Personal loans in California

Consumer lending in California is regulated by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Below are the sourced rules that affect what a lender can charge you, followed by the cities we cover.

Lending rules in California

Payday lendingPermitted and regulated — maximum loan amount: The face amount of the check shall not exceed $300; maximum loan term: Up to 31 days. Finance charges: A fee for a deferred deposit transaction shall not exceed 15% of the face amount of the check. Any person who violates any provision of §987 of Title 10 of the U.S. Code, as amended by 126 Stat. 1785 (Public Law 112-239), or any provision of Part 232 (commencing with §232.1) of Subchapter M of Chapter I of Subtitle A of Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as published on July 22, 2015, on page 43560 in Number 140 of Volume 80 of the Federal Register, violates this divisionSource: National Conference of State Legislatures · as of 2023
Small-loan / installment licensingConsumer lenders must obtain a state license (Yes). Statutory basis: Cal. Fin. Code §§ 22000 et seq. Licensing administered through NMLS: No (except for residential mortgage loan lenders and brokers).Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026
Interest rate cap (usury limit)Usury limit: 7% (Cal Const, Art. XV § 1). Finance rates and fees for licensed lenders: Loans Up to $2500 2.5% per month on the portion not exceeding $225 2% per month on the portion between $225-$900 1.5% per month on the balance between $900-$1,650 1% per month on amounts between $1,650-$2500 OR alternative rates allowed by Fin. Code § 22304. Loans From $2500 to less than $10,000 36% plus the Federal Funds Rate. CSBS 50-state survey of consumer finance laws; state-verified usury catalog.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026
Consumer lending regulatorConsumer lenders in California are licensed and supervised by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026
Debt collection rulesThird-party debt collectors must comply with the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.; state consumer-protection and debt-collection enforcement is handled by the California Office of the Attorney General. The FDCPA expressly authorizes state attorneys general to enforce it (15 U.S.C. § 1692l). Some states also require collection agencies to be licensed.Source: California Office of the Attorney General · as of 2026
Military lending protectionsThe federal Military Lending Act (MLA) caps the Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR) at 36% for consumer credit extended to active-duty service members, their spouses and certain dependents, and bars mandatory arbitration and prepayment penalties on covered loans. Federal protection that applies nationwide, including in this state.Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · as of 2024
Complaint / licensing lookupCheck whether a lender holds a state license through NMLS Consumer Access (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) or the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; consumers can file complaints with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation or the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.Source: Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) Consumer Access · as of 2026

