Updated October 2026. A French prêt immobilier (mortgage) is underwritten on documents, not a credit score: banks check the negative-only FICP file and cap your debt-to-income ratio at 35% over a maximum 25-year term. Published averages in August 2026 ran from around 3.33% on 15 years to 3.52% on 25 years. Non-residents typically need a 20% to 30% deposit, and every loan requires assurance emprunteur, which you can shop separately under the loi Lemoine.
Key takeaways
- France has no positive credit score; banks check the FICP incident file and assess income documents, per service-public.gouv.fr.
- The maximum debt-to-income ratio (taux d'endettement) is 35%, including insurance, over a standard maximum term of 25 years.
- Non-residents typically need a 20% to 30% deposit, versus a lower norm for residents, plus 12 months of bank statements instead of 3.
- Published average rates in August 2026 ran roughly 3.33% (15 years) to 3.52% (25 years); the Banque de France's usury ceiling for 20-year-plus loans was 5.29% in Q3 2026, a legal maximum, not a typical rate.
- Assurance emprunteur is required by the bank contractually, not by law, and the loi Lemoine lets you cancel or switch insurer at any time, free of charge.
How Does Mortgage Underwriting Work in France?
France has no positive credit bureau and no credit score. The main national credit file is the FICP (Fichier national des incidents de remboursement des crédits aux particuliers), held by the Banque de France, and it records negative events only: characterised repayment incidents such as two consecutive missed monthly payments, and surendettement (over-indebtedness) procedures. A credit incident stays on file for 5 years, and a surendettement plan for up to 7 years. Banks systematically consult the FICP before any credit decision, but not being on it is not itself proof of creditworthiness.
With no positive score to lean on, a lender underwrites your file on documents: your last three payslips, an employment contract, your tax notice (avis d'imposition), and recent bank statements. A newcomer with no French credit history is assessed on income stability and account conduct rather than a score, which is why a clean paper trail matters more in France than it does in credit-score markets.
Two other files feed the same check. The FCC (Fichier central des chèques) at the Banque de France lists cheque incidents and banking bans (interdit bancaire), which last at most 5 years and lift as soon as the underlying debt is settled. FICOBA, run by the DGFiP, lists every bank account you hold in France, so a lender can see accounts you did not mention; you can view your own record in your personal space on impots.gouv.fr. Settling an old cheque incident before you apply is the fastest way to clear a blocked mortgage file.
Check your own FICP file for free
What Are the Eligibility Rules for a Prêt Immobilier?
French mortgage lending follows two headline rules published by service-public.gouv.fr. Your debt-to-income ratio, meaning all your credit repayments and loan insurance combined as a share of monthly income, generally cannot exceed 35%. The loan term generally cannot exceed 25 years. Beyond these caps, the bank must check your overall financial situation, income, savings, existing debts, and consult the FICP.
There is no legally fixed minimum deposit. A personal contribution (apport personnel) can come from savings accounts, a CEL or PEL, or other savings plans, and a larger deposit generally strengthens an application, but French law does not set a required percentage the way it caps the debt ratio and term.
Documents a lender typically asks for
How Is a Mortgage Different for Non-Residents?
The 35% debt-to-income cap applies to non-residents too, but the deposit expectation is higher. Non-resident buyers are commonly asked for a personal contribution of 20% to 30% of the property value, on top of notary fees and guarantee costs, against a lower norm typically expected of French residents. Not every bank finances non-residents at all: policy varies by institution, and some only lend to applicants from certain countries, with closer scrutiny for jurisdictions subject to extra reporting duties such as FATCA for US citizens.
Documentation is also heavier. Non-residents are typically asked for around 12 months of bank statements, against 3 for a resident, plus tax returns translated into French and extra verification of employer stability. For an investment purchase rather than a second home, rental income can help the application, since it reassures the bank on repayment capacity.
Not every bank lends to non-residents
What Are Typical Mortgage Rates in 2026?
Published broker averages for August 2026 put typical rates around 3.33% on 15 years, 3.44% on 20 years, and 3.52% on 25 years. These are averages, and they mask real variation by profile: strong applications, including higher earners, were reported getting rates roughly 0.2 points lower across the same terms, with the best-negotiated 20-year files closer to 3.11%. Rates move with the OAT, the yield at which the French state borrows over 10 years, which is the reference banks use to set their fixed-rate scales.
Separately, the Banque de France publishes a quarterly usury ceiling (taux d'usure), the absolute legal maximum APR a lender may charge. For loans of 20 years or more, that ceiling stood at 5.29% in the third quarter of 2026. This is a legal cap, not a typical offer; actual market rates run well below it.
