State guide

Your state decides what a small loan can cost

Payday lending is not one national market — it is 51 separate rulebooks. The same $300 two-week loan that costs $45 in one state is priced out of the market in another and prohibited outright in a third. Find your state below to see its exact limits, fees, sample costs and the regulator to call.

The lay of the land

Four regimes, one country

Every jurisdiction falls into one of four buckets. The color of each state below — and on the home page map — matches its regime.

Allowed

Storefront payday lending is legal, under state fee caps and term limits.

36% APR cap

A 36% APR ceiling prices classic payday fees out of the market.

CSO model

Loans run through licensed credit brokers, so fees appear differently on paper.

Not permitted

No storefront payday lending — anyone offering it here is outside state law.

Full coverage

All 51 jurisdictions, by region

Each link opens the full state page: maximum loan, fee cap, term limit, rollover rules, a real cost example, the governing statute and the regulator's contact page.

Method

How we handle state law

We publish a limit only after reading the primary source: the statute itself or the regulator's published fee schedule. Every state page links the governing statute so you can check us against it, and the dataset behind the whole site carries a data refreshed stamp visible in the footer.

Still, the regulator — not this site — is the source of truth. Limits change when legislatures amend them and agencies re-issue schedules, and only the regulator's licensing records can tell you whether a specific lender is legal in your state. If anything here disagrees with your regulator's current guidance, the regulator wins: tell us at hello@lendmapusa.net and we will fix it (see our editorial policy).

Alternatives

Cheaper than borrowing

Before any small loan, three options that usually cost less:

Credit union PAL

Federal credit unions offer Payday Alternative Loans of $200–$2,000 at a federal 28% APR ceiling — a fraction of storefront pricing, with terms up to 12 months.

A payment plan

Utilities, hospitals, landlords and many creditors grant payment plans or hardship extensions, usually free. A due date you can actually meet beats any loan.

Nonprofit credit counseling

Agencies affiliated with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling review budgets and negotiate with creditors at little or no cost.

LendMap USA is an information platform, not a lender: we publish state law and link to official sources, and nothing here is an offer of credit or legal advice.