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Cities in California

Los AngelesSan FranciscoSan DiegoRiversideSacramentoSan JoseFresnoConcordBakersfieldMission ViejoMurrietaLong BeachOaklandStocktonVictorvilleModestoLancasterOxnardIndioAnaheimAntiochSanta RosaSanta AnaIrvineSanta ClaritaChula VistaVisaliaFremontSan BernardinoThousand OaksMoreno ValleyFontanaSalinasHuntington BeachSanta BarbaraGlendaleHemetVallejoElk GroveOntarioOceansideRancho CucamongaGarden GrovePalmdaleSanta CruzHaywardCoronaMercedSunnyvalePomonaEscondidoTorranceRosevilleFairfieldFullertonSanta MariaOrangePasadenaYuba CitySanta ClaraSimi ValleyReddingBerkeleyEast Los AngelesClovisSeasideRichmondCarlsbadGilroyDowneyCosta MesaChicoSan BuenaventuraEl CentroEl MonteWest CovinaTemeculaInglewoodBurbankEl CajonSan MateoDaly CityJurupa ValleyRialtoTurlockNorwalkVacavilleMenifeeMantecaHesperiaVistaTracyComptonArden-ArcadeHanfordCarsonSan MarcosSouth GateSanta MonicaWestminsterSan LeandroChinoLivermoreHawthorneCitrus HeightsWhittierNapaNewport BeachSan RamonLake ForestBuena ParkRedwood CityAlhambraMaderaLakewoodMountain ViewTustinMilpitasPleasantonFolsomBellflowerUplandRancho CordovaAlamedaChino HillsPerrisCamarilloCarmichaelWatsonvillePittsburgDavisApple ValleyBaldwin ParkRedlandsRedondo BeachUnion CityRocklinWalnut CreekDublinLodiLake ElsinorePalo AltoEastvaleTulareYorba LindaPortervilleEl Paso de RoblesLynwoodPetalumaSouth San FranciscoCastro ValleyLaguna NiguelSan ClementeFlorence-GrahamBrentwoodLa HabraMontebelloPico RiveraEncinitasSan RafaelMonterey ParkLa MesaWoodlandGardenaCupertinoSanteeSouth WhittierFountain ValleyNational CityHighlandArcadiaHuntington ParkDiamond BarHacienda HeightsYucaipaParamountColtonWest SacramentoSan JacintoNovatoGlendoraDelanoBeaumontPlacentiaAliso ViejoCathedral CityRosemeadFlorinPalm DesertCovinaCypressCerritosAzusaLincolnCeresPowayRowland HeightsEl Dorado HillsNorth HighlandsAntelopeRancho Santa MargaritaLa MiradaNewarkSan Luis ObispoBreaMorgan HillPalm SpringsLos BanosRohnert ParkLompocCampbellSan BrunoDanvilleAltadenaOakleyRancho Palos VerdesCoachellaVineyardHollisterCulver CityFrench ValleyBell GardensSan GabrielCalexicoPacificaLa PresaLa PuenteStantonMonroviaMontclairLa QuintaFoothill FarmsMartinezAdelantoTemple CityWildomarClaremontMoorparkWestmontOrangevaleWest HollywoodManhattan BeachSan Juan CapistranoSan DimasPleasant HillOildaleBellMenlo ParkFoster CityDana PointLos GatosFallbrookBeverly HillsSpring ValleyGoletaLawndaleDesert Hot SpringsSan PabloFair OaksLos AltosLa VerneLaguna HillsAtwaterSaratogaBurlingameOrcuttSan CarlosSanta PaulaSan LorenzoMontereyEastern Goleta ValleyEast Palo AltoAtascaderoBanningSuisun CityEast NilesWalnutBelmontLathropRidgecrestTemescal ValleyLemon GroveWascoBeniciaTwentynine PalmsSouth PasadenaEurekaLemooreWindsorBrawleySangerImperial BeachWest Whittier-Los NietosNorcoHerculesEl CerritoNorth TustinLadera RanchMaywoodGaltLafayetteSeal BeachReedleyBarstowSoledadBay PointRiverbankLoma LindaSelmaDinubaRosemontSan FernandoWillowbrookAshlandPattersonCalabasasLindaMountain HouseLaguna BeachMillbraeOakdaleCudahyWest Puente ValleyEast San GabrielCorcoranMarinaBloomingtonWest CarsonRancho San DiegoWest Rancho DominguezWinter GardensPort HuenemeRamonaValindaAmerican CanyonDuarteGranite BayYucca ValleyLennoxLakesideSouth Lake TahoeLomitaMead ValleyCoronadoLa Cañada FlintridgeRosamondOrovilleAgoura HillsLa Crescenta-MontroseEast HemetImperialAlbanyShafterPrunedaleSouth El MonteCasa de Oro-Mount HelixHermosa BeachSouth San Jose HillsArvinValle VistaStevenson RanchOrindaPinoleDixonArcataRosedaleGreenfieldChowchillaSanta Fe SpringsPhelanNipomoArroyo GrandeBlytheBostoniaCastaicCameron ParkCoalingaLaguna WoodsWoodcrestEl SegundoRio LindaRancho MirageLive OakTruckeeMoragaUkiahClearlakeMcKinleyvilleWalnut ParkVincentArtesiaFillmoreStanfordSusanvilleOlivehurstParkwayRiponCoto de CazaKermanIsla Vista

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