Cash Advance and Payday Loan Rules by State
What a short-term loan may cost you is set by the state you live in, not by the lender you find first. Some states cap the fee, some cap the rate, and a few do not allow the product at all.
Pick your state for the law with its statute, the maximum amount and fee, a worked example of what a small advance costs there, the regulator's phone number and the cities we cover.
Every State at a Glance
Status and caps come from each state's statute or regulator; the state page cites the section. "Legal" means a payday-style single-payment loan is allowed with a fee cap. "Restricted" means the product exists only in a limited form. "Prohibited" means the rate cap or an outright ban keeps payday lenders out, and the small-dollar option is an installment loan or a credit union product.
| State | Status | Max amount | Max fee per $100 | $300 for 14 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama |
Legal under the Deferred Presentment Services Act | $500 total outstanding with all deferred presentment providers combined, verified through the statewide database (Ala. Code 5-18A; Banking Department notice) | $17.50 per $100 advanced, or 17.5% of the cash advanced (Ala. Code 5-18A-12) | $52.50 fee, 456% APR |
Alaska |
Legal, $500 cap, $5 plus 15% fee | $500 outstanding in advances to one borrower from one licensee at a time, counting all of that licensee's locations (AS 06.50.410) | A nonrefundable origination fee of up to $5, plus $15 per $100 or 15% of the advance, whichever is less; no other fees (AS 06.50.460) | $50 fee, 435% APR |
Arizona |
Prohibited since 2010; 36% consumer loan cap | No payday product; consumer lender rates are set by balance tier rather than a loan cap (A.R.S. 6-632) | No payday fee; consumer lenders are capped at 36% a year on the first $3,000 and 24% above that (A.R.S. 6-632), plus an origination fee of up to 5% but not more than $150 (A.R.S. 6-635) | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
Arkansas |
Prohibited; 17% constitutional cap | No payday product; any consumer loan must stay at or under 17% a year regardless of size | Interest only, at most 17% per year (Ark. Const. amend. 89). Fees for the use of money count as interest | $1.96 fee, 17% APR |
California |
Legal, capped at $300 and a 15% fee | $300 face value of the check, including the fee (Fin. Code 23035), so $255 in cash at the maximum fee | 15% of the face amount of the check, $15 per $100 (Fin. Code 23036); returned check fee capped at $15 | $45 fee, 460% APR |
Colorado |
Capped at 36% APR since February 2019 | $500; the amount financed by any one lender to a consumer may not exceed $500 at any time (C.R.S. 5-3.1-106) | Finance charge capped at 36% APR, with no other charges except those the Act expressly authorizes (C.R.S. 5-3.1-105) | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
Connecticut |
Prohibited, 36% small loan cap | No payday product; small loans under the Act run up to $50,000 (Conn. Gen. Stat. 36a-555) | APR of no more than the lesser of 36% or the Military Lending Act rate on a small loan under $5,000, and 25% on loans of $5,000 to $50,000, including all fees; 12% for any lender that is not licensed or exempt (Conn. Gen. Stat. 36a-558, 37-4) | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
Delaware |
Legal, no rate cap, five loans a year | $1,000 for a short-term consumer loan (5 Del. C. 2227); no cap on loans that fall outside that definition | No cap; a licensee may charge interest at any rate the agreement provides (5 Del. C. 2229) plus reasonable fees for services (5 Del. C. 2231) | $45 fee, 391% APR |
District of Columbia |
Prohibited; 24% APR cap on loans | No payday product; money lender loans have no statutory dollar cap, only the 24% rate ceiling (D.C. Code 28-3301) | 24% per year, about $0.92 per $100 over 14 days (D.C. Code 28-3301(a)) | $2.76 fee, 24% APR |
Florida |
Legal, capped at $500 and 10% | $500 face amount for a single-payment transaction; $1,000 outstanding balance for a deferred presentment installment transaction (Fla. Stat. 560.404(5)) | $10 per $100 advanced plus one verification fee of up to $5 per transaction (Fla. Stat. 560.404(6), 560.309(8)); installment transactions: 8% of the outstanding balance per two-week period | $35 fee, 304% APR |
