Glossary
IRVE: the certification for EV charging installers in France
On this page6 sections
- What does IRVE certification mean?
- What does IRVE certification cover for EV charger installers?
- Why IRVE matters for a home charger on the Côte d'Azur
- What to ask for to confirm an installer's IRVE status
- What is the difference between IRVE and RGE certification?
- What happens if the installer isn't IRVE-qualified?
What does IRVE certification mean?
IRVE stands for Infrastructure de Recharge pour Véhicules Électriques: EV charging infrastructure. The IRVE qualification is what an electrician needs to install a charging point. For any home charger over 3.7 kW, which covers every standard wallbox, French law requires a qualified installer.
What does IRVE certification cover for EV charger installers?
The qualification is issued by approved bodies, mainly QUALIFELEC (the electrical trade qualification body) and AFNOR Certification. It covers home wallboxes, charging in shared car parks and smart charging that balances the charger against the rest of the house. There are several levels. Ask the installer whether theirs covers the charger you're buying, especially if it's a connected wallbox.
Why IRVE matters for a home charger on the Côte d'Azur
Three things depend on it. First, the law: a charger over 3.7 kW fitted by someone without the qualification isn't legally installed. Second, the 5.5% TVA (French VAT) rate on a home charger only applies when a qualified installer supplies and fits it. Third, the Département des Alpes-Maritimes grant (50% of the cost excluding TVA, capped at 400 EUR) requires an IRVE-qualified installer.
ADVENIR is a different matter. It funds charging points in apartment buildings and shared car parks, never at an individual house, so a villa owner shouldn't budget for it.
What to ask for to confirm an installer's IRVE status
Ask for the IRVE qualification number to be printed on the devis (written quote), and for confirmation that it covers your type of charger. QUALIFELEC keeps a public register of qualified installers at qualifelec.fr if you want to confirm it.
A logo on a letterhead isn't proof. Qualifications lapse, so the number on the devis is what counts.
What is the difference between IRVE and RGE certification?
RGE (the state's approved-installer label) covers energy renovation work such as heat pumps, insulation and solar. IRVE is a separate qualification for EV charging and isn't part of RGE. A firm can hold both, but neither replaces the other: for a charger you need IRVE, for a heat pump the relevant RGE qualification.
What happens if the installer isn't IRVE-qualified?
For a standard wallbox, the installation isn't legal, and you lose both the 5.5% TVA rate and the Département grant. The fix is simple: before you sign the devis, make sure the qualification number appears on it.
More on EV chargers and French electrical rules
Sources
Official sources for IRVE and home charger rules
- Légifrance: Code de l'énergie, article D353-2 A home charging point over 3.7 kW must be installed by a qualified professional.
- Légifrance: arrêté of 22 June 2023 on reduced TVA for home EV chargers The installer-qualification condition for 5.5% TVA on a home charger.
- Département des Alpes-Maritimes: grant for a private EV charge point The 50% grant capped at 400 EUR, which requires an IRVE-qualified installer.
- ADVENIR programme (AVERE-France) ADVENIR funds apartment buildings and shared car parks, not individual houses.
Rules checked against these sources in September 2026.