# Can I claim Bank Fees and Interest as a business expense in France?

**Yes, fully claimable.** Yes. Bank charges, card fees and loan interest are deductible. Interest on a shareholder's current account is deductible only up to a published cap, 4.33% for 12-month years closing 30 June to 29 September 2026.

Typical amount: Varies by bank and by the volume of payments. Check the current-account cap for your closing date in the BOFiP.

## What Direction générale des Finances publiques (DGFiP) says

Account fees, card fees, payment-processor fees, foreign-exchange charges and interest on a business loan are costs of running the company. Bank services normally carry no VAT, so there is usually nothing to deduct on the CA3. Interest paid to shareholders on money they lend to the company through a compte courant d'associé is treated differently. It is deductible only up to a cap, which is the annual average of the effective rates banks charge businesses on variable-rate loans over two years, published every quarter in the BOFiP (BOI-BIC-CHG-50-50-30). For a 12-month financial year closing between 30 June and 29 September 2026 the cap is 4.33%. The test is made per current account, and interest above the cap is not deductible. The interest is also income for the lender, who pays the 31.4% flat tax (PFU) on it unless they opt for the income tax scale. If the lender is a majority gérant of an SARL or EURL, the TNS rule on current-account interest above 10% of capital, premium and current-account balances can also apply. This is a place where a short conversation with your expert-comptable before paying the interest saves a mistake later.

## When you can claim

- Monthly account fees and card fees
- Payment-processor and card-terminal fees
- Interest on a bank loan taken for the business
- Foreign-exchange and international-transfer charges
- Interest on a shareholder's current account, up to the cap
- Loan arrangement and guarantee fees

## When you cannot claim

- Fees on a personal bank account
- Current-account interest above the cap
- Repayments of loan principal, which are not a cost

## Good to know

**Pro tip:** Write the interest rate into the current-account agreement and compare it with the cap before the year-end. Setting the rate under the cap avoids an add-back.

**Important:** The cap changes each quarter and depends on the closing date of the financial year. Finn reads the figure for your year from the BOFiP before she quotes it.

Source: https://bofip.impots.gouv.fr/bofip/5505-PGP.html

## Related expenses

- [Accountant Fees (Expert-comptable)](https://accounts-os.com/fr/expenses/accountant-fees-france)
- [Software and Subscriptions](https://accounts-os.com/fr/expenses/software-subscriptions-france)