Loans in California: payday, personal & title loan laws (2026)
In California, payday loans are legal, car title loans are legal, and personal installment loans are available from licensed lenders. Below are the verified rules, local lenders and credit unions for all 58 counties and 498 cities with 10,000+ residents.
Payday Loans Legal
Payday loans are legal in California under the California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law (CDDTL), from lenders licensed by the DFPI.
Personal Loans
Under $2,500: tiered 12%-30%/yr.
Title Loans Legal
Car-title loans are legal in California as California Financing Law (CFL) loans.
California at a glance
39,287,377
Residents
$99,122
Median household income
5,538
FDIC bank branches
1,612
Credit-union branches
Counties in California
Alameda CountyAlpine CountyAmador CountyButte CountyCalaveras CountyColusa CountyContra Costa CountyDel Norte CountyEl Dorado CountyFresno CountyGlenn CountyHumboldt CountyImperial CountyInyo CountyKern CountyKings CountyLake CountyLassen CountyLos Angeles CountyMadera CountyMarin CountyMariposa CountyMendocino CountyMerced CountyModoc CountyMono CountyMonterey CountyNapa CountyNevada CountyOrange CountyPlacer CountyPlumas CountyRiverside CountySacramento CountySan Benito CountySan Bernardino CountySan Diego CountySan Francisco CountySan Joaquin CountySan Luis Obispo CountySan Mateo CountySanta Barbara CountySanta Clara CountySanta Cruz CountyShasta CountySierra CountySiskiyou CountySolano CountySonoma CountyStanislaus CountySutter CountyTehama CountyTrinity CountyTulare CountyTuolumne CountyVentura CountyYolo CountyYuba County
Cities in California
Los AngelesSan DiegoSan JoseSan FranciscoFresnoSacramentoLong BeachOaklandBakersfieldAnaheimStocktonRiversideSanta AnaIrvineChula VistaSanta ClaritaFremontSan BernardinoModestoFontanaMoreno ValleyOxnardHuntington BeachGlendaleOntarioElk GroveSanta RosaRancho CucamongaOceansideGarden GroveLancasterPalmdaleSalinasCoronaHaywardRosevilleSunnyvaleEscondidoPomonaVisaliaTorranceFullertonOrangeVictorvillePasadenaSanta ClaraSimi ValleyThousand OaksClovisVallejoConcordFairfieldBerkeleyAntiochRichmondCarlsbadMurrietaEast Los AngelesTemeculaDowneySanta MariaCosta MesaMenifeeVenturaWest CovinaJurupa ValleyEl MonteInglewoodBurbankEl CajonRialtoSan MateoVacavilleChicoDaly CityHesperiaNorwalkVistaTracyArden-ArcadeSan MarcosReddingCarsonComptonChinoMission ViejoMercedIndioSouth GateHemetSanta MonicaWestminsterMantecaSan LeandroSanta BarbaraCitrus HeightsLake ForestWhittierSan RamonLivermoreHawthorneFolsomNewport BeachMountain ViewBuena ParkRedwood CityRancho CordovaAlhambraPerrisLakewoodUplandTustinMilpitasNapaChino HillsAlamedaPleasantonCarmichaelBellflowerPittsburgApple ValleyRedlandsRocklinTurlockLake ElsinoreTulareDublinEastvaleCamarilloBaldwin ParkWalnut CreekYuba CityRedondo BeachMaderaLodiUnion CityPalo AltoYorba LindaDavisBrentwoodCastro ValleyLynwoodSouth San FranciscoLaguna NiguelSan ClementePortervilleLa HabraWoodlandSanta CruzEncinitasMontebelloLa MesaFlorence-GrahamSan RafaelPico RiveraHanfordGardenaSanteePetalumaMonterey ParkGilroyNational CityCupertinoHighlandBeaumontFountain ValleySouth WhittierSan JacintoArcadiaWest SacramentoYucaipaHacienda HeightsColtonDiamond BarHuntington ParkLincolnPlacentiaNovatoCathedral CityParamountPalm DesertWatsonvilleDelanoAliso ViejoEl Dorado HillsGlendoraFlorinRosemeadCovinaCypressCeresAzusaPowaySan Luis ObispoAntelopeNorth HighlandsCerritosLos BanosBreaLa MiradaRancho Santa MargaritaNewarkRowland HeightsMorgan HillFrench ValleyOakleyPalm SpringsRohnert ParkEl CentroHollisterVineyardLompocDanvilleCoachellaCampbellSan BrunoAltadenaRancho Palos VerdesCulver CityStantonLa QuintaCalexicoSan GabrielBell GardensAdelantoMontclairMonroviaWildomarPacificaLa PuenteMartinezClaremontFoothill FarmsOrangevaleMoorparkTemple CitySan Juan CapistranoLathropLa PresaWest HollywoodOildalePleasant HillManhattan BeachWestmontSan DimasDesert Hot SpringsFair OaksFoster CityDana PointLos GatosMenlo