MaPrimeRénov' expat guide | Riviera Home Experts

The official pages on MaPrimeRénov' (the state renovation grant) assume you're a French resident with a tax return, a numéro fiscal and a login that already works. Many English-speaking owners on the Côte d'Azur have none of those, and many own a second home. This guide covers what changes for you. For how the grant itself works (income bands, eligible work, RGE contractors), see MaPrimeRénov' explained.

Documents and laptop for a French grant application

Does MaPrimeRénov' apply to a second home in France?

No. MaPrimeRénov' is for your principal residence (résidence principale) only: a home you live in for at least eight months a year. A holiday home or seasonal flat is not eligible, whatever its DPE (energy performance certificate) rating, the work, or whether you pay tax in France.

So if your main home is in London, Stockholm or Geneva, the grant is closed to your Riviera property. The one exception is letting: a landlord can apply for a home let to a tenant as their main residence, even from abroad.

What can a second-home owner use instead of MaPrimeRénov'?

Two national levers have no residence condition:

CEE (Certificats d'Économies d'Énergie, energy-saving certificates): grants paid by energy suppliers, open to any owner. The contractor or a CEE provider usually sets it up. Accept the CEE offer before you sign the devis (written quote), or you lose it. This coast sits in the lowest CEE climate band, so the bonus is small, and it varies by supplier. See our CEE guide.
Reduced TVA (French VAT) at 5.5%: on qualifying energy work such as an air-to-water heat pump. Since 18 July 2026 it also covers air-to-air units that meet an efficiency spec; ask the installer to confirm the model qualifies. Most other improvement work on a home over two years old is taxed at 10%, so that's the rate you're saving against. The installer asks you to confirm the home's age on the devis or invoice; there's no application.

Two things second-home owners often count on don't apply. The Éco-PTZ zero-interest loan is for a principal residence only, and the loan ends if the home switches to seasonal letting. The CEE "Coup de pouce" bonus (a bigger CEE bonus for replacing a fossil-fuel boiler) for replacing a boiler is also for a principal residence only, so a second home gets standard CEE.

The Département 06 has a short list of grants a second home can claim, including 50% of a rainwater tank up to 5,000 EUR. Our guide to Alpes-Maritimes grants lists them.

Do you need a French tax number (numéro fiscal) to apply?

Yes. If France is your main home, the France Rénov' account at france-renov.gouv.fr asks for your numéro fiscal. It's the 13-digit reference at the top of your avis d'imposition.

If you've never filed a French return, register with your local Centre des Finances Publiques first, or online at impots.gouv.fr. For a new resident this can take several weeks.

The band is set from the revenu fiscal de référence on your French tax notice. If you arrived recently and don't have one yet, ask France Rénov' which documents they'll accept, and expect the file to be slower.

Why does FranceConnect+ slow down applications from abroad?

Since 17 August 2026 the France Rénov' account has to be verified through FranceConnect+. That's a stronger identity check than ordinary FranceConnect. In practice you need a certified digital identity such as La Poste Identité Numérique.

Arranging it from abroad takes longer than most owners expect, so start before your contractor quotes.

Why does signing the devis too early cost you MaPrimeRénov'?

The rule that catches most applicants: don't sign the devis until the grant is confirmed. Work can start only after ANAH (the national housing agency) has acknowledged your file.

A contractor who wants a signature to "hold the date" is asking you to give up the grant. The full order of steps is in MaPrimeRénov' explained.

The grant is paid after the work. Either you pay the contractor and ANAH pays you, or a mandataire (an agent you appoint) receives it for you and it comes off the invoice. Ask the installer which, and get it in writing.

Who manages a MaPrimeRénov' file when you're not in France?

For a rénovation d'ampleur, a Mon Accompagnateur Rénov' is compulsory. This approved adviser runs the energy audit, helps plan the work and follows the file to payment. For an owner who is often away, that's useful.

For a single measure such as a heat pump, no adviser is required. You can appoint a mandataire to handle the paperwork or receive the money, but ask for two things first. The application should be in your name, and you should be able to see it in your own account.

How long does MaPrimeRénov' take from application to payment?

Budget 6 to 12 months from application to payment. The decision on a single measure takes 4 to 8 weeks. Then comes the work, then ANAH's review of the payment claim, which adds more time. Files with missing documents take longer.

If a DPE rental deadline is driving the project, allow at least 12 months from starting the application to finishing the work.

The expat's guide to MaPrimeRénov': what the government website doesn't tell you