What are the obligations for online visibility in the building sector?

What the law requires of a construction company's website

A professional website is not a free medium. Section III of Article 6 of Law No. 2004-575 of 21 June 2004 on Confidence in the Digital Economy obliges any person who publishes an online public communication service professionally to make certain information available to the public.

For a company, the list includes the company name, registered office address, telephone number, registration number with the Trade and Companies Register (RCS), share capital amount, and the name of the publication director. It also includes the name, company name, address, and telephone number of the website host. For a sole trader, it includes their surname, first name(s), address, and telephone number.

The breach is not a procedural irregularity. Section VI of the same article punishes it with one year of imprisonment and a fine of €75,000 . For a legal entity, the fine reaches €375,000 and may be accompanied by a ban on carrying out the professional activity concerned for up to five years.

A company that publishes its projects, displays its contact information, and offers a contact form is indeed providing an online public communication service. This applies equally to a roofer's website and a construction group's portal.

What information should be displayed on an online platform offering energy-efficient renovations?

Since October 1 ^, 2026, all promotional or advertising materials offering energy renovation work must inform the reader of the existence and role of the public service for energy performance in housing. This obligation stems from Article L. 122-26 of the Consumer Code ; its implementation details are set out in the decree of July 7, 2026 , published in the Official Journal on July 31, 2026.

The message must be worded verbatim: "Before you commit, the public service provides free information to help you prepare and secure your project: www.france-renov.gouv.fr". It must remain easily legible and audible, clearly distinct from promotional content, and cannot be altered, concealed, obscured, or separated from that content by any other element.

On an online platform, the banner appears simultaneously with the promotional content and is clickable, leading to the public service's address. On a website, the decree requires a redirect link to this same address. Print media, audiovisual media, film, and radio are all subject to the same legislation, with specific requirements for each medium.

The scope is broad. A heat pump, loft insulation, or a renewable energy production system all fall within the scope, regardless of the channel used to promote them. Failure to comply is punishable by an administrative fine of €15,000 , increased to €75,000 for a legal entity. This referral to the public service comes at a time when the conditions for accessing subsidies are changing, as demonstrated by the insulation industry's warning regarding the changes to MaPrimeRénov'.

What governs the display of customer reviews

Publishing customer feedback on one's own website is not a neutral act. Article L. 111-7-2 of the French Consumer Code applies to any person whose activity consists, whether primarily or secondarily , of collecting, moderating, or disseminating online reviews from consumers. A construction company that collects and displays testimonials therefore falls under the scope of this article.

As amended by Law No. 2024-449 of May 21, 2024 , the article mandates fair, clear, and transparent information regarding the procedures for publishing and processing reviews. The company must specify whether or not reviews are subject to moderation and, if so, the main characteristics of that moderation. It must display the date of each review and any updates, and inform the author of an unpublished review of the reasons for its rejection.

Article D. 111-17 specifies the placement of each piece of information. The following information must be displayed near the reviews: whether or not a review process exists, the publication date of each review, the date of the relevant consumer experience, and the ranking criteria, including chronological order. A specific, easily accessible section must indicate whether or not compensation is provided in exchange for submitting a review, and the maximum publication and retention period.

The text also mandates a free feature allowing the product or service owner to flag a justified doubt about the authenticity of a review. A carousel of testimonials without dates, verification details, or ranking criteria meets none of these requirements.

What prior consent changes in prospecting

Since August 11, 2026 , telemarketing calls require the prior consent of the consumer in all sectors of activity. This rule is established by Law No. 2025-594 of June 30, 2025, against all forms of fraud related to public aid, published in the Official Journal on July 1 ^, 2025.

Consent is defined as a free, specific, informed, unambiguous, and revocable expression of will. The burden of proof lies with the professional. As it must be specific and unambiguous, it cannot be inferred solely from the possession of a contact information file. The Bloctel opt-out list will be discontinued on the same date: it is no longer relevant since unsolicited calls are prohibited in principle.

Only solicitations related to the performance of an existing contract are exempt from the regulations. And the prohibition doesn't stop at the telephone: Article L. 223-8 of the Consumer Code extends the rule to interpersonal messages, email, and social networks.

The penalties reach €75,000 for an individual and €375,000 for a legal entity, and contracts concluded in violation of these rules are null and void. For an energy renovation company, a sector historically exposed to cold calling, customer acquisition is shifting towards channels where individual consumers come to them.

The RGE directory, a visibility channel that the company does not pay for

The framework described so far has been limited. In contrast, a system provides free access to qualified companies: the directory of professionals recognized as environmentally responsible (RGE) published by France Rénov'. It is based on the "List of RGE companies" dataset from the French Agency for Ecological Transition (Ademe), which is updated daily and contained 162,165 entries as of August 18, 2026.

Being listed requires holding the quality mark, which also determines the client's access to public subsidies. The qualification therefore has a dual purpose: it unlocks financing for the project and places the company in the directory to which the public service directs individuals. It falls under the same regulatory framework for the building sector as CE marking, the NF mark, and environmental regulations.

What information should be given to the customer about the RGE quality label?

The law of June 30, 2025, adds information obligations for qualified businesses. Articles L. 224-114 and L. 224-115 of the Consumer Code require that customers be informed, on a durable medium and before the contract is signed, whether or not they hold a quality label, the consequences of its absence, and any recourse to subcontracting, whether partial or total. Failure to comply is punishable by a fine of €15,000 , or €75,000 for a legal entity.

Two measures complete the system. The quality label can be suspended for six renewable months , and the right to apply for one is prohibited for up to five years . From January 1 ^, 2027 , the company issuing the invoice must itself hold the qualification, including when it subcontracts to a qualified company, and subcontracting may not exceed two tiers on projects financed by MaPrimeRénov', Anah, the zero-interest eco-loan, or energy savings certificates (CEE).

Who is responsible for shortcomings when a service provider manages the site?

The question of insourcing always comes down to the same question: who bears the responsibility? The texts consistently provide answers. They point to the publisher of the online public communication service, the professional who offers the work, the one who disseminates reviews, the one who conducts the marketing. None of them designates the agency, the developer, or the SEO provider.

Outsourcing the creation of a website, campaign, or social media page does not transfer the obligation. The company remains liable and is responsible for any fines. The finding does not resolve the choice between in-house expertise and an external provider. It establishes what must be included in the specifications, what must be verified upon delivery, and then with each subsequent modification of the content.

Five checks cover the essentials.

These checks are part of the same movement as the digital equipment of companies : a skill to be acquired or purchased, but whose responsibility cannot be delegated.

The approach is consistent across all texts. The legislator is closing off channels where businesses reach individuals and documenting those where individuals come to businesses. For construction professionals, the practical consequence is that online presence is no longer a discretionary communication tool but becomes a component of the compliance file, verifiable on a platform-by-platform basis. This issue connects to the broader context of the construction industry and the constraints already facing businesses.