ParkGoletaBellAtwaterFallbrookSpring ValleySeasideSan PabloBeverly HillsOrcuttEl Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)Santa PaulaBanningLawndaleLaguna HillsLos AltosLa VerneBurlingameSaratogaTemescal ValleyAtascaderoSan CarlosMontereySuisun CitySan LorenzoEast Palo AltoEast NilesEastern Goleta ValleyRidgecrestLemon GroveWalnutTwentynine PalmsBelmontBrawleyLemooreBeniciaSangerWascoSoledadHerculesWindsorSouth PasadenaEurekaEl CerritoGaltNorth TustinImperial BeachBloomingtonWest Whittier-Los NietosReedleyMountain HouseDinubaLafayetteRiverbankLoma LindaBarstowNorcoSeal BeachPattersonSelmaMaywoodBay PointLindaLadera RanchRosemontSan FernandoEast San GabrielWest Rancho DominguezOakdaleLaguna BeachMillbraeCalabasasRamonaMarinaWest Puente ValleyCorcoranLakesideAshlandDuarteWest CarsonWinter GardensCudahyYucca ValleyAmerican CanyonWillowbrookGranite BayPort HuenemeRosamondImperialRancho San DiegoSouth Lake TahoeShafterStevenson RanchValindaEast HemetGreenfieldLomitaLa Cañada FlintridgeCasa de Oro-Mount HelixOrovillePrunedaleAgoura HillsDixonLa Crescenta-MontroseArvinOrindaLennoxAlbanySouth El MonteMead ValleyHermosa BeachChowchillaCoronadoRosedaleSanta Fe SpringsPinoleStanfordArcataValle VistaPhelanOlivehurstArroyo GrandeCameron ParkCastaicRancho MirageNipomoBlytheWoodcrestLaguna WoodsCoalingaMcKinleyvilleTruckeeLive OakSouth San Jose HillsFillmoreKermanEl SegundoMoragaBostoniaClearlakeRio LindaUkiahEl SobranteRiponArtesiaCamp Pendleton SouthParkwayVincentLemon HillLa PalmaCoto de CazaAlpineWalnut ParkPacific GroveDiscovery BayLivingstonEast Rancho DominguezRed BluffParlierAlamoCalifornia CityMcFarlandSusanvilleLos OsosCherrylandGrass ValleyMill ValleyIsla VistaSalidaAuburnOak ParkHawaiian GardensAvenalKing CityNorth AuburnLamontEl SobranteNorth Fair OaksEmeryvilleGrand TerraceLake Los AngelesCarpinteriaPalos Verdes EstatesLarkspurSolana BeachKingsburgMarysvilleSan AnselmoBonitaLindsayGrover BeachAvocado HeightsMendotaFortunaNewmanLakeland VillageSan MarinoUniversity of California-Santa BarbaraTamalpais-Homestead ValleyScotts ValleyMuscoyCommerceRancho Mission ViejoTehachapiWintonLos AlamitosRossmoorQuartz HillLa RivieraSignal HillBig Bear CityHalf Moon BayAndersonHealdsburgView Park-Windsor HillsCanyon LakeValley CenterDel AireHillsboroughEast BakersfieldSun VillageDelhiPiedmontSierra MadreClaytonDiamond SpringsCitrusCalimesaPlacervilleFairviewMorro BaySoquelSonomaGarden AcresLake ArrowheadHillcrestHome GardensAlum RockMalibuFarmersvilleShasta LakeExeterSan Diego Country EstatesCountry ClubPotomac ParkBlackhawkRio VistaCorte Madera
Frequently asked questions
Are payday loans legal in California?
Payday loans are legal in California under the California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law (CDDTL), from lenders licensed by the DFPI. The check can be no more than $300, the fee no more than 15% of it, and the term no longer than 31 days.
How much can you borrow with a payday loan in California?
Your personal check cannot exceed $300. At the maximum fee you receive $255.
How much do payday loans cost in California?
The fee may not exceed 15% of the check amount ($45 on a $300 check).
Are title loans legal in California?
Car-title loans are legal in California as California Financing Law (CFL) loans. Rates are capped on loans under $10,000. The DFPI says there is no rate limit on title loans of $10,000 or more.
What interest can title lenders charge in California?
Under $2,500: tiered statutory caps of roughly 12% to 30% a year, depending on balance. $2,500 to under $10,000: 36% simple annual interest plus the Federal Funds Rate. $10,000 and up: no rate limit.
Is there a cap on personal loan interest rates in California?
Under $2,500: tiered 12%-30%/yr. $2,500-$9,999: 36% plus Federal Funds Rate. $10,000+: uncapped.
Do personal loan lenders need a license in California?
Yes. Anyone in the business of making consumer or commercial loans (a finance lender) or brokering them (a finance broker) must hold a CFL license unless exempt.