Since August 1, 2026, the Livret A and LDDS savings accounts have offered a rate of 1.7% per 100,000 years, while the LEP (People's Savings Account) offers a rate of 2.5% per 100,000 years. The maximum deposit limits are €22,950 for the Livret A, €12,000 for the LDDS, €10,000 for the LEP, and €1,600 for the Livret Jeune (Youth Savings Account). Interest earned on these four accounts is exempt from income tax and social security contributions.
The CEL (€15,300) and the PEL (€61,200) are of a different nature: their interest is taxable for accounts opened since 2018.
What this page does not cover
- The CEL rate. The official pages reviewed at the time of the review do not provide the same value. The rate is taken from the current official document before any decision is made.
- The income thresholds for the LEP. They depend on the household composition, and the official websites consulted do not agree. They should be verified with your bank or on service-public.fr.
- Social security contributions on interest from PEL and CEL accounts. The rate should be checked against current texts before any calculation of net return.
- Loans linked to the CEL and PEL accounts. The firm connects clients with its banking partners and does not announce any credit rates.
- Ordinary bank savings accounts and fixed-term accounts.
The four exempt savings accounts
| Savings Account A | LDDS | THE P | Youth booklet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceiling (excluding capitalized interest) | €22,950 | €12,000 | €10,000 | €1,600 |
| Rates since 01/08/2026 | 1.7% | 1.7% | 2.5% | set by the bank, at least equal to that of the Livret A (1.7 %) |
| Who can open it? | no age, nationality or tax residency requirements | adult with tax residency in France, not tax dependent on his/her parents | subject to a reference tax income condition; tax households residing in France | aged 12 to 25, habitually resident in France |
| Number per person | 1 | 1 per taxpayer, 2 per tax household | 1 per taxpayer | 1 |
| Minimum investment | €10 per transaction (€1.50 at La Banque Postale) | No legal minimum; initial deposit usually €10 or €15 depending on the bank | €30 at opening, then €10 | €10 at opening |
| Taxation of interest | exempt from income tax and social security contributions | idem | idem | idem |
The maximum deposit limit for a Livret A savings account is €22,950 for an individual. For an association, it is €76,500.
Rates over time
The Livret A savings account was remunerated at 1.5% from February 1st to July 31st, 2026. The rate of 1.7% is set by the decree of July 28th, 2026, for the period from August 1st, 2026, to January 31st, 2027. The Ministry indicates that the rate is reassessed every six months. It takes into account inflation excluding tobacco over the previous twelve months and the average of interbank rates in the Eurozone.
The LDDS is "fully linked to the Livret A" according to the ministry's press release of July 15, 2026. The LEP will remain at 2.5% from August 1, 2026. The youth savings account cannot offer a lower interest rate than the Livret A.
The ceiling reached
Once the maximum deposit limit is reached, no new deposits are possible in a Livret A savings account. Adding interest earned on December 31st can cause the balance to exceed the limit. The same rule applies to the Livret Jeune (youth savings account): if the interest exceeds €1,600, the account remains open, but further deposits are no longer permitted.
The CEL and the PEL
| CEL | PEL | |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling | €15,300 (excluding capitalized interest) | €61,200 (capitalization may exceed this) |
| Rate | to be noted on the official updated sheet | 2 % for an open plan from 01/01/2026; 1.75 % from 01/01/2025 |
| Who can open it? | any person, whether adult or minor | any natural person, without any condition of age, nationality or residence |
| Number | 1 per person | 1 per person |
| Payments | €300 upon opening, then a minimum of €75; minimum balance of €300 | €225 upon opening, then a minimum of €540 per year |
| Term | not covered on this page | minimum 4 years |
| Interest, account opened before 2018 | exempt from income tax | exempt from income tax for the first 12 years |
| Interest accrued on account opened since 01/01/2018 | taxable from the first year | Taxable from the first year: 12.8% of the % tax is levied each year as an advance payment of income tax, then the tax is calculated the following year using the flat-rate levy or, by option, the progressive tax scale. |
The interest rate for a home savings plan (PEL) is fixed when the plan is opened and applies for its entire duration. A PEL opened in 2025 therefore remains at 1.75%; a PEL opened in 2026 is at 2%. A withdrawal made before the plan's maturity results in the closure of the account.
A PEL and a CEL can be held together in the same institution. A PEL can also be combined with a Livret A savings account.
What these figures don't tell us
A ceiling and a rate are not enough to make a choice. Three differences are equally important:
- Availability. The funds in a Livret A savings account are available at any time, without a checkbook or payment card. Early withdrawal from a PEL (home savings plan) results in the closure of the account.
- Access. The LDDS, LEP, and youth savings accounts have residency requirements in France. What happens to an account held when you change your residence is not addressed on this page; this should be checked before leaving France.
- Taxation. Four savings accounts are exempt. Interest earned on CEL and PEL accounts opened since 2018 is not exempt.
Numerical example (fictitious profile)
Situation. Marc and Sophie, married and filing jointly, tax residents in France, have €120,000 in cash. They do not yet hold any regulated savings accounts.
Issue. How much can they deposit in tax-exempt savings accounts, and what amount of interest does this limit represent?
Strategy. The discussion begins with the combined limits of the savings accounts the household has access to, then moves on to the rest of their cash holdings, which are addressed separately. Each person holds a Livret A savings account. The household also holds two LDDS accounts, one per taxpayer. The Livret A and LDDS accounts are cumulative.
