Regulation
France’s APER law: the solar canopy obligation for car parks
Since the law of 10 March 2023, large outdoor car parks in France must generate renewable energy. Thresholds, deadlines, penalties and method, updated September 2026.
Which car parks are concerned
Article 40 of Law no. 2023-175 of 10 March 2023 on accelerating renewable energy production (the APER law) targets outdoor car parks larger than 1,500 m². Its application is detailed by Decree no. 2024-1023 of 13 November 2024.
The area includes parking bays and traffic lanes. The owner is in principle responsible; where the car park is run under a concession or public service delegation, the deadline depends on when the contract is signed or renewed.
What the obligation requires
The car park must be covered, over at least half of its area, by canopies integrating renewable energy generation across their whole upper surface. The planning simplification law of November 2025 relaxed the rules, notably allowing solar canopies to be combined with tree shading under conditions.
Deadlines
| Car park existing on 1 July 2023 | Standard deadline |
|---|---|
| 10,000 m² or more | 1 July 2026 |
| Between 1,500 and 10,000 m² | 1 July 2028 |
Extensions exist under cumulative conditions (a binding contract with a deposit and an equipment order before set dates), detailed by decree in 2026. Check the official texts for your situation before deciding.
Penalties and exemptions
Non-compliance can lead to an administrative fine of up to €20,000 per year for car parks of 1,500 to 10,000 m² and up to €40,000 per year above that, renewable until the site complies.
Exemptions cover technical, safety, architectural, heritage or environmental constraints, or cases where the project cannot be delivered on economically acceptable terms. They must be justified.
Preparing a compliant project
- Measure the area precisely and confirm the car park’s status (ownership, concession, lease).
- Map traffic, fire access and buried utilities.
- Order the geotechnical survey early: it drives the foundations.
- Qualify the site’s consumption profile to choose between self-consumption and export.
- Plan for EV charging and, where relevant, storage.
- Choose a structure that keeps spaces and shortens works.
On an operating car park, every support removed is a space kept and one foundation fewer. That is the point of the SUUN long span.
Reference texts
Law no. 2023-175 of 10 March 2023 (Article 40); Decree no. 2024-1023 of 13 November 2024; Service Public Entreprendre fact sheet (in French); decree on Légifrance (in French).
Frequently asked questions
My car park is 1,200 m². Am I concerned?
No. Article 40 targets outdoor car parks above 1,500 m². Other rules may apply to new or refurbished car parks.
Does the 50% include lanes?
Half of the car park area (bays and lanes) must be covered. How that splits between bays and lanes is decided in the layout study.
Can a third-party investor carry the project?
Yes. A producer can finance, build and operate the canopy in exchange for a right to occupy the car park. The owner should watch compliance and end-of-contract terms.
General information, up to date at the date shown. Design and regulatory compliance of each project must be validated by the competent teams.
