The DPE number is the 13-character identifier that ADEME, the French ecological transition agency, gives to every French energy performance certificate, printed at the top of the report's first page. To verify a DPE, enter that number in the "Trouver un DPE" (find a DPE) section of ADEME's DPE-Audit Observatory, then compare the official record with the home on offer.
Quick Answer: A French DPE number has 13 characters and appears at the top of the report's first page. Enter it in ADEME's DPE-Audit Observatory to open the official record, then compare the address, floor area, date and ratings with the home. A missing, expired or inconsistent DPE should be explained by the seller, landlord or assessor.
What is a DPE number and why does it matter?
The DPE (diagnostic de performance énergétique) is France's mandatory energy performance certificate. It rates a home from A to G for energy use and for greenhouse gas emissions. After the visit, the certified assessor (diagnostiqueur) sends the results to ADEME, which issues an identification number. The official Service Public page on the DPE states that this number must appear on the document and that a DPE without it is not valid.
The French government's guide Comprendre mon DPE (understanding my DPE, in French) describes it as a 13-character number made of digits and letters. Its job is simple: it links a paper or PDF copy, which anyone can edit, to the official record that ADEME keeps. It is the most direct way to know whether the rating shown in a listing matches a report that was really filed.
Do not confuse it with the assessor's certification number or an energy audit number: only the ADEME DPE identifier finds the report in the Observatory.
Where can you find the DPE number for your home or a property for sale?
Where to look depends on what you have:
| Situation | Where to find the number | Who can provide it |
|---|---|---|
| You have the DPE report | Top of the first page, near "établi le" (issued on) and "valable jusqu'au" (valid until) | The assessor, who must give it to the owner |
| You own the home and lost the report | In the technical survey file (dossier de diagnostic technique) from your purchase | The survey firm or the notary who handled the sale |
| You rent the home | In the technical survey file attached to the lease | The landlord or letting agency |
| You are looking at a listing | Rarely in the listing itself | The advertiser, on request through the listing |
French listings must show the energy and climate ratings, the estimated annual energy cost and, for F and G ratings, the words "logement à consommation énergétique excessive" (home with excessive energy use). They do not have to publish the DPE number. Ask the agency or private seller who posted the listing for the full report: a picture of the colored label alone cannot be verified.
How do you verify a DPE in ADEME's Observatory?
The ADEME DPE-Audit Observatory is the public register of DPE reports and energy audits. The site is in French. The ministry's method has five steps:
- Open the "Trouver un DPE" section of the Observatory.
- Type the 13-character number exactly as printed on the report, with no spaces.
- Run the search ("Rechercher") and open the record.
- Compare the issue date, address, property type, floor area and both ratings with your copy.
- Download the official certificate update (attestation) if the Observatory offers one for that number.
If the message "Ce DPE est introuvable" (this DPE cannot be found) appears, the ministry guide advises contacting the assessor. First check for a typing error, such as the letter O entered as a zero. Never change characters at random: you could land on another home's DPE.
Service Public also links to an official DPE checking service and to the directory of certified assessors: one validates the document, the other the person who signed it.
Which validity rules apply depending on the DPE date?
A DPE is valid for ten years, but reports made before the reform of 1 July 2021 lost their validity earlier. These are the rules published by Service Public and the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, checked in October 2026:
| DPE issue date | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Before 1 January 2018 | No longer valid |
| 1 January 2018 to 30 June 2021 | No longer valid since 1 January 2025; a new one is needed to sell or rent |
| From 1 July 2021 | Valid for 10 years; the end date is printed on the report |
| Issued in 2025 or earlier and still within its term | Still valid; the label can be updated free of charge through a certificate |
Two calculation changes affect homes heated with electricity. Since 1 January 2026, the factor that converts electricity into primary energy has dropped from 2.3 to 1.9. According to the French ministry, an order dated 19 August 2026 lowers it to 1.7 from 1 January 2027. Existing DPE reports can then be updated free of charge, without a new visit, in the Observatory.
