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EspañolPayday Loans and Cash Advance in Dallas, TX
Legal through credit access businesses, fees uncapped in Texas. What a shortfall looks like on Dallas rent and pay, the local rules, who to call for help, and how to request a cash advance online.
Dallas pays some people very well and a lot of people just enough. Downtown and Uptown run on banking, law and corporate offices, Texas Instruments and Southwest Airlines are headquartered here, and Parkland, UT Southwestern and Baylor employ thousands of nurses, techs, cooks and custodians. South of the Trinity the paychecks look different. In Pleasant Grove, Red Bird, South Dallas and much of Oak Cliff, more households depend on hourly work in warehouses along I-20 and I-45, construction, restaurants and home health, often with no paid sick days. Most Dallas households rent, and the city sprawls far enough that a car that starts is what keeps a job, since DART buses and trains do not line up with every early warehouse shift. The bills that tip a budget over are predictable here: a July electric bill for a poorly insulated apartment, a deductible after a spring hailstorm, pipe repairs like the ones the February 2021 freeze left all over the city, or a transmission that gives out on LBJ Freeway. Dallas has regulated payday and title storefronts since 2012, and Dallas County runs a utility assistance line, so there are cheaper places to start than a $500 loan.
What a $500 Shortfall Looks Like in Dallas
Dallas's median household income of $70,518 works out to about $5,877 a month before taxes ($70,518 / 12), so a $500 shortfall is roughly 8.5% of a typical month. Against the median gross rent of $1,472 it is about 34% of one rent payment. Under the city ordinance, a payday loan for a household at that median could not exceed 20% of gross monthly income, about $1,175. For the 16.7% of residents living below the poverty line, the same $500 takes a much larger bite.
Texas Rules That Apply in Dallas
| Rule | TX |
|---|---|
| Maximum amount | No statutory cap; the OCCC reports typical CAB loans of $400 to $1,200 (OCCC 2025 study) |
| Maximum fee per $100 | 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 |
| Maximum term | 180 days for a CAB contract (Tex. Fin. Code 393.201; OCCC 2025 study) |
| Rollovers | Allowed statewide; the OCCC reports 93,504 refinances of single-payment payday loans in 2024. Cities with a CAB ordinance limit refinances |
| $300 for 14 days | $69 fee, 600% APR |
The full law, the regulator's phone number and the statute citations are on the Texas cash advance page.
Local Ordinance in Dallas
Dallas adopted its credit access business ordinance on June 22, 2011 (Ordinance No. 28287), effective January 1, 2012, and broadened it in 2021 (Ordinance No. 31747) to cover credit services organizations that arrange loans without a CAB license. Every payday and title storefront in the city needs a city certificate of registration for each location, renewed yearly. Section 50-151.4 caps a payday loan at 20 percent of gross monthly income and a title loan at the lesser of 3 percent of gross annual income or 70 percent of the vehicle's retail value, and the lender must document your income. A loan must be repaid in four or fewer payments that each cut the total owed by at least 25 percent, and a single-payment loan can be refinanced at most three times on the same terms. A new loan within seven days of paying one off counts as a refinance.
Free Help in Dallas Before You Borrow
- 2-1-1 Texas: Statewide referral line run by Texas Health and Human Services for rent, utility and food assistance; toll-free (877) 541-7905. Call 211 or visit 211texas.org.
- Dallas County Health and Human Services, Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program: Utility bill help and heating and cooling repairs for Dallas County households at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline; by appointment only, no walk-ins. Call 214-819-1848 or visit dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs/human-services/ceap.php.
- Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas: Free civil legal help for eligible residents of 114 North and West Texas counties, including Dallas County; handles debt collection, fraud and unlawful loan cases. Call 1-888-529-5277 or visit legalaidtx.org.
- Texas Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner: State regulator that licenses credit access businesses; consumer helpline for questions and complaints about a payday or title loan (main office 512-936-7600). Call 800-538-1579 or visit occc.texas.gov/consumers.
Dallas on the Map
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dallas have its own payday loan rules?
Yes. Chapter 50, Article XI of the Dallas City Code has applied since January 1, 2012. Payday and title lenders must register each location with the city every year, a payday loan cannot exceed 20 percent of your gross monthly income, and every loan must be paid off within four payments or three refinances, each cutting the balance by at least 25 percent. The rules cover credit access businesses operating inside city limits.
How much can I borrow on a payday loan in Dallas?
At a Dallas storefront, no more than 20 percent of your gross monthly income, and the lender has to document it with a pay stub, bank statement, W-2 or tax return. At the city's median household income of $70,518, that works out to about $1,175. A title loan is capped at the lesser of 3 percent of gross annual income or 70 percent of the car's retail value. Texas itself sets no dollar limit.
How much does a payday loan cost in Dallas?
The city limits loan size and refinancing, not the fee. Texas does not cap the credit access business fee either. The OCCC's 2024 activity data works out to about $23 in fees for every $100 each time a loan is made or refinanced, roughly $115 on a $500 loan and about 600 percent APR over two weeks. Your contract must list the fees, so ask for the total repayment in dollars before you sign.
Where can I get help with a utility bill in Dallas instead of borrowing?
Dallas County Health and Human Services runs the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program for county residents at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline; call 214-819-1848 for an appointment, and expect a long hold when energy costs are high. 2-1-1 Texas can point you to rent and food help, and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas takes debt collection and unlawful loan cases at no charge for eligible clients.
