When is an EPC mandatory? The rules explained

For a home in Flanders, a valid EPC must exist as soon as you publicly offer it for sale or for rent. It must stay valid until the notarial deed or the signing of the lease. Apartment buildings also have an EPC for the common areas, and separate rules apply to non-residential buildings. Last checked: 14 October 2026.

Required when selling

When selling a home, the EPC must be valid from the moment you offer it (the first advertisement) until the notarial deed. This means:

• The energy score or label must appear in every advertisement, online, on posters and via the estate agent
• The seller gives the original EPC to the buyer
• An EPC is needed per dwelling

So do not wait until the last moment: plan the site visit well before the first publication.

Required when renting

When renting out a home too, a valid EPC must exist from the offer until the lease is signed. The landlord:

• states the energy label in all rental advertisements
• attaches a copy of the EPC to the lease and keeps the original

Non-residential buildings and common areas

Separate rules apply to non-residential buildings, and when an EPC is needed depends on the type and size of the unit. Feel free to ask us. For the common areas of an apartment building with at least two dwellings, a separate EPC is required, regardless of sale or rental. Read more about the EPC for common areas.

When is an EPC NOT required?

According to vlaanderen.be, no EPC is needed for, among other things:

• sale or rental without written advertising
• sale of a home declared uninhabitable
• sale of part of the property, for example in a divorce
• a holiday home rented for less than 2 months
• houseboats

For a new build, the EPB reporter issues an EPC Construction after the EPB declaration. It counts as an EPC for a home up to 10 years old.

What are the fines?

VEKA carries out spot checks. Anyone who sells or rents out without a valid EPC can receive a fine of €500 to €5,000 and still has to have an EPC drawn up. So do not wait for a warning from the notary.

What about renovation?

An EPC is not required for renovation if you are not selling or renting. It can still be useful to know your home's weak points. Also, when you buy a home with label E or F, the renovation obligation applies: at least label D within a fixed period after the deed.

Need an EPC quickly?

Mention your preferred date in your request and we will see what is possible. After the site visit, you typically receive the certificate within 48 hours.