In practice, a rating in the listing that differs from the original report is not necessarily fraud. It may come from an official certificate linked to the new factor. Check it with the same number in the Observatory. For a sale, validity is assessed on the date of the preliminary contract or the deed; for a rental, at signature or renewal of the lease. These rules change, so recheck Service Public when you act.
Which warning signs should make you doubt a DPE?
Check these signals before you rely on a rating:
- No ADEME number on the document, or a number that is not 13 characters long.
- Number not found in the Observatory after checking for typos.
- Official record differs from the report: other floor area, property type, date or address.
- Out-of-date report: a DPE issued before 1 July 2021 presented as valid.
- Improved rating with no certificate available under the same number.
- Cropped image of the label only, without the identification page.
- Assessor missing from the certified directory, or a certification that had expired on the DPE date.
- Suspicious QR code: in June 2025 the French government announced a QR code linking to the authenticated version of the DPE (ministry press release, in French). If there is one, check that it opens an ADEME or French government site. Its absence on an older report does not prove fraud.
- Pressure to pay before you have received the full report.
One signal alone does not prove fraud, but it justifies a written question to the advertiser before you commit. For rentals, also follow our guide on how to verify a French DPE before renting.
What can a DPE prove, and what can it not prove?
A DPE found in the Observatory proves that a report with these details was filed, on this date, for the home described. Its energy and climate ratings use a standard method, so you can compare homes and spot an energy-inefficient one (a "passoire thermique").
A verified DPE does not prove:
- Your future energy bills, which also depend on occupancy, weather, chosen temperatures and energy contracts.
- The real condition of the home: boiler, damp, ventilation, summer comfort or work needed.
- That the advertiser is legitimate: a genuine DPE proves neither ownership, nor the right to sell or let, nor that the home is available. A scammer can copy the real DPE of a real property.
For an F or G home, estimate the work with our guide to renovation budgets for DPE F and G properties.
How do you find the DPE when all you have is a listing?
A listing shows the rating but rarely the number, and often not the exact address. ADEME's open data, however, is organized by address. Without a precise address, you cannot match a listing to a filed report.
The process has three steps:
- Identify a candidate address: paste the listing link into our listing address search. The result is a candidate address to cross-check, not a confirmation.
- Look up DPE reports at that address: enter it in our DPE by address tool (in French), which queries ADEME's open data.
- Pick the right report: one building can contain dozens of homes. Keep the one whose floor area, property type, date and rating match the listing.
A fictional example: a listing shows a 45 m² flat rated D, with no precise address. Once a candidate address is found, the search shows three DPE reports in the same building: 32 m² rated E, 45 m² rated D and 68 m² rated C. The 45 m² report is the most consistent, but only the copy of the report supplied by the advertiser confirms that it belongs to that flat.
Use the address to prepare precise questions, not to contact occupants or turn up without an appointment. Always go through the agency or private seller who posted the listing.
Frequently asked questions
How many characters does a French DPE number have?
The identification number issued by ADEME has 13 characters, mixing digits and letters. It is printed at the top of the report's first page. Enter it without spaces in the "Trouver un DPE" section of the Observatory.
Can you find a DPE without its number?
Yes, starting from the home's exact address. ADEME's open data lists the reports filed at an address, but several homes may appear. Compare floor area, property type and date, then ask for the full report to confirm.
Where can you find your home's DPE if you lost it?
Look in the technical survey file from your purchase or lease, or contact the survey firm, the notary or the landlord. With the number, find the record in the Observatory.
What should you do if the Observatory says the DPE cannot be found?
Check the number character by character, then contact the assessor, as the ministry guide recommends. For a property for sale or rent, ask the advertiser for a written explanation before you commit to anything.
Is a DPE from 2020 still valid in October 2026?
No. According to Service Public, DPE reports made between 1 January 2018 and 30 June 2021 have no longer been valid since 1 January 2025. A new DPE is needed to sell or rent the home.
Does a verified DPE mean the listing is trustworthy?
No. It confirms an energy report, not the advertiser's identity or right to sell or let. Do not send money or identity documents just because the DPE is genuine.
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