Work concerning a historic monument or its surroundings
Verified 26 July 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You want to perform work on a historic monument or in its vicinity or on a building registered or classified ? You must obtain authorizations depending on the nature and situation of the project.
We present you with the information you need to know.
You should check with your city council or its website to find out if your project is covered by a 500-meter protection perimeter around a historic monument. You can also ask the Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs (Drac) for information on a listed or registered building.
The steps to follow are different when your project is located on the edge of a historic monument, on a listed or listed building.
Approaches to a historic monument
The surroundings of the historical monuments are protected areas.
Step-by-step approach
Permission is required for work on the following buildings:
- A building that is in contact with a listed building (in elevation, on the ground, or in the basement)
- A building that forms a coherent whole with a historic monument or that contributes to its conservation or presentation
- Unprotected part of a partially classified building
- A building within the field of view of a listed or inscribed building (if visible from the monument or visible at the same time as the monument) and located less than 500 meters from the monument
- Building located within an adapted or modified protection perimeter, now delimited perimeters of the approaches (PDA)
FYI
The Architects of the Buildings of France (ABF) may not apply the protected perimeter of 500 meters.
City planning permissions are the same as those for other constructs.
Work not subject to city planning authorization and authorization under the Environmental Code is subject to special authorization.
FYI
The agreement of the Architects of the Buildings of France (ABF) is necessary in advance to obtain an agreement on the city planning authorizations or the non-opposition decision.
Advance Declaration
The following works and constructions may be the subject of a prior declaration :
- Expansion and elevation of a detached house
- Installation of attic
- Converting a garage into a bedroom
- Roofing work
- Installation of a roof window
- Facade renovation
- Installation of a swimming pool
- Construction of a cellar
- Construction of a garden shed
- Installation of a greenhouse
- Construction of a veranda
- Construction of a garage
- Construction of a pergola or carport
- Construction of a terrace
- Air conditioning or heat pump housing installation
- Installation of solar panels on the ground
- Wall and fence
- Building site shack
- Installation of caravan in your garden
- Change of destination
Building permits
The building permit concerns new constructions, even without foundation, of more than 20 m².
It is compulsory for certain extension works of existing buildings and for their change of destination. Work which does not fall within the scope of the building permit in principle requires a preliminary declaration of works.
Special Authorization
A special permit is required for works that are not subject to the various permits of the city planning Code (prior declaration, building permit, planning permit, demolition permit) or the Environmental Code.
This work includes:
- Temporary buildings and installations, exempt from any formalities under the city planning Code, including the buildings, installations and installations connected with the preparation, organization or conduct of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games
- Sign installations on the edge of historic monuments, exempt from any formality under the Environmental Code
- Awnings, access ramps and terraces, adjacent to light recreational dwellings or mobile recreational residences settled within the permissible boundaries
- Underground pipes, lines and cables
- Work requiring secrecy for reasons of security necessary to safeguard the interests and requirements of national defense
- Installations for the production of electricity from renewable energy sources, including their structures for connection to public electricity networks, located on the public maritime domain submerged beyond the low-water mark
- Other buildings, installations, modifications of built or unbuilt buildings (e.g. cutting and felling of trees) exempted from authorization under the city planning or Environment Code
You must use this form:
Demolition permit
One demolition permit is obligatory before the partial or total demolition of a building located within the perimeter of a remarkable heritage site or in the vicinity of historic monuments or listed as historic monuments.
Planning Permit
The development permit is a city planning authorization. It allows the City Hall to control the development of a subdivision, a campsite, a parking area or a sports or leisure field.
After obtaining a permit, you are required to display the permit visibly on your land. Viewing city planning permission or the special authorization must be maintained throughout the duration of the work.
Warning
The name of the architect who created the architectural project must be displayed with city planning permission.
You must then file in town hall a site opening declaration to mark the start of work subject to city planning authorization.
