Commune, prefix, section and number: how a parcel reference is built, where to find it and how to use it when dealing with an authority.
Prepared by Carteparcelle · OPL Consulting Oy · Sources checked on
The parts of a reference
A cadastral reference identifies a parcel within one commune. The official cadastre website splits it into three parts: the section prefix, the section and the parcel number, for example “000 AB 121”. The section is the unit into which the map is divided; it is written with one or two letters and may span several map sheets.
These parts are unique only within a commune, so always give the commune with the reference. Carteparcelle writes the full reference as fourteen characters: the commune’s INSEE code (5), the prefix (3), the section as two characters, with a leading zero when it has a single letter, and the number as four digits. Fictional example: 12345000AB0121 reads commune 12345, prefix 000, section AB, parcel 121.
Cadastre.gouv.fr — Questions and answers on the cadastral map · Cadastre.gouv.fr — Searching by cadastral reference: prefix and section
When the prefix is not 000
The prefix is 000 in most communes. When communes have merged, the sections of the absorbing commune keep the prefix 000, while those of an absorbed commune take that former commune’s code as their prefix. Within one present-day commune, two parcels can therefore share the same section and number and differ only by their prefix.
On Carteparcelle, a section page whose prefix is not 000 says so. If a deed or an old letter names a commune that no longer exists, look up the commune that absorbed it and keep the prefix: without it, a search may return another parcel with the same number.
Cadastre.gouv.fr — Searching by cadastral reference: prefix and section
Finding the reference of a plot
On the map, search for an address or a reference, then select the parcel: its card shows the reference even when an address is used as its title. You can also browse the site’s pages by département, commune and then section; each section lists its parcels by number.
The official cadastral map can be viewed free of charge online at cadastre.gouv.fr, at the land tax office (service des impôts fonciers) or, in part, at the town hall’s planning department. The map can be searched by address or cadastral reference; searching it by owner name is not possible.
Service Public — How to consult the cadastre · impots.gouv.fr — Accessing cadastral documentation
Using the reference with an authority
When requesting a map extract, asking the planning department a question or talking to a professional, give the commune and the full reference rather than an address alone: a parcel can have several addresses, or none. If your project involves several parcels, list them all.
The reference designates a parcel on the cadastral map, which is a tax document. Service Public points out that this map does not fix property boundaries and does not show owners’ names. For a boundary question, see the guide on bornage; to find out who owns a plot, see the guide on parcel owners.
These guides provide general information. Before making a decision about a property, confirm the relevant details with the responsible authority or professional.
Official sources
The links below lead to official sources in French.