Cerfa 13703: Déclaration Préalable for House Works

What is Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works)?

In France, smaller building work on a house doesn't need a building permit (permis de construire), but it must be declared to the town hall first. That is the déclaration préalable. Cerfa 13703*12 is the version for a detached house (maison individuelle) and its outbuildings. It covers a small extension, a garage, a garden shed, a swimming pool, a veranda, a fence or wall, raising the roof, and changes to how the house looks from outside, such as new windows, a new facade colour or solar panels. Which works need a declaration and which need a permit depends on their size and the local plan. The notice and the town hall tell you which applies.

The form asks who is declaring (a private person or a company such as an SCI), the contact details, optionally another person to receive the answers (an architect, for example), the land with its address and cadastral references (up to 26 parcels), what the project is, the floor areas existing, created and removed, and whether the project is in a protected area. Then you sign. The bordereau lists the plans and photos you can attach. Only DP1, the site location plan, is always required.

FileIt asks the questions in plain English and prints your answers into the official PDF, including names and addresses with accents from any language. It checks SIRET numbers and phone numbers, splits the e-mail around the form's printed @, and adds up the total land area when there are several parcels. The filled PDF is saved in your vault. You file it with the town hall yourself, on paper or on the commune's online portal. FileIt never submits anything.

Who fills it: The owner of a house (or someone with the owner's permission) planning small works on it
Given to: The town hall (mairie) where the house is, on paper in 2 signed copies, or on the commune's online portal
Decision: The receipt says the town hall has one month to answer; without a reply, the works are not opposed
Signatures: The declarant(s) sign section 8
Edition: cerfa N° 13703*12, with the receipt, the attachments list and the notice

Who needs to fill out Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works)?

A homeowner adding a garden shed, a garage, a carport or a small extension.
Someone building a swimming pool or a veranda.
An owner putting up a fence or wall where the commune requires a declaration.
Anyone changing the outside of a house: new windows or doors, a roof window, a facade colour, solar panels.
An SCI or other company that owns a house and plans works on it.
An architect or builder preparing the declaration with the owner. They can be named in section 2bis to receive the answers.

When to use Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works)

Before starting the works. The receipt says you can start only after the one-month review period with no objection, and after posting the receipt and a panel on the land.
As soon as the plans are ready, since the town hall may ask for missing documents or extend the review period.
Instead of a building permit when the works are small enough. The notice explains the thresholds.
Use cerfa 13702 for an estate (lotissement) or land division, and cerfa 13404 for other works not on a detached house.

What you need before you start

Your identity (or the company's name, SIRET and representative), address, phone and e-mail.
The address of the land and its cadastral references: prefix, section, number and area of each parcel, from your property tax notice or cadastre.gouv.fr.
A clear idea of the project: the type of outbuilding or work, its size and materials.
The floor area (surface de plancher) that exists, will be created and will be removed.
Whether the house is near a historic monument, in a remarkable heritage site or in a classified site.
The plans and photos for the bordereau: at least DP1 (site location plan), and often DP2 (site plan), DP4 (facades), DP6 (graphic insertion) and DP7 / DP8 (photos).

What’s on Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works)

The 2026 edition has 15 pages. FileIt asks for it in 8 parts, and it is signed by Declarant:

1 Identité du déclarant (who is declaring the works)Declarant
2 Coordonnées du déclarant (contact details)Declarant
2bis Une personne autre que le(s) déclarant(s) (someone else to receive the answers)Declarant
3 Le terrain (the land)Declarant
4 Le projet (the project)Declarant
5 Informations pour l'application d'une législation connexe (other rules that apply)Declarant
Bordereau de dépôt des pièces jointes (the documents you attach)Declarant
8 Engagement du déclarant (declaration and signature)Declarant

How to fill out Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works), step by step

1 1. Identité du déclarant

A private individual (name, date and place of birth) or a legal entity (name, SIRET, type of company, representative). Each additional declarant fills in the separate 'Autres demandeurs' sheet.

2 2. Coordonnées du déclarant

Your address, phone and e-mail. Tick the box if you agree to receive the administration's answers by e-mail, including electronic registered letters.

3 2bis. Another contact person

Optional. Someone else, such as your architect or builder, can receive the answers other than the decisions. Give their details with their agreement.

