Can a city planning authorization granted to the neighbor be challenged?
Verified 01 April 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Your neighbor just got a city planning authorization (permit to build, demolish, develop or declare in advance). The building project bothers you and you believe that it does not respect the city planning rules? We present you the remedies you can take to request the cancelation of the authorization.
To challenge a city planning authorization granted to your neighbor, you must have an interest in taking action.
You must prove that the authorized construction or development has direct consequences on the conditions of occupation, use or enjoyment of your property (whether you own or rent). They must be provoked by the project itself and not by the nuisance caused by the work.
For this, you must provide, for example, a copy of the building permit, a cadastral plan, an expert report or attestations in support of your demonstration.
The administrative court examines your interest to act on the date of posting of the application for authorization of city planning in the town hall.
Please note
If you do not prove your interest in taking action, you risk a fine of €10,000. The holder of the city planning authorization may also request the administrative tribunal of damages and interest for abusive behavior.
You can challenge your neighbor's permission in 2 ways:
- Action before the mayor (and/or the prefect in a municipality without MORE: titleContent, nor municipal card)
- Action before the administrative tribunal.
Such appeals may be made independently one from the other or simultaneously.
Appeals to the mayor and/or the prefect
The appeal to the mayor and/or the prefect is an administrative appeal. Its purpose is to request the cancelation of all or part of the authorization granted. To make your request, you write your appeal on free paper.
You can use a mail template:
Exercise an ex gratia remedy against the city planning authorization granted to its neighbor
You file your appeal by hand or send it to the town hall and / or the prefecture by mail RAR: titleContent, as evidenced by the postmark.
In the absence of a response from the mayor and/or the prefect in the 2 months after the date of sending or filing your appeal, your application is rejected.
Warning
Within 15 years clear days from your appeal, you must send a full copy to your neighbor per letter RAR: titleContent. Otherwise, the administrative court will not take into account the litigation that you may subsequently initiate.
Appeals to the Administrative Court
The appeal to the Administrative Court is a contentious appeal. It is intended to request the cancelation of all or part of the authorization granted to your neighbor.
Bring the matter before the administrative court
You must apply to the court of the municipality where the project is located. You don't have to hire a lawyer.
You must attach to your appeal an act establishing the lawfulness of the occupation or possession of your property (title deed, promise to sell, lease).
You also join thearrested the contested authorization, available at the town hall (or at the Basu: titleContent for Paris).
You can do your recourse with the help of an online service:
Citizens' telemedicine (appeal to the administrative judge)
You can also drop it off by hand or send it to RAR: titleContent.
Warning
You must inform your neighbor and the decision maker (mayor or prefect) of your contentious action. Within 15 years clear days, you must send a full copy by letter RAR: titleContent to your neighbor and to the town hall or the prefecture.
Decision of the Administrative Court
The Administrative Court may decide tocancel all or part of the city planning authorization.
He partially cancels the authorization where the illegality relates to part of the project. In this case, it can be regularized with an application for amending authorization, even after the completion of the work. The court then sets a deadline within which your neighbor can apply for regularization.
Please note
The period of validity of the city planning authorization granted to your neighbor is 3 years. The duration of the proceedings (from the date of sending or filing your appeal to the irrevocable decision of the court) is added to it.
The time limit is different depending on whether you appeal to the mayor and/or the prefect or to the administrative court:
Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement
Appeals to the mayor and/or the prefect
From 1er day of display of the city planning authorization in the field, you have 1 month to file an appeal in front of the mayor and/or the prefect (for communes without PLU or communal card).
FYI
If your neighbor does not post his authorization, the time limit to make an appeal is 6 months from the completion of the work.
Appeals to the Administrative Court
From 1er day of display of the city planning authorization in the field, you have 2 months to appeal to the administrative court.
This period remains 2 months, even if you have previously appealed to the mayor and/or the prefect.
FYI
If your neighbor does not post his authorization, the time limit to make an appeal is 6 months from the completion of the work.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For information on city planning regulation and administrative procedures
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.
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- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
- Service free
The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry in charge of housing and city planning.
For information on city planning rules or a city planning authorization file
Town HallFor information on city planning regulations or a city planning authorization file in Paris
Paris: Reception and user service office (Basu)
Interest in bringing proceedings, time limit for administrative appeal and cancelation of authorization
Mandatory hierarchical redress
Time limits for bringing proceedings and notification of appeal
Article R421-1: time limit for litigation
Fine for improper application
FAQ
Service Public
Service Public