricity connection 1 day no charge
7 Approved permit is publicly displayed 60 days no charge
*8 File a declaration of the worksite opening 1 day no charge
*9 Declare completion of construction 1 day no charge
*10 Receive visit by building inspectors and obtain compliance certificate 1 day no charge
11 Obtain electricity connection 68 days EUR 3,138
*12 Obtain water connection 38 days EUR 4,000
*13 Obtain telephone connection 60 days EUR 130
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.

Requirement Details

Procedure 1.
Obtain building permit
Time to complete:
60 days
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
City Hall (Mairie)
Comment:
To obtain a building permit, BuildCo must submit the following: - Location plan (orientation, access roads). - Overall plan of the construction or renovation (dimensions, elevations, connections, access), drawn up on grounds of the Land Registry–based map, representing the plot. - Front elevations. - Views, cross sections, layout. - Document with a detailed description of the project impact on the existing landscape to prove that it is environment friendly. - Survey photographs (both near- and long-range), allowing for the easy identification of the site in relation to the surrounding areas. To prepare this documentation, BuildCo should start by obtaining the building permit forms from City Hall or on the Internet through the Booth for Forms (Guichet des formulaires) of the Equipment, Transport, and Housing Ministry (Ministère de l’ Equipment, des Transports et du Logement) (www.equipement.gouv.fr/). The application is filed at City Hall in quadruplicate and a receipt is given, or it may be sent by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt. If one document is missing, claims must be made within a fortnight after registration. Where the application is accompanied by all the required documents, the contractor will receive acknowledgment of receipt, indicating the date and registration number and the time needed for title investigation. The building permit will be issued within 2 months after registration of the application (except where the plot is a classified site). The contractor shall deem the permit tacitly granted if no reply is received within the 2-month period. The building permit is valid for 2 years, The contractor must begin work (or apply for an extension) within that time; otherwise, the permit lapses. Moreover, if the contractor halts work for over a year, the validity of the permit lapses, even if the 2-year statutory period has not yet elapsed. The permit must be displayed at the construction site and must include all the requisite information: mandatory dimensions, building permit number and date of issue, name of permit holder, nature of the work, and the address of City Hall where the construction documents are open to public scrutiny. A copy of the building permit must be available in City Hall for 2 months to enable any aggrieved third parties (say, adjacent property owners) to challenge it.
Procedure 2.
Declare intention to build to the prefecture
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Prefecture
Comment:
According to Article 25 of the Decree of September 21, 1977, BuildCo must declare the prefecture its intention to build a warehouse for book storage.
Procedure 3.
Apply for water connection
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Syndicat des Eaux d'Ile de France (SEDIF)
Comment:
The water utility connection is typically a lengthy process. Thus, it is advisable to request it before beginning construction work.
Procedure 4.
SEDIF visits the site to prepare a cost estimate (devis) for water connection
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Syndicat des Eaux d'Ile de France (SEDIF)
Comment:
Procedure 5.
Apply for electricity connection
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Electricité de France (EDF)
Comment:
Procedure 6.
EDF visits the site to prepare a cost estimate (devis) for the electricity connection
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
Electricité de France (EDF)
Comment:
Procedure 7.
Approved permit is publicly displayed
Time to complete:
60 days
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
BuildCo
Comment:
BuildCo must display a signboard on the site showing the building permit number and the responsible project architect. To allow third parties to challenge the project, the signboard must be displayed for 2 months for public scrutiny before work is begun.
Procedure 8.
File a declaration of the worksite opening
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
City Hall (Mairie)
Comment:
The declaration of the opening of the construction site is a key step. The form (Cerfa 46.0394) declaring the opening is obtainable either at City Hall or on the Internet through the (Guichet des formulaires), located at the Equipment, Transport and Housing Ministry (Ministère de l’ Equipment, des Transports et du Logement) Web site (www.equipement.gouv.fr/). The completed forms must be sent to City Hall by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt.
Procedure 9.
Declare completion of construction
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
City Hall (Mairie)
Comment:
Within 30 days of work completion, the contractor must send City Hall a notice—by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt, through a letter signed by the contractor’s company, or by the firms that worked on the project—in which the architect declares the completion of the construction. That document must be included in the building permit application file. The forms are filled in triplicate.
Procedure 10.
Receive visit by building inspectors and obtain compliance certificate
Time to complete:
1 day
Cost to complete:
no charge
Name of Agency:
City Hall or Equipement Departmental Directorate
Comment:
The compliance certificate attests that the finished project meets the building permit specifications. Once the declaration of completion is filed, an official from City Hall or the Equipment Departmental Directorate (Direction Départementale de l’Équipement, DDE) then visits the site to ascertain whether the structure conforms to building permit specifications. The compliance certificate is issued within 3 months of the application if the specifications are met.
Procedure 11.
Obtain electricity connection
Time to complete:
68 days
Cost to complete:
EUR 3,138
Name of Agency:
Electricité de France (EDF)
Comment:
Procedure 12.
Obtain water connection
Time to complete:
38 days
Cost to complete:
EUR 4,000
Name of Agency:
Syndicat des Eaux d'Ile de France (SEDIF)
Comment:
Procedure 13.
Obtain telephone connection
Time to complete:
60 days
Cost to complete:
EUR 130
Name of Agency:
France Télécom
Comment: