In short. Certibiocide désinfectants applies to decision-makers, purchasers and distributors of professional-only TP2, TP3 and TP4 disinfectants.
Definition: Certibiocide désinfectants is France's individual certificate category for decision-makers, purchasers and distributors of disinfectants intended exclusively for professional use in product types 2, 3 and 4. A product type classifies a biocidal product by its intended use.
Key facts
- As of 17 October 2026, the environment ministry's biocide guidance lists separate Certibiocide categories: désinfectants, nuisibles and autres produits.
- The ministry's explanatory notice states that the certificate belongs to an individual; the scheme provides no company certification or approval.
- The ministry's announcement for January 2026 specifies that, from 1 January 2026, establishments using professional disinfectants must designate a certified decision-maker responsible for product choices and protocols, subject to exemptions.
- France compétences' certification record identifies decision-makers, purchasers and distributors as the people covered by the disinfectant category.
Which disinfectants fall within this category?
The ministry's explanatory notice identifies the relevant product types, abbreviated TP in French:
| Product type | Use identified in the notice |
|---|---|
| TP2 | Disinfectants and algicides for uses other than direct application to humans or animals. |
| TP3 | Veterinary hygiene. |
| TP4 | Surfaces in contact with food or animal feed. |
The notice places human-hygiene products, TP1, and drinking-water products, TP5, outside the Certibiocide scheme. Professional-only status is determined by the user category in the product's marketing authorisation. For products under transitional arrangements without that authorisation, the notice points to the declaration in BioCID, the national biocidal-product inventory.
Which people in a cleaning service need the certificate?
The ministry's notice describes a decision-maker as someone responsible within the establishment for choosing products and defining their use protocols. The role cannot be delegated to someone outside that establishment.
A purchaser is the person choosing the product and ordering its acquisition. Someone handling only the administrative or financial purchase process does not need the certificate for that task. Cleaning staff who apply products they have not chosen, following a decision-maker's protocols, do not need the disinfectant certificate solely as users.
How is the certificate obtained and checked?
The ministry's biocide guidance specifies training at an authorised centre registered with the environment ministry. Its CERTIBIOCIDE application supports training searches, certificate downloads and validity checks. The application address given in the guidance is:
https://certibiocide.din.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/
France compétences' record for the disinfectant category describes a test of 30 questions, with 20 correct answers required. Candidates below that threshold follow additional training to consolidate their skills before obtaining certification. The listed competencies include managing disinfectant risks, using protective measures and favouring non-chemical alternatives to limit disinfectant use.
Related terms
- What does Qualipropre qualification identify for a cleaning company?
- Which home-cleaning tasks fall within French personal services?
- When may an installer display a Qualit'EnR qualification logo on a website?
FAQ
Can a cleaning company describe itself as Certibiocide certified?
The ministry's notice specifies that Certibiocide is issued to a person and provides no company certification or approval.
Does the nuisibles category cover the same product types?
The ministry's category list assigns TP14, TP18 and TP20 to Certibiocide nuisibles. It assigns TP2, TP3 and TP4 to Certibiocide désinfectants.
Where can you check a certificate's validity?
The ministry's biocide guidance directs you to the CERTIBIOCIDE application, which includes a certificate-validity check and certificate downloads.
Sources
- French environment ministry, "Produits biocides", updated 26 August 2025
- French environment ministry, "Notice explicative de l’arrêté « Certibiocide » du 9 octobre 2013 modifié", May 2025
- French environment ministry, "Ce qui change au 1er janvier 2026 en faveur de la Transition écologique, de la Biodiversité et des Négociations internationales sur le climat et la nature", 26 December 2025
- France compétences, "Certification record RS6440, disinfectants category", published 28 November 2023
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