diff --git a/API/ROLAC.API.Tests/Services/ExpenseCategoryServiceTests.cs b/API/ROLAC.API.Tests/Services/ExpenseCategoryServiceTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a77025c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/API/ROLAC.API.Tests/Services/ExpenseCategoryServiceTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
+using System.Security.Claims;
+using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Http;
+using Moq;
+using ROLAC.API.Data;
+using ROLAC.API.Data.Interceptors;
+using ROLAC.API.DTOs.Expense;
+using ROLAC.API.Services;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace ROLAC.API.Tests.Services;
+
+public class ExpenseCategoryServiceTests
+{
+    private static AppDbContext BuildDb()
+    {
+        var claims = new[] { new Claim(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier, "test-user") };
+        var ctx    = new DefaultHttpContext { User = new(new ClaimsIdentity(claims)) };
+        var mock   = new Mock<IHttpContextAccessor>();
+        mock.Setup(x => x.HttpContext).Returns(ctx);
+        return new AppDbContext(new DbContextOptionsBuilder<AppDbContext>()
+            .UseInMemoryDatabase(Guid.NewGuid().ToString())
+            .AddInterceptors(new AuditSaveChangesInterceptor(mock.Object)).Options);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task GetAll_NestsSubcategories_AndExcludesInactiveByDefault()
+    {
+        using var db = BuildDb();
+        var svc = new ExpenseCategoryService(db);
+        var gid = await svc.CreateGroupAsync(new CreateExpenseGroupRequest { Name_en = "Equipment" });
+        var sid = await svc.CreateSubCategoryAsync(new CreateExpenseSubCategoryRequest { GroupId = gid, Name_en = "Purchase" });
+        await svc.DeactivateSubCategoryAsync(sid);
+
+        var active = await svc.GetAllAsync(includeInactive: false);
+        var all    = await svc.GetAllAsync(includeInactive: true);
+
+        Assert.Single(active);
+        Assert.Empty(active[0].SubCategories);
+        Assert.Single(all[0].SubCategories);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task DeactivateGroup_SetsInactive()
+    {
+        using var db = BuildDb();
+        var svc = new ExpenseCategoryService(db);
+        var gid = await svc.CreateGroupAsync(new CreateExpenseGroupRequest { Name_en = "Other" });
+        await svc.DeactivateGroupAsync(gid);
+        Assert.Empty(await svc.GetAllAsync(includeInactive: false));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task UpdateGroup_Throws_WhenMissing()
+    {
+        using var db = BuildDb();
+        var svc = new ExpenseCategoryService(db);
+        await Assert.ThrowsAsync<KeyNotFoundException>(() =>
+            svc.UpdateGroupAsync(999, new UpdateExpenseGroupRequest { Name_en = "X" }));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/API/ROLAC.API/Services/ExpenseCategoryService.cs b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/ExpenseCategoryService.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd19f18
--- /dev/null
+++ b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/ExpenseCategoryService.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+using Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore;
+using ROLAC.API.Data;
+using ROLAC.API.DTOs.Expense;
+using ROLAC.API.Entities;
+
+namespace ROLAC.API.Services;
+
+public class ExpenseCategoryService : IExpenseCategoryService
+{
+    private readonly AppDbContext _db;
+    public ExpenseCategoryService(AppDbContext db) => _db = db;
+
+    public async Task<List<ExpenseCategoryGroupDto>> GetAllAsync(bool includeInactive)
+    {
+        var groups = await _db.ExpenseCategoryGroups.AsNoTracking()
+            .Where(g => includeInactive || g.IsActive)
+            .OrderBy(g => g.SortOrder).ThenBy(g => g.Name_en)
+            .ToListAsync();
+
+        var subs = await _db.ExpenseSubCategories.AsNoTracking()