Result. At a rate of 1.7 %, assumed to be constant over twelve months:
| Product | Ceiling | Annual interest |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Savings Accounts A | €45,900 | €780.30 |
| 2 LDDS | €24,000 | €408.00 |
| Total | €69,900 | €1,188.30 |
There remains €50,100 of cash outside these two savings accounts. If one of the two spouses meets the income requirement for the LEP, a LEP of €10,000 at 2.5% adds €250.00 in annual interest: the cumulative limit increases to €79,900 and the interest to €1,438.30.
This profile is fictitious. The calculation assumes that the funds are present throughout the year and ignores the details of fortnightly periods. The rate is fixed only until January 31, 2027. The figures illustrate a mechanism and do not predict the outcome for your specific situation.
What changes depending on your situation
- Your tax residence, which conditions the LDDS, the LEP and the youth savings account.
- The composition of your tax household, which determines the number of LDDS and LEP.
- Your reference tax income, for the LEP.
- The age of the holders, for the youth booklet.
- Your horizon, in particular for a PEL, the minimum duration of which is 4 years.
- The opening date who decides on the taxation of your CEL and PEL accounts?.
This page does not tell you which product is right for you. No results are guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the interest rate for the Livret A savings account since August 1, 2026?
1.7 %, for the period from August 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027 (decree of July 28, 2026). It was 1.5 % from February 1 to July 31, 2026.
Can you have both a Livret A and an LDDS?
Yes. The Livret A savings account can be combined with the LDDS and the Livret Jeune savings account. The LDDS can be combined with the Livret A, the LEP, and the Livret Jeune savings account. To hold both an LDDS and a Livret Jeune savings account, you must be under 25 years old and no longer be claimed as a dependent on your parents' tax return (service-public.fr).
Are the interest payments on these savings accounts taxable?
Deposits in Livret A, LDDS, LEP, and Livret Jeune savings accounts are exempt from income tax and social security contributions. Deposits in a PEL opened since 2018 are taxable from the first year: 12.8% is withheld as an advance payment of income tax, and the tax is then calculated the following year at the flat rate or, by option, according to the progressive tax scale.
Who is eligible for the LEP?
A taxpayer whose reference tax income remains below the thresholds, living in a tax household residing in France. Each taxpayer is entitled to only one LEP (Livret d'Épargne Populaire). You cannot open one for your children.
What happens if income exceeds the LEP threshold?
The LEP (Livret d'Épargne Populaire) can be kept if the reference tax income for the following year falls below the limits. If the limits are exceeded for two consecutive years, closure is mandatory.
Take stock of your cash flow
Do you want to assess your savings accounts within your overall assets, or prepare for leaving France? Make an appointment with Balmont Conseil, a firm established in Lyon for almost 14 years, to review your situation.
Alexis SagnierFinancial and real estate investment advisor, insurance broker, AMF certified
Founder of Balmont Conseil, Lyon (ORIAS 13003497)
Read also
- Savings Account A in 2026: ceiling, rate and operation
- A child's savings: savings accounts, home savings plans, equity savings plans, assurance-vie
- Euro funds or unit-linked funds: what the AMF says
- PEL: ceiling, rate and duration of the housing savings plan
- The interest rate on the Livret A savings account: how it is set and when it changes
- Fixed-term deposit: duration, rate and taxation in 2026
Official sources
- economie.gouv.fr, table of savings products: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/produits-epargne
- service-public.fr, Savings Account A: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2365
- service-public.fr, news on the Livret A savings account rate as of August 1, 2026: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/actualites/A18000
- economie.gouv.fr, press release of July 15, 2026 (Livret A and LEP): https://presse.economie.gouv.fr/epargne-reglementee-le-livret-a-passe-a-17-et-le-lep-se-maintient-a-25-a-compter-du-1er-aout-2026/
- economie.gouv.fr, Livret A: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/gerer-mon-argent/gerer-mon-budget-et-mon-epargne/livret-comment-ca-marche
- service-public.fr, LDDS: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2368
- economie.gouv.fr, LDDS: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/livret-developpement-durable-et-solidaire-ldds
- service-public.fr, LEP: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2367
- economie.gouv.fr, LEP: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/livret-epargne-populaire-lep
- service-public.fr, youth booklet: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2904
- economie.gouv.fr, youth booklet: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/epargne-livret-jeune
- service-public.fr, home savings account: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16136
- economie.gouv.fr, home savings account: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/gerer-mon-argent/gerer-mon-budget-et-mon-epargne/compte-epargne-logement-cel-comment
- service-public.fr, home savings plan: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F16140
- economie.gouv.fr, home savings plan: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/plan-epargne-logement-pel
- impots.gouv.fr, exempt products: https://www.impots.gouv.fr/particulier/questions/jai-des-valeurs-mobilieres-peuvent-elles-etre-exonerees
- impots.gouv.fr, PEL interest rates: https://www.impots.gouv.fr/particulier/questions/dans-quels-cas-les-interets-de-mon-plan-depargne-logement-pel-sont-ils
- economie.gouv.fr, savings products for a child (LEP): https://www.economie.gouv.fr/particuliers/gerer-mon-argent/gerer-mon-budget-et-mon-epargne/tout-savoir-sur-les-produits-depargne
