In Tunis, a loan between private individuals is lawfully made with a written acknowledgement of debt in dinars, certified at the municipality, at a reasonable rate, and without ever paying upfront fees to a lender found on the internet.
Greater Tunis, home of the financial authorities
Tunis, Ariana, Ben Arous and La Manouba host the headquarters of the Central Bank of Tunisia, the Financial Market Council (CMF) and the Microfinance Supervisory Authority. You can check on the spot the status of any body claiming to lend money.
Students at El Manar and La Manouba
The El Manar, La Manouba and Carthage campuses welcome thousands of Tunisian and sub-Saharan students, often short of money before a grant is paid. Quick loan adverts posted near university residences deserve the greatest suspicion from anyone tempted to answer them.
Civil servants and office staff in Lac and Charguia
In the offices of Les Berges du Lac or the Charguia industrial zone, advances between colleagues are common. Even for 1,000 dinars, a written note stating the repayment date avoids tension at work and misunderstandings about when the money is due.
Drafting the deed and certifying it at the district office
An acknowledgement of debt listing both national identity cards (CIN), the amount in words and the schedule can be certified at a Tunis municipal district office, for instance in El Menzah or Bab Bhar. Both signatories must attend in person.
Notaries and registration for larger sums
To fund a property deposit in La Marsa or Ariana, a deed drawn up by a notary gives stronger proof and can include a guarantee. Read our page on the role of the notary in a private loan before you sign anything.
Rate ceiling published every six months by the BCT
Since decree-law 2022-67, an excessive rate is measured against the average effective rate charged by banks in the previous half-year, plus a regulatory margin. A careful private lender in Tunis stays well below this threshold published by the BCT.
Tunis start-ups and regulated crowdlending
Young companies under the Startup Act, numerous in the capital, can consider a crowdlending platform licensed by the BCT under law 2020-37. This channel finances a profit-making project, not rent or a wedding, so households should look elsewhere.
Medina traders and informal advances
In the souks of the medina, around rue Zitouna, credit between merchants often rests on trust and on cheques handed over as security. Since law 2024-41, check that funds are available through Tunichèque before accepting this method of payment.
Fraudulent text messages imitating La Poste Tunisienne
Text messages imitating La Poste Tunisienne invite you to click to release a loan or a parcel, then capture your D17 login details. Our article on phishing by fake lenders describes these trap pages and how to recognise them quickly.
Complaints at the Tunis court of first instance
A victim of a loan scam can file a complaint at the local police district or refer the matter to the public prosecutor at the Tunis court of first instance. Keep conversations, phone numbers and proof of payment as evidence for investigators.
Free advice: INC, ODC and lawyers
The National Consumer Institute (INC) and the Consumer Defence Organisation (ODC), both based in Tunis, provide information on abusive practices. For a significant contract, a lawyer registered with the Tunis bar checks the clauses and the evidence of the loan.
How the capital compares with the rest of Tunisia
National rules apply everywhere, yet habits differ between the capital and the regions. The guide to peer-to-peer lending in Tunisia sums up the legal framework, while the page devoted to Bizerte describes the situation in the north of the country.
A loan between Tunis residents, from agreement to final repayment
- Meet the other party in person in Tunis and compare their CIN with the name on the receiving bank account.
- Write the acknowledgement of debt in two copies, with the amount in figures and words, dated instalments and any agreed rate.
- Have the signatures certified at the municipal district office, or visit a notary if the sum exceeds your everyday savings.
- Send the money by bank transfer from a branch or a banking app, writing family loan in the payment reference.
- Have each repayment received countersigned and keep the account statements until the debt is fully settled.
- Ask the local tax collection office how interest received is treated for tax purposes.
Budget for a private loan in Tunis (indicative)
| Item | Practice in Tunis | Cost in dinars (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
| Interest between relatives | Loan often interest-free; excessive rate threshold published by the BCT | Usually 0 TND |
| Certification of signatures | Municipal district office | Small fee |
| Notarial deed | Notary, for a guarantee or a large amount | On quotation |
| Lawyer from the Tunis bar | Review or drafting of the contract | Fees set freely |
| Fake fees demanded by a fraudster | Paid via D17, money order or prepaid card | Money lost |
Paperwork to gather for a loan in Tunis
- Valid CIN for both signatories
- Certified acknowledgement of debt
- Bank or postal account details (RIB)
- Salary certificate or student card to show repayment capacity
- Signed repayment schedule
- Receipt or statement for the transfer
Common traps in the capital
- Believing an advert stuck near a student residence that promises a loan without documents in exchange for file opening fees.
- Entering your D17 login details on a link received by text message in the name of La Poste Tunisienne.
- Lending cash to a colleague in Lac without any written note or agreed repayment date.
- Accepting a security cheque from a medina trader without checking on Tunichèque that the funds are there.
- Trusting a company that claims to be licensed without checking its status with the BCT or the CMF.
What Tunis residents ask about private loans
Where can I check that a credit provider is licensed in Tunis?
Lists of licensed institutions are published by the Central Bank of Tunisia, by the ACM for microfinance institutions and by the CMF for the financial market. If in doubt, call the relevant authority before sending any personal document.
Can a foreign student borrow from a Tunisian private individual?
Nothing prevents it, but a written agreement is essential: passport, residence card, address in Tunis and a realistic schedule. Be wary of fellow nationals or strangers offering a loan in return for an upfront deposit or the handover of your bank card.
How long should I keep the paperwork for a loan made in Tunis?
Keep the acknowledgement of debt, statements and receipts at least until the applicable limitation periods have expired. A lawyer in Tunis will tell you the exact length depending on the nature of the loan and any guarantees taken.
Can a notary in Tunis ask for money to release a loan?
A notary charges for deeds against a receipt and in their own office, never to release a loan promised by a stranger online. That scenario matches the fake notary scam: cut off contact and file a complaint with the police.