Elevator: safety, maintenance and technical inspection

Verified 01 April 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Enhanced security

The rules governing the control and maintenance of lifts are strengthened to ensure the reliability of safety devices, in particular warning systems.

That's what a decree and one arrested of 4 March 2026.

The measures will enter into force on May 15, 2026.

The information contained on this page remains current and will be modified on this date.

Are you the owner or tenant of a dwelling and want to know the safety features of the elevator of your building (condominium or not) and its maintenance conditions? We're taking stock of the regulations.

Condominium building

The safety of an elevator is to ensure the following measures :

  • Landing Door Closure
  • Safe access for people to the cabin
  • Protection of users against shocks caused by the closing of doors
  • Prevention of the risk of falling and crushing the cabin
  • Protection against cab speed disturbances
  • Providing users with means of alerting and communicating with an intervention service
  • Protection of the electrical circuits of the installation
  • Safe access for emergency personnel to machinery spaces, associated equipment and cabin spaces
  • Impossibility for any person other than the intervention personnel to access the machinery spaces, the associated equipment and the spaces traversed by the cabin.

FYI  

If the elevator was settled after August 27, 2000, it includes CE marking. This marking means that the elevator meets the safety measures described.

Maintenance

The syndic of condominium must pass one maintenance contract with a professional to ensure its proper functioning and the safety of persons.

This contract must be concluded for a minimum of 1 year. It must have some mandatory minimum clauses (in particular, duration of the contract, penalties for non-compliance with maintenance, safety and control obligations, termination).

The references of the maintenance contract and its end date must be entered in the building maintenance log. This logbook must record all visits, operations and interventions carried out.

The professional must perform periodic and occasional operations and audits.

The operations and periodic audits are as follows:

  • Visit every 6 weeks to monitor the operation of the installation and make the necessary adjustments
  • Every 6 weeks verification of the effectiveness of landing door locks and devices preventing or limiting acts affecting landing door locks
  • Every 6 months examination of the good condition of the cables and annual verification of the parachutes
  • Annual cleaning of the installation bowl, cabin roof and machinery room
  • Lubrication and cleaning of parts
  • Verification every 6 weeks of the proper functioning of the means of alert and communication with an intervention service.

The occasional operations and audits are as follows:

  • Repair or replacement of small parts of the installation showing signs of excessive wear
  • Specific maintenance measures to remove or mitigate defects identified by the roadworthiness test which endanger the safety of persons or impair the proper functioning of the equipment
  • In the event of an incident, interventions to remove people stranded in the cabin and troubleshooting and restoring the normal operation of the elevator
  • Replacement of the means for alerting and communicating with an intervention service when the latter is operating by means of the fixed switched telephone network (PSTN) or a 3G or earlier mobile network
  • Repair or replacement of important parts of the installation when they show wear.

The company responsible for the maintenance of the elevator must inform the syndic of co-ownership, in writing, the type (general category) and characteristics of the alert and communication means used to reach a response service, in particular the network and equipment used. If the equipment or network changes, this information must be updated. It must be kept at the disposal of the syndic of co-ownership and transmitted on simple request.

In addition, when the warning system operates via the BTI or a 3G mobile network or earlier, and work is necessary to upgrade this equipment, the company must alert the syndic of co-ownership by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. This alert must be renewed at least every 6 months as long as the work has not been done.

Control

A roadworthiness test shall be carried out to verify that the lift is equipped with safety devices in good condition. It also makes it possible to identify any defect presenting a danger for the safety of persons or affecting the proper functioning of the apparatus.

This technical inspection must be carried out every 5 years by a person qualified or competent in this field.

The person's activities must be covered by insurance that guarantees the consequences of his professional liability for the control of elevators.

It must guarantee its impartiality (absence of bias) and its independence (absence of any link of interest or influence) vis-à-vis the syndicate of co-ownership which calls on it and any company which may carry out work or maintenance of the elevator.