If you have completed the project for which you have obtained a city planning authorization, you must inform your city council by Declaration of Completion and Conformity of Work (ACFTA).
FYI
The demolition permit are not affected by the ACCA.
Registered building
If your work is on a building listed as a historic monument, you must file a city planning authorization.
Step-by-step approach
You must obtain authorization for the following work:
- Modification, repair or restoration work on a listed building or part of a building classified as a historic monument
- Work on a listed building or part of a building listed as a historic monument not subject to formality under the city planning Code
- Installation work of temporary installations or constructions with an area of more than 20 m² and a duration of more than 1 month on a classified plot of land
Before starting your work, you should contact the Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs (DRAC) by contacting to the departmental units of architecture and heritage (UDAP) or Regional Conservation of Historic Monuments (RCHM).
The agreement of the Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs (Drac) is compulsory in the following cases:
- Perform Restore or Modify Jobs on a building listed as a historical monument
- Destroy or Move a building listed as a historical monument
FYI
You can perform maintenance work on registered buildings without project supervisor, or authorization for work.
The Drac is consulted several times, in particular during:
- Curriculum Development
- The preliminary draft summary (APS)
- The development of the final preliminary draft (ODA), which is the document detailing the essence of the project
During this consultation phase, the Drac services provide the client with all the relevant information, including the state of knowledge they have about the monument.
They indicate the heritage, architectural and technical constraints and easements that the project of work must respect and provide expertise and advice to the developer.
You can use an online service to get assistance:
You must inform the regional prefect 4 months before making modifications to a building listed as a historic monument.
You must apply for authorization based on the type of work you are doing:
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Maintenance work or repairs
You are exempt from any formality.
Work on new construction, existing construction, built building or part of a registered building
You must apply for building permit.
Please note
A development permit or a prior declaration may be required depending on the case.
Example :
Restoration of roofing works, reassembly of the framework, reassembly of carpentry or structures, consolidation and/or refixing of wall paintings, restructuring and interior fittings.
Demolition
You must apply for demolition permit.
Digging and/or raising of the ground by more than 2 meters and with an area of 2 hectares or more
You must apply for development permit.
Works, installations and fittings other than on existing buildings
You have to make a prior declaration.
Example :
Roads, infrastructure, garden work where there is no construction and work on unbuilt land, courtyards, outdoor spaces
For work not requiring authorization (permit or prior declaration) , the developer must do the same declaration to the administrative authority responsible for historic monuments (regional prefect).
This must be done in 2 copies, 4 months in advance.
In the absence of a reply within 4 months, the authorization shall be considered to have been granted.
For buildings or works subject to city planning authorization, the agreement of the administrative authority in charge of historic monuments is necessary to obtain the permit or the decision of non-opposition.
You can use an online service to help you build your file or fill out a form.
On the Internet
On the spot
The procedure for applying for city planning permits from the City Hall is the same as that for other buildings.
However, the agreement of the regional prefect is required to obtain the permit or the decision not to oppose the prior declaration.
Please note
The period of investigation is increased to 5 months when a building, development or demolition permit is issued for a building registered as a historic monument.
The period for appraisal is 2 months for a prior declaration of works.
After obtaining a city planning authorization, you must display this authorization visibly from the outside throughout the duration of the work.
You need to get a site opening declaration to start the work. You must contact the town hall and to the regional conservation of historic monuments.
The work is done under the control of the Drac: titleContent. The choice of the architect in charge of the works is free.
FYI
All the discoveries (e.g., a new architectural element) on a listed building must be reported to the regional prefect.
To do so, you must make an immediate declaration in writing or by contacting your local council directly.
At the end of the work, a declaration of completion must be deposited or carried out in town hall.
The harvesting Work is the on-site verification of the conformity of the work with the authorization of work. He is obligatory for work on a protected monument. It is carried out by the City Hall in liaison with the Drac.
Who shall I contact
At the completion of the work, a documentary record of the works performed (DDOE) is given to you in 4 copies. You must send 3 copies to the UDAP.