Georgia |
Prohibited; licensed installment loans only | Payday loans: none, prohibited. Licensed installment loans: $3,000 (O.C.G.A. 7-3-11) | Installment loans: interest up to 10% per year on the face amount, plus a loan fee of 8% of the first $600 and 4% of the rest, plus $3 per month maintenance (O.C.G.A. 7-3-11). General contracts of $3,000 or less: 16% simple interest (O.C.G.A. 7-4-2) | $28.25 fee, 246% APR |
Hawaii |
Payday repealed in 2022; 36% installment loans only | $1,500 principal per loan, and no more than $1,500 financed from one lender at a time (HRS 480J-2, 480J-5); no payday product | Interest capped at 36% a year, plus a monthly maintenance fee of $25 on principal up to $299.99, $30 from $300 to $699.99 and $35 from $700; total charges capped at 50% of principal; no origination fee (HRS 480J-2, 480J-4) | $73.57 fee, 149% APR |
Idaho |
Legal, $1,000 cap, no fee limit | $1,000 in principal outstanding to one lender and its affiliates, and no loan above 25% of gross monthly income (Idaho Code 28-46-412 and 28-46-413) | No cap; the Department of Finance's fast facts report on 2014 data found a weighted average of $19.04 per $100 for 14 days | $57.12 fee, 496% APR |
Illinois |
Capped at 36% APR since March 2021 | The lesser of $1,000 or 25% of gross monthly income (815 ILCS 122/2-5) | 36% APR all-in, calculated by the Military Lending Act method (815 ILCS 123/15-5-5; 815 ILCS 122/2-5). One returned payment fee of up to $25 and a $1 verification fee are the only extras | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
Indiana |
Legal, licensed small loans up to $825 | $825 in principal, counting all small loans outstanding; the statute's $550 base figure is indexed for inflation (Ind. Code 24-4.5-7-404; DFI pamphlet effective January 1, 2025) | 15% of the first $250, 13% of the amount from $250 to $400, 10% of the amount from $400 to $825 (Ind. Code 24-4.5-7-201) | $44 fee, 382% APR |
Iowa |
Legal, $500 cap, 31-day term | $500 combined face value of checks held by one licensee, and no more than two checks at a time (Iowa Code 533D.10) | $15 on the first $100 of the check's face amount and $10 on each additional $100, prorated (Iowa Code 533D.9) | $35 fee, 304% APR |
Kansas |
Legal, $500 cap, 15 percent fee | $500 per loan (K.S.A. 16a-2-404(1)(c)) | $15 per $100, since the finance charge may not exceed 15% of the cash advance (K.S.A. 16a-2-404(1)(c)) | $45 fee, 391% APR |
Kentucky |
Legal, $15 per $100, 14 to 60 days | $500 total proceeds from all open deferred deposit transactions, and no more than two at once, as codified in KRS 286.9-100(9) through 2025; 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 98 (SB 219) raises the ceiling to $600 with an annual inflation adjustment capped at $850 | $15 per $100 on the face amount of the check, prorated, plus a database fee of up to $3 per transaction that may be passed to the customer; bank returned check charges may be passed on (KRS 286.9-100(1)(b), 286.9-140(2), 286.9-102(3)) | $48 fee, 417% APR |
Louisiana |
Legal, up to $700, fee cap removed in 2025 | $700 advanced on a deferred presentment transaction from August 1, 2025, indexed to the Consumer Price Index each year by OFI; small loans remain capped at $350 (Act 510 of 2025; La. R.S. 9:3578.3) | 16.75% of the face amount of the check, which OFI describes as $20 per $100 borrowed, plus a $10 documentation fee; the former $45 cap on the fee was repealed by Act 510 (OFI FAQ; OFI 2025 legislation summary) | $70 fee, 608% APR |
Maine |
Restricted; supervised lenders, capped fees | No payday cap; the rate tiers in 9-A M.R.S. 2-401 apply to any consumer loan amount | No per-$100 fee; interest is capped at 30% a year on balances of $2,000 or less, with a minimum charge of $5 (loans of $75 or less), $15 (over $75 but under $250) or $25 (loans of $250 or more) (9-A M.R.S. 2-401) | $25 fee, 217% APR |
Maryland |
No payday loans; 33% rate cap | No payday product. The Consumer Loan Law covers loans of $25,000 or less (Com. Law 12-303) | Interest only: 2.75% per month on the first $1,000 and 2% per month above that on loans of $2,000 or less (Com. Law 12-306) | $3.80 fee, 33% APR |
