Parking facilities: your regulatory obligations

There is an error in your domain name. Please check it or contact Tennaxia support.

You will be redirected to the Tennaxia ESG login interface.

Please note: This article concerns French legislation. The requirements described may not apply in other countries.

June 2022 saw the publication of new texts concerning secure bicycle parking, providing an opportunity to review the various obligations applicable to your parking facilities, namely:

Secure bicycle parking;
Electric vehicle charging stations;
Renewable energy production processes and greening systems.

Secure bicycle parking

1/ For new buildings for which the building permit application or prior declaration is filed after December 26, 2022

Building type	Applicable requirements
Industrial or tertiary (commercial/office) buildings	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. The parking area may be located outside the building provided it is covered, enclosed, lit, and on the same plot as the building. Bicycle parking security must be ensured by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The minimum number of spaces is 15% of the total number of employees present in the building at the same time. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space.
Residential complex with individual parking spaces	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. The parking area may be located outside the building, provided it is covered, enclosed, lit, and on the same land parcel as the building. Bicycle parking security must be ensured by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The number of spaces required is: 1 space per dwelling with up to 2 main rooms; 2 spaces per dwelling with 3 or more main rooms. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space.
Building housing a public service, equipped with parking spaces for staff or users of the public service	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. The parking area may be located outside the building, provided it is covered, lit, and on the same land parcel as the building. Bicycle parking security must be ensured either by functional surveillance (a person or video surveillance) or by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The minimum number of spaces is: 15% of the total number of public service staff present in the building at the same time; 15% of the total number of public service users present in the building at the same time. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space. Where intended for users and located outdoors, the parking area must be within 50 metres of the building's main entrance(s).
Building forming a shopping centre or housing a cinema, equipped with parking spaces for customers	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. The parking area may be located outside the building, provided it is covered, lit, and on the same land parcel as the building. Bicycle parking security must be ensured by functional surveillance (a person or video surveillance) or by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The minimum number of spaces is 10% of the car park's capacity, with the regulatory target capped at 100 spaces. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space. Where intended for customers and located outdoors, the parking area must be within 50 metres of the building's main entrance(s).

Note: The number of spaces includes the number of existing spaces before January 3, 2023, including those located in private areas, and must be a minimum of 2 spaces.

2/ For work on the parking facility where the start date is after December 26, 2022

When work on the parking facility is carried out after December 26, 2022, the obligation to provide secure bicycle parking applies under the following conditions:

for a parking facility with more than 10 spaces;
and when the ratio between the estimated cost of the work and the value of the building(s) exceeds 2%.

‍

Building type	Applicable requirements
Industrial or tertiary (commercial/office) buildings	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. Bicycle parking security must be ensured by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The minimum number of spaces is 10% of the total number of workers present in the building at the same time. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space. Exemption: This requirement does not apply to existing tertiary buildings where the owner has already met the obligation.
Residential complex with individual parking spaces	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. Bicycle parking security must be ensured by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The number of spaces required is one space per dwelling. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space.
Building housing a public service, equipped with parking spaces for staff or users of the public service	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. Bicycle parking security must be ensured by functional surveillance (a person or video surveillance) or by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The minimum number of spaces is: 10% of the total number of public service staff present in the building at the same time; 10% of the total number of public service users present in the building at the same time. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space. Where intended for users and located outdoors, they must be within 50 metres of the building's main entrance(s).
Building forming a shopping centre or housing a cinema, equipped with parking spaces for customers	The parking area must have fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilised and secured by the frame and at least one wheel. Bicycle parking security must be ensured either by functional surveillance (a person or video surveillance), or by a door fitted with a secure locking system. The minimum number of spaces is 10% of the car park's capacity, with the regulatory target capped at 100 spaces. Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding manoeuvring space. Where intended for customers and located outdoors, they must be within 50 metres of the building's main entrance(s).

Note: The number of spaces includes the number of existing spaces before January 3, 2023, including those located in private areas, and must be a minimum of 2 spaces.

3/ For existing tertiary sector buildings

The obligation to install secure bicycle parking applies to any owner of a building whose parking facility includes at least 10 spaces intended for workers, and also to any co-owner whose co-ownership lot(s) include at least 10 spaces intended for workers in a private area.
The parking space must include fixed devices allowing bicycles to be stabilized and attached by the frame and at least one wheel.
The parking space can be located outside the building, provided it is covered, enclosed, lit, and situated on the same land as the building.
The security of bicycle parking must be ensured by a door equipped with a secure locking system.
The minimum number of spaces is:

10% of the total number of workers simultaneously present in the building;
A maximum of 10% of the total number of workers simultaneously present on the premises of the co-owner whose co-ownership lot(s) include at least 10 spaces designated for workers in the private area.

Each space requires a minimum parking area of 1.5 m², excluding maneuvering space.

Note: The number of spaces includes the number of existing spaces before January 3, 2023, including those located in private areas, and must be a minimum of 2 spaces.

Exemptions are possible following parking facility works or for existing tertiary sector buildings:

when no available space capable of accommodating the required infrastructure is accessible to a cyclist from public areas, unless access to such a space can be reasonably adapted for safe use by a cyclist;
when the reduction in the number of car parking spaces resulting from the installation of such infrastructure would prevent compliance with the minimum obligations imposed by the Local Urban Plan.

