Habitat containing asbestos

Verified 13 October 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

Owners of buildings whose building permit has been issued before 1er july 1997 have materials and products that may contain asbestos identified. This identification makes it possible to identify the presence of asbestos and, if asbestos is detected, to evaluate the state of conservation of the materials concerned. We explain the information to know.

These are the buildings whose building permit was issued before 1er july 1997 owned by private or public persons (including social landlords), regardless of their use.

In condominiums, these obligations concern both common areas and the units.

It's the owner of the immovable or, where the immovable is co-owned, the syndicate of co-owners who must have the checks carried out.

Please note

In the event of sale of a building, a condition mentioning the presence or absence of asbestos must be provided by the owner seller.

Verifications must be carried out by a certified operator.

To find a certified operator, it is possible to consult an official directory:

Search for a certified real estate diagnoser or check the certificates of its diagnoser

The operator must check for asbestos in the materials and products listed on lists A and B.

The List A includes the following materials and products:

  • Flocking (coating with a fibrous appearance)
  • Insulation (coating used as thermal insulation)
  • False ceilings (covering usually consisting of a suspended frame and a filling of light panels).

The List B includes the following materials and products:

  • Inner vertical walls (walls and partitions) hard and peripheral and interior posts, light and prefabricated partitions)
  • Floors and ceilings (including beams and frames, ducts and trunks)
  • Indoor pipes, pipes and equipment (air, water, other..., flap/fire damper fluids, fire doors, garbage disposal)
  • Exterior elements (lightweight cladding and facades, roof ducts and facade).

Detailed information on the materials and products listed in lists A and B is available.

In the common areas of the building, the verifications relate to materials and products listed in lists A and B.

In the units, they relate only to materials and products listed in List A.

After the checks, the operator performs a report. This report is sent to the owner of the building or to the syndicate of co-owners by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt.

FYI  

Where the report concludes that certain measures need to be implemented, in particular where asbestos-related works are necessary, the prefect can be informed. This information allows the Agency to monitor the implementation of measures to protect occupants and stakeholders.

The measures to be taken differ depending on whether the identified materials and products are listed in list A or B:

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List A

The measures depend on the conservation status observed. According to the results of the identification, 3 levels of action the following shall be provided for:

  • Level 1. The owner or the syndicate of co-owners must have a diagnoser perform a monitoring of the condition of the materials or products every 3 years, because they can deteriorate.
  • Level 2. The owner or the syndicate of co-owners must have a measurement of the concentration of asbestos fibers in the air carried out by a body accredited by the French accreditation committee (Cofrac). When the measured level is greater than 5 fibers per liter in air, works must be committed.
  • Level 3. The owner or the syndicate of co-owners must have works carried out to remove or contain asbestos materials. These works must be completed within 3 years from the date of receipt of the diagnosis. Pending the works, precautionary measures shall be implemented in a 2 months delay to ensure a level of dust less than or equal to 5 fibers per liter in the air. These measures may, for example, be the insulation of the contaminated zone or the laying of a tarpaulin on the asbestos material to prevent the dispersion of fibers in the air.

Search for a certified real estate diagnoser or check the certificates of its diagnoser

Warning  

In case of level 3, the owner or the syndicate of co-owners must transmit to the prefect of the department, in a 2 months delay, interim measures pending final works. In addition, in the 12 months, the owner or the syndicate of co-owners must also send him the schedule of final works to be carried out.

List B

The measures depend on the assessment of their conservation status and the risk of degradation. According to the results of the identification, 3 levels of action the following shall be provided for:

  • Level 1. The owner or the syndicate of co-owners must have a periodic assessment carried out when the materials or products containing asbestos, the nature and extent of the damage do not lead to the conclusion that immediate protective action is necessary.
  • Level 2. The owner or the syndicate of co-owners must have a corrective action of 1er level where the identification of asbestos-containing materials and products indicates the need for remediation action limited to the replacement, covering or protection of only degraded elements.
  • Level 3. The owner or syndicate of co-owners must implement a corrective action of 2nd level over an entire determined zone so that the materials or products are no longer subjected to any aggression or degradation.

Removal and containment of asbestos materials and products shall be ensured by a certified company.

A certified company can be found by consulting a search tool:

Search for a certified company for asbestos treatment

The occupants of the building are informed by the provision of 2 information files:

  • The asbestos technical file (DTA) for the common areas of the building
  • And the asbestos privative parts file (DA-PP) for the private parts of the dwelling.

DTA

The owner of the building or the syndicate of co-owners represented by the co-ownership trustee must constitute a DTA for the common parts of the building.

The DTA shall contain the following information:

  • Report on the identification of materials and products on lists A and B containing asbestos
  • Date, nature, location and outcome of periodic assessments of conservation status, dust measurements, removal and containment works of materials and products in lists A and B, if necessary
  • General safety recommendations for materials and products, including response procedures (management, disposal of waste when the condition of certain materials or products containing asbestos is degraded or presents a risk of rapid degradation)
  • Summary sheet.

The DTA summary sheet shall be communicated to the occupants within one month of its constitution or updating.

The DTA must be updated by the owner of the building or the syndic of condominium. It is kept at the disposal of the occupants. The occupants must be informed of how the DTA is consulted.

DA-PP

Each co-owner must constitute a DA-PP for the units of his dwelling.

The DA-PP shall contain the following information:

  • The report identifying the materials and products of List A containing asbestos in the dwelling
  • The date, nature, location, outcome of periodic conservation assessments, dust measurements and asbestos removal or containment works carried out, if necessary.

The DA-PP is kept at the disposal of the tenant. The tenant must be informed of the method of consultation of the DA-PP.

Before demolishing a building whose building permit was issued before 1er july 1997, the following materials and products shall be identified:

  • Roofing and waterproofing
  • Façades
  • Inner vertical walls and coatings
  • Ceilings and false ceilings
  • Floor and wall coverings
  • Ducts, pipes and equipment
  • Elevators and lift
  • Miscellaneous equipment
  • Industrial installations
  • Formwork lost.

These materials and products fall under the list C. Detailed information on the materials and products in List C is available.

The identification must be carried out by a certified operator.

To find a certified operator, it is possible to consult an official directory:

Search for a certified real estate diagnoser or check the certificates of its diagnoser

Identification shall also cover any material or product not included in List C, but which the diagnoser finds during his mission may contain asbestos.

The prefect can take certain decisions the owner or the syndicate of co-owners if the measures recommended in the diagnoser's report (of which he may have received a copy) have not been complied with. It may in particular:

  • Give formal notice to the owner or the syndicate of co-owners to carry out the necessary measures within a time limit that it fixes
  • Require an expert assessment to determine the measures to be taken or to verify that the measures implemented are appropriate.

The owner or the syndicate of co-owners can also be sanctioned by a fine of up to €1,500 (and up to €3,000 in case of recurrence).

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