You need to provide a property report for a divorce, an inheritance, or a tax audit, and you are looking for the right form online. The document has an unintuitive official name, the Cerfa 3233-SD, and the procedure to obtain it is still largely thought of as a paper process. Understanding the actual circuit helps avoid sending errors and unnecessary delays.
Property report and Cerfa 3233-SD form: what exactly are we talking about
The property report is not a cadastral document. It is a statement produced by the Land Registry Service (SPF) that outlines the complete legal history of a real estate asset: successive transfers, ongoing mortgages, easements, lender privileges.
The form used to request it is officially called the Cerfa 3233-SD, titled “Request for information for the period starting January 1, 1956.” This administrative designation misleads many individuals, who think they need to look for two distinct documents when it is actually the same form.
If you want to obtain a Cerfa property report online, know that the form is downloadable in PDF format on the site impots.gouv.fr, but the rest of the procedure still involves sending it by post or email to the competent SPF.
Common mistake: sending the request to the wrong land registry service
You filled out the Cerfa, but to whom should you send it? This is the point that generates the most delays. The request must be sent to the SPF of the location of the property, not to the one at your home address.
Let’s take a concrete example. You live in Lyon and inherit a house in Cahors. The reflex would be to contact the SPF in Lyon. This is a mistake: the SPF in Cahors is the only one competent to handle your request.
To identify the correct SPF, visit the directory of public finance services available on impots.gouv.fr. Search by the municipality where the property is located, not by your own address. Sending to the wrong service can extend the response time by several weeks, while your file is redirected.
Information to provide on the form
The Cerfa 3233-SD requests specific information about the property in question. You must provide at least:
- The cadastral references of the property (section, parcel number), available on the site cadastre.gouv.fr or on your property tax notice
- The complete address of the property, including postal code and municipality
- The identity of the owner(s) sought, if your request concerns the real estate assets of a person
- The nature of the requested information: property report, mortgage status, or both
An incomplete form will be returned without processing. Take the time to verify the cadastral references before sending.
Cost and payment method for a request for real estate information
Consulting the real estate file is not free. Each request costs a few euros per property or per person searched. Payment must accompany the request, by check made out to the public treasury.
Some SPFs now accept requests by email with payment later, but this practice varies from one service to another. Call the competent SPF before sending to know the exact procedures. A request without payment will not be processed.
Can the form be filled out without going through a notary
Yes, and this is a point that many are unaware of. Anyone can request a property report, without having to justify a particular interest. The real estate file is public. You do not need a notarial mandate or proof of ownership.
The notary uses the same Cerfa 3233-SD form as you do. The only difference: they know the procedure by heart and often have faster professional access. For a one-time request (a divorce, a verification before purchase), doing the process yourself is quite realistic.
Property report or mortgage status: what difference does it make for your procedures
Both expressions often come up in judicial or notarial procedures, and confusion is common. Here’s what distinguishes them:
- The property report lists all formalities published on a given property: sales, donations, mortgages, easements, seizures. It is a complete snapshot of the legal life of the property
- The mortgage status focuses on active mortgage and privilege registrations. It answers the question: is this property encumbered by a bank guarantee?
- In the context of a divorce or inheritance, the magistrate or notary may request both, as they provide complementary information
The Cerfa 3233-SD form allows you to check the exact nature of the information desired. You can request a property report alone, a mortgage status alone, or both in a single request.
Situations where a property report is required
Beyond divorce and inheritance, this document may be required during a boundary procedure, a dispute between neighbors, or to verify the history of a property before a purchase. Any operation requiring the tracing of property transfers goes through this form.
The property report remains a little-known tool among the general public, even though it is the most reliable official source on the legal history of a property. The Cerfa 3233-SD form, available for download on impots.gouv.fr, is the only entry point for this request. Identify the correct SPF, attach the cadastral references and payment: the response usually arrives within a few weeks.