Renovating a house in France: what help is available for foreigners?
Aids for both main and second homes are available
Reader Question: We have recently bought a home in France and will move from the US to France. As we are not citizens, are we still able to benefit from any property renovation grants?
It is important to note that aid schemes for property renovation – and more generally most state aid in France – are usually based on residency status.
In the majority of cases, eligibility requirements are not based on whether a person is a French citizen, but if they have their habitual residence in France.
Exact conditions differ depending on the type of aid you are applying for. Most grants, benefits and state aid in France typically require applicants to spend the majority of the year in the country, or otherwise have their main economic base in France (completing French tax declaration, etc).
A secondary requirement for aid relating to property changes is that the renovation is not merely aesthetic but provides an ecological benefit.
This typically comes through improving the property’s energy performance rating, (DPE, Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique), or otherwise installation of renewable energy sources such as solar panels.
The length you have owned a home is not typically a factor in obtaining a grant, but the property must usually be at least two years old (or 15 for MaPrimeRénov’).
Aid mostly for main homes
Indeed, the main eligibility criteria for most renovation schemes in France is whether the property is a main home or a second home.
For example, the MaPrimeRénov scheme, the government’s main programme for ecological renovations, is only eligible for main homes (residents spend at least eight months of the year living there).
Second homes are only covered if they are in a copropriété where works are being funded and where the majority of properties are main homes, or if the property is being converted into a main home during the works.
The scheme is means-tested, with lower-income households able to benefit from both higher maximum thresholds and percentages of costs covered.
Undergoing several iterations – the most recent being an end to funding for many single-action projects – it has also been beset by scandal, and was closed for parts of 2025 while authorities looked into widespread reports of scams linked to the scheme.
Work typically has to be carried out by someone with RGE-certification.
Part of the application process now requires meeting with an adviser to help plan projects, which should help clarify the process and maximise homeowner benefits.
Similarly, eco zero-interest loans (éco-prêt à taux zéro) that can be used to renovate properties are also limited to main homes, with loan amounts based on the project in question.
These are offered by several major banks and financial institutions, and can cover the following projects:
Insulation of roofs, windows, walls, and doors
Installation or replacement of a boiler/domestic hot water system
Installation of a heating or hot water system that uses renewable energy
Work must again be carried out by an RGE-certified individual – full information on eco loans is available here.
Other potential sources of aid include funding from local authorities, which is usually limited to main residences (to boost the economic output of the area).
It is always worth asking the mairie about any financial assistance that may be available.
Second homes benefit from some schemes
Certain schemes are available for both main and second homes, however.
Items and installations that benefit from reduced VAT (TVA in French) rates due to their ecological credentials see the bonus applied both if being installed for main and second homes.
Reductions to either 10% or 5.5% (down from the standard 20%) are common for several renovation types. More information is available on the government website here.
Similarly, schemes that benefit from certificats d'économies d'énergie (CEE, Energy Savings Certificates) apply to both main and second homes.
These are typically managed by tradespeople or companies carrying out the work, and can see households save money on many types of ecological renovation.
However, second homeowners not based in France will be unable to benefit from certain enhanced CEE, which see additional funding for modest incomes (as income level is based on a full French tax declaration).
Several schemes can be combined for both main and second homes, allowing benefits to stack on top of each other.
Tax benefits
Following major renovations, you typically need to declare the works to tax authorities, as this will impact the taxe foncière or property tax levied on the property.
Doing this will provide a two-year grace period from taxe foncière rates increasing based on the increased value of the property (although other taxes on the renovations may still need to be paid).
Renovations aimed solely at improving energy efficiency are typically exempt from needing to be declared, and do not increase the taxe foncière of a property.
Certain authorities also offer taxe foncière reductions and exemptions following ecological renovations – again, reach out to the local authorities to see what is available in your area.
