Certificat d’urbanisme, notary, mairie, Géorisques or a ScanAdresse dossier: who provides what before buying?
Each source covers one part: the certificat d’urbanisme d’information gives a plot’s rules for free within a month, the notary gathers planning information for the deed, often after the compromis, the mairie lets you consult the PLU and permits, Géorisques and ERRIAL give the hazards for free. A ScanAdresse dossier brings these registers together for one address, in a few minutes, for €29 including VAT. None of these sources assesses the condition of the building: only a professional who visits it does.
The comparison table
| Source | What it provides | Cost | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificat d’urbanisme d’information | Planning rules for the plot, public easements, pre-emption right, taxes | Free | 1 month to process |
| Notary | Planning information and charges search for the deed, title, easements in the deeds | Included in the purchase costs | Often between the compromis and the deed |
| Mairie | PLU, permit and declaration files, the commune’s projects | Free on site | Depends on the department |
| Géorisques and ERRIAL | Natural and technological hazards at the address, hazards statement to fill in | Free | Immediate |
| ScanAdresse dossier | The address’s public registers brought together, with the status of each register | €29 incl. VAT, free preview | A few minutes |
This table compares sources of different kinds; it does not rank their quality. Prices and timings are those of October 2026.
Before you sign, other checks matter too, such as surveyor, expert or architect and the cooling-off period. For one address, the free ScanAdresse preview shows for free what the registers say.
The certificat d’urbanisme
Anyone with an interest in a plot may request a certificat d’urbanisme (art. L410-1 of the Urban Planning Code), and the mairie does not inform the owner. The information CU states the applicable rules, the public easements, the pre-emption right and the taxes; the mairie has one month to issue it. The operational CU also says whether a specific project is feasible, within two months. Both remain valid for 18 months, during which the rules they state are in principle frozen for a permit application. The CU says nothing about neighbouring permits or the building.
The certificat d’urbanisme before buying
The notary and the mairie
The notary checks the title, the easements written into the deeds and the mortgages, and asks the mairie for planning information to draw up the deed of sale. These papers often arrive after the compromis: they protect the deed, but they shed little light on your decision to sign. The mairie, for its part, lets you consult the PLU, the permissions granted and current projects; it answers general questions but does not compile the information for you.
Géorisques and the hazards statement
Géorisques shows the known hazards for an address: flooding, clay shrink-swell, radon, seismicity, cavities, industrial sites and natural-disaster orders. ERRIAL lets anyone fill in for free the hazards statement that the seller must hand over. These tools say nothing about the PLU beyond hazards, neighbouring permits or prices.
The hazards and pollution statement
The ScanAdresse dossier, and what nobody provides
ScanAdresse brings together for one address the parcel, the PLU zone and regulations with their articles, the public easements, listed-monument surroundings, the Géorisques hazards, polluted soils, airport noise, permits in the cadastral section, the DPE, nearby sales and the commune’s property tax, with found, not found or source unreachable for each register. It replaces neither the certificat d’urbanisme, nor the notary, nor the seller’s diagnostics.
None of these sources tells you whether the frame is sound, the roof leaks or a crack is moving. For the condition of the building, you need a building professional who visits the house.
Frequently asked questions
Is the certificat d’urbanisme required to buy?
No. It is recommended, especially for a plot or planned works, and can be made a condition precedent of the compromis.
Doesn’t the notary already do all these checks?
They check what the deed needs, often after the compromis. Neighbouring permits, prices and the local context are not part of their remit.
Does an address dossier replace a technical inspection?
No. It reads public registers; the condition of the building requires a visit by a professional.
Sources
- Service-public: certificat d’urbanisme
- Service-public: property information
- ERRIAL, the online hazards statement
- Géoportail de l’urbanisme
- Urban Planning Code, art. L410-1
ScanAdresse is a private service by SRI Group BV (VAT BE1037052239), not connected to any public authority: it brings together public data, with the source and date of every item.
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