How to find and verify an EPC certificate in Brussels: the public register

Lost the EPC certificate of your flat? Viewing a property whose listing shows an energy class that looks too good to be true? Want to know whether the certificate you have been handed is still valid? For a few years now, Brussels Environment has run a public register of the EPC certificates of Brussels homes (in Belgium the certificate is called PEB in French and EPB in Dutch). Here is how it works, what it shows, and what it does not replace.

The EPC certificate register: what is it?

The register is a database maintained by Brussels Environment that lists the "individual dwelling" EPC certificates issued in the Brussels-Capital Region. It is open to everyone, free of charge, at www.peb-epb.brussels/certificats-certificaten: buyers, tenants, owners, notaries, estate agents. The administration's stated aim is to let prospective buyers and tenants access the basic data of a certificate even before visiting a property, and to check the authenticity of a certificate during a transaction.

A newly issued certificate shows up quickly: according to Brussels Environment it is available in the register within 24 hours of being issued by the certifier. The register only covers individual dwellings (houses, flats, studios), not public buildings or offices.

How to search

Two methods:

• By certificate number, if you know it. Two formats exist depending on the age of the document: numbers starting with "20" (form 20XXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXX-XX-X) and numbers containing the letter N or R (form XXXXX-N-X-X-X-X).
• By address: enter the street name (in French or Dutch), the postcode and the municipality, then select the house number. The register lists the certificates known for that address.

The interface is available in French and Dutch only. The site itself recommends a screen at least 1025 pixels wide, so a smartphone works but is less comfortable.

What the register shows, and what it does not

Only the basic data of a certificate is public. For each certificate found you will see:

Information	What it is useful for
Certificate number	Compare it with the number printed on the document you were given
Issue date and expiry date	Check that the 10-year validity period has not run out
Status: valid, invalid or revoked (with the reason)	Know whether the certificate is still worth anything today
Certifier's accreditation number	Check that the certifier is accredited by Brussels Environment
Address of the dwelling	Make sure it is the unit you visited, not another lot in the same building
Energy performance indicator	Compare with the class advertised in the listing

The register does not give access to the full certificate: not the building description pages, not the recommended renovation scenario, not the data encoded by the certifier. To obtain the complete document you need to go through the owner or the certifier who issued it.

Case 1: you have lost your certificate

Start with the register: a search by address gives you back the certificate number, its expiry date and its status. You will know immediately whether it is still valid or whether you need to order a new one.

To recover the full PDF, contact the certifier who issued it (their accreditation number appears in the register). At Expert-PEB we keep every file and send our clients an electronic copy on request, free of charge. If the certifier can no longer be reached, Brussels Environment can be contacted (info-certibru@environnement.brussels, 02 775 75 75).

Case 2: you are buying or renting, check before you sign

This is the most useful purpose of the register. In a few minutes you can:

1. Check that a certificate exists for the exact address of the property (beware of buildings with several units: each flat has its own certificate).
2. Compare the energy class shown in the listing with the indicator in the register. The class and the CO2 emissions must appear in every sale or rental advertisement.
3. Check the expiry date: an EPC certificate is valid for 10 years. An expired certificate can no longer be used for a sale or a rental.
4. Read the status: a "revoked" certificate has been invalidated by Brussels Environment after an audit and is worthless.
5. Verify the accreditation of the certifier in the official list of accredited certifiers published by Brussels Environment.

Case 3: the certificate looks wrong or suspicious

First step: contact the certifier who issued it, as they know the file. If that leads nowhere, you can file a complaint with Brussels Environment, by e-mail to plaintes-certibru@environnement.brussels or by post (Brussels Environment, Tour & Taxis, avenue du Port 86C/3000, 1000 Brussels), stating the certificate number, the address of the property and the reasons for your complaint.

The administration reviews the complaint and may call on the external body in charge of auditing the quality of certifiers. An in-depth audit, with a new on-site visit, can be ordered. If the certificate is revoked, a corrected certificate is issued, and the "revoked" status appears in the register. Certifiers who fail to follow the protocol face suspension or even withdrawal of their accreditation.

When do you need a new certificate rather than a copy?

Finding an old certificate is only useful if it is still relevant. Brussels Environment recommends having a new certificate drawn up:

• if the certificate is more than 10 years old (it has simply expired);
• if you have carried out works that affect energy performance (insulation, windows, boiler, heat pump…), as the old certificate no longer describes the property;
• if the certificate dates from before 2017, to check where the home stands against the regional 2033 and 2045 targets;
• if you heat with electricity or a heat pump: the new electricity conversion factor (1.9 since 2026) only applies to newly issued certificates.

Sources: Brussels Environment — the register of EPC certificates of Brussels dwellings · online register (peb-epb.brussels) · the EPC certificate of a dwelling in the Brussels Region · EPC certificates (professional pages) · official template of the individual-dwelling EPC certificate. Informational article written on 4 October 2026; for a specific situation, contact Brussels Environment.