Debt Consolidation France 2026: Rates, Steps Guide
Too many loans to juggle? Debt consolidation (rachat de crédits) replaces them with one single loan and a smaller monthly payment. This guide gives the current usury caps, the broker checks to make and the steps to follow.
Key Takeaways
- Debt consolidation bundles multiple loans into one new credit, lowering monthly payments but lengthening the term.
- Banque de France Q4 2026 usury caps, applicable from 1 October 2026: 5.40% on fixed-rate property loans of 20 years or more, 8.56% on consumer loans above €6,000.
- Verify any broker on orias.fr before sharing documents or paying anything.
- Compare the total credit cost, not the monthly payment.
Important Warning
A lower monthly payment comes with a longer term, and a longer term means more interest paid overall. Compare the total credit cost before and after consolidation before you sign.
What is debt consolidation in France?
Debt consolidation, known in France as rachat de crédits or regroupement de crédits, combines several existing loans into one new loan. A financial institution pays off your current debts, and you are left with one monthly payment instead of several.
How it works at a glance (illustration, not an offer)
Several loans
Several monthly payments
1 loan
One monthly payment
Monthly payment drops because the term gets longer. Total interest, on the other hand, goes up.
Q4 2026 usury rates (Banque de France)
The usury rate is the maximum TAEG (APR) a lender can charge. According to the Banque de France, a loan is usurious when its effective global rate exceeds by more than one third the average rate practised during the previous quarter. The Banque de France publishes the ceilings each quarter. The figures below apply from 1 October 2026 (published 28 September 2026).
| Loan category | Usury cap (max TAEG) |
|---|---|
| Fixed-rate property loan < 10 years | 4.09% |
| Fixed-rate property loan 10 to under 20 years | 4.68% |
| Fixed-rate property loan ≥ 20 years | 5.40% |
| Variable-rate property loan | 5.52% |
| Bridge loan | 6.49% |
| Consumer credit ≤ €3,000 | 23.60% |
| Consumer credit €3,001-6,000 | 15.76% |
| Consumer credit > €6,000 | 8.56% |
Primary source (accessed October 6, 2026): Banque de France - Taux d'usure 2026-Q4.
If you are new to France
The usury caps above come from the Banque de France. The official sources listed on this page do not describe separate rules for people who recently moved to France.
Which documents a lender accepts, how it treats a residence permit or income paid abroad, and whether it serves customers in English are set by each lender or broker. This guide has not verified any of those conditions, so it does not list them. Ask the lender or broker for its requirements in writing, and check any broker on the ORIAS register before you share personal documents.
Total cost
Compare the total credit cost and the TAEG printed in each written offer, not only the monthly payment. Ask each lender or broker for its fees and for the borrower insurance cost in writing, and check that the TAEG stays below the usury cap for your loan category.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Lower monthly payment, because the term is longer
- One payment and one due date
Disadvantages
- Higher total cost: more interest over time
How to apply
- Audit your debt: list every active loan and your monthly income and compulsory expenses.
- Compare offers from your bank, a specialist consumer-credit lender and an ORIAS-registered intermediary. Compare TAEG and total cost, never the monthly payment.
- Prepare the file: gather the statements of every loan you want to replace and ask the lender for its list of required documents.
- Review the offer: TAEG, term, total cost, fees and insurance.
- Sign: the new lender then pays your old creditors, and you pay only the new instalment.
IOBSP brokers: why ORIAS matters
Banking intermediaries (IOBSP) are listed on the public register kept by ORIAS, which lets you check that an intermediary is authorised. Request the broker's ORIAS number and verify it before any commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a FICP listing last?
The FICP (Fichier national des incidents de remboursement des crédits aux particuliers) is kept by the Banque de France. According to the Banque de France, registration lasts 5 years at most after a repayment incident, and 7 years at most for a conventional recovery plan (plan conventionnel de redressement).
Where can I get free guidance before signing?
ABE-Infoservice offers free guidance backed by the Banque de France, the ACPR and the AMF. If a broker is involved, also check that it appears on the ORIAS register before you share any document.
Official sources (accessed October 6, 2026)
- Banque de France, usury rates 2026 Q4: https://www.banque-france.fr/fr/statistiques/taux-et-cours/taux-dusure-2026-q4
- Banque de France, FICP register: https://www.banque-france.fr/fr/a-votre-service/particuliers/fichiers-incident-bancaire/fichier-incidents-remboursement-credits
- ORIAS, register of intermediaries: https://www.orias.fr
- ABE-Infoservice: https://www.abe-infoservice.fr