Home renovation grants in Wallonia: Prime Habitation and the audit

The main home renovation grant in Wallonia is the Prime Habitation, the regional grant that reimburses part of your energy renovation works: insulation, roofing, windows, heat pumps, ventilation. Since 14 February 2025 it has operated under a temporary support scheme, with lower base amounts and an audit requirement for almost every item.

This scheme has an end date: every application, including the final invoice, must be submitted by 30 September 2026 at the latest. From 1 October 2026, Wallonia switches to a loan-based system (Rénopack and Rénoprêt). If you have a project under way, the timing matters as much as the amount.

In this guide we explain how the grant currently works, the role of the housing audit, how the amount depends on your income and what is known about the next scheme. If your home is in Brussels or Flanders, the rules are completely different: see our guides to Renolution grants in Brussels and to Mijn VerbouwPremie in Flanders.

Who can apply for the Prime Habitation?

The basic conditions published by the SPW Énergie (the Walloon energy administration) are fairly simple:

• you are at least 18 (or an emancipated minor) and registered in the population or foreigners' register;
• you hold a property right in the home: owner, bare owner or usufructuary (an association of co-owners can also apply);
• the home is located in Wallonia, outside the German-speaking Community;
• it was built at least 15 years ago and is mainly used as a dwelling;
• your reference income does not exceed the ceiling of the highest category;
• the works are carried out by a contractor registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and holding the required professional qualifications.

Tenants therefore cannot apply for the grant themselves: the owner must submit the application.

The housing audit: the gateway

The housing audit (audit logement) is a full assessment carried out by an auditor approved by the Region. It describes the energy condition of your home and sets out a roadmap of works in a logical order (usually roof, walls, windows, then heating).

Under the current scheme, the audit is compulsory before works start for almost every item. One important exception: roofing works and roof or loft insulation can receive the grant without a prior audit. That is good news if your project is limited to the roof (see our article on roof renovation cost per m²).

A few practical points:

• the price of the audit is not regulated; as a rule, expect a few hundred euros for a flat and often around €1,000 for a house, depending on size and complexity;
• the audit itself qualifies for a grant, whose amount depends on your income category;
• the grant application for the audit must be submitted within 8 months of the report being registered.

How is the grant calculated?

The grant starts from a base amount set for each type of work (per m² insulated, per m² of window, a flat rate for a heat pump, and so on). This base amount is then multiplied according to your income category. Finally, the grant is capped at a percentage of the cost of the works.

Figures published by the SPW Énergie for the 2025-2026 scheme. Always check the version in force when you apply.

The reference income is in principle the household's total taxable income as shown on the tax assessment notice, with a deduction per dependent child. Base amounts per item were cut by around 60% in February 2025: it is mainly R1 and R2 households that still receive significant support.

For the exact amount of each item, the reference remains the official Prime Habitation page on energie.wallonie.be (in French). Our energy grants page also summarises the support available across Belgium.

Which works are covered?

The temporary scheme covers the main energy renovation items:

• insulation of the roof or loft, walls (from the inside, from the outside or in the cavity) and floors;
• replacement of windows and glazing;
• roofing (replacing the roof covering, the timber structure);
• heat pumps for space heating or hot water, biomass boilers;
• ventilation and certain health and safety works (damp, electrics, structural stability).

Each item must meet technical requirements (insulation performance, type of appliance, qualified contractor). These criteria are set out in the SPW's technical annexes: ask your installer to confirm them in writing in the quote. If you are unsure about the order of works, our article on a heat pump in an older house explains why insulation generally comes before a change of heating system.

The timetable: watch out for 30 September 2026

This is the single most important point for 2026. According to the SPW Énergie, every grant application (audit or works), including the final invoice, must be submitted by 30 September 2026 at the latest. In practice:

1. the works must be finished and the final invoice issued before that date;
2. the oldest final invoice may not be more than two years old at the time of the application;
3. an incomplete application, or one submitted after 30 September, will no longer be accepted under this scheme.

If you sign a quote in August or September 2026, the window is therefore very tight: contractors' order books are often full, and a roof or facade job takes several weeks. It is wiser to plan around the new scheme than to rush a poorly prepared project.

What changes from 1 October 2026

In July 2026 the Walloon Government outlined the scheme that will replace the Prime Habitation. According to the press release from the Energy Minister (in French), the principle is as follows:

• direct grants disappear in favour of two loans: Rénopack, a 0% loan with a reduction in the amount to be repaid for the lowest-income households, and Rénoprêt, a preferential-rate loan for other groups (including landlords);
• the announced amount that can be financed is €75,000 for a single-family house;
• priority goes to the least efficient homes (EPB labels G, F and E), with the aim of gaining an EPB class after the works;
• the housing audit remains the gateway to the scheme.

At the time of writing, the implementing decrees (exact income thresholds, reduction percentages, procedure) still had to be finalised and published. We therefore do not give definitive amounts: check energie.wallonie.be before signing, or ask our adviser to review your situation.

Our tips for preparing your application

• Have the audit done early: it will still be required under the future scheme and gives you a clear view of the priorities.
• Ask for several detailed quotes stating the required technical characteristics (insulation thickness and conductivity, window U-value, heat pump efficiency).
• Check the VAT: in a home more than 10 years old, most of these works qualify for the 6% rate. Our guide to 6% VAT on renovation sets out the conditions.
• Keep everything: signed quotes, invoices, before-and-after photos, technical data sheets.

RhinoEnergy does not replace the administration, but an adviser can help you see clearly: they call you back within 24 working hours, check the support available for your project and put you in touch with up to 3 certified installers in your area. The service is free and without obligation.

Frequently asked questions

Is the housing audit compulsory to get the Prime Habitation?

Yes for the vast majority of works, and it must be carried out before work begins. Roofing works and roof or loft insulation are the exception: under the 2025-2026 scheme they can receive the grant without a prior audit.

Until when can I apply for the Prime Habitation?

Until 30 September 2026 inclusive, final invoice included. After that date the temporary scheme ends, and new projects fall under the loan system announced from 1 October 2026.

Can a tenant apply for the Prime Habitation?

No. The grant is reserved for holders of a property right in the home: owner, bare owner or usufructuary. A tenant can, however, raise it with their landlord, who will submit the application.

Will an audit carried out in 2026 still be useful after 1 October?

The audit remains at the heart of the future Rénopack and Rénoprêt scheme, which is a good reason to have it done. The precise rules on recognising existing audits depend on the implementing decrees: check them on energie.wallonie.be when you apply.

Can the Prime Habitation be combined with 6% VAT?

Yes. The reduced VAT rate is a federal rule, independent of regional support. In a private home more than 10 years old you can benefit from both, provided you meet the conditions of each.