Personal loans in Washington

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

Lending rules in Washington

Payday lending	Permitted and regulated — maximum loan amount: May not exceed $700 or 30% of the gross monthly income of the borrower, whichever is lower; maximum loan term: A licensee must set the due date of a small loan on or after the date of the borrower's next pay date. If a borrower's next pay date is within seven days of taking out the loan, a licensee must set the due date of a small loan on or after the borrower's second pay date after the date the small loan is made. The termination date of a small loan may not exceed the origination date of that same small loan by more than 45 days, including weekends and holidays, unless the term of the loan is extended by agreement of both the borrower and the licensee and no additional fee or interest is charged. Finance charges: A licensee that has obtained the required small loan endorsement may charge interest or fees for small loans not to exceed in the aggregate 15% of the first $500 of principal. If the principal exceeds $500, a licensee may charge interest or fees not to exceed in the aggregate 10% of that portion of the principal in excess of $500. If a licensee makes more than one loan to a single borrower, and the aggregated principal of all loans made to that borrower exceeds $500 at any one time, the licensee may charge interest or fees not to exceed in the aggregate 10% on that portion of the aggregated principal of all loans at any one time that is in excess of $500Source: National Conference of State Legislatures · as of 2023
Small-loan / installment licensing	Consumer lenders must obtain a state license (Yes). Statutory basis: Wash. Rev. Code §§ 31.04.015 et seq. Licensing administered through NMLS: Yes.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026
Interest rate cap (usury limit)	Usury limit: 12% in absence of a written agreement (Wash. Rev. Code § 19.52.020 (2020)); 12% or 4% above the equivalent coupon issue yield published by the Federal Reserve (Wash. Rev. Code § 19.52.020 (2020)). Finance rates and fees for licensed lenders: 25% per annum. CSBS 50-state survey of consumer finance laws; state-verified usury catalog.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026
Consumer lending regulator	Consumer lenders in Washington are licensed and supervised by the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026
Debt collection rules	Third-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 Washington State 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: Washington State Office of the Attorney General · as of 2026
Military lending protections	The 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 lookup	Check whether a lender holds a state license through NMLS Consumer Access (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) or the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions; consumers can file complaints with the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions or the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.Source: Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) Consumer Access · as of 2026

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Cities in Washington

Seattle Spokane Kennewick Bremerton Tacoma Olympia Vancouver Marysville Bellevue Kent Yakima Bellingham Everett Renton Spokane Valley Federal Way Kirkland Auburn Pasco Redmond Wenatchee Longview Mount Vernon South Hill Sammamish Lakewood Richland Shoreline Lacey Burien Bothell Edmonds Puyallup Issaquah Lynnwood Parkland Lake Stevens Spanaway University Place Walla Walla Graham Pullman Des Moines SeaTac Orchards Maple Valley Camas Mill Creek East Mercer Island Tumwater Moses Lake North Lynnwood Bainbridge Island Oak Harbor Kenmore Eastmont Union Hill-Novelty Hill Cottage Lake Martha Lake Bonney Lake Silver Firs Frederickson Hazel Dell Tukwila Mukilteo Silverdale Mountlake Terrace Mill Creek Covington Battle Ground Five Corners Bothell West Port Angeles Monroe Arlington Salmon Creek Ellensburg Fairwood Centralia Bryn Mawr-Skyway Anacortes Camano Aberdeen Washougal Sunnyside West Richland White Center Lynden Port Orchard Elk Plain Ferndale Lake Stickney Artondale Lakeland North East Wenatchee Snoqualmie Lake Forest Park Bothell East Woodinville Newcastle Fort Lewis Cheney Lakeland South Prairie Ridge Lake Tapps Kelso Enumclaw East Renton Highlands Sedro-Woolley Edgewood Poulsbo Liberty Lake Minnehaha Gig Harbor Maltby Grandview Vashon Fife Lake Morton-Berrydale Sumner Ridgefield Felida Alderwood Manor Shelton Yelm Airway Heights Snohomish Birch Bay Port Townsend DuPont Mount Vista Picnic Point College Place Midland Burlington Terrace Heights Summit Toppenish Orting Hoquiam Summit View Milton Othello Ephrata Selah Duvall Waller Sequim Barberton Stanwood Clover Creek Quincy Chehalis North Bend Sudden Valley Hobart Lake Shore Clarkston Mead Pacific Parkwood Fircrest Tanglewilde Wollochet Clarkston Heights-Vineland Normandy Park Steilacoom Ocean Shores Brier Union Gap Bangor Base Woodland Hockinson North Fort Lewis Woods Creek Country Homes Otis Orchards-East Farms West Clarkston-Highland Rochester Prosser Manchester Finley Blaine Maplewood Cavalero Tracyton Town and Country Suncrest Tehaleh Sultan Buckley East Port Orchard Lake Goodwin Black Diamond Chain Lake Connell Colville Omak Medical Lake Moses Lake North Wapato Prairie Heights Boulevard Park Wauna Granite Falls Esperance Rosedale Longview Heights Deer Park Lexington Moxee Longbranch Suquamish Chelan Mirrormont Belfair Montesano Bethel Larch Way Venersborg Ahtanum Burbank North Yelm Marietta-Alderwood Grand Mound Bunk Foss Clearview Granger Indianola Fox Island Mattawa Sunnyslope Port Hadlock-Irondale Three Lakes Goldendale La Center Hansville Benton City Key Center Elma Canyon Creek Forks Maple Heights-Lake Desire Fairchild AFB Warm Beach Lake Holm Cascade Valley Algona Sisco Heights Peaceful Valley Port Angeles East Cashmere McChord AFB Chico Gleed Zillah Central Park Clyde Hill Meadowdale Port Ludlow Raymond Okanogan Canterwood Lochsloy High Bridge Medina Kingston Kalama Eatonville Everson Desert Aire Colfax Fobes Hill Navy Yard City Lake Cassidy Arlington Heights Rainier Brush Prairie Castle Rock Whidbey Island Station Alderton Meadow Glade Fords Prairie Carson Friday Harbor Dayton White Salmon Warden Burley Chewelah Geneva Lewisville Bridgeport Leavenworth Riverbend Allyn Brewster Big Lake Royal City Wilderness Rim Cathcart Carnation Shadow Lake Westport Mabton Fall City McCleary Gold Bar Cle Elum Cosmopolis Bryant Lofall Newport Stansberry Lake Walla Walla East Tieton Monroe North South Creek Southworth Freeland Home Kitsap Lake Enetai Coupeville Beacon Hill Long Beach Winlock Millwood Tenino North Puyallup Ritzville Fife Heights Amboy Ocean Park Davenport Garrett South Bend Ilwaco Fern Prairie Oroville Kettle Falls West Pasco Stevenson Anderson Island Napavine Yacolt Rocky Point Kayak Point Dallesport Lake Marcel-Stillwater Waterville Lakeview Purdy Nooksack Coulee Dam Kittitas Rock Island Sumas Pomeroy South Wenatchee Lake Ketchum Yarrow Point Soap Lake Manson Duluth Ames Lake Machias Ruston Crocker Twisp Point Roberts Vaughn Langley Morton Swede Heaven North Bonneville Republic Puget Island Grand Coulee Woodway Darrington Clear Lake Neah Bay McMillin Asotin Browns Point La Conner River Road Dash Point Clinton Palouse

Personal loans in Washington

Lending rules in Washington

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Cities in Washington

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