LEP: income limits, rates and deposit ceiling

The Livret d'épargne populaire (LEP) savings account offers an interest rate of 2.5%, a rate that will remain unchanged from August 1, 2026, and is displayed on service-public.gouv.fr for the period from August 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027. The maximum deposit is €10,000, excluding accrued interest. It is reserved for individuals who are tax residents of France and whose reference tax income (RFR) does not exceed a limit that depends on the number of shares in the household. Interest earned is exempt from income tax and social security contributions.

What this page does not cover

• Non-residents and French citizens living abroad. French tax residency is a requirement for opening and holding a LEP (Livret d'Épargne Populaire). What happens to an LEP when tax residency changes is not addressed here; this should be checked before leaving France.
• Income ceilings for overseas territories. A separate table exists. It is not included.
• The ceilings applicable to an opening in 2027. They are not known at the time of review.
• The rate applicable after January 31, 2027. It is not known at the time of review.
• The annual audit of your income by the tax authorities. It is not described in the records consulted.

Key figures

Who can open a LEP?

You must be a tax resident of France, regardless of nationality. The information sheet on economie.gouv.fr specifies that the account is only available to tax households residing in France.

The RFR must also not exceed certain ceilings. These ceilings are revised annually.

You cannot open a LEP (Livret d'Épargne Populaire) for your children. A person, whether an adult or a minor, cannot hold an LEP as long as they are financially dependent on their parents.

Reference tax income ceilings

The table below reproduces the information sheet from service-public.gouv.fr, verified on 01/08/2026, entitled "LEP eligibility 2026", for metropolitan France.

For an opening in 2026, the bank checks the RFR of the year 2024 (2025 tax notice) or that of the year 2025 (2026 tax notice), depending on the date of the request.

At the opening, you present your income tax assessment notice or your notice of non-taxation, or the bank consults the tax authorities.

One point to check before opening. The information sheet on economie.gouv.fr, consulted around the same time, includes a table related to a loan opening in 2025, based on the 2023 and 2024 reference tax income (RFR), with different amounts. This page does not include that table. Have your bank confirm the applicable limit for your request.

The rate: 2.5 % since August 1, 2026

The economie.gouv.fr website states: "As of August 1, 2026, the interest rate for the Livret d'Épargne Populaire (LEP) savings account will remain at 2.5% per %." The Ministry's press release of July 15, 2026, also announces that the LEP rate will remain at 2.5% per %. The service-public.gouv.fr website indicates a rate of 2.50% per % for the period from August 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027, and cites the decree of July 29, 2026, concerning the interest rates of the Livret d'Épargne Populaire.

For comparison, the Livret A is remunerated at 1.7 % from August 1, 2026, for the period up to January 31, 2027 (decree of July 28, 2026).

The rates shown therefore cover a specific period. For subsequent periods, please refer to the official information sheets from February 2027 onwards.

Interest on the LEP is calculated on the 1st and 16th of each month.

The deposit limit: €10,000

The maximum balance is set at €10,000, excluding accrued interest. The addition of interest may increase the account value beyond this limit.

The initial deposit is a minimum of €30. Subsequent deposits are flexible, with a minimum of €10. No transaction can result in a negative balance in the account.

How many LEPs, and with which other passbooks?

Only one savings account can be opened per person, with a limit of two savings accounts per tax household.

The information sheet on service-public.gouv.fr indicates that it is possible to combine a LEP with other savings accounts, and cites the sustainable development savings account and the Livret A.

If your income exceeds the limit

Two situations stand out.

1. An isolated overshoot. According to economie.gouv.fr, the holder can keep their LEP if their income for the following year falls below the eligibility limit.
2. An exceedance two years in a row. According to service-public.gouv.fr, if income from two years prior (N-2) exceeds the limits for two consecutive years, the LEP (Livret d'Épargne Populaire) must be closed. The specific closing procedures should be verified with your bank and on the service-public.gouv.fr website.

Furthermore, a LEP can be closed at any time. It can also be transferred to another bank without losing interest.

Taxation of interest

Interest earned on a LEP (Livret d'Épargne Populaire) savings account is exempt from income tax and social security contributions. The impots.gouv.fr website page dedicated to investment income lists the LEP among the income exempt from income tax.

Numerical example (fictitious profile)

Situation. A married couple, filing jointly, have two tax units. The taxable income used by the bank is €34,500. The couple has €20,000 in cash and wishes to open a LEP (Livret d'Épargne Populaire - a type of savings account) for each of them.

Issue. Is the couple below the RFR ceiling, and what does the difference in rates compared to the Livret A represent on this sum?

Strategy. The first point concerns the RFR (Reference Fiscal Income) and the year of income that the bank will verify at the date of the application. It then focuses on monitoring income for the next two years, since exceeding the limit two years in a row results in account closure.

Result. For two people, the income tax (RFR) ceiling is €35,326. The household is €826 below this ceiling. For example, two LEP accounts of €10,000 each represent €20,000:

The same calculation applies to other households, using table 2026 from service-public.gouv.fr:

This profile is fictitious. The calculation assumes that rates remain constant over twelve months, which is not guaranteed: the displayed rates for the LEP and Livret A savings accounts cover the period from August 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027, and the Livret A rate is reassessed every six months. It does not take into account the details of fortnightly periods. The figures illustrate a mechanism and do not predict the outcome for your specific situation.

What changes depending on your situation

• Your tax residence, a condition set for opening and holding a LEP.
• The number of shares in your tax household, which sets the RFR ceiling.
• The RFR year verified by the bank, which depends on the date of the request.
• The evolution of your income over two years, with regard to the closing rule.
• The number of people holding a household, limited to two booklets.
• The other passbooks you hold, Livret A and LDDS.

This page does not say whether you can open a LEP. No results are guaranteed.