Payday loans by state
Payday loan laws change at every state line
There is no single national payday loan law. Each state sets its own rules — the most you can borrow, the largest fee a lender may charge, how long the loan can run, and whether payday lending is allowed at all. The same $300 loan that is legal and capped in California is a criminal offense to make in New York.
That patchwork is why the annual percentage rate (APR) on a short-term loan can swing from roughly 138% in a capped state to more than 660% where there is no rate ceiling. Below is an overview of all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. for 2026, followed by detailed guides for the states we cover most. Use it to understand your own state's limits before you borrow — and remember that we are not a lender; we simply match qualified borrowers with lenders licensed in their state and show the full cost up front.
All 50 states + DC
2026 payday loan limits at a glance
| State | Status | Max amount | Max APR / fee note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | ✅ Legal | $500 | 17.5% fee per $100 · ≈456% APR (14-day) |
| Alaska | ✅ Legal | $500 | $5 + up to 15% · ≈435% APR |
| Arizona | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 36% APR cap (2010 voter ban) — no payday loans |
| Arkansas | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 17% constitutional usury cap — no payday loans |
| California | ✅ Legal | $300 | 15% max fee ($45 on $300) · ≈460% APR |
| Colorado | ✅ Legal | $500 | 36% APR cap (effectively installment) · 6-mo min term |
| Connecticut | 🚫 Prohibited | — | ~12% small-loan APR cap — no payday loans |
| Delaware | ✅ Legal | $1,000 | No rate cap · APR often 500%+ · 5-loan rolling limit |
| District of Columbia | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 24% APR usury cap — no payday loans |
| Florida | ✅ Legal | $500 | 10% + $5 verification · ≈304% APR · statewide database |
| Georgia | 🚫 Prohibited | — | Payday lending a felony under state law — no payday loans |
| Hawaii | ✅ Legal | $1,500 | Reformed 2022 · 36% APR + fees · installment-style |
| Idaho | ✅ Legal | $1,000 | No rate cap · APR often 650%+ |
| Illinois | 🚫 Prohibited* | — | 36% APR cap (2021 PLPA) — payday loans effectively ended |
| Indiana | ✅ Legal | $605 | Tiered 10–15% fees · ≈382% APR |
| Iowa | ✅ Legal | $500 | $15 on first $100, $10 thereafter · ≈337% APR |
| Kansas | ✅ Legal | $500 | 15% of amount · ≈391% APR |
| Kentucky | ✅ Legal | $500 | $15 per $100 · ≈460% APR · statewide database |
| Louisiana | ✅ Legal | $350 | 16.75% + $10 fee · ≈391% APR |
| Maine | ✅ Legal | $2,000 | 30% APR + tiered fees · supervised-lender model |
| Maryland | 🚫 Prohibited | — | ~33% APR small-loan cap — no payday loans |
| Massachusetts | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 23% APR + fee cap — no payday loans |
| Michigan | ✅ Legal | $600 | Tiered 11–15% fees · ≈369% APR · statewide database |
| Minnesota | ✅ Legal | $350 | Tiered fees · ≈200% APR · reform pending |
| Mississippi | ✅ Legal | $500 | Up to $21.95 per $100 · ≈521% APR |
| Missouri | ✅ Legal | $500 | No hard cap · APR often 400–600%+ |
| Montana | 🚫 Prohibited* | — | 36% APR cap (2010 voter ban) — no payday loans |
| Nebraska | 🚫 Prohibited* | — | 36% APR cap (2020 voter ban) — no payday loans |
| Nevada | ✅ Legal | 25% of income | No rate cap · APR often 650%+ · statewide database |
| New Hampshire | ✅ Legal | $500 | 36% APR cap · limited storefront activity |
| New Jersey | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 30% criminal-usury cap — no payday loans |
| New Mexico | 🚫 Restricted | — | 36% APR cap (2023) — payday loans effectively ended |
| New York | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 25% criminal-usury cap — payday lending is illegal |
| North Carolina | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 30% small-loan cap — no payday loans |
| North Dakota | ✅ Legal | $500 | 20% fee + charges · ≈487% APR |
| Ohio | ✅ Legal | $1,000 | Reformed 2018 · ~28% + fees · ≈138% effective APR |
| Oklahoma | ✅ Legal | $1,500 | Small-lender act · APR often 200%+ |
| Oregon | ✅ Legal | $50,000 | 36% APR + $10/$100 origination · 31-day min term |
| Pennsylvania | 🚫 Prohibited | — | ~24% APR usury cap — no payday loans |
| Rhode Island | ✅ Legal | $500 | 10% fee · ≈261% APR · statewide database |
| South Carolina | ✅ Legal | $550 | 15% fee · ≈391% APR · statewide database |
| South Dakota | 🚫 Prohibited* | — | 36% APR cap (2016 voter ban) — no payday loans |
| Tennessee | ✅ Legal | $500 | 15% + $5 fee · ≈460% APR |
| Texas | ✅ Legal | No statewide cap | CAB/CSO model · ≈664% APR · city ordinances apply |
| Utah | ✅ Legal | No cap | No rate cap · 10-week max term · APR often 650%+ |
| Vermont | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 18% APR cap — no payday loans |
| Virginia | ✅ Legal | $2,500 | Reformed 2020 · 36% + fees · 4-mo min term |
| Washington | ✅ Legal | $700 | 15% tiered fee · ≈391% APR · 8-loan/yr limit |
| West Virginia | 🚫 Prohibited | — | 31% APR small-loan cap — no payday loans |
| Wisconsin | ✅ Legal | $1,500 | No rate cap · APR often 500%+ · statewide database |
| Wyoming | ✅ Legal | No cap | 20% per month or $30 min · APR often 260%+ |
State guides
In-depth guides for the states we cover
Each guide breaks down the exact caps, a worked cost example and a calculator so you can see what a loan really costs in your state.
California Payday Loans →
Legal & DFPI-licensed. $300 max, 15% fee — the famous "$255 net" loan explained. APR ≈460%.
✅ AvailableTexas Payday Loans →
No statewide cap. The CAB/CSO model that pushes Texas APRs to the highest in the nation (≈664%).
✅ AvailableFlorida Payday Loans →
OFR-regulated. $500 max, 10% + $5 fee, a statewide database and a 60-day grace period. APR ≈304%.
✅ AvailableNew York Payday Loans →
Prohibited. Payday lending is illegal under NY's 25% usury cap — but legal alternatives exist.
🚫 ProhibitedBefore you borrow anywhere
Understand the cost, not just the cap
A state cap tells you the most a lender can charge — not what your loan will actually cost. Two borrowers in the same state can pay very different amounts depending on the loan size and how long they take to repay. Our Rates & Fees page shows the full fee math, and every offer you see through us states the dollar fee, the APR and the exact repayment date before you sign.
- Checking your rate uses a soft inquiry — no impact on your FICO® score
- We only match you with lenders licensed in your state
- You see total cost up front and can decline any offer
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