As of January 1, 2025, the legal limit for interest rates in Canada is a maximum of 35% Annual Percentage Rate (APR). Under the Criminal Code, it is a criminal offence to enter into an agreement or receive interest exceeding this rate, which was reduced from the previous 60% Effective Annual Rate (EAR) to combat predatory lending.
The Criminal Code makes it an offence to: (1) enter into an agreement or arrangement to receive interest at a rate exceeding 60 per cent; and, (2) actually receive interest at a rate exceeding 60 per cent.
As of January 1, 2025, the criminal interest rate was reduced to a cap of 35% annual percentage rate (APR). Prior to these amendments, the criminal rate of interest was capped at 60% effective annual rate (EAR), which is approximately 48% APR.
The criminal rate of interest makes it illegal for lenders to charge an interest rate of more than 60%. This rule applies to most lending products in Canada, including: Installment loans. Lines of credit.
But yeah, so big picture California says 10%, that's what you can charge on a loan and if you exceed 10%, you have a usury problem.
Yes, charging a 3% credit card fee (surcharge) is generally legal in most U.S. states and follows card network rules (like Visa's 3% cap), but it depends heavily on your location and requires strict adherence to rules, such as not surcharging debit cards, capping it at your actual processing cost (not to exceed 3% for Visa/4% for Mastercard), and providing clear customer notification. Some states (like Connecticut, Massachusetts, Texas) may have their own bans or restrictions, so it's crucial to check your specific state laws.
Yes, businesses in Canada can charge late fees on overdue invoices either as a fixed penalty fee or by adding interest at a reasonable level. As the business charging a late fee, the onus is on you to ensure that the amount is “reasonable”.
On December 15, 2025, the Government of Canada passed Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act. This legislation changes the first-generation limit to citizenship by descent. On this page, we explain what this change means, how to check if you're affected, and what you need to do before travelling to Canada.
Canada's 90% rule helps non-residents and recent immigrants claim full federal tax credits (like the Basic Personal Amount) if 90% or more of their net worldwide income for the relevant tax year is from Canadian sources; otherwise, credits are prorated (reduced) based on their Canadian residency period, ensuring fairness for those who weren't residents all year.
On January 1, 2025, the federal government implemented a reduction in the maximum allowable rate from 47% annual percentage rate (APR) to 35%.
Effective as of January 1, 2025, the criminal rate of interest specified in section 347 of the Criminal Code (Canada) (the Criminal Code) was reduced to an annual percentage rate (APR) that exceeds 35%. Prior to the amendments, the criminal rate of interest was an effective annual rate (EAR) that exceeded 60%.
The interest you can charge if another business is late paying for goods or a service is 'statutory interest' - this is 8% plus the Bank of England base rate for business to business transactions. You cannot claim statutory interest if there's a different rate of interest in a contract.
The lease agreement must state the amount of the late fee and the date on which it will be charged. The landlord cannot charge one if the lease agreement does not specify a late fee. Remember, the late fee must not exceed 10% of the monthly rent.
There's no federal regulation on the maximum interest rate your issuer can charge you, though each state has its own approach to limiting interest rates. State usury laws often dictate the highest interest rate that can be charged on loans, but these often don't apply to credit cards.
What is the Criminal Interest Rate in Canada? Section 347 of the Criminal Code of Canada sets the maximum allowable annualized interest that may be charged at 60% – interest charged above that level is considered usury and is a criminal offence.
Yes. U.S. merchants may assess a surcharge on credit card purchases that does not exceed the merchant discount rate for the applicable credit card surcharged*.
In general, a surcharge cannot exceed 3% in the U.S. However, there are exceptions in some states to consider before implementing a surcharge fee. For example, in Colorado, merchants may either: Surcharge a maximum of 2%, or. Charge the actual cost the company pays for credit processing.
As a result, when surcharging across all card brands, the three percent cap is inherently applicable to all credit card transactions regardless of the card brand, to ensure all card brands are treated equally.