4 3. Le terrain

The address of the land and the cadastral references of the main parcel with its area. If the land has several parcels, list up to 25 more on the supplementary sheet. FileIt adds up the total area. Tick the box if the land is in an estate (lotissement).

5 4. Le projet

Tick the kind of work: a new outbuilding (pool, garage, veranda, shed or other), work on the existing house (extension, raising, new floors or other, such as solar panels), or a fence. Add a short description, say whether it's your main or second home, and give the floor areas.

6 5. Législation connexe

Tick any special rule that applies: an innovation exemption, works under the heritage code, an earlier authorisation under another law, a heating network connection, or a protected area (remarkable heritage site, surroundings of a historic monument, classified site).

7 Bordereau and signature

Tick the documents you attach and write their numbers (DP1, DP2 ...) on them. Then write the place and date and sign section 8, confirming you're entitled to make the declaration and that you'll declare the works to the tax services within 90 days of completion.

Common mistakes to avoid

Forgetting DP1, the site location plan. It is required in every case.
Using this form for works that need a building permit, or for an estate or land division.
Giving the wrong cadastral section or number. Check them on the property tax notice or cadastre.gouv.fr.
Leaving out the floor areas when the project creates floor space.
Not ticking a protected area. The file then needs extra copies and the opinion of the Architecte des Bâtiments de France.
Starting the works before the review period ends, or without posting the receipt and the panel on the land.
Forgetting the tax declaration on impots.gouv.fr within 90 days of completing the works.

After you fill it out

Sign section 8 and put together the plans and photos ticked in the bordereau, each marked with its number.

File it at the town hall where the house is: on paper in two signed copies, with extra copies in protected areas as the form explains, or on the commune's online portal. Keep the receipt. FileIt does not send it for you.

Keep the filled PDF in your FileIt vault with the plans, the receipt and the decision. After the works, declare them on impots.gouv.fr ('Gérer mes biens immobiliers') within 90 days.

Fill out Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works) online with FileIt

Pick the person. Choose someone from People and FileIt fills in their name, date of birth, address and other details it already knows.
Answer plain-language questions. One part of the form at a time, with the official help text beside each question — 216 fields in all. Your answers save as you go.
Check the live preview. Watch your answers land on the real Ministère chargé de l'Urbanisme (via service-public.fr) form, and let FileIt do any worksheet arithmetic.
Generate the official PDF. FileIt prints your answers into the agency’s own PDF and files it in that person’s folder in your vault. Sign it, or send it for e-signature.

FileIt fills the form — it never files or submits anything for you. Deliver the finished form to whoever asked for it, the way the form’s instructions say.

Start Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works) now — it’s free

Cerfa 13703 - déclaration préalable (house works): frequently asked questions

What is cerfa 13703?

Cerfa 13703*12 is the déclaration préalable (prior declaration) for building work on a detached house or its outbuildings that doesn't need a building permit, such as a shed, pool, veranda, fence, small extension or facade change.

How long does the town hall take?

The receipt says the review period is one month. Without an answer by then, you get a decision of non-opposition. The town hall can tell you within that month that a longer period applies or that documents are missing.

Which documents must I attach?

Only DP1, the site location plan, is always required. The others depend on the project: a site plan for new buildings, facade plans, a graphic insertion and photos when the works are visible from the street or in a protected area.

Can I file it online?

Since 1 January 2022 you can file online in the way the commune sets, the form says. On paper, file two signed copies at the town hall.

Can I fill in cerfa 13703 online with FileIt?

Yes. FileIt asks the questions in plain English and prints your answers into the official PDF, which is saved in your vault for you to file.

Is the decision final straight away?

Not quite. The receipt says third parties can challenge it within two months of the panel being posted on the land, and the authority can withdraw an illegal decision within three months.

Do I need to tell the tax office?

Yes. The form says a declaration must be made to the tax services within 90 days of completing the works, on impots.gouv.fr through 'Gérer mes biens immobiliers'.

Official sources

Blank form (PDF), published by Ministère chargé de l'Urbanisme (via service-public.fr): https://www.formulaires.service-public.gouv.fr/gf/cerfa_13703.do
Official instructions and guidance: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F17578
Edition shown on this page: Cerfa N° 13703*12 (checked 2026-10-19).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ministère chargé de l'Urbanisme (via service-public.fr) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-10-19.