Massachusetts |
Prohibited, 23% small loan cap | No payday product; the small loan license covers consumer loans of $6,000 or less made at more than 12% a year (M.G.L. c. 140, s. 96) | 23% per year on the unpaid balance plus one $20 administrative fee per 12 months for a licensed small loan company (209 CMR 26.00); 12% without a license; more than 20% is criminal usury absent notice to the Attorney General (M.G.L. c. 271, s. 49) | $22.65 fee, 197% with the one-time $20 fee; 23% on interest alone APR |
Michigan |
Legal, up to $600 for 31 days | $600 per transaction; two open transactions at once, no more than one with the same lender (MCL 487.2153) | 15% of the first $100, 14% of the second, 13% of the third, 12% of the fourth, 11% of the fifth and sixth (MCL 487.2153), plus a database verification fee set by DIFS | $42 fee, 365% APR |
Minnesota |
Capped at 50% APR since January 2024 | $350 per consumer small loan and $350 in aggregate principal to one borrower at a time (Minn. Stat. 47.60, subd. 1 and 2(f)); consumer short-term loans under 47.601 may run to $1,300 | An annual percentage rate of up to 50%, with no other charges of any kind; about $1.92 per $100 for 14 days. Loans above 36% APR must meet the ability-to-repay rule in 47.603 (Minn. Stat. 47.60, subd. 2(a) and (g)) | $5.75 fee, 50% APR |
Mississippi |
Legal under the Check Cashers Act | Check face amount of $500 including the fee; about $410 in cash on a $500 check (Miss. Code 75-67-519; DBCF pamphlet) | $20 per $100 advanced when the check is $250 or less; $21.95 per $100 advanced when the check is over $250 up to $500 (Miss. Code 75-67-519) | $65.85 fee, 267% APR |
Missouri |
Legal, $500 cap, up to six renewals | $500 in total from any one lender and its affiliates at one time (RSMo 408.505.5) | No per-loan cap; total interest and fees over the life of a loan, including renewals, may not exceed 75% of the original amount (RSMo 408.505.3) | $42 fee, 365% APR |
Montana |
Capped at 36% APR, no licensed lenders | $300, exclusive of the fee; minimum $50 (Mont. Code Ann. 31-1-715) | All charges capped at 36% per year, about $1.38 per $100 on a 14-day loan (Mont. Code Ann. 31-1-722) | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
Nebraska |
Capped at 36% APR by voters in 2020 | $500 aggregate face amount of checks held from one maker at a time, fees included, and no more than two checks (Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-919(1)(a) and (b), 45-917(1)(b)) | All fees, interest and charges combined may not exceed a 36% annual percentage rate, about $1.38 per $100 for 14 days; the only extras are a returned check charge of up to $15 and a $15 penalty for a check not negotiable on the agreed date (Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-918, 45-918.01, 45-917) | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
Nevada |
Legal, no rate cap, 35-day term | No dollar cap; a deferred deposit loan may not exceed 25% of your expected gross monthly income (NRS 604A.5017) | No cap; parties may agree on any rate (NRS 99.050) | $45 fee, 391% APR |
New Hampshire |
Capped at 36% APR since 2009 | $500 in principal owed to a payday loan lender in any capacity at one time (RSA 399-A:17, VI) | Interest only, at an APR of no more than 36%; no other charges or fees of any kind. About $1.38 per $100 for 14 days (RSA 399-A:17, I and II) | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
New Jersey |
Prohibited; 30% criminal usury ceiling | Not applicable; payday loans are prohibited. Licensed consumer lenders are subject to the usury ceilings rather than a dollar cap | 30% per year is the criminal usury ceiling for loans to individuals (N.J.S.A. 2C:21-19); 16% by written contract, 6% otherwise, under the civil usury statute (N.J.S.A. 31:1-1) | $3.45 fee, 30% APR |
New Mexico |
Prohibited; 36% cap on small loans since 2023 | No payday product; the Small Loan Act covers loans of $10,000 or less (NMSA 1978 58-15-3(A) and (F)) | A permitted annual percentage rate of no more than 36%, including all ancillary product and insurance charges, plus one fee of up to 5% of principal on a loan of $500 or less no more than once per twelve months (NMSA 1978 58-15-17(J)) | $37.83 fee, 38% APR |
