Hire purchase of a vehicle in Tunisia: how it works and what it costs
In Tunisia, car leasing is hire purchase granted by a BCT-licensed leasing company: it buys the vehicle, remains its owner throughout the contract and transfers it to the customer for a residual value at the final instalment.
Legal framework for Tunisian leasing since 1994
Leasing is governed by Law 94-89, and the companies that provide it are financial institutions subject to the 2016 banking law and BCT supervision, with capital requirements and an obligation to report to the credit register.
Main leasing companies listed in Tunis
Tunisie Leasing et Factoring, Hannibal Lease, the Compagnie internationale de leasing, Attijari Leasing and Arab Tunisian Lease are among the players listed on the Tunis Stock Exchange. Several belong to a banking group that supplies customers and refinancing.
A usury threshold specific to leasing
For the first half of 2026, the average APR on movable and property leasing reached 13.37%, with the excessive-rate threshold set at 16.04%. Leasing therefore generally costs more than a conventional bank loan for the same vehicle.
Leasing dominates car financing
Bank car loans to individuals accounted for only 446 million dinars outstanding in June 2026, because a large share of new vehicles goes through leasing, particularly for the liberal professions, traders and companies across the country.
How payments are structured in a Tunisian lease
The contract usually provides for a higher first payment, similar to a deposit, followed by monthly payments over three to five years. At the end, the customer exercises the purchase option for a residual value, often symbolic, fixed at signature.
Registration card in the lessor's name
As long as the contract runs, the registration card is issued in the leasing company's name. The customer needs its permission to drive outside Tunisia, for example to Algeria or Libya, and may neither sell nor modify the vehicle.
Insurance, maintenance and road tax paid by the customer
Comprehensive insurance, taken out with a loss-payee clause in favour of the lessor, maintenance, road tax and any fines are the lessee's responsibility. A total loss means the insurance payout goes to the leasing company, which then settles the contract.
Ijara at Islamic institutions
Best Lease and Islamic banks such as Wifak Bank and Al Baraka offer ijara, a rental followed by a transfer of ownership, with payments set without direct reference to an interest rate. Tax treatment and total cost should still be compared with conventional leasing.
Effect of BCT Circular 2026-4 on vehicles
The requirement for importers to deposit the full value of cars before any financing weighs on their cash flow and may feed through to prices, and therefore to lease payments, which are calculated from the purchase price.
Leasing or a loan: which option to choose
An employee who wants to own the car straight away often chooses a car loan in Tunisia, while an entrepreneur uses leasing to preserve cash. See also our page on a business loan in Tunisia for company financing options.
Early buyout and termination of the contract
Early repayment is possible in return for a penalty set out in the contract. After repeated missed payments, the leasing company can terminate, repossess the vehicle and claim the remaining payments, which is then recorded in the credit register.
Car leasing in Morocco
Morocco has a more developed leasing market among private individuals, with hire purchase widely available. Our page on car leasing in Morocco lets you compare how the two countries handle this type of vehicle financing.
Signing a car lease in Tunisia
- Choose the vehicle at an approved dealer and obtain a pro forma invoice in the leasing company's name.
- Compare several leasing companies on the first payment, term, residual value and APR.
- Submit the file with proof of activity or income, plus financial statements for a company.
- Sign the contract, pay the larger first instalment and take out comprehensive insurance naming the lessor.
- Take delivery of the vehicle registered to the leasing company and pay instalments by direct debit.
- Exercise the purchase option at the end of the contract, then transfer the registration card to your name.
Cost components of a Tunisian car lease
| Component | Level | What determines it |
|---|---|---|
| Average leasing APR | 13.37% (indicative, H1 2026) | Customer profile and term |
| Leasing usury threshold | 16.04% (indicative, H1 2026) | Set at the average plus 20% |
| Larger first payment | Variable | Company policy and vehicle value |
| Residual value | Variable, often symbolic | Fixed when the contract is signed |
| Comprehensive insurance | Variable | Insured value, use and driver |
Documents to give a Tunisian leasing company
- ID card of the customer or company manager
- Extract from the National Business Register and tax identification card
- Financial statements or tax returns for the last two years
- Payslips and salary certificate for an individual
- Pro forma invoice from the dealer
- Recent statements for the account used for direct debits
Frequent mistakes with a car lease in Tunisia
- Comparing only the monthly payment without including the larger first payment, insurance and residual value in the total cost.
- Leaving Tunisian territory with the vehicle without written permission from the leasing company that owns it.
- Letting unpaid instalments pile up in the belief that the car will not be repossessed, when the lessor still owns it.
- Signing with an intermediary posing as a leasing company without being licensed by the BCT.
Lenders to contact
- BH Bank (Banque de l'Habitat): Tunisian bank historically specialised in housing, offering home loans to individuals as well as working-capital financing for professionals and businesses.
- Enda Tamweel: Tunisian microfinance institution granting microloans to micro-entrepreneurs, including in rural areas, backed by banking partners and development funders.
Vehicle leasing in Tunisia: concrete answers
Can an employee lease a car in Tunisia?
Leasing is mainly used by companies, traders and the liberal professions. Some leasing firms accept employees, depending on their risk policy. Applicants must then prove a stable income, and a comparison with a conventional bank loan is essential.
What is the maximum rate allowed on a lease?
In the first half of 2026, the excessive-rate threshold for movable and property leasing was 16.04%, against an average APR of 13.37%. These thresholds are revised every six months according to the rates actually charged on the market.
Who pays the insurance on a leased vehicle?
The lessee. They take out comprehensive insurance with the insurer of their choice, with a clause naming the leasing company as beneficiary. In case of theft or destruction, the payout first settles what is still owed to the lessor.
Can you buy the vehicle before the lease ends?
Yes, most Tunisian contracts allow an early buyout. The customer pays the discounted remaining instalments, any penalty and the residual value, then the leasing company issues the documents needed to transfer the registration card.