Administrative procedures for solar panels 2026: DP, Enedis, CONSUEL, EDF OA

Overview: the 5 steps of the administrative process

Installing solar panels in France means following a precise administrative process, governed by the urban planning code and the grid connection rules. This process has 5 essential steps, from filing the prior works declaration to signing the EDF OA contract where applicable. The good news: steps 1 and 3 can be started in parallel, which noticeably shortens the overall lead time.

The following table summarises the lead times to allow for at each step. In total, allow 6 to 12 months between deciding on an installation and the first commissioning, notably because Enedis connection lead times vary widely from one region to another.

In some heavily saturated areas (outer suburbs, Île-de-France, the Mediterranean coast), Enedis lead times can exceed 6 months. It is therefore strongly advisable to start the administrative process as soon as you choose your installer, not after ordering the equipment.

Prior works declaration (DP)

The prior works declaration is the key document for the urban planning side of your installation. It is mandatory for any photovoltaic installation with an area above 1 m² that is visible from the public road. In practice, all standard residential installations (except mini balcony kits) are affected.

Form to use: Cerfa no. 13703

The official form is Cerfa no. 13703, titled “Déclaration préalable pour une maison individuelle et/ou ses annexes” (prior declaration for a single-family house and/or its outbuildings). It can be downloaded free of charge from service-public.fr or obtained at your town hall counter. This form is designed specifically for work on single-family houses and does not require an architect, unless the floor area exceeds 150 m².

Documents to attach to the application

• Location plan: where the plot sits within the municipality (an IGN map extract or from géoportail.gouv.fr)
• Site plan: existing and planned buildings, showing where the panels will go on the roof
• Cross-section plan: side view of the building showing the roof pitch and the height of the panels
• Photographs: views of the house from the street and from the plot, before the work
• Descriptive statement: dimensions, materials, colour of the panels, total area in m²
• Graphic document: an illustration of how the house will look after installation (a sketch or photomontage)

The complete file can be handed in directly at your town hall counter (against a dated receipt), sent by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt, or filed online through the service-public.fr portal if your municipality is connected to it.

Review period and mandatory display

The town hall has a review period of one month from the date the complete file is filed (or from the date it was completed, if an incomplete file had to be supplemented). If there is no reply within this period, the decision is deemed tacitly favourable. Keep the filing receipt as proof.

As soon as you receive the receipt (or the favourable decision), you must display a statutory notice on your plot, visible from the public road. This display starts the 2-month third-party appeal period. Do not start work until those 2 months of display have ended.

After 10 years: the rule on identical extensions

If you want to extend an existing installation that is more than 10 years old, the conditions may differ. Check with your town hall, because some municipalities apply specific rules on identical extensions. In any case, a new DP is generally required if the total area increases by more than 20 m².

Protected areas and the Architects of the Bâtiments de France (ABF)

If your property is in a protected area, the prior works declaration file is subject to the binding opinion of the Architecte des Bâtiments de France (ABF), the State architect responsible for protecting built heritage. This opinion is mandatory and may impose significant constraints on how your installation looks.

Which areas are affected?

• Within 500 m of a listed or registered historic monument: the protection zone is a 500 m radius around the monument, which may cover several municipalities
• Classified sites and registered sites (prefectoral decrees or ministerial orders)
• Protected sectors, ZPPAUP, AVAP and Remarkable Heritage Sites (Sites Patrimoniaux Remarquables, SPR): these protection perimeters are defined by local authorities in agreement with the State
• Surroundings of regional nature parks: some areas may be affected depending on local regulations

To check whether your property is in an ABF zone, consult the géoportail.gouv.fr site (“Heritage” layer) or ask the planning department of your town hall directly. Consulting the ABF before filing the application is strongly recommended to avoid unpleasant surprises.

What can the ABF impose?

