Required certification · France
Assurance décennale (Loi Spinetta)
Assurance responsabilité civile décennale, obligatoire avant le début des travaux
Market position
Constructors bound to the owner by a contract, including artisans, must hold responsabilité civile décennale insurance under the Code des assurances (L241-1) and take it out before work starts. It covers, for 10 years from reception, damage that compromises the solidity of the work or makes it unfit for its purpose, including equipment that cannot be separated from the building, on new builds and on work on existing buildings depending on its scale. Building without it is punishable by 6 months' imprisonment and/or a fine of 75,000 euros, per service-public.fr.
France-specific note
Get décennale cover before you start any building work and give the client your insurance certificate before the site opens; it must also be attached to your devis and invoice. Subcontractors are outside the décennale scope under service-public.fr's guidance but remain liable to the main contractor.
Pros
- + Protects clients for 10 years after reception
- + Covers new builds and significant work on existing buildings
- + Certificate on every devis and invoice shows clients you are insured
- + Clear legal basis in the Code des assurances and Code civil
Cons
- − Up to 6 months' imprisonment and/or a 75,000 euro fine if uninsured
- − Must be in place before work starts
- − The certificate must be attached to every devis and invoice
- − No official price: premiums are set by each insurer
Typical France pricing
No official fee; insurers set premiums on quote.
Why this matters for France trades
Since 1 September 2026 every French business must be able to receive B2B e-invoices through a plateforme agréée registered by the State (CGI art. 289 bis), and PME, TPE and micro-entreprises must issue them by 1 September 2027; DGFiP says no sanctions apply in 2026 while businesses adapt. Assurance décennale (Loi Spinetta) must be in place before work starts, and building without it is punishable by 6 months’ imprisonment and/or a 75,000 euro fine, per service-public.fr. TVA on building work on homes is 20% standard, 10% for improvement, transformation, fitting-out and maintenance, and 5.5% for energy renovation, with the reduced rates only for dwellings completed more than two years ago. Clients can only claim MaPrimeRénov’, the éco-PTZ or CEE bonuses if the work is done by an RGE professional. Businesses register through the Guichet des formalités des entreprises, with the CMA advising artisans, and regulated building trades must be carried out or controlled by a qualified person (CAP, BEP or BP, an equivalent RNCP title, or three years’ experience).
French artisan (bâtiment) vendor selection is shaped by facturation électronique (every business must be able to receive e-invoices through a plateforme agréée since 1 September 2026, and PME, TPE and micro-entreprises must issue them by 1 September 2027), compulsory assurance décennale taken out before work starts, multi-rate TVA (20%, 10% and 5.5%), the RGE label that homeowner clients need to claim energy-renovation aid, and the micro-entrepreneur regime with its turnover ceilings and VAT franchise.
Frequently asked
Is Assurance décennale (Loi Spinetta) a good fit for France trades?
Constructors bound to the owner by a contract, including artisans, must hold responsabilité civile décennale insurance under the Code des assurances (L241-1) and take it out before work starts. It covers, for 10 years from reception, damage that compromises the solidity of the work or makes it unfit for its purpose, including equipment that cannot be separated from the building, on new builds and on work on existing buildings depending on its scale. Building without it is punishable by 6 months' imprisonment and/or a fine of 75,000 euros, per service-public.fr. Get décennale cover before you start any building work and give the client your insurance certificate before the site opens; it must also be attached to your devis and invoice. Subcontractors are outside the décennale scope under service-public.fr's guidance but remain liable to the main contractor.
What does Assurance décennale (Loi Spinetta) cost in France?
No official fee; insurers set premiums on quote. Pricing and availability can change by region; confirm current France pricing on the vendor's site before committing.
Other France vendors
Facturation électronique (e-invoicing)
Required certification
RGE (Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement)
Required certification
TVA bâtiment (20 / 10 / 5,5 %)
Required certification
URSSAF & régime micro-entrepreneur
Required certification
Immatriculation CMA (guichet unique / RNE)
Required certification
Qualification professionnelle (Code de l’artisanat)
Required certification