Electric vehicle charging stations

1/ For new buildings or buildings undergoing major renovation* from March 11, 2021

*Major renovation : renovation where the cost represents one quarter of the building's value, excluding land cost

‍

	Minimum pre-wiring	Minimum equipment	Exemptions	Effective date
Non-residential New or significantly renovated*, where the renovation includes the car park or its electrical installation AND with more than 10 parking spaces	20% of spaces AND 2% of these spaces accessible to people with reduced mobility (with at least one reserved space)	1 space with a charging point accessible to people with reduced mobility OR 2 spaces for car parks with more than 200 spaces, one of which reserved for people with reduced mobility	Buildings occupied or owned by SMEs OR The cost of charging and connection installations represents more than 7% of the total cost of the renovation	11 March 2021
Residential New or significantly renovated*, where the renovation includes the car park or the building's electrical installation AND with more than 10 parking spaces	100% of spaces Must allow individual metering of electricity consumption	Buildings occupied or owned by SMEs OR The cost of charging and connection installations represents more than 7% of the total cost of the renovation		11 March 2021

2/ For existing buildings as of March 11, 2021

	Minimum pre-wiring	Minimum equipment	Exemptions	Effective date
Non-residential Existing AND with more than 20 spaces	-	1 space with a charging point, sized to allow access for people with reduced mobility AND 1 space with a charging point for every additional 20 spaces	Buildings occupied or owned by SMEs OR The cost of the works required upstream of the main low-voltage switchboard (TGBT) supplying the charging points exceeds the total cost of the works and equipment carried out downstream of that switchboard for the installation of the charging points. In that case, the number of charging points is limited so that the works upstream of the TGBT do not exceed the total cost of the works located downstream of that switchboard.	By 1 January 2025 at the latest

‍

Reminder, an SME is a company with fewer than 250 employees and an annual turnover not exceeding 50 million euros or a balance sheet total not exceeding 43 million euros

For mixed-use buildings, residential and non-residential: for 11 to 20 spaces, the predominant use of the parking facility, residential or non-residential, determines the applicable regime. Beyond 20 spaces, obligations apply proportionally to the use of the spaces.

‍

Specific requirements apply to charging points based on their public accessibility:

‍

Charging point not open to the public	Charging point open to the public
Socket / Connector: Standard charging point with a Type 2 socket outlet or Type 2 connector (NF EN 62196-2).	Socket / Connector: Standard charging point with a Type E socket outlet. High-power charging point with a Type 2 connector (NF EN 62196-2). Until 31 December 2024: Charging point fitted with a Type 2 connector (NF EN 62196-2) allowing charging at a minimum power of 22 kW. OR a charging point fitted with a Combo2 connector (NF EN 62196-3) allowing high-power DC charging.
The charging infrastructure must allow charging to be controlled.	The charging infrastructure must allow charging to be controlled.
Installation must be carried out by a qualified, authorised person.	Installation must be carried out by a qualified, authorised person.
A CONSUEL compliance certificate must be obtained: For the commissioning of any charging infrastructure with a power output > 36 kW. OR recommissioning following a power increase beyond 36 kW.	A CONSUEL compliance certificate must be obtained: For the commissioning of any charging infrastructure with a power output > 36 kW. OR recommissioning following a power increase beyond 36 kW.
Maintenance must be carried out by an authorised person.	Maintenance must be carried out by an authorised person.
An electrical design study must be carried out for any project in a car park with ≥ 50 spaces.	An electrical design study must be carried out for any project in a car park with ≥ 50 spaces.
/	A supervision system must be set up and operated by an infrastructure operator, providing: Data exchange with each charging point. Real-time monitoring of the status of charging points. Recording of key parameters (including energy delivered).
/	Installations must be inspected once a year by a competent person or body, with marking and the inspection date recorded.
/	The developer must guarantee a maximum response time in the event of a fault, unless attributable to the public network.
/	The infrastructure must meet appropriate IP/IK ratings and operate under foreseeable conditions of temperature, humidity and electromagnetic interference.
/	Service level commitments and quality standards must be published by: The developer of an infrastructure network. The mobility operator providing access services. The interoperability platform for roaming.

‍

Renewable energy production processes and greening systems

The obligation to install renewable energy production processes and greening systems in car parks was introduced by Law No. 2019-1147 of November 8, 2019 (Energy-Climate Law) and then strengthened by Law No. 2021-1104 of August 22, 2022 (Climate and Resilience Law)

Thus, these obligations concern the integration of:

over at least half of their surface, surface coverings, hydraulic installations, or vegetated devices promoting the permeability and infiltration of rainwater or its evaporation;
vegetated devices or shade structures contributing to the shading of these car parks over at least half of their surface, provided that neither of these devices is incompatible with the nature of the project or the development area and does not harm the preservation of architectural or landscape heritage;
if the car park includes shade structures, a renewable energy production process over their entire surface.

These obligations apply to applications for construction or urban development permits filed from July 1, 2023, concerning:

new outdoor car parks open to the public exceeding 500 m².
outdoor car parks exceeding 500 m² associated with:
- the construction of buildings or parts of buildings for commercial, industrial, or artisanal use, the construction of warehouse buildings, the construction of hangars not open to the public that are commercially operated, and the construction of covered car parks accessible to the public, when they create more than 500 square meters of ground footprint;
- the construction of buildings or parts of buildings for office use, when they create more than 1,000 square meters of ground footprint;
- extensions and major renovations of buildings or parts of buildings when these extensions or renovations have a ground footprint of more than 500 square meters, for buildings used for commercial, industrial, or artisanal purposes, for the construction of warehouse buildings, for the construction of hangars not open to the public that are commercially operated, and for the construction of covered car parks accessible to the public;
- extensions and major renovations of buildings or parts of buildings when these extensions or renovations have a ground footprint of more than 1,000 square meters, for buildings used for office purposes;
- associated parking areas when major renovations are carried out on these areas or upon the conclusion of a new public service concession contract, service provision contract, or commercial lease, or its renewal.

Regulatory Sources:

‍

Photo credit: 376017454 @ scharfsinn86