New York |
Prohibited; 16% civil and 25% criminal usury caps | Not applicable; payday loans are prohibited. Licensed lenders under Banking Law Article 9 make loans of $25,000 or less | 16% per year is civil usury for non-bank lenders (Gen. Oblig. Law 5-501; Banking Law 14-a); above 25% per year is criminal usury (Penal Law 190.40) | $2.88 fee, 25% APR |
North Carolina |
Prohibited since 2001; 33% small-loan cap | No payday product; Consumer Finance Act loans up to $25,000 (Commissioner of Banks FAQ) | Interest only: 33% a year on the first $4,000, 24% on $4,000 to $8,000 and 18% above that on loans up to $12,000; 18% on larger loans; plus a processing fee of up to $30 on loans up to $3,000 (Commissioner of Banks FAQ) | $3.80 fee, 33% APR |
North Dakota |
Legal, 20% fee, $600 limit, 60 days | $500 disbursed in one transaction, and no more than $600 in outstanding deferred presentment obligations to all licensees combined (N.D.C.C. 13-08-12(3) and (4)) | Up to 20% of the amount paid to the customer, so $20 per $100 regardless of term, plus a database registration fee not exceeding the licensee's cost; no other charge (N.D.C.C. 13-08-12(2)) | $60 fee, 521% APR |
Ohio |
Legal with 28% interest plus capped fees | $1,000 per loan; $2,500 total outstanding short-term loan principal across all licensees (ORC 1321.39 and 1321.41) | Interest 28% per year plus a monthly maintenance fee of the lesser of 10% of the original loan amount or $30; loans of $500 or more may add a 2% origination charge (ORC 1321.40) | $110.94 fee, 148% APR |
Oklahoma |
Payday repealed 2020; small loans at 17% monthly | $1,500 in aggregate principal outstanding across all licensees per customer, adjusted for inflation every other year (59 O.S. 3150.10(C)) | Periodic interest of up to 17% per month; no other charges except a $25 returned payment fee and, on default, an attorney fee of up to 15% of the balance (59 O.S. 3150.10) | $78.50 fee, 159% APR |
Oregon |
Legal, 36% rate cap plus origination fee | No dollar cap on a single payday loan in ORS 725A; the origination fee stops growing at $300 borrowed because it is capped at $30 | 36% annual interest plus one origination fee of $10 per $100 borrowed, capped at $30 for the life of the loan including renewals (ORS 725A.064) | $39.17 fee, 154% APR |
Pennsylvania |
Prohibited by the 6% usury cap | No payday product; licensed consumer discount companies lend up to $25,000 under the CDCA, with interest on any excess limited to the 6% legal rate (10 Pa. Code ch. 41) | 6% simple interest per year for any unlicensed lender on loans of $50,000 or less (Loan Interest and Protection Law); licensed CDCA lenders may charge more only under the Act's schedule, and a 1.5% per month charge is allowed on deferred balances (10 Pa. Code 41.3) | $0.69 fee, 6% APR |
Rhode Island |
Legal until January 1, 2027, then capped | $500 face value per check, and no more than $500 combined across a maximum of three checks held from one customer (R.I. Gen. Laws 19-14.4-5.1) | $10 per $100 advanced, since fees cannot exceed 10% of the amount advanced (R.I. Gen. Laws 19-14.4-4) | $30 fee, 261% APR |
South Carolina |
Legal, up to $550 at 15% | $550 advanced to any customer at one time (S.C. Code 34-39-180(B)) | $15 per $100, meaning no more than 15% of the principal (S.C. Code 34-39-180(E)) | $45 fee, 391% APR |
South Dakota |
Legal, capped at 36% all-in APR | $500, counting all payday loans outstanding from one licensee to one borrower (S.D. Codified Laws 54-4-66) | 36% per year all-in, about $1.38 per $100 on a 14-day loan (S.D. Codified Laws 54-4-44) | $4.14 fee, 36% APR |
Tennessee |
Legal under the Deferred Presentment Services Act | $500 aggregate face value of outstanding checks per customer with any one licensee and its affiliates (Tenn. Code 45-17-112) | 15% of the face amount of the check, which is about $17.65 per $100 of cash advanced (Tenn. Code 45-17-112) | $52.94 fee, 460% APR |
Texas |
Legal through credit access businesses, fees uncapped | No statutory cap; the OCCC reports typical CAB loans of $400 to $1,200 (OCCC 2025 study) | No cap on the CAB fee; lender interest capped at 10% (OCCC 2025 study). Late charge: the greater of 5% of the payment or $7.50, no earlier than 10 days after the due date | $69 fee, 600% APR |
