Bay St. Louis, MS · South · Allowed
Payday loans in Bay St. Louis
Bay St. Louis is governed by Mississippi's statewide lending law — cities don't set their own loan rules. Storefront payday lending is permitted in Mississippi. State law caps what lenders can charge — the limits below are the legal ceiling, and honest lenders stay under it.
The limits below are the legal ceiling — any offer above them is being made outside the law.
Lending storefronts in Bay St. Louis
12,667 residents · Hancock County Median household income is $38,130 — below the Mississippi median of $40,636.
| Nearest storefronts | Town | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Advance America | Long Beach 11 mi | (228) 863-1001 |
| 1st Franklin Financial | Gulfport 15 mi | (228) 539-9336 |
| Advance America | Gulfport 15 mi | (228) 822-0480 |
| 1st Franklin Financial | Picayune 26 mi | (601) 749-9080 |
| Advance America | Picayune 26 mi | (601) 799-5121 |
Listing data: public business directory, collected 2022-02-20. Stores close and relocate — confirm with the regulator's license lookup on the Mississippi page before visiting. Spot an error? Report it.
The online route in Bay St. Louis
A parallel market lends entirely online — application, decision and funding on a website, no storefront. Lenders licensed in Mississippi follow the state schedule anywhere in the state, but bank-partner and tribal loans are structured outside state rate limits, and regulators dispute that model.
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 Mississippi regulator.
The rules behind the numbers
A check cashing agreement is a short-term loan designed for temporary cash needs and should not be used as a long-term credit solution.
In practice: borrow $300 for a standard term and the finance charge is $60 — $360 repaid at the end, about 521% APR. Every compliant lender in Bay St. Louis has to fit inside that schedule.
Statute: Miss. Code Ann. § 75-67-501 et seq. (Check Cashers Act)
Regulator: Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance · www.dbcf.ms.gov
Questions people ask in Bay St. Louis
Are payday loans legal in Bay St. Louis, MS?
Yes. Storefront payday lending is permitted across Mississippi, and Bay St. Louis runs under the same state rules: maximum loan $500, fees capped at $20 per $100 advanced. A store charging above the cap is operating illegally.
How much would a $300 loan cost me in Bay St. Louis?
The same as anywhere in Mississippi: state law sets the schedule. On a typical $300 loan the finance charge is about $60 — $360 repaid at the end of the standard term.
Which lenders have stores in Bay St. Louis?
Our 2022-02-20 directory snapshot lists no storefront lenders in Bay St. Louis — the closest listed locations are in Long Beach, Gulfport, Picayune.
Who regulates lenders in Bay St. Louis?
Complaints about a lender go to the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance (www.dbcf.ms.gov) — keep the loan agreement and every fee disclosure you were given.