When it comes to a legal person, its capital must not be held, even partially, by a company which might pose a problem of impartiality or independence.

The person in charge of the technical inspection must submit to the syndic of co-ownership a document by which he attests on honor that he is in a legal situation with regard to his qualification.

The person responsible for the roadworthiness test shall establish a report indicating the operations carried out and the defects identified (if any). Within one month of the end of the intervention, she must submit this report to the syndic of co-ownership.

The syndic of co-ownership must give this report to the company or the person in charge of the maintenance of the elevator and, if work is necessary, to the persons in charge of their design and execution.

Please note

The syndicate of co-ownership must inform the inhabitants of the building of the unavailability of the elevator during the duration of the technical inspection. This information must be posted a few days before the intervention on the elevator door.

The maintenance work of the elevator must be voted in the general assembly of co-owners by a simple majority called Article 24.

The simple majority (said majority of article 24) corresponds to the majority of the votes cast by the co-owners present or represented as well as those who voted by post. Abstentionists are therefore not taken into account.

The work to bring the elevator into conformity must be voted in the general meeting of co-owners by an absolute majority called Article 25.

The absolute majority (said majority of article 25 of law no. 65-557 of 10 july 1965) corresponds to the majority of the votes of all the co-owners of the building (present, represented and absent).

If the decision has received at least ⅓ votes, it may be the subject of a 2nd vote by simple majority of article 24 (majority of the votes of the co-owners present, represented or having voted by correspondence).

Any person with a title of occupation (tenant, co-owner...) can seize the judge of the court for interim measures the location of the immovable to request, possibly under on-call duty, the upgrading of the elevator.

Anyone with a title of occupation may also apply for compliance with obligations maintenance and technical inspection.

Sanctions depend on the persons concerned:

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Syndic of condominium

The syndic of co-ownership who does not respect the obligations of security, control and maintenance may incur liability in the event of an accident involving persons. He may also incur liability if he calls on a professional who does not meet the qualification required for the performance of the maintenance contract.

Professional in charge of maintenance and control

The professional in charge of maintenance of the elevator may be fined €2,250 if he has not concluded a written maintenance contract or if he has concluded a maintenance contract which does not contain the mandatory minimum clauses.

The professional in charge of roadworthiness test of the elevator which has not carried out the necessary checks may be fined €2,250.

The professional in charge of roadworthiness test the elevator which does not have the required qualification to carry out these checks may be fined €2,250.

Manufacturer or installer

The manufacturer of lifts or installer of lifts may be fined €2,250 in particular if it does not make all parts of the installation accessible to the professional in charge of maintenance.

Other

The safety of an elevator is to ensure the following measures :

  • Landing Door Closure
  • Safe access for people to the cabin
  • Protection of users against shocks caused by the closing of doors
  • Prevention of the risk of falling and crushing the cabin
  • Protection against cab speed disturbances
  • Providing users with means of alerting and communicating with an intervention service
  • Protection of the electrical circuits of the installation
  • Safe access for emergency personnel to machinery spaces, associated equipment and cabin spaces
  • Impossibility for any person other than the intervention personnel to access the machinery spaces, the associated equipment and the spaces traversed by the cabin.

FYI  

If the elevator was settled after August 27, 2000, it includes CE marking. This marking means that the elevator meets the safety measures described.

Maintenance

The owner of the elevator must pass a maintenance contract with a professional to ensure its proper functioning and the safety of persons.

This contract must be concluded for a minimum of 1 year. It must have some mandatory minimum clauses (in particular, duration of the contract, penalties for non-compliance with maintenance, safety and control obligations, termination).

The references of the maintenance contract and its end date must be entered in a maintenance book of the building. This logbook must record all visits, operations and interventions carried out.

The professional must perform periodic and occasional operations and audits.

