Maine, IL · Midwest · 36% APR cap
Payday loans in Maine
Maine is governed by Illinois's statewide lending law — cities don't set their own loan rules. Illinois does not license classic two-week payday pricing: a 36% APR cap keeps typical payday fees out of the market. The storefronts that remain sell installment products under that cap.
Classic payday pricing is not licensed here, so treat any two-week, high-fee offer as a red flag.
Lending storefronts in Maine
135,854 residents · Cook County/Grundy County Median household income is $74,233 — above the Illinois median of $65,037.
| Nearest storefronts | Town | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| A Plus Title Payday Loans | Des Plaines 1 mi | (847) 768-5951 |
| Lee Street Currency Exchange | Des Plaines 1 mi | (847) 299-3730 |
| Elmhurst Road Currency Exchange | Mount Prospect 4 mi | (847) 593-0005 |
Listing data: public business directory, collected 2022-02-20. Stores close and relocate — confirm with the regulator's license lookup on the Illinois page before visiting. Spot an error? Report it.
The online route in Maine
Online lenders can serve Maine without a storefront — but Illinois's 36% cap reaches any lender licensed in the state, wherever it is based. Loans routed through partner banks or tribal charters sit outside that cap, and regulators dispute the structure.
From the online lenders directory — terms each lender publishes about itself, checked September 2026. Directory only: we are not affiliated and make no availability promises — verify with the lender and the Illinois regulator.
The rules behind the numbers
Under the Illinois Predatory Loan Prevention Act, lenders are prohibited from charging more than 36% APR on consumer loans.
Statute: 815 ILCS 123/ (Predatory Loan Prevention Act)
Regulator: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation · idfpr.illinois.gov
Questions people ask in Maine
Why doesn't Maine have classic payday stores?
Illinois caps small-loan APR at 36%, and that state cap applies in Maine exactly as everywhere else. At 36% a two-week $300 loan earns a lender about $4 — so classic payday pricing can't legally operate here.
What can I legally borrow in Maine?
Installment loans priced under the 36% cap, federal credit-union PALs, and employer advances are the lawful routes. Any storefront or site advertising two-week, high-fee payday pricing to Maine residents is not licensed here.
What lending storefronts are in Maine?
Our 2022-02-20 directory snapshot lists no storefront lenders in Maine — the closest listed locations are in Des Plaines, Mount Prospect.
Who enforces the cap in Maine?
Complaints about a lender go to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (idfpr.illinois.gov) — keep the loan agreement and every fee disclosure you were given.