Professional Property Licence: a Guide

The professional property licence (carte professionnelle) is a mandatory document issued by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) to any professional conducting property transaction or management activities in France. The carte T authorizes sale and purchase operations. The carte G authorizes rental management and property administration. Practicing without a licence is a criminal offence.

Introduction

The professional property licence is to the property profession what a driving licence is to a motorist: an authorization to practice, without which all activity is illegal. Yet few buyers check that their counterpart actually holds one. In Paris, where the property market attracts numerous players, verifying the professional licence is a basic reflex for securing a transaction.

This guide details the different licences, the conditions for obtaining them, the associated obligations and the verification methods available to buyers.

Table of contents

• Carte T, carte G, carte S: which licence for which activity?
• What conditions must you meet to obtain the licence?
• What is the collaborator attestation?
• What are the obligations of a licence holder?
• How do you verify a professional licence?
• Frequently asked questions

Carte T, carte G, carte S: which licence for which activity?

The carte T covers transactions, meaning intermediation on the sale and purchase of property. The carte G covers property management and administration on behalf of third parties, and the carte S applies to professionals acting exclusively as co-ownership managers.

The carte T (Transaction) is required for any intermediation or negotiation activity involving the sale or purchase of property. It covers estate agents, apartment hunters, property dealers and any professional involved in a property transaction. At Home Select, our 16 property hunters operate under the firm’s carte T, held by the company.

The carte G (Gestion/Management) authorizes property management and administration on behalf of third parties. It is required for property administrators, rental managers and co-ownership managers (syndics). A professional offering both transaction and management services must hold both licences.

The carte S (Syndic) was created by the ALUR law of 2014 for professionals exclusively acting as co-ownership managers. In practice, the carte G also covers syndic activity, and the carte S is rarely used separately.

A single professional can hold multiple licences. The licences are issued by the CCI in the location of the applicant’s principal place of business. For a Parisian firm, this is the CCI Paris Ile-de-France.

What conditions must you meet to obtain the licence?

Three types of conditions, brought together in an application filed with the CCI: professional aptitude, character, and financial requirements. Allow roughly two months for processing, then a renewal every three years.

Professional aptitude requirements demand either a bachelor’s level degree (bac+3) in law, economics or business, a BTS in property professions, or salaried experience of at least ten years in a property agency (reduced to four years for baccalaureate holders or three years for those in managerial roles).

Character requirements impose the absence of criminal convictions incompatible with practising the profession (crimes, financial offenses, fraud, breach of trust). An extract from the criminal record (bulletin no. 2) is required when assembling the application.

Financial requirements demand the subscription of a sufficient financial guarantee to cover funds held on behalf of clients (mandatory if the professional holds funds) and professional liability insurance.

The licence application is submitted to the CCI, along with the required supporting documents. The processing time is approximately two months. The licence is renewable every three years, subject to completing 42 hours of continuing education over the three-year period.

What is the collaborator attestation?

The document that lets a collaborator, whether a commercial agent or a salaried negotiator, practise under their employer’s or principal’s licence without holding one in their own name. It is issued by the CCI at the request of the licence holder.

Collaborators of a professional licence holder therefore do not hold a licence in their own name.

The attestation specifies the authorized activities (transaction, management or both) and mentions the name and licence number of the professional under whose responsibility the collaborator operates. It must be presented to anyone who requests it.

A commercial estate agent practising without a valid attestation faces the same criminal penalties as a professional practising without a licence. Verifying the attestation is therefore just as important as verifying the licence itself.

In Paris, a significant number of commercial agents operate as independent mandataries (mandatary networks). They must all have an attestation linked to their network’s carte T. The buyer is entitled to request this attestation before signing any document.

What are the obligations of a licence holder?

Displaying the licence number in their premises and on all commercial documents, holding a written mandate prior to any intermediation, issuing a receipt for any sum paid, and maintaining a mandate register. On top of that come the 2015 code of ethics and 42 hours of continuing education over three years.

These obligations derive from the Hoguet law and its implementing regulations. They must display their licence number in their premises and on all commercial documents, including website legal notices. They must hold a written mandate prior to any intermediation activity. They must issue a receipt for any sum paid and maintain a mandate register and a directory register.

Since the ALUR law, the holder must also comply with the code of ethics for property professions (decree of August 28, 2015), which imposes obligations of competence, transparency, confidentiality and loyalty. The National Council for Real Estate Transaction and Management (CNTGI) oversees compliance with this code.

Continuing education of 42 hours over three years (or 14 hours per year) is mandatory for licence renewal. It covers topics defined by ministerial order: ethics, non-discrimination, legal, technical and commercial aspects.

For a comprehensive view of the regulatory obligations applicable to apartment hunters, see our article on the legal obligations of property hunters.

How do you verify a professional licence?

The number must be visible on the professional’s website, on their commercial documents and in the agency premises. To check that it is valid, contact the issuing CCI or consult the public register of professional licences.

It is a simple step that every buyer should take. The licence number must be visible on the professional’s website (legal notices or “about” page), on commercial documents (mandates, preliminary agreements, advertisements) and in the agency premises.

The licence number follows a standardized format: CPI [department number] [year] [sequence number] [letter: T, G or S]. For example, CPI 7501 2024 000 123 456 T for a Transaction licence issued by the CCI of Paris in 2024.

To verify the validity of a licence, you can contact the issuing CCI or consult the public register of professional licences. Some CCIs offer an online verification tool.

A serious property hunter displays their licence number transparently and does not hesitate to share it upon request. At Home Select, our professional licence is displayed on our website and communicated to every new client from the first meeting.

Frequently asked questions

How can you verify that an estate agent holds a professional licence?

The professional licence number must be displayed in the agency premises, on the website and on all commercial documents. You can verify the validity of a licence with the CCI that issued it. The register of professional licences is available on the relevant CCI website.

Does an apartment hunter need a professional licence?

Yes, an apartment hunter must hold a carte T (transaction) since they are involved in property purchase operations on behalf of their clients. Practicing without a professional licence is a criminal offence punishable by 6 months imprisonment and a 7,500 euro fine.

How long is the professional property licence valid?

The professional licence is valid for 3 years (since the decree of February 18, 2016, down from 10 years previously). Renewal is conditional on completing 42 hours of continuing education over the preceding 3 years, or 14 hours per year.

Can you practice using a colleague’s or director’s professional licence?

No, but a collaborator can practice under the licence holder’s card through a collaborator attestation (formerly known as authorization). This attestation must be requested from the CCI by the licence holder. The collaborator may only act within the scope defined by the attestation.

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Looking for a regulated and transparent apartment hunter in Paris? Home Select has held the carte T since 2011 and assists its clients in strict compliance with regulations. Contact us to start your search.