When people look at emergency loans
An emergency loan is usually a smaller installment loan for an urgent bill, such as a shutoff notice, a car that will not start or a medical copay. Before you borrow, ask the company you owe about a payment plan. The examples below start with smaller amounts, within North Dakota limits.
What emergency loans can cost
These examples show how cost adds up. They are illustrative, not a quote. Your lender sets the actual rate and terms.
Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $500
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 29.99%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $48.74
- Finance charge
- $84.88
- Total of payments
- $584.88
Example: a $500 installment loan at 29.99% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $48.74 costs $584.88 in total, including a finance charge of $84.88. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $1,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 29.99%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $97.48
- Finance charge
- $169.76
- Total of payments
- $1,169.76
Example: a $1,000 installment loan at 29.99% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $97.48 costs $1,169.76 in total, including a finance charge of $169.76. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $3,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 29.99%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $292.45
- Finance charge
- $509.40
- Total of payments
- $3,509.40
Example: a $3,000 installment loan at 29.99% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $292.45 costs $3,509.40 in total, including a finance charge of $509.40. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
What North Dakota law allows
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans[1][2][3][4] | Allowed | 36% APR | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | Money Broker license under N.D. Cent. Code Chapter 13-04.1, issued by the North Dakota... | N.D. Cent. Code Chapter 13-04.1; 13-04.1-09.3 |
| Verified against the statute and regulator on September 23, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the regulator before you borrow. | ||||||
Bars place each APR cap on a 0 to 400% scale; the pin marks the cap. A striped bar means the statute sets no numeric cap.
The rules in full
Installment and personal loans
- Rate cap
- Under N.D. Cent. Code 13-04.1-09.3(1), a licensed money broker may not contract for or receive finance charges in excess of an annual rate of 36%, including all charges and fees necessary for the extension of credit incurred at origination.
- Fees
- Late or nonpayment charges may not exceed 5% of the payment, and for loans of $50,000 or less may not exceed $20 per late payment (13-04.1-09.3(2)). For small loans under $2,000: equal installments, maximum term 36 months, no balloon payment, and refinance fees capped at $100 per calendar year (13-04.1-09.3(4)).
- License
- Money Broker license under N.D. Cent. Code Chapter 13-04.1, issued by the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).
Full detail for every loan type: North Dakota lending laws.
Help in North Dakota
Money snapshot for North Dakota
Other options in North Dakota
Worth checking whatever your credit: these can cost less than a high-rate loan.
- Installment loans in North Dakota: allowed under North Dakota law; see its limits and license rules.
- Payday loans in North Dakota: allowed under North Dakota law; see its limits and license rules.
- Personal loans in North Dakota: allowed under North Dakota law; see its limits and license rules.
- Credit union payday alternative loans (PALs). Federal credit unions may offer small loans of up to $2,000 with terms of up to 12 months and an APR no higher than 28%, under NCUA rules (12 CFR 701.21). You usually need to be a member.
- Nonprofit credit counseling. A counselor accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling can help you build a budget or a debt management plan.
- Ask your creditor for a payment plan. Utilities, hospitals and many lenders offer hardship or extended payment plans if you ask before you miss a payment.
- Local assistance. Call 211, or visit 211.org, for emergency help with rent, utilities and food in North Dakota.
Emergency loans in nearby states
- South DakotaAllowed 36% APR
- MinnesotaAllowed 33% APR (top tier)
- NebraskaAllowed 24% APR (top tier)
- MontanaAllowed 36% APR
- WyomingAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
Sources
- ndlegis.gov/assembly/67-2021/testimony/HIBL-2103-20210317-9662-F-KREBS_COREY.pdf. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- ndlegis.gov. N.D. Cent. Code Chapter 13-04.1. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- nd.gov/dfi/about-dfi/non-depository/frequently-asked-questions-non-depository. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- nd.gov. North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: North Dakota. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Vintage 2024 National and State Population Estimates. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), All States, Seasonally Adjusted. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
Important disclosures
Illustrative range for installment loans in North Dakota: APRs from 5.99% to 35.99%, where the state APR cap is 36%. This range is not a quote; each lender sets its own rates. Your APR depends on your credit, income, state and the lender.
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- Short-term loans are costly and are not a long-term financial solution. Borrow only what you can repay on time.
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- Questions about a lender licensed in North Dakota? Contact the North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.