Utah |
Legal, no rate cap, 10-week limit | No statutory cap; the lender must inquire into your ability to repay and get a signed acknowledgment (Utah Code 7-23-401(1)(g), (1)(h)) | No cap; parties may agree on any rate (Utah Code 15-1-1, 70C-2-101). The fee schedule must be posted in dollars | $45 fee, 391% APR |
Vermont |
Prohibited; 18% cap on single-payment loans | No payday product; licensed lender loans have no statutory dollar cap (8 V.S.A. 2230) | 18% per year on a single-payment loan, about $0.69 per $100 over 14 days (9 V.S.A. 41a(b)(1)) | $2.07 fee, 18% APR |
Virginia |
Restricted: 36% short-term loans only | $2,500 total principal owed to a licensee (Va. Code 6.2-1816, 6.2-1816.1) | 36% simple annual interest plus a monthly maintenance fee of the lesser of 8% of the original loan amount or $25 (Va. Code 6.2-1817) | $118.83 fee, 120.5% APR |
Washington |
Legal, $700 cap, eight loans a year | $700 or 30% of gross monthly income, whichever is less, across all lenders (RCW 31.45.073) | $15 per $100 on the first $500; $10 per $100 on the portion above $500 (RCW 31.45.073) | $45 fee, 391% APR |
West Virginia |
Prohibited; 31% small loan rate cap | No payday product; regulated consumer lender rate tiers apply by loan size (W. Va. Code 46A-4-107) | No payday fee; interest on unsecured loans of $3,500 or less is capped at 31% a year, plus a processing fee of up to 2% of the amount financed (W. Va. Code 46A-4-107) | $3.57 fee, 31% APR |
Wisconsin |
Legal, no rate cap, $1,500 limit | $1,500 or 35% of the borrower's gross monthly income, whichever is less, counting all open payday loans with that lender (Wis. Stat. 138.14; DFI FAQ) | No cap before maturity; after the due date interest is limited to 2.75% per month (Wis. Stat. 138.14; DFI FAQ) | $45 fee, 391% APR |
Wyoming |
Legal, licensed post-dated check cashers | No statutory cap on the amount financed (Wyo. Stat. 40-14-363 sets no dollar limit) | Greater of $30 or 20% per month of the principal, so $20 per $100 on a $300 loan (Wyo. Stat. 40-14-363) | $60 fee, 243% APR |
How to Read the Table
Maximum amount is the most a single payday-style loan can be under state law; where the law sets no cap we say so and note what lenders commonly offer. Maximum fee per $100 is the statutory ceiling on the finance charge. The $300 column runs that fee through the standard formula (fee divided by amount, times 365, divided by days) so the states compare on equal footing. Where the product is prohibited, the example uses the cheapest legal alternative, usually a 36% installment loan.
Two things the table cannot show. First, several states run a real-time database that blocks a second loan while one is open, which limits how much you can borrow in practice. Second, city ordinances in Texas, Colorado, Utah and Ohio add local limits on top of state law; the city pages carry those.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states allow payday loans?
Most states allow some form of short-term small-dollar loan with a fee cap. About eighteen states plus DC cap rates at or near 36% APR, which in practice ends the two-week payday product there. The table on this page shows each state's status with the statute cited on its page.
Can I get a cash advance online in a state that bans payday loans?
Not a payday loan. Lenders in the network offer installment loans that follow that state's rate cap instead, or nothing at all where the cap is too low for them. Be wary of any online lender that ignores your state law; the regulator listed on your state page can tell you if it is licensed.
Why does the same $300 cost so much more in some states?
Because state law sets the ceiling. A 36% cap allows about $4 in interest on $300 for two weeks. A $15 per $100 cap allows $45. A state with no cap leaves the fee to the lender. Same loan, different law.
How do I check if a lender is licensed in my state?
Every state page lists the regulator and its licence lookup or phone number. Licensed lenders must display their licence number; if you cannot find it, call the regulator before you sign.