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EspañolPayday Loans and Cash Advance in Shreveport, LA
Legal, up to $700, fee cap removed in 2025 in Louisiana. What a shortfall looks like on Shreveport rent and pay, the local rules, who to call for help, and how to request a cash advance online.
Shreveport has been losing population for years, and the paychecks that remain lean on hospitals, casinos and the Air Force. Willis-Knighton, Christus and the LSU Health Shreveport campus employ thousands of nurses, techs and support staff. The riverfront casinos in Shreveport and Bossier City run on shift and tip work, and Barksdale Air Force Base, across the Red River, brings young airmen who rent apartments on both sides of the water. The General Motors plant closed in 2012 and the Haynesville Shale gas boom has come and gone more than once, so a lot of households here know what a lost paycheck feels like. In Cedar Grove, Queensborough, Allendale and the MLK neighborhood, many families live on hourly pay and need a car, because SporTran routes do not line up with every night shift. The weather does its share. The February 2021 freeze burst pipes across the city and left much of Shreveport under a boil advisory, and summer means a SWEPCO bill that climbs with every week above 95 degrees. A $500 gap here is usually a utility bill, a transmission or a deposit on a new apartment arriving before the next check.
What a $500 Shortfall Looks Like in Shreveport
Shreveport's median household income of $48,699 is about $4,058 a month before taxes, so a $500 shortfall is roughly 12.3% of a typical month. Against the median gross rent of $987 it is about 51% of one rent payment, more than half the rent money for a median household. Borrowed from a payday lender at Louisiana's $20 per $100 plus a $10 documentation fee, that same $500 costs about $110 more by the due date.
Louisiana Rules That Apply in Shreveport
| Rule | LA |
|---|---|
| Maximum amount | $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) |
| Maximum fee per $100 | 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check, which OFI describes as $20 per $100 borrowed, plus a $10 documentation fee; the former $45 cap on the fee was repealed by Act 510 (OFI FAQ; OFI 2025 legislation summary) |
| Maximum term | 30 days for a deferred presentment transaction; 60 days for a small loan (La. R.S. 9:3578.3) |
| Rollovers | Prohibited; the loan must be paid in full before a new one, but a refinance is allowed after paying the fees plus at least 25% of principal (OFI FAQ) |
| $300 for 14 days | $70 fee, 608% APR |
The full law, the regulator's phone number and the statute citations are on the Louisiana cash advance page.
Local Ordinance in Shreveport
Shreveport does not set loan terms, which come from Louisiana's Deferred Presentment and Small Loan Act, but its Unified Development Code controls where a payday or title store can open. Ordinance No. 108 of 2021, adopted August 10, 2021, rewrote the standards for a Pay Day/Title Loan Agency, now Section 6.1.FF. A new store needs special use approval and is allowed only in certain commercial, downtown and industrial districts. It must sit at least 2,000 feet from another payday or title lender and 1,000 feet from churches, schools, playgrounds, residentially zoned lots and apartment complexes. It must occupy a freestanding building, cannot have a drive-through and may open only from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. unless its special use approval says otherwise. Stores already operating that do not meet the spacing rule were grandfathered.
Free Help in Shreveport Before You Borrow
- Louisiana 211 (United Way of Northwest Louisiana): Free, confidential referral line for rent, utility and food assistance, answered for the Shreveport region by United Way of Northwest Louisiana; call 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Call 211 or visit louisiana211.org.
- Caddo Community Action Agency: Runs LIHEAP energy assistance for Caddo Parish from 4055 St. Vincent Avenue, as listed in the Louisiana Housing Corporation's LIHEAP provider directory. Call 318-861-4808 or visit lhc.la.gov/energy-assistance.
- Acadiana Legal Service Corporation, Shreveport office: Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents; Shreveport office at 720 Travis Street. Call 1-866-275-2572 or visit la-law.org/get-in-touch.
- Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions, Non-Depository Division: State regulator that licenses payday lenders; call to confirm a lender's license or to ask about a complaint. Call 225-925-4660 or visit ofi.la.gov/non-depository/payday-lenders-deferred-presentment-and-small-loans.
Shreveport on the Map
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Shreveport have its own payday loan rules?
Only on location. Section 6.1.FF of the Unified Development Code, rewritten in 2021, requires special use approval for a new payday or title store, keeps it 2,000 feet from another one and 1,000 feet from schools, churches and homes, bans drive-throughs and limits hours to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The loan amount, fee and rollover rules are Louisiana law, the same as in Baton Rouge or New Orleans.
I am stationed at Barksdale. Can a Shreveport payday lender charge me the Louisiana rate?
No. The federal Military Lending Act caps the cost of most consumer credit to active-duty members and their dependents at 36% APR, counting fees such as Louisiana's $10 documentation charge. A $300 loan at the civilian price of $70 for 14 days works out to about 608%, far over that limit. Before borrowing, ask the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Barksdale about Air Force Aid Society help.
How much can I borrow from a payday lender in Shreveport, and what does it cost?
Up to $700 on a deferred presentment transaction since August 1, 2025, for a term of up to 30 days. The fee is 16.75% of the face amount of your check, which the Office of Financial Institutions describes as $20 per $100, plus a $10 documentation fee. On $500, expect about $110 in charges. Paying only the fee to roll the loan over is illegal, and a refinance requires paying 25% of the principal first.
Where can I get help with a SWEPCO bill in Caddo Parish?
Caddo Community Action Agency runs LIHEAP energy assistance for Caddo Parish from 4055 St. Vincent Avenue, and the main office number is 318-861-4808. The program can pay part of an electric or gas bill and offers crisis help when a shutoff notice arrives. Dial 211 for United Way of Northwest Louisiana's referral line, which also knows the local rent and food programs.