In an ABF zone, the review period rises to 2 months (instead of one month). The Architecte des Bâtiments de France may:

• Approve without reservation if the panels are discreet and well integrated
• Approve with conditions: require a particular colour (anthracite black, slate), integration into the roof, or a specific orientation
• Refuse the project if the installation is judged incompatible with the heritage setting

Technical solutions for ABF zones

• Solar slate panels (imitation tile or slate): integrated systems that replace the tiles and look neutral from the street
• Roof integration (BIPV): panels recessed into the roof plane, flush with the existing tiles
• Neutral colours: matt black or anthracite panels, black frames, less contrasting than a standard blue panel
• Installation on a roof that is not visible from the street: if the layout of the plot allows it, face the panels towards the garden

Enedis connection: the CRAE / CACSI application

The connection to the electricity grid is handled by Enedis (the distribution grid operator in metropolitan France, except in areas served by local utilities). The procedure is called the Contrat de Raccordement, d'Accès et d'Exploitation (CRAE), the connection, access and operation contract, or more simply a “producer connection request”.

CRAE or CACSI: choosing the right Enedis contract

Two contracts coexist depending on how you operate your installation:

In the vast majority of residential installations, the CRAE applies: the solar generation covers your needs first, and the surplus kilowatt-hour goes back onto the grid through EDF OA. The CACSI is a niche arrangement: it requires an active generation-limiting device (curtailment) to guarantee strictly zero export. It can be relevant in some co-ownership buildings or specific contractual situations.

How do you file the application?

The application is made online through the Enedis connection portal (connect-racco.enedis.fr), or by your RGE installer, who can act on your behalf. Your installer often has professional access to the Enedis portal, which simplifies and speeds up the processing of the file.

The file includes: the technical description of the installation (power, inverter, single-line diagram), the owner's identity, the existing delivery point (PDL), and proof that the DP has been filed (the town hall receipt). Enedis carries out a connection feasibility study and sends a technical quote within 30 working days.

Simplified procedure for small installations

For installations of 3 kWp or less on low voltage (LV ≤ 36 kVA), Enedis applies a simplified procedure known as “S06”. It reduces the administrative review and aims for a processing time of 3 months maximum. This is the most common residential setup (an installation of 3 to 9 panels).

How much does the Enedis connection really cost?

The cost varies widely depending on your type of meter. For an installation selling the surplus:

Thanks to commissioning carried out remotely with no physical visit, the Linky smart meter saves relatively large costs. This cost is borne by the owner and is not eligible for VAT at 5.5%.

Lead times depending on your situation

• Connection proposal (PDR) within 6 weeks: no network extension work is needed. This is the most common case for a single-family house with a Linky meter.
• PDR within 3 months: grid extension or reinforcement work is required. This mainly affects homes in rural areas where the local grid is undersized.

Commissioning has a maximum legal deadline of 18 months from the connection request, but in practice the total lead time stays well below this.

Real-world lead times

Enedis's target lead time is 3 months for LV ≤ 36 kVA installations under the simplified procedure. In practice, in areas with a high density of connections (large cities, outer suburbs, certain departments in the South), the actual lead time can reach 5 to 6 months because the connection teams are overstretched. In some rural regions, the grid may need prior reinforcement, lengthening the delay further.

CONSUEL certificate: electrical conformity

The CONSUEL (Comité National pour la Sécurité des Usagers de l'Électricité, the French national electrical safety committee) is the body responsible for checking that electrical installations comply before they are commissioned. For a grid-connected photovoltaic installation, the CONSUEL certificate is an absolute prerequisite: without it, Enedis will not commission the installation.

What does the CONSUEL check?

The CONSUEL inspector checks the conformity of the whole electrical installation, in two parts:

• Direct current (DC) side: wiring between the panels and the inverter, surge protection, DC circuit breaker, earthing of the panels
• Alternating current (AC) side: connection of the inverter to the electrical panel, residual-current protection, generation meter, export to the grid

The visit is carried out on site by a sworn inspector, usually a few weeks after the file is submitted. The installer must have finished the work before the visit.

How do you get the certificate?

The application is made directly on consuel.com or through your installer, who often handles it as part of their contract. You need to fill in an application form (green CONSUEL reference for photovoltaic installations) and attach the installation's wiring diagram.