+            .Where(s => includeInactive || s.IsActive)
+            .OrderBy(s => s.SortOrder).ThenBy(s => s.Name_en)
+            .ToListAsync();
+
+        return groups.Select(g => new ExpenseCategoryGroupDto
+        {
+            Id = g.Id, Name_en = g.Name_en, Name_zh = g.Name_zh,
+            SortOrder = g.SortOrder, IsActive = g.IsActive,
+            SubCategories = subs.Where(s => s.GroupId == g.Id).Select(s => new ExpenseSubCategoryDto
+            {
+                Id = s.Id, GroupId = s.GroupId, Name_en = s.Name_en, Name_zh = s.Name_zh,
+                SortOrder = s.SortOrder, IsActive = s.IsActive,
+            }).ToList(),
+        }).ToList();
+    }
+
+    public async Task<int> CreateGroupAsync(CreateExpenseGroupRequest r)
+    {
+        var g = new ExpenseCategoryGroup { Name_en = r.Name_en, Name_zh = r.Name_zh, SortOrder = r.SortOrder, IsActive = true };
+        _db.ExpenseCategoryGroups.Add(g);
+        await _db.SaveChangesAsync();
+        return g.Id;
+    }
+
+    public async Task UpdateGroupAsync(int id, UpdateExpenseGroupRequest r)
+    {
+        var g = await _db.ExpenseCategoryGroups.FindAsync(id)
+            ?? throw new KeyNotFoundException($"ExpenseCategoryGroup {id} not found.");
+        g.Name_en = r.Name_en; g.Name_zh = r.Name_zh; g.SortOrder = r.SortOrder; g.IsActive = r.IsActive;
+        await _db.SaveChangesAsync();
+    }
+
+    public async Task DeactivateGroupAsync(int id)
+    {
+        var g = await _db.ExpenseCategoryGroups.FindAsync(id)
+            ?? throw new KeyNotFoundException($"ExpenseCategoryGroup {id} not found.");
+        g.IsActive = false;
+        await _db.SaveChangesAsync();
+    }
+
+    public async Task<int> CreateSubCategoryAsync(CreateExpenseSubCategoryRequest r)
+    {
+        var exists = await _db.ExpenseCategoryGroups.AnyAsync(g => g.Id == r.GroupId);
+        if (!exists) throw new KeyNotFoundException($"ExpenseCategoryGroup {r.GroupId} not found.");
+        var s = new ExpenseSubCategory { GroupId = r.GroupId, Name_en = r.Name_en, Name_zh = r.Name_zh, SortOrder = r.SortOrder, IsActive = true };
+        _db.ExpenseSubCategories.Add(s);
+        await _db.SaveChangesAsync();
+        return s.Id;
+    }
+
+    public async Task UpdateSubCategoryAsync(int id, UpdateExpenseSubCategoryRequest r)
+    {
+        var s = await _db.ExpenseSubCategories.FindAsync(id)
+            ?? throw new KeyNotFoundException($"ExpenseSubCategory {id} not found.");
+        s.GroupId = r.GroupId; s.Name_en = r.Name_en; s.Name_zh = r.Name_zh; s.SortOrder = r.SortOrder; s.IsActive = r.IsActive;
+        await _db.SaveChangesAsync();
+    }
+
+    public async Task DeactivateSubCategoryAsync(int id)
+    {
+        var s = await _db.ExpenseSubCategories.FindAsync(id)
+            ?? throw new KeyNotFoundException($"ExpenseSubCategory {id} not found.");
+        s.IsActive = false;
+        await _db.SaveChangesAsync();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/API/ROLAC.API/Services/IExpenseCategoryService.cs b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/IExpenseCategoryService.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ae4eb89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/API/ROLAC.API/Services/IExpenseCategoryService.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+using ROLAC.API.DTOs.Expense;
+namespace ROLAC.API.Services;
+
+public interface IExpenseCategoryService
+{
+    Task<List<ExpenseCategoryGroupDto>> GetAllAsync(bool includeInactive);
+    Task<int> CreateGroupAsync(CreateExpenseGroupRequest r);
+    Task UpdateGroupAsync(int id, UpdateExpenseGroupRequest r);
+    Task DeactivateGroupAsync(int id);
+    Task<int> CreateSubCategoryAsync(CreateExpenseSubCategoryRequest r);
+    Task UpdateSubCategoryAsync(int id, UpdateExpenseSubCategoryRequest r);
+    Task DeactivateSubCategoryAsync(int id);
+}