PTZ 2026: full scale by zone, ceilings and eligibility conditions

Are you considering buying your first new home? The Prêt à Taux Zéro (PTZ) remains one of the most powerful schemes for financing your main residence. However, its conditions vary considerably depending on the geographic zone where you buy. In 2026, understanding the PTZ zone-based scale is no longer a luxury: it is a key step in optimising your borrowing capacity and maximising your budget envelope.

This article explains how the zone system works, what ceilings apply, and how to tell whether a new-build programme meets the PTZ criteria for your region.

Why do PTZ zones exist?

The PTZ is not a universal loan on the same terms everywhere. The State designed it to encourage home ownership where the property market is most under strain or where housing supply is lacking.

The four PTZ zones (A bis, A, B1, B2) correspond to very different property markets:

• Zone A bis: Île-de-France and very dynamic metropolitan areas → very tight market, strong need for home ownership
• Zone A: towns and conurbations of more than 250 000 inhabitants → strong demand
• Zone B1: outlying communes of metropolitan areas and dynamic small towns → home ownership encouraged
• Zone B2: rural communes and small conurbations → national coverage of the scheme

The tighter the zone, the more generous the PTZ in terms of quota (percentage of the purchase price financed).

The PTZ 2026 ceilings by zone

Purchase price ceilings (basis of calculation for the PTZ)

The PTZ applies to a limited calculation basis. Above this ceiling, only the difference falls outside the scheme.

2026: Applicable ceilings (to be verified before signing):

Important: These ceilings take into account the number of people occupying the home as their main residence (applicant and family), not simply the number of dependent children.

PTZ 2026 quotas (percentage of the financed price)

The quota is the percentage of the purchase price that the PTZ can cover.

Worked example (zone A):

• You buy a new T3 for 280 000 € in the Bordeaux area (zone A)
• You are a first-time buyer (2 children = 276 000 € ceiling)
• PTZ basis = 276 000 € (ceiling reached)
• PTZ = 276 000 × 40 % = 110 400 € (interest-free loan)
• You must finance the remainder (169 600 €) with a conventional loan or personal contribution

Eligibility conditions for the PTZ 2026

Beyond the zone and ceilings, the PTZ imposes other criteria:

1. Income conditions

Your income must not exceed a ceiling that varies by zone and household composition. These ceilings are revised annually and should be checked with your JL HOME adviser.

2. First-time buyer required

You must not have owned your main residence in the 2 years preceding the PTZ application (except in cases of rehabilitation of older property).

3. New or rehabilitated property

The PTZ 2026 finances new property (our JL HOME speciality): the property must have obtained its building permit after 2022 or benefit from significant rehabilitation work.

4. Main residence required

The property purchased under the PTZ must become your main residence within 12 months of acquisition. No rental investment under the PTZ.

How do you identify the PTZ zone of a municipality?

JL HOME makes it easy: every new-build programme in our selection clearly displays its PTZ zone in its detailed listing.

Manual method:

1. Go to ptz.logement.gouv.fr or consult the official zoning decree
2. Enter the postcode or the name of the municipality
3. You obtain the zone (A bis, A, B1, B2)

For information:

• Zone A bis: Paris, Boulogne-Billancourt, Neuilly-sur-Seine, highly sought-after municipalities in the Île-de-France region, the Côte d'Azur coastline (Nice, Antibes)…
• Zone A: Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg…
• Zone B1: outskirts of major cities, dynamic municipalities in the Loire Valley, Nord-Pas-de-Calais…
• Zone B2: rural municipalities, small urban areas, numerous provincial municipalities

Duration of the PTZ and stages for releasing funds

The PTZ is not paid out in one go. Its release follows several stages linked to construction progress:

1. On signing the contract: 1st instalment
2. At each key stage (depending on the type of financing): progressive releases
3. On completion and handover of the keys: balance

The loan term varies from 20 to 25 years depending on your zone and income. A possible deferral period (up to 5 years) allows you to repay only the interest (0 %) or nothing during construction.

PTZ and complementary credit: the real strategy

The PTZ alone is rarely enough. You will systematically combine:

• PTZ (up to 40 % of the price in zones A/A bis)
• Conventional property loan (market rates — to be checked with your bank)
• Personal contribution (10-20 % ideally, not compulsory)

Advantage of the PTZ: it reduces the overall borrowing capacity required to borrow the balance. Example:

• Price: 300 000 € | PTZ: 120 000 € → conventional loan: only 180 000 €
• Debt-to-income ratio to be checked: generally limited to 35-40 % of your income

PTZ and investment: an important clarification

The PTZ only finances a main residence. If you are looking for a new-build property for a rental investment (LMNP, LLI, Jean-Brun scheme), other schemes are available to you, without PTZ:

• Professional furnished landlords (LMNP): micro-BIC allowance, depreciation possible
• “Standard” furnished landlords: Jean-Brun scheme, specific ceilings and tax reductions
• 6-9-year lease: reduced VAT of 5,5 % (subject to conditions)

Consult our new-build investment guides to explore these alternatives.

PTZ simulator: estimate your capacity in 2 minutes

Too many variables to calculate in your head? That is normal. Our JL HOME advisers offer a free, personalised PTZ simulator which takes into account:

• Your geographic zone
• Your household composition
• Your income (PTZ ceilings)
• The price of the programme you are targeting
• Your available contribution

Result: a realistic PTZ amount, a detailed financing plan, and a clear purchasing capacity.

PTZ checklist 2026 before signing

☐ Check the PTZ zone of the municipality (A bis, A, B1, B2)
☐ Consult the applicable price ceiling (number of persons in the household)
☐ Check your income eligibility with your future banker
☐ Make sure you are a first-time buyer (or a recognised exception)
☐ Confirm that the new-build programme meets the PTZ criteria (planning permission, finishes)
☐ Estimate your need for complementary credit (check current rates)
☐ Budget for new-build notary fees (2–3 % of the price)

Let's talk about your PTZ project

The PTZ 2026 remains a major lever for home ownership, but its potential depends on your precise situation: zone, income, contribution, bank loan. Every file is unique.

Our JL HOME advisers know the PTZ scale by zone, the updated income conditions, and the eligible new-build programmes throughout France. A booked appointment (30 min, free of charge) or an online PTZ simulation will help you see things clearly.

Contact a JL HOME adviser or launch your PTZ simulator.

Your home ownership starts here. 🏡

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is the PTZ automatic if I am a first-time buyer? No. Automatic eligibility does not apply. You must meet ALL the criteria (zone, price ceilings AND income, eligible new-build property, main residence) and obtain your bank's agreement. No guarantee of release.

Q2: Can I buy in zone B2 and resell in zone A? Yes, geographically. However, the PTZ relates to the first purchase in compliance with the rules of the zone where you buy. A change of zone implies a new project and a new PTZ (if eligibility is maintained).

Q3: Can the PTZ be combined with Action Logement? In theory yes, but the terms and compatibility must be checked with your adviser and your bank. To be checked in 2026.

Q4: Does the PTZ cover notary fees? No. The PTZ only finances the price of the property (or its capped base). Notary fees (2–3 % of the new-build price) are payable by you or must be financed through complementary credit.

Q5: What is the rate of the PTZ in 2026? 0 % (interest-free, hence its name). You repay the capital alone over 20-25 years depending on your zone.