• Lead time: 2 to 4 weeks between filing the file and the inspector's visit
• Validity: in most cases the certificate is sent directly to Enedis by the CONSUEL

Blue or purple certificate: 200 to 230 €

Two types of certificate exist for photovoltaics:

If you are thinking of adding a home battery to your installation, plan for a purple certificate from the start to avoid a second procedure. If the inspection finds non-conformities, a verification visit is charged 233.62 € incl. VAT (travel costs included). Sources: consuel.com/tarifs · SC127_25 price list (PDF).

In case of non-conformity

If the inspector finds non-conformities during the visit, a non-conformity report is drawn up. The installer must correct the faults identified, then request a new inspection visit (charged again). Enedis will not commission the installation until a valid conformity certificate has been sent. It is therefore essential to choose an experienced RGE installer whose installations pass the CONSUEL inspection first time.

Commissioning: from the CONSUEL certificate to exporting

Once the CONSUEL certificate has been obtained and sent to Enedis, commissioning can take place. From that moment you can legally generate electricity and export it to the grid.

Activation via the Linky meter: 24 to 48 hours before you can export

With a Linky meter, Enedis has remote access: the reconfiguration is done at a distance, with no technician visiting your home. Once your file is judged complete (CONSUEL certificate + connection conformity), allow less than 48 hours before export is active.

Without a Linky, an Enedis agent has to visit and work on the meter in person. The delay then lengthens noticeably: one to three weeks depending on the availability of the local teams.

EDF OA contract: selling your electricity

Once the installation has been commissioned by Enedis, if you intended to sell all or part of your solar generation, you can take out a purchase obligation (Obligation d'Achat, OA) contract with EDF OA, EDF's feed-in tariff scheme. This contract is the legal basis that lets you earn money from your solar generation.

The S06a contract for households

The contract that applies to low-voltage residential installations (LV ≤ 36 kVA) is the S06a contract. It is offered exclusively by EDF OA and runs for a firm term of 20 years. The rates are set at the date the contract is signed and indexed annually according to the rules of the Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (CRE, the French energy regulator).

Two ways to earn value

• Self-consumption with sale of the surplus: you use the electricity produced first. The unused excess is exported to the grid and bought back by EDF OA at 0.011 €/kWh (ministerial order (arrêté) of 1 June 2026, indexed +2%/year). The self-consumption bonus (prime à l'autoconsommation) has been abolished since 1 June 2026.
• Full export of generation: all of the generation is exported to the grid and bought back at a rate set by contract for 20 years. The amount depends on the installed capacity: 0.011 €/kWh (ministerial order of 1 June 2026, indexed +2%/year over 20 years).

How do you take out the EDF OA contract?

You can sign up directly on the edf-oa.fr site (a contract simulator is available online), or through your installer, who puts the file together on your behalf. The file includes: the Enedis commissioning certificate, the CONSUEL certificate, the installation diagram and your bank details for payment transfers.

EDF OA pays the amounts due every quarter into your bank account, with a statement detailing the generation exported to the grid. The first payment generally comes 3 to 4 months after commissioning, once the contract is activated and the first meter reading has been taken.

Self-consumption bonus

In self-consumption mode with sale of the surplus, a self-consumption bonus used to be paid on top of the buy-back rate. It was abolished by the ministerial order of 1 June 2026.

For installations of ≤ 9 kWp, the bonus is paid in a single instalment, about a year after commissioning. For installations of > 9 kWp, payment is spread over 5 years: 80% in the first year, then 5%/year for the following 4 years.

What your RGE installer takes care of

A qualified Reconnu Garant de l'Environnement (RGE) installer (a French quality label) takes care of most of the procedures for you. This is one of the reasons why using an RGE professional is strongly recommended, beyond the regulatory requirement for obtaining financial support.

Frequently asked questions about the administrative procedures

Glossary

Acronyms and administrative terms used in this article.

ABF

Architecte des Bâtiments de France. State civil servant responsible for protecting architectural and landscape heritage. Their binding opinion is mandatory for any project located within the perimeter of a historic monument (500 m) or in a remarkable heritage site.

