PEL and CEL in 2026: rates, loan, term and tax

The PEL in 2026: deposits, ceiling, term

Source: service-public.gouv.fr, page checked on 9 October 2026.

One PEL per person. A tax household may hold several, one per member. If you already have a CEL, the PEL must be opened at the same bank.

The first 15-year PELs are reaching maturity. Plans taken out since 1 March 2011 have a term limited to 15 years: the first ones mature from 1 March 2026. Only PELs opened before 1 March 2011 can be kept open with no time limit (service-public.gouv.fr).

Withdrawing before 4 years is costly. Any early withdrawal closes the plan:

• before 2 years: interest is recalculated at the CEL rate and the right to a loan is lost;
• between 2 and 3 years: you keep the PEL rate but lose the right to a loan;
• between 3 and 4 years: you keep the rate but not the maximum loan amount;
• after 4 years: no penalty, and loan rights remain usable for 1 year.

PEL rates by year of opening

The savings rate and the loan rate are fixed when the plan is opened and do not change afterwards (service-public.gouv.fr).

Interest is calculated fortnightly and capitalised on 31 December each year.

The home savings loan

What it finances. Since 2018, the PEL loan finances only the main residence: buying new or resale, building, extending, insulation or heating works, renewable energy, as well as shares in an SCPI (société civile de placement immobilier, a property investment fund). The property must be in mainland France or in an overseas department (DOM). If the loan is used for something else, the bank can demand immediate repayment.

How the amount is calculated. It depends on the interest earned on the plan, known as loan rights. The bank multiplies these rights by 2.5 (1.5 for SCPI shares) to obtain the total interest you will pay, then deduces the capital you can borrow. The amount cannot exceed €92,000, a ceiling that also applies to the combined total of PEL and CEL loans (service-public.gouv.fr).

Deadlines. The loan must be applied for no later than 5 years after the contractual maturity of the plan. A relative (spouse, child, parent, brother or sister, nephew, uncle, etc.) can transfer their rights to you, provided both plans have reached maturity.

The bank keeps its requirements. It can ask for proof of income, a guarantee and borrower insurance, but it cannot require you to have your income paid into an account with it. Above €75,000, the PEL loan is treated as a mortgage; below that, it is a consumer loan.

Tax on the PEL and CEL

For plans and accounts opened since 1 January 2018, interest is subject each year to the 30% flat tax: 12.8% income tax and 17.2% prélèvements sociaux (social security contributions). PELs and CELs opened since that date no longer qualify for the state bonus (service-public.gouv.fr).

Social security contributions stay at 17.2% in 2026. For investment income received in 2026, the general rate rises to 18.6%, but the PEL and CEL keep the 17.2% rate (service-public.gouv.fr, page checked on 30 June 2026).

For a CEL opened before 2018, interest is exempt from income tax but subject to social security contributions.

The CEL: accessible savings, a small loan

For CELs opened since 1 February 2025, the loan rate is 2.75%. The loan requires a minimum amount of interest earned: €75, €37 or €22.5 depending on what is being financed (service-public.gouv.fr).

Which professional to consult

The courtier en crédit (mortgage broker) can build the PEL loan into a financing plan alongside a bank loan and, where applicable, a PTZ (zero-rate loan for home buyers). The notaire (notary) receives the funds from all loans on the day of the sale. To find out whether your savings are enough to cover costs, see also our apport personnel (deposit) page.