French Cerfa 13406 — Building Permit (Architect Required)
Guide to France's Cerfa 13406 building permit form for a house and its outbuildings, where an architect is mandatory above 150 sqm of floor area.
From what size is a registered architect legally required for CERFA 13406?
An architect must be engaged whenever the surface de plancher (floor area) or emprise au sol (building footprint), measured after works, exceeds 150 m². This threshold was reduced from 170 m² to 150 m² on 1 March 2017 (Decree no. 2016-1738). The limit applies to the total after the project is complete — a modest extension that pushes an existing house past 150 m² triggers the requirement. Legal entities such as an SCI (a French property-holding company) must always use a registered architect, regardless of size.
Source: Service-Public.fr — Building permit for individuals (Permis de construire) · updated 2026
About this form
CERFA 13406 — officially known as the PCMI (Permis de Construire pour une Maison Individuelle et ses annexes, the building permit application for an individual house and its annexes) — is the mandatory French form for anyone who wishes to build or significantly extend a residential property. The form is filed with the mairie (town hall) of the commune where the land is located, or online through the GNAU (Guichet Numérique des Autorisations d'Urbanisme, the Digital Planning Authorisation Portal), which has been compulsory since 1 January 2022 for communes with more than 3,500 inhabitants. Always verify the exact form version number on service-public.fr, as revisions are published by ministerial order. Engagement of a registered architect is legally required whenever the surface de plancher (floor area) or the emprise au sol (building footprint) of the project exceeds 150 m² after works — a threshold lowered from 170 m² to 150 m² on 1 March 2017 by Decree no. 2016-1738. The standard instruction period is 2 months for an individual house (PCMI) and 3 months for other permits.
Worked example
The Bernard family owns an 800 m² plot in zone UB of their commune's PLU. Their proposed individual house has a surface de plancher (floor area) of 165 m² — above the 150 m² threshold — so a registered architect is legally required. The architect prepares the full PCMI1–PCMI8 document set and signs the application. CERFA 13406 (current version verified on service-public.fr) is submitted online through the GNAU of the commune (4,200 inhabitants). The récépissé confirms a 2-month instruction period. The permit is granted at the end of that period with no request for additional documents. The family posts the arrêté on the site, files the DOC at the start of works, and submits the DAACT on completion. The permit remains valid for 3 years and can be extended twice by one year each, for a maximum of 5 years.
How to fill out the form
- Check the planning rules applicable to your plot: consult the PLU (Plan Local d'Urbanisme) or carte communale at your local mairie to understand zoning restrictions (height limits, setbacks, permitted façade materials). Determine whether your project will exceed 150 m² of surface de plancher (floor area) or emprise au sol (building footprint) after works — if so, engaging a registered architect is a legal requirement, not an option.
- Download and complete CERFA 13406 (PCMI), verifying the current version number on service-public.fr before you start, as revisions are issued by ministerial order. Fill in the applicant's details, the land location and références cadastrales (French land-register coordinates), the nature and areas of the project, its intended use, and — where applicable — the declaration of elements used to calculate building taxes (taxe d'aménagement).
- Assemble the full set of graphic supporting documents PCMI1 to PCMI8: site location plan, site layout plan, cross-section, descriptive notice, elevations and roof plans, graphic insertion document, and close-range and wider-context photographs of the environment. If the project exceeds 150 m² of floor area or footprint after works, every plan must be prepared and signed by your registered architect.
- Submit the dossier: online via the GNAU (Digital Planning Authorisation Portal) for communes with more than 3,500 inhabitants, or in person at the mairie or by recorded-delivery post (lettre recommandée avec AR) in the required number of copies. Keep the récépissé (official receipt) bearing the registration number and the date — this document formally starts the instruction clock.
- Monitor the instruction period (2 months for an individual house), then display the permis de construire order (arrêté) on the building site in a location clearly visible from the public road throughout the entire works. File the DOC (Déclaration d'Ouverture de Chantier, the opening-of-works declaration) at the start of works, and submit the DAACT (Déclaration Attestant l'Achèvement et la Conformité des Travaux, the completion and compliance declaration) once all works are finished.
Good to know
- The 150 m² threshold applies to the total floor area AFTER works — not just to what you are adding. A 20 m² extension on a 135 m² house brings the total to 155 m², making architect engagement compulsory. Always calculate the post-works total before assuming you can self-file.
- Building without a permit, or in breach of a permit granted, is a criminal offence under Article L.480-4 of the Code de l'urbanisme, punishable by a fine of €1,200 to €6,000 per square metre of unlawful construction — plus a possible court-ordered demolition.
- Display the planning-authority order (arrêté) on the site from day one: it is this site notice, visible from the public road, that starts the 2-month third-party challenge period. Once that window closes without appeal, your permit becomes legally unassailable.
Frequently asked questions
From what size is a registered architect legally required for CERFA 13406?
An architect must be engaged whenever the surface de plancher (floor area) or emprise au sol (building footprint), measured after works, exceeds 150 m². This threshold was reduced from 170 m² to 150 m² on 1 March 2017 (Decree no. 2016-1738). The limit applies to the total after the project is complete — a modest extension that pushes an existing house past 150 m² triggers the requirement. Legal entities such as an SCI (a French property-holding company) must always use a registered architect, regardless of size.
What is the instruction (processing) timeline for CERFA 13406 in 2026?
The standard délai d'instruction (processing period) is 2 months for an individual house and its annexes (PCMI), running from receipt of a complete file (Article R.423-23 of the Code de l'urbanisme). For other permit types the period is 3 months, and it can be extended to 5 or 6 months in protected zones — for example where the ABF (Architecte des Bâtiments de France, the heritage architect) must be consulted, or for buildings open to the public (ERP). Silence beyond the deadline generally constitutes tacit approval.
Can CERFA 13406 be submitted online in 2026?
Yes. Since 1 January 2022, communes with more than 3,500 inhabitants are required to accept applications through the GNAU (Guichet Numérique des Autorisations d'Urbanisme, the Digital Planning Authorisation Portal). Paper submission at the mairie (town hall) or by recorded-delivery post (lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception) remains valid. For paper filings, multiple copies of the complete dossier are required.
How long is a French building permit valid in 2026?
A French building permit (permis de construire) is valid for 3 years from the date of issue (Article R.424-17 of the Code de l'urbanisme). Works must start within this period and must not be interrupted for more than 12 consecutive months. The permit can be extended twice — each time by one year — on a written application submitted at least 2 months before expiry (Article R.424-21), giving a maximum total validity of 5 years.
What supporting documents (pièces jointes) must accompany CERFA 13406?
The dossier must include: PCMI1 (site location plan), PCMI2 (site layout plan showing the building footprint), PCMI3 (cross-section of the land and building), PCMI4 (descriptive notice of the site and project), PCMI5 (elevations and roof plans), PCMI6 (graphic document showing how the building fits its surroundings), PCMI7 (close-range photographs of the environment), and PCMI8 (wider-context photographs). All plans must be prepared and signed by a registered architect whenever the floor area or footprint after works exceeds 150 m².
When is a full building permit needed rather than a déclaration préalable (prior planning declaration)?
In an urban zone (zone U) covered by a PLU (Plan Local d'Urbanisme, the local planning scheme), extensions up to 40 m² of floor area or footprint require only a déclaration préalable (prior planning declaration). Beyond 40 m², or when the extension brings the total house area above 150 m², a full permis de construire (CERFA 13406) is required — with mandatory architect involvement. Outside PLU zones, the déclaration préalable threshold drops to just 20 m².
Official sources
Updated on 2026-06-27
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