Property information: planning information, the notary’s file or the Perceelscan?

For a purchase in Belgium, three sources of property information are useful. Planning information comes from the municipality and is mandatory for a sale; in Flanders it is called ‘Vastgoedinlichtingen voor overdracht’. The notary gathers it with the other mandatory documents before the deed. A Perceelscan immediately brings together, for one address, what the open public registers say, even before an offer, but replaces neither the planning information nor the notary.

The municipality’s planning information

In Flanders the request goes through the Property Information Platform (Vastgoedinformatieplatform, VIP). The product ‘Vastgoedinlichtingen voor overdracht’ replaces the notary’s letter, the planning extract and the planning information, and bundles more than 50 items: from central sources and what the municipality adds itself. The owner requests it via Mijn Burgerprofiel; notaries, estate agents and other professionals have their own channel. In the deed the buyer declares having received an extract no more than one year old.

In Brussels the seller requests the planning information from the municipality, which delivers them within 30 days, or urgently within five working days at double the rate (CoBAT art. 275). The buyer receives them before the notarial deed (art. 276/1).

In Wallonia the notary requests the information from the municipality when a property is sold. Anyone may also request a certificat d’urbanisme n° 1, even without being the owner; the municipality delivers it within thirty days (CoDT art. D.IV.52 and D.IV.97).

The cost differs per municipality. In Flanders you pay a fee that each municipality sets in its own regulation, plus a fee for the platform. In Brussels the CoBAT sets a fixed fee of 80 euros, indexed; in Wallonia the municipality sets the price. So check the municipality’s fee regulation.

A purchase involves other points too, such as the glossary for buyers and property tax by municipality. What a report on an address costs is listed under Perceelscan pricing. You can work out the taxes on a purchase for free with the registration duties calculator and the property tax calculator.

The notary’s file

For a sale the notary gathers what the law requires before the deed: the planning information, the required certificates such as the EPC, the soil certificate and, in Flanders, the asbestos certificate, the mortgage status and any right of pre-emption. The notary checks that the seller may sell and puts the mandatory statements in the deed.

You pay the notary a fee under a legal scale that decreases per bracket of the price, with administrative costs and disbursements, such as the certificates and the planning information; the registration duties come on top. The preliminary contract must be presented for registration within four months; if the deed is signed within those four months, that suffices. The notary’s work therefore falls mainly between the preliminary contract and the deed, when the sale is already agreed. If you involve the notary earlier, the documents can be requested earlier too.

The Perceelscan

A Perceelscan brings together for one address what the open public registers say: the plan that applies, the regulations, heritage, flooding, soil, a right of pre-emption, permits since 2018 and the costs and obligations of a purchase. The preview is free; a full report costs €29 and is usually ready within a minute of payment. That is possible today for an address in Flanders, Brussels and Wallonia. The sample report shows what is in it; the package for frequent searchers is on the Perceelscan pricing page.

The report is not a planning certificate, an extract or a deed. It replaces neither the municipality’s planning information nor the notary’s work: only the municipality knows its full archive and the recorded violations, and only the notary executes the deed.

Side by side

What	Who provides it	What it costs	How long it takes
Vastgoedinlichtingen voor overdracht (Flanders)	the municipality and the VIP, requested by the owner or a professional	a municipal fee plus a platform fee	differs per municipality; request it in good time
Planning information (Brussels)	the municipality, at the seller’s request	80 euros in the CoBAT, indexed; double if urgent	30 days, 5 working days if urgent
Certificat d’urbanisme n° 1 (Wallonia)	the municipality, for whoever requests it	the municipality sets the price	30 days
The notary’s file	the notary	a fee under the scale, with costs and disbursements	between preliminary contract and deed; registration within four months
Perceelscan	TerraFact, from the open registers	free preview; €29 per report	usually within a minute

When you need which

Before a viewing or an offer: a Perceelscan or the registers themselves, to see quickly whether anything is going on, such as a building violation, a right of pre-emption or flood risk.
Before the preliminary contract: ask the seller for the planning information and the certificates. With the preliminary contract the sale is agreed, and what you discover afterwards is harder to negotiate.
For the deed: the notary, who gathers the mandatory documents and executes the deed.
If you are planning works: a planning certificate in Flanders (stedenbouwkundig attest) or a certificat d’urbanisme n° 2 in Wallonia says in advance whether a specific plan stands a chance.

Does a Perceelscan replace the planning information?

No. For a sale the municipality’s information remains mandatory, and the notary includes it in the deed. A Perceelscan helps you see earlier what is going on, before you make an offer.

What does planning information cost?

It differs per municipality: each municipality sets its fee in a regulation. In Flanders a fee for the Property Information Platform comes on top; in Brussels the CoBAT sets 80 euros, indexed.

Can I request the information myself as a buyer?

In Flanders the owner requests it, or a notary or estate agent; in Brussels the seller. In Wallonia anyone may request a certificat d’urbanisme n° 1, even without being the owner. Otherwise ask the seller for a copy before you sign.

How long does it take to get the information?

In Brussels, and for a certificat d’urbanisme n° 1 in Wallonia, the municipality delivers within thirty days. In Flanders it depends on the municipality; so request it well before the preliminary contract.

Sources

Check it for your address

Updated on 26 October 2026