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Loans in Illinois: payday, personal & title loan laws (2026)

In Illinois, payday loans are effectively not available, car title loans are limited, and personal installment loans are available from licensed lenders. Below are the verified rules, local lenders and credit unions for all 102 counties and 226 cities with 10,000+ residents.

Request a personal loan in Illinois

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  1. 1 Choose an amount and fill out the form
  2. 2 Get matched with a lender in our network
  3. 3 Review your offer and get funded, often next business day

Tip: apply on a weekday morning for the best chance of funding by the next business day.

No hard credit inquiry on our end; lenders may check your credit. Not a lender; approval, amount and terms come from the lender. Example: $1,000 over 12 months at 35.99% APR ≈ $100.46/month.

Payday Loans Not available

Illinois still has a Payday Loan Reform Act, but since March 23, 2021 every consumer loan, including payday loans, is capped at 36% APR (all-in, Military Lending Act method) by the Predatory Loan Prevention Act.

Personal Loans

36% APR all-in cap on consumer loans; installment lenders up to $40,000.

Title Loans Limited

Title-secured loans may still be made by lenders licensed under the Consumer Installment Loan Act, but only at or below 36% APR (all-in).

Illinois at a glance

12,694,798
Residents
$83,390
Median household income
3,628
FDIC bank branches
643
Credit-union branches

Counties in Illinois

Adams CountyAlexander CountyBond CountyBoone CountyBrown CountyBureau CountyCalhoun CountyCarroll CountyCass CountyChampaign CountyChristian CountyClark CountyClay CountyClinton CountyColes CountyCook CountyCrawford CountyCumberland CountyDe Witt CountyDeKalb CountyDouglas CountyDuPage CountyEdgar CountyEdwards CountyEffingham CountyFayette CountyFord CountyFranklin CountyFulton CountyGallatin CountyGreene CountyGrundy CountyHamilton CountyHancock CountyHardin CountyHenderson CountyHenry CountyIroquois CountyJackson CountyJasper CountyJefferson CountyJersey CountyJo Daviess CountyJohnson CountyKane CountyKankakee CountyKendall CountyKnox CountyLaSalle CountyLake CountyLawrence CountyLee CountyLivingston CountyLogan CountyMacon CountyMacoupin CountyMadison CountyMarion CountyMarshall CountyMason CountyMassac CountyMcDonough CountyMcHenry CountyMcLean CountyMenard CountyMercer CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMorgan CountyMoultrie CountyOgle CountyPeoria CountyPerry CountyPiatt CountyPike CountyPope CountyPulaski CountyPutnam CountyRandolph CountyRichland CountyRock Island CountySaline CountySangamon CountySchuyler CountyScott CountyShelby CountySt. Clair CountyStark CountyStephenson CountyTazewell CountyUnion CountyVermilion CountyWabash CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWhite CountyWhiteside CountyWill CountyWilliamson CountyWinnebago CountyWoodford County

Cities in Illinois

ChicagoAuroraNapervilleJolietRockfordElginSpringfieldPeoriaChampaignWaukeganCiceroBloomingtonSchaumburgEvanstonArlington HeightsBolingbrookDecaturPalatineSkokieDes PlainesOrland ParkOak LawnBerwynMount ProspectTinley ParkNormalWheatonOak ParkHoffman EstatesDowners GroveGlenviewPlainfieldElmhurstLombardBuffalo GroveMolineBellevilleRomeovilleCrystal LakeBartlettDeKalbCarol StreamUrbanaQuincyStreamwoodPark RidgeWheelingCarpentersvilleHanover ParkOswegoRock IslandAddisonCalumet CityNorthbrookWoodridgeSt. CharlesGlendale HeightsO'FallonElk Grove VillageMundeleinPekinNorth ChicagoGurneeHighland ParkAlgonquinNilesGalesburgLake in the HillsBurbankDanvilleGlen EllynLansingMcHenryNew LenoxHuntleyWilmetteBataviaRound Lake BeachVernon HillsOak ForestChicago HeightsGranite CityEdwardsvilleLockportWoodstockWest ChicagoAltonBelvidereMorton GroveZionMelrose ParkHomer GlenSouth ElginCollinsvilleRolling MeadowsKankakeeElmwood ParkWestmontYorkvilleFreeportLoves ParkLisleMaywoodRoselleMachesney ParkBloomingdaleVilla ParkEast PeoriaCarbondaleDarienBlue IslandMontgomeryGenevaPark ForestGrayslakeSouth HollandEast MolineDoltonFrankfortCrest HillLibertyvilleHarveyMokenaLake ZurichDeerfieldEvergreen ParkLake ForestBrookfieldHomewoodNorth AuroraMattesonRound LakeBensenvilleAlsipSycamoreOttawaShorewoodBellwoodFranklin ParkPalos HillsBourbonnaisJacksonvilleEast St. LouisCaryLemontGodfreyHinsdaleCahokia HeightsCharlestonBridgeviewMarionFairview HeightsMortonMattoonWestchesterCountry Club HillsLa GrangeWashingtonProspect HeightsNorridgeBradleyDixonMorrisMacombAntiochWarrenvilleSterlingSwanseaChathamShilohHickory HillsLindenhurstBeach ParkChicago RidgeMount VernonWaucondaGlen CarbonMidlothianForest ParkWood DaleChannahonHazel CrestLa Grange ParkWestern SpringsLincolnCantonLincolnwoodMinookaRichton ParkNorthlakeWinnetkaRantoulEffinghamStreatorJusticeHerrinPlanoPalos HeightsRiver ForestKewaneeCentraliaTroySchiller ParkMarkhamPontiacBurr RidgeFox LakeWaterlooColumbiaBarringtonManhattanPingree GroveCampton HillsSummitGages LakeRoscoeWorthTaylorvilleCrestwoodRiver GroveRiverdaleLyonsWood RiverHighlandWinfieldMahomet

Frequently asked questions

Are payday loans legal in Illinois?

Illinois still has a Payday Loan Reform Act, but since March 23, 2021 every consumer loan, including payday loans, is capped at 36% APR (all-in, Military Lending Act method) by the Predatory Loan Prevention Act. IDFPR reports that almost every high-cost payday and auto title lender has surrendered its Illinois license.

How much can you borrow with a payday loan in Illinois?

Payments coming due in the loan's first month, together with your other payday loans due that month, may not exceed the lesser of $1,000 or 25% of your gross monthly income.

How much do payday loans cost in Illinois?

36% APR on the unpaid amount financed, calculated the all-in Military Lending Act way (finance charges plus fees and add-on products count).

Are title loans legal in Illinois?

Title-secured loans may still be made by lenders licensed under the Consumer Installment Loan Act, but only at or below 36% APR (all-in). IDFPR reports that almost every high-cost auto title lender has surrendered its Illinois license since the cap took effect in 2021.

What interest can title lenders charge in Illinois?

36% APR, all-in (Military Lending Act method).

Is there a cap on personal loan interest rates in Illinois?

36% APR all-in cap on consumer loans; installment lenders up to $40,000.

Do personal loan lenders need a license in Illinois?

Yes. Anyone in the business of making loans at more than 9% APR (except as otherwise authorized) must first get a Consumer Installment Loan Act license from the IDFPR Director of Financial Institutions.

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