Lending rules: Cambodia
What the published rules require for unsecured consumer loans in Cambodia, in the order a loan is made, and how TS LMS handles each step.
Last reviewed 22 October 2026 · Email me when these rules change
Lender type covered Microfinance institution (non-deposit-taking) or rural credit institution licensed/registered by the National Bank of Cambodia
- 01
What licence do you need to lend in Cambodia?
Licence from the National Bank of Cambodia
What the rules require
Under the Law on Banking and Financial Institutions (1999), credit operations are banking operations and covered entities must obtain a licence from the supervisory authority, the National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), before starting business; unlicensed banking operations carry imprisonment of 1 to 5 years and fines of KHR 5 million to 250 million. Non-bank lenders are licensed under the NBC Prakas on Licensing of Microfinance Institutions (B7-00-06, 11 January 2000, amended by B7-06-209, 13 September 2006); NBC categories are microfinance deposit-taking institutions, microfinance non-deposit-taking institutions and rural credit institutions. A rural credit institution needs minimum registered capital of KHR 200 million, fully paid into an account at the NBC before operating (Prakas B7-017-326, 25 October 2017).
Effective: being checked against the official text · Rules as of 25 October 2017 · Source: Banking Code 2011 (Law on Banking and Financial Institutions, unofficial translation) · Prakas & Circulars (list incl. B7-00-06 and B7-06-209) · Annual Supervision Report 2017 · Annual Supervision Report 2021
How TS LMS handles it
Products, credit rules and limits are set up for each lender and country. Changes to credit policy and to products need a second person's approval, and every change is kept in the audit log.
- 02
Is there an interest rate cap in Cambodia?
18% annual interest rate ceiling
What the rules require
NBC Prakas B7-017-109 on Interest Rate Ceiling on Loan (13 March 2017) applies to microfinance deposit-taking institutions, microfinance institutions and rural credit institutions under NBC supervision. It sets the loan interest rate at no more than 18% per year for any maturity. The ceiling applies to new credit contracts, restructured loans and refinancing, with compliance required from 1 April 2017.
Effective 1 April 2017 · Rules as of 13 March 2017 · Source: Annual Supervision Report 2017 · Prakas & Circulars (Prakas on Interest Rate Ceiling on Loan, 13 Mar 2017)
How TS LMS handles it
Each product can carry an annual rate ceiling and always carries a ceiling on the total cost of credit; a quote above either is refused.
- 03
How are loan fees regulated in Cambodia?
Fees and disclosure
What the rules require
Loan interest at microfinance institutions and rural credit institutions may not exceed 18% a year, for new, restructured and refinanced loans, from 1 April 2017. The cap applies to the nominal interest rate only and does not include other loan-related fees; microfinance institutions are not prohibited from charging non-interest fees such as commissions. NBC's consumer protection work includes guiding institutions to require their credit officers to disclose all terms and conditions of the loan contract.
Effective 1 April 2017 · Rules as of 1 April 2017 · Source: Annual Supervision Report 2017 · Impact of Interest Rate Cap on Financial Inclusion in Cambodia (WP/21/107)
How TS LMS handles it
Every charge on a product counts towards the rate check, each product carries a ceiling on the total cost of credit, and staff cannot set a charge above the product's.
- 04
What affordability checks are required in Cambodia?
Credit risk assessment
What the rules require
Under NBC Prakas B7-017-344 (1 December 2017), banking and financial institutions must have a credit risk management system appropriate to the nature, complexity and size of their business activities. They must also have a robust system for the early identification, monitoring and accurate measurement of their credit risks. According to CAO, an NBC circular of August 2024 makes loan restructuring intended only for customers facing short-term financial difficulty, and requires institutions to use internal policy criteria beyond Credit Bureau of Cambodia (CBC) data when approving loans.
Effective 1 December 2017 · Rules as of August 2024 · Source: Annual Supervision Report 2017 · Compliance Investigation Report, Cambodia Financial Intermediaries-04 (October 2025)
How TS LMS handles it
Income and the debt-to-income ratio are assessed and kept with the credit decision; a limit above the suggested amount needs a written reason.
- 05
Can loan contracts be signed electronically in Cambodia?
Electronic contracts and signatures (Law on Electronic Commerce)
What the rules require
How TS LMS handles it
Where loans are signed electronically, the agreement is stored unchanged and signed only after approval, and the signature record keeps who signed, when, the agreement's fingerprint and the device. Money is released by a second staff member who is not the approver, and not if the payout account differs from the one approved.
- 06
What identity checks and anti-money laundering duties apply in Cambodia?
Customer identification under the NBC AML/CFT Prakas
What the rules require
How TS LMS handles it
ID document and face checks, and sanctions and PEP screening, are built in. A sanctions match blocks approval and release until compliance clears it with a second officer's confirmation, and a PEP match needs a written enhanced due-diligence note before staff approval.
- 07
What are the data protection and credit bureau rules in Cambodia?
Credit reporting system and protection of electronic personal information
What the rules require
How TS LMS handles it
Personal data is kept for set periods by type and then removed, and a borrower's request to access their data can be answered from the system. Contacting a borrower's emergency contact requires the borrower's recorded consent.
- 08
How is debt collection regulated in Cambodia?
Complaints and collection conduct
What the rules require
How TS LMS handles it
Calls and messages are limited to set hours, and calls to a set number a day. Contact with third parties can be switched off entirely, or allowed only as an exception with the borrower's consent and, where set, compliance approval, using a script that never mentions the debt. Every contact is logged.
This page summarises published rules for general information; it is not legal advice. Rules change: check the current text with the authority before acting.