Sources: Pretto rate observatory (updated 17 August 2026); Banque de France usury-rate table (July 2026). Rates change frequently and depend heavily on your profile and the loan term; confirm current figures with a lender or broker before applying.
What Is Assurance Emprunteur and How Do You Save on It?
Assurance emprunteur (loan insurance) is not required by French law, but every bank requires it contractually before it will grant a mortgage. It typically covers death, invalidity, and loss of the ability to work. Since the loi Lemoine (loi n° 2022-270 of 28 February 2022), you can cancel or switch insurer at any time, free of charge, for new loans from 1 June 2022 and for all running loans from 1 September 2022. The bank has 10 working days to accept or refuse a substitution, and can only refuse on the grounds of unequal guarantees, with reasons given in writing.
Two other loi Lemoine rights matter for many buyers: no health questionnaire is required if the insured share is under €200,000 per person and the loan is repaid before your 60th birthday, and the droit à l'oubli (right to be forgotten) for past serious illness, such as cancer or hepatitis C, was cut from 10 to 5 years.
The financial stakes are real. Bancassureurs (insurers tied to the big banking groups, such as Cardif for BNP Paribas, Sogécap for Société Générale, Pacifica for Crédit Agricole, and CNP for La Banque Postale) still hold roughly 85% of the market through group contracts, which typically cost 0.25% to 0.38% of the initial capital per year. A delegated policy from an external insurer, such as April, Generali, Suravenir, or MetLife, often costs only 0.06% to 0.15% for a standard profile, a difference reported to save borrowers roughly €10,000 to €40,000 over the life of a loan. Digital comparators such as Magnolia, Assurly, and Reassurez-moi exist specifically to shop delegated policies, though only around 27% of French borrowers are estimated to know their loi Lemoine rights.
You do not have to insure with your bank
Should You Use a Courtier or Go Direct to a Bank?
A courtier (mortgage broker) shops your file across several banks at once rather than presenting it to just one. Using a broker is not a legal requirement, but it is widely recommended, particularly for non-resident applicants, since a broker typically knows which banks accept which countries of residence and can save considerable time versus applying cold.
Brokers are usually paid two ways: a bank commission of roughly 0.5% to 0.8% of the financed amount, capped around €3,000 and not added to your cost, and often a separate borrower fee (honoraires) of about 0.5% to 2% of the loan amount plus VAT, or a flat fee commonly between €950 and €2,500. By law, no broker payment is due before the loan offer itself has been issued.
Going direct to your own bank keeps things simpler and can come with relationship pricing if you already bank there, but you only see that one offer. If you have not opened a French account yet, our guide to opening a bank account in France and our overview of traditional French banks are good starting points before you approach either route.
Sources: myexpat.fr (updated 24 August 2026); bp-finance.com (13 August 2026). Broker fee structures vary by firm and loan size; confirm current terms before engaging one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does France have a credit score for mortgages?
No. France has no positive credit-scoring system. Banks consult the FICP, a negative-only file of past repayment incidents held by the Banque de France, and otherwise underwrite on documents: payslips, an employment contract, your tax notice, and bank statements.
What is the maximum debt-to-income ratio for a French mortgage?
The standard cap is 35% of monthly income, including the loan insurance, and the maximum loan term is generally 25 years, per the HCSF-derived rules published on service-public.gouv.fr.
How much deposit do non-residents need for a French mortgage?
Non-residents typically need a larger personal contribution than residents, commonly cited at 20% to 30% of the property price, plus notary fees and guarantee costs, and the same 35% debt-to-income cap applies.
What are typical mortgage rates in France in 2026?
Published averages in August 2026 ran around 3.33% on 15 years, 3.44% on 20 years, and 3.52% on 25 years, with the best-negotiated files reported closer to 3.11% on 20 years. The Banque de France's usury ceiling, a separate legal maximum, stood at 5.29% for loans of 20 years or more in Q3 2026.
Can I choose my own loan insurance (assurance emprunteur)?
Yes. Under the loi Lemoine, you can pick a delegated insurer instead of the bank's group contract and switch insurer at any time, free of charge, once the loan is running. Delegated policies are often cheaper than the bank's own contract for a standard profile.
Do I need a courtier to get a mortgage in France?
It is not a legal requirement, but using a specialised broker is widely recommended, especially for non-residents, since not every French bank lends to non-resident applicants and a broker generally knows which ones do.