Once the DDOE has been delivered, the Drac can check that the work complies with the authorization within 6 months.
The certificate of conformity of the works shall be certified by the regional prefect.
Listed building
If your work is on a building classified as a historic monument, a special administrative authorization is required.
Step-by-step approach
You must obtain authorization from the regional prefect for:
- destroy or move a building classified as a historical monument
- or carry out restoration work or alteration on a building classified as a historical monument.
Example :
The work includes:
- Scratching and elevations in a classified plot
- Deforestation or clearing on classified land
- Removal from water, consolidation, development, restoration, upgrading, enhancement, clearing or remediation of a listed building, as well as temporary blanket or shoring work, except in the event of immediate danger
- Rehabilitation work
- Work on classified interior parts of buildings, including alteration of horizontal or vertical volumes or distributions, alteration, restoration, restitution or creation of second-work elements or decorations, floors, carpentry, wall paintings, stains, stained glass or sculptures
- Works for the definitive installation of objects in a listed building as well as those intended to place installations either on the facades, roof of the building
- Installation work of temporary installations or constructions with an area of more than 20 m² and a duration of more than 1 month on a classified plot of land
Warning
Maintenance work is not subject to authorization. These include the remeshing of the covers, the point replacement of missing elements, repainting, defoaming, overhauling of flashes and seals, overhauling of masonry joints, the point repair of coating, cleaning, pruning and pruning.
Before starting your work, you must contact the Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs (Drac: titleContent) by addressing you to the departmental units of architecture and heritage (UDAP) or to Regional Conservation of Historic Monuments (RCHM).
The Drac services provide you with the following information:
- Scientific and technical conditions under which interventions will be studied
- State of knowledge of the monument
- Regulatory, architectural and technical constraints that the project will have to comply with
- Depending on the nature, scale and complexity of the work envisaged, the scientific and technical studies, such as evaluation studies or diagnoses, which must be carried out before or during the procedure for determining the program of operations
- Skills and experience to be presented by architects applying for the project management, defined in the light of the particularities of the operation.
You must, in liaison with the services of the Drac, carry out a program or a draft program of work that you want to carry out on the monument.
You need to integrate the historical and technical building data into the work program, as well as the projected funding for the studies and the planned work.
FYI
For small-scale work, such as maintenance, you can contact the departmental units of architecture and heritage (UDAP) for direct assistance or recommendations.
Before submitting your application for authorization to carry out the work, you must send the following documents to the regional prefect:
- Program which is a document that presents your objectives, needs, requirements, constraints, the content of the future operation, the administrative plan and the financial terms of the work.
- Diagnosis which makes it possible to detail the current state of the building, its nature, the disturbances over all or part of the building
You can request free assistance from the Drac.
You must submit (or your agent) the request for authorization for the work on a building classified in the Drac.
You must send in 4 copies the application and the accompanying file to the Drac.
You can do this online, on-site or by mail.
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On the Internet
You can apply for authorization on the Internet:
You can use the online service below to get assistance.
On the spot
The application for authorization must be submitted in 4 copies to departmental units of architecture and heritage (UDAP), by direct delivery against a receipt.
By mail
The application for authorization must be submitted in 4 copies to departmental units of architecture and heritage (UDAP) to which the vessel is attached, by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.
The amount of time it takes to investigate depends on whether your file is complete or incomplete:
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Your file is complete
When the file is complete, the regional prefect informs the applicant as well as the mayor or prefect of department, the date and the registration number of the application by the Drac.
The agreement of the mayor or prefect of the department shall be transmitted to the regional prefect within two months of receipt of the complete file by that authority. Without a reply from the mayor or prefect of the department at the end of the deadline, your request is accepted.
The regional prefect shall give his opinion within the 6 months after the date of registration of the application. However, if the minister responsible for culture has decided, within the time limit thus set for the regional prefect, to take up the case, the authorization shall be issued by him within the time limit set for 12 months from the same date.
