Energy performance certificate (DPE): the French rating system explained

What does the DPE measure?

The DPE works out two figures: the home's estimated energy use per square metre per year, and its CO2 emissions. The letter comes from whichever of the two is worse. So a house heated by fuel oil can use a reasonable amount of energy and still get a low rating because of its emissions.

The rating comes from the building itself: insulation, glazing, heating and hot water systems, ventilation and orientation. Previous occupants' bills don't come into it.

What do the DPE letter ratings from A to G mean?

• A: exceptionally efficient
• B: very good
• C: good
• D: average
• E: below average
• F: poor
• G: very poor

Most pre-1980 French properties rate D, E or F, and A ratings are almost all new builds. On the Côte d'Azur, many older villas and apartments rate E or F because of poorly insulated walls and roofs, single glazing and old heating systems.

When do you need a DPE in France?

You need one to sell. The rating goes in the listing, and the DPE itself goes in the dossier de diagnostic technique the buyer receives before signing. To let a property, the rating must also appear in the listing.

The rental rules are where the rating bites. A home can't be let on a new, renewed or tacitly renewed lease if it's rated:

• G, since 1 January 2025
• F, from 2028
• E, from 2034

A tenant already in place on a running lease isn't affected straight away. But the lease can't be renewed until the property is brought up to standard.

How does the DPE affect MaPrimeRénov' eligibility?

The DPE you get before renovating sets the baseline for MaPrimeRénov' (the state renovation grant). The whole-house route, rénovation d'ampleur, is open only to homes rated E, F or G, and the planned work must lift the rating by at least two classes. Like every part of MaPrimeRénov', it's limited to a principal residence, so a second home doesn't qualify.

How do you get a DPE done in France?

A DPE must be carried out by a certified diagnostiqueur: an independent surveyor who holds the certification and carries insurance for the work. Ask for their certification number on the quote. The ADEME register at observatoire-dpe.fr lists every current holder, if you'd like a second check. ADEME, the French environment and energy agency, sets the method; its site at ademe.fr explains how the rating is calculated. Diagnostiqueurs set their own prices, and a large or complicated property costs more, so ask two or three for a written price.

A DPE is valid for 10 years, but it goes out of date once you've done significant work. After renovating, get a new one issued, both to show the real state of the house and to lift any rental restriction tied to the old rating.

What should you check in the DPE when buying on the Côte d'Azur?

Read the rating alongside the recommandations section, where the diagnostiqueur lists the work that would raise it. That tells you what renovation you'd be taking on and roughly what it might cost. Many buyers skip it. An E rating that roof insulation and a heat pump would fix is a very different purchase from an E rating caused by structural problems that are hard to resolve.

If the house is rated E, F or G, the seller must also hand you an audit énergétique, which sets out renovation scenarios in more detail.

More on energy ratings, audits and grants

• Audit énergétique: the detailed energy audit that builds on the DPE
• MaPrimeRénov': grant eligibility is tied to the current DPE rating and the improvement target
• RGE certification: contractors who carry out improvement work must be RGE-certified for grants to apply