Mortgage for the self-employed in Belgium
Belgian lenders accept self-employed income but read it differently from a payslip. They work from your tax assessments and accounts over several years, take the net taxable result rather than turnover, and deduct social contributions. A recently created activity sharply reduces the amount recognised, whatever the current billing looks like.
What decides your file is the number of completed accounting years and the consistency between them. Two or three closed years showing stable net income put you close to an employee's treatment; one strong year after a launch does not. If your file rests on a single year, the cheapest fix is usually to wait one more.
| Provider | Plan | Rate | Key points | View plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Argenta |
Crédit logement Argenta | 3.85% |
| View plan |
 Belfius |
Crédit habitation Belfius | 4.00% |
| View plan |
 Elantis |
Crédit hypothécaire Elantis | 4.08% |
| View plan |
 Beobank |
Crédit hypothécaire Beobank | 4.20% |
| View plan |
 ING |
Crédit habitation ING | 4.70% |
| View plan |
 Hello bank! BNP Paribas Fortis |
Crédit habitation Hello bank! | 4.78% |
| View plan |
 AXA |
Crédit logement AXA | 4.80% |
| View plan |
 Crelan |
Crédit habitation Crelan | 5.23% |
| View plan |
Prices and features surveyed on August 31, 2026. They may have changed since. Always check the offer on the provider’s website before signing up.
What counts as income when you work for yourself
For a sole trader operating as an indépendant, lenders start from the net taxable professional income shown on the tax assessment, not from invoiced turnover. Professional charges, depreciation and social contributions have already been deducted from that figure.
For a company director, the analysis splits: the director's remuneration is treated much like a salary, while dividends and retained profit are counted partially, fully or not at all depending on the lender. Ask the question explicitly, because the answer changes the borrowing capacity substantially.
Social contributions for the self-employed are provisional and later regularised against actual income. A large regularisation falling in the year of the application distorts the picture, so bring the calculation basis and explain it rather than letting the analyst discover it.
An activity carried out as an indépendant complémentaire, alongside employment, is generally treated as secondary income and recognised only partially, if the lender counts it at all.
Timing: why the year you apply matters
Most Belgian lenders want two or three closed accounting years. The starter with excellent current invoicing but one filed year is the classic difficult file, and no rate comparison fixes it.
Consistency matters more than the peak. Three stable years are read more favourably than one exceptional year preceded by two weak ones, because the lender is projecting twenty years forward from what it can see.
Deliberately minimising taxable income is the structural tension for the self-employed in Belgium. It reduces tax today and reduces borrowing capacity tomorrow, since the lender uses the taxed figure. If a purchase is planned, that arbitrage is worth discussing with your accountant two years ahead.
Also anticipate the paperwork: tax assessments, annual accounts, VAT returns, the company register extract where relevant, and proof that social contributions are up to date. Arrears on contributions are a straightforward reason for refusal.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of accounts do Belgian lenders require?
Generally two to three closed accounting years, with some lenders willing to look at a shorter history where the activity continues a previous salaried role in the same field. The requirement is about demonstrating regularity, so a consistent record over three years carries more weight than a single strong one.
Are dividends counted in my borrowing capacity?
It depends on the lender. Some ignore them entirely, some count a share, and some accept them where the distribution has been regular over several years. Because the treatment differs so much, this is one of the questions to ask before submitting a file rather than after a disappointing answer.
Can I borrow through my company instead?
A company can acquire property with professional credit, which follows a different regime from consumer mortgage credit and does not carry the same statutory protections. The tax consequences on use, resale and eventual withdrawal of the property are significant, so this is a decision to take with an accountant, not a lender.
Does being a recent starter block a mortgage entirely?
Not always, but it reduces what is recognised. Options include waiting for another closed year, borrowing with a co-borrower in salaried employment, or increasing own funds to lower the loan-to-value. Some lenders are markedly more open to starters than others, so a broker is useful here.