AVAP

Aire de mise en Valeur de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine (architecture and heritage enhancement area). Local heritage protection perimeter, replaced since 2016 by Remarkable Heritage Sites (SPR). Some municipalities still keep their existing AVAP.

LV ≤ 36 kVA

Low voltage (Basse Tension), subscribed power of 36 kVA or less. Covers almost all residential connections in France. Enedis's simplified S06 procedure applies to installations of ≤ 3 kWp on LV ≤ 36 kVA.

CACSI

Convention d'AutoConsommation Sans Injection (self-consumption without export agreement). Enedis contract for installations with no export to the grid at all. Requires an active curtailment device. Enedis processing time: 2 months max.

Cerfa no. 13703

Official prior works declaration form for a single-family house and its outbuildings. Can be downloaded from service-public.fr. To be used for any residential solar installation with an area above 1 m².

CONSUEL

Comité National pour la Sécurité des Usagers de l'Électricité (the French national electrical safety committee). Body that issues the electrical conformity certificate required before a grid-connected installation is commissioned. Two colours: blue (without a home battery, 201.17 € incl. VAT) and purple (with a home battery, 230.32 € incl. VAT).

CRAE

Contrat de Raccordement, d'Accès et d'Exploitation (connection, access and operation agreement). Enedis contract for installations that export to the grid (sale of the surplus or full export). It is the standard contract for the vast majority of residential installations. Enedis processing time: 3 months max under the S06 procedure.

CRE

Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (the French energy regulator). Independent administrative authority that sets, every quarter, the buy-back rates for photovoltaic electricity (surplus, full export) and the self-consumption bonus.

DP

Déclaration Préalable de travaux (prior works declaration). Mandatory planning formality at the town hall for any solar installation with an area above 1 m². Review period: 1 month (2 months in an ABF zone). Form: Cerfa no. 13703.

EDF OA

EDF Obligation d'Achat (the feed-in tariff scheme). EDF subsidiary that buys back the electricity produced by residential generators (surplus or full export) under S06a contracts, over 20 years at guaranteed rates.

kWp

Kilowatt-peak. Unit of nominal power of a solar installation, measured under standard test conditions (STC). Used as the reference for calculating buy-back rates, the self-consumption bonus and the classification under the S06 procedure.

Off-grid

Not connected to the grid. A fully autonomous solar installation with no Enedis connection. No grid procedures needed (no CRAE, no grid CONSUEL), but the prior works declaration remains mandatory from 1 m² of panels.

PDL

Point De Livraison (delivery point). Unique 14-digit identifier of your connection to the Enedis grid. Shown on your electricity bill, it is required to put together the CRAE file.

PDR

Proposition De Raccordement (connection proposal). Technical and financial quote issued by Enedis following the feasibility study. Must be accepted by the customer to start the connection work. Valid for 3 months.

RGE

Reconnu Garant de l'Environnement (a French quality label). Professional qualification required for the customer to be able to benefit from public support (self-consumption bonus, VAT at 5.5%). Certifications applicable to PV: QualiPV, QualiSol, RGE Étapes.

S06a

EDF OA contract for LV ≤ 36 kVA installations for households (residential). Term: 20 firm years. Rates indexed by the CRE. Two modes: self-consumption with sale of the surplus (0.011 €/kWh, indexed +2%/year, ministerial order of 1 June 2026) or full export (same rate from 9 kWp).

SPR

Site Patrimonial Remarquable (remarkable heritage site). Heritage protection perimeter created by the law of 7 July 2016 (LCAP), bringing together the former protected sectors, ZPPAUP and AVAP. In an SPR, the binding opinion of the ABF is mandatory.

ZPPAUP

Zone de Protection du Patrimoine Architectural, Urbain et Paysager (architectural, urban and landscape heritage protection zone). Former designation, replaced by Remarkable Heritage Sites (SPR) since 2016. Some municipalities still have a valid ZPPAUP awaiting conversion.