Your file is incomplete
If the file is incomplete, the regional prefect shall forward it to the applicant, within theone month from the receipt of the request by the Drac, the list and content of the additional documents to be provided.
Otherwise, the file is complete. If the applicant does not submit the documents within 2 months of the date of receipt of the request for a supplement, the request shall be rejected.
Permission or lack of response
The authorization for works on a listed building is issued by the regional prefect. In some cases, the minister responsible for culture can take the matter up.
You are informed of the authorization of works by the regional prefect. Without a reply from the regional prefect or the minister at the end of the period set, the authorization shall be deemed to have been granted.
FYI
You can request a certified certificate from the regional prefect or the minister responsible for culture within one month of the end of the investigation period. The certified certificate shall indicate whether a negative or positive decision has been taken and shall specify the requirements referred to in the decision granting the authorization.
Authorization with requirements
The authorization decision may be accompanied by requirements, qualifications or conditions for the exercise of scientific and technical control over the operation by the services responsible for historic monuments.
You are informed by the regional prefect.
You must then execute the jobs according to these imposed rules.
FYI
You can request a certified certificate from the regional prefect or the minister responsible for culture within one month of the end of the investigation period. The certified certificate shall indicate whether a negative or positive decision has been taken and shall specify the requirements referred to in the decision granting the authorization.
Refusal
If the regional prefect refuses your project, you are notified by a decision.
FYI
You can request a certificate certified by the regional prefect or by the minister responsible for culture within one month of the end of the investigation period explaining the reasons for refusal. The certified certificate shall indicate whether a negative or positive decision has been taken and shall specify the requirements referred to in the decision granting the authorization.
When you or your representative is informed that the work request is granted, you must display the authorization at the work site in a visible way from the outside, throughout the duration of the work.
You must start the work within 3 years from notification or the date on which the tacit decision was taken. If the work does not begin, the authorization is expired. This also applies if the work is interrupted for longer of one year.
You can request an extension of your authorization for a period of 1 year.
This request must be made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or deposited with the departmental units of architecture and heritage.
The request for an extension shall be validated when no decision to the contrary has been sent within two months of the date of receipt by the competent authority.
The extension of the time limit shall start at the end of the initial decision.
FYI
Any discovery made by chance or during work on a listed building and relating to a new element relating to the history, architecture or decoration of the building must be reported immediately to the regional prefect, who may decide on the safeguard measures.
The Drac shall ascertain that the work carried out on a listed building complies with the authorization given within the period of 6 months upon completion.
This results in a certificate from the regional prefect to ensure that public subsidies are paid out.
On completion of the work, a documentary record of the works carried out (DDOE) will be transmitted by the prime contractor to contracting authority in 4 copies. You must send 3 copies to the departmental units of architecture and heritage (UDAP).
The DDOE includes the following documents:
- Descriptive memory with graphic documents and photographs
- Copying paid memories to companies
- Specialist Stakeholder Reports
- List of materials used and their origin
Please note
When interventions are made on works of art, murals, sculptures, stained glass embedded in the building, the DDOE must include copies detailing the protocols and products used for the intervention of restaurateurs.
Documents must be added to describe the evolution of the work during the works.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
- Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs (Drac)
- Town Hall
Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service
For more information on this topic, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their status.
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The informants who answer you belong to the ministry in charge of housing and city planning.
- Departmental Architecture and Heritage Unit (UDAP)
Classification and inscription of buildings as historic monuments
Special authorization for works on the edge of historic monuments
Special Authorization for Work on a Remarkable Heritage Site
Prior authorization in case of a project on the edges of historic monuments
Works in remarkable heritage sites
Architectural quality
City planning Permissions
Work on a listed building
Time limit for the investigation of a registered immovable
Work on a building classified as a historical monument
Waiver of city planning authorization for a building classified as a historic monument
Declaration of the opening of the construction site
Online service
Ministry of Culture and Communication