The operations and periodic audits are as follows:

  • Visit every 6 weeks to monitor the operation of the installation and make the necessary adjustments
  • Every 6 weeks verification of the effectiveness of landing door locks and devices preventing or limiting acts affecting landing door locks
  • Every 6 months examination of the good condition of the cables and annual verification of the parachutes
  • Annual cleaning of the installation bowl, cabin roof and machinery room
  • Lubrication and cleaning of parts
  • Verification every 6 weeks of the proper functioning of the means of alert and communication with an intervention service.

The occasional operations and audits are as follows:

  • Repair or replacement of small parts of the installation showing signs of excessive wear
  • Specific maintenance measures to remove or mitigate defects identified by the roadworthiness test which endanger the safety of persons or impair the proper functioning of the equipment
  • In the event of an incident, interventions to remove people stranded in the cabin and troubleshooting and restoring the normal operation of the elevator
  • Replacement of the means for alerting and communicating with an intervention service when the latter is operating by means of the fixed switched telephone network (PSTN) or a 3G or earlier mobile network
  • Repair or replacement of important parts of the installation when they show wear.

The company responsible for the maintenance of the elevator must inform the owner, in writing, the type and nature of the alert and communication means used to reach an intervention service, in particular the network and the equipment used. If the equipment or network changes, this information must be updated. It must be kept at the disposal of the owner and transmitted on request.

In addition, when the warning device operates via the PSTN or a 3G or earlier mobile network, and work is required to upgrade this hardware, the company must alert the owner by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. This alert must be renewed at least every 6 months as long as the work has not been done.

FYI  

If the owner has the necessary technical capabilities to maintain the elevator, he is not obliged to resort to a professional and can carry out the maintenance himself. In this case, the owner must maintain the maintenance log and prepare an annual activity report.

Control

A roadworthiness test shall be carried out to verify that the lift is equipped with safety devices in good condition. It also makes it possible to identify any defect presenting a danger for the safety of persons or affecting the proper functioning of the apparatus.

This technical inspection must be carried out every 5 years by a person qualified or competent in this field.

The person's activities must be covered by insurance that guarantees the consequences of his professional liability for the control of elevators.

It must guarantee its impartiality (absence of bias) and its independence (absence of any link of interest or influence) vis-à-vis the owner who calls on it and any company that can carry out work or maintenance of the elevator.

When it comes to a legal person, its capital must not be held, even partially, by a company which might pose a problem of impartiality or independence.

The person in charge of the technical inspection must give the owner a document by which he certifies on honor that he is in a legal situation with regard in particular to his qualification.

The person responsible for the roadworthiness test shall establish a report indicating the operations carried out and the defects identified (if any). Within one month of the end of the intervention, it must submit this report to the owner.

The owner must provide this report to the company or person responsible for the maintenance of the elevator and, if work is required, to the persons responsible for its design and execution.

Please note

The owner must inform the inhabitants of the building of the unavailability of the elevator during the technical inspection. This information must be posted a few days before the intervention on the elevator door.

Any person with a title of occupation (tenant, ...) can seize the judge of the court for interim measures the location of the immovable to request, possibly under on-call duty, the upgrading of the elevator.

Anyone with a title of occupation may also apply for compliance with obligations maintenance and technical inspection.

Sanctions depend on the persons concerned:

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Owner of the building

The owner who does not respect the obligations of security, control and maintenance may be fined €450 and to be held liable in the event of an accident involving persons.

Similarly, the owner who calls on a professional who does not does not meet the required qualification for the performance of the maintenance contract may be fined €450.

Professional in charge of maintenance and control

The professional in charge of maintenance of the elevator may be fined €2,250 if he has not concluded a written maintenance contract or if he has concluded a maintenance contract which does not contain the mandatory minimum clauses.

The professional in charge of roadworthiness test of the elevator which has not carried out the necessary checks may be fined €2,250.

The professional in charge of roadworthiness test the elevator which does not have the required qualification to carry out these checks may be fined €2,250.

Manufacturer or installer

The manufacturer of lifts or installer of lifts may be fined €2,250 in particular if it does not make all parts of the installation accessible to the professional in charge of maintenance.

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