A couple with two children, owning a house classified E in Loire-Atlantique, submits a MaPrimeRénov’ application to replace their oil boiler. The application is rejected: their reference tax income exceeds the threshold of the “purple” category by a few hundred euros. They could have anticipated this blockage by checking their category before signing the quote. Knowing precisely one’s income bracket determines access to the aid, as well as the amount granted and the eligible works.
Reference tax income and household composition: the two data points that determine everything
It is often believed that it is enough to compare one’s net salary to the scales. The data that matters for MaPrimeRénov’ is the reference tax income (RFR), indicated on the tax notice of the year N-1. This amount includes salaries, rental income, capital gains, and certain deductions. It does not correspond to either the taxable net income or the gross salary.
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The second parameter: the number of people in the tax household. A couple without children and a couple with three children do not have the same thresholds, even with identical income. Each additional person raises the ceiling by about 5,000 euros depending on the category.
To check where you stand, you need to consult the MaPrimeRénov income ceilings by cross-referencing these two criteria with your geographical area.
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Blue, yellow, purple, pink categories: what each color concretely changes about the amount
The Anah classifies households into four profiles, each associated with a color. This classification directly determines the amount of the grant and the accessible works.
- Blue (very low incomes): the highest grants, access to almost all actions, including extensive renovations with minimal out-of-pocket costs.
- Yellow (low incomes): amounts slightly reduced compared to the blue profile, but most works remain eligible, from boiler replacement to wall insulation.
- Purple (intermediate incomes): a more restricted scope of works and significantly lower grant amounts, especially for isolated actions like window replacement.
- Pink (higher incomes): limited access to certain specific actions (geothermal heat pump, overall renovation), with amounts covering a modest part of the total cost.
A yellow-classified household installing an air/water heat pump will receive a much larger grant than a purple household for the same equipment, from the same installer. The color of the profile weighs more on the final amount than the choice of equipment.
MaPrimeRénov’ thresholds in Île-de-France and outside Île-de-France: the gap that traps
The scales distinguish between two zones: Île-de-France and the rest of the territory. The thresholds in Île-de-France are higher to account for the cost of living. A household of four with a reference tax income of around 45,000 euros will be classified as “yellow” in Île-de-France but could switch to “purple” outside Île-de-France.
For a single person outside Île-de-France, the “very low” threshold is below 17,174 euros and the “low” threshold is below 22,016 euros. For two people, these ceilings drop to below 25,116 euros and 32,198 euros, respectively. In Île-de-France, each threshold is raised by several thousand euros.
Check your geographical area before consulting the scale: there are regularly cases where the applicant has read the wrong column of the table and overestimates their eligibility.
Particular case: separate tax notices in the same household
When two people occupy the housing but have separate tax notices (partners, co-owners), the reference tax incomes must be added together. This rule also applies in cases of joint ownership or dismemberment of property: the incomes of all holders of real rights are aggregated to determine the category.
In practice, an unmarried couple with two separate notices of 18,000 euros each will be assessed on a basis of 36,000 euros for a household of two people, which changes the color of the profile.
Eligible works according to income profile: restrictions to anticipate
The color classification not only changes the amount: it also conditions the list of accessible actions. Since the gradual refocusing of MaPrimeRénov’ on extensive renovations, households with intermediate or higher incomes see their access to isolated actions restricted.
For homes classified F or G in the energy performance diagnosis, aid for isolated actions is limited unless part of a global renovation led by a Rénov’ advisor. A thermal sieve owner classified as “purple” who only wishes to change their windows without touching the rest of the building risks rejection.
Heating works (heat pump, biomass boiler, solar thermal system) and insulation (walls, roof, floors) remain the foundation of eligible actions for blue and yellow profiles. The pink profile, on the other hand, will only be able to claim a significant grant within the framework of a global renovation with an energy gain of at least two energy performance classes.
Have your works certified by an RGE artisan
Regardless of the income profile, the installed equipment must meet specific technical criteria and be installed by a certified RGE (Recognized Guarantee of the Environment) professional. A signed quote with a non-RGE artisan makes the application ineligible, even if all income ceilings are respected.
Certification verification can be done through the official France Rénov’ directory. It is recommended to request the RGE certificate before signing the quote, not after.
The last point that deserves attention: income ceilings are regularly re-evaluated by the Anah. The thresholds applicable at the time of the application submission are those in force, not those that appeared on a simulator consulted six months earlier. Before starting a project, it is better to check the updated scales and ensure that the tax notice used is indeed that of the requested reference year.