How installment loans work
An installment loan is repaid in equal payments over months, not in one payment on your next payday; the examples below stay within Florida limits.
What installment 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
- $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.
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.
What Florida law allows
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans[1][2][3] | Allowed | 36% APR (top tier) | Up to $25,000 | Not set by statute | Consumer Finance Company license | Fla. Stat. ch. 516 |
| 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
- Fla. Stat. 516.031(1) caps interest at 36% per annum on the first $10,000 of principal, 30% on the part from $10,000 to $20,000, and 24% on the part from $20,000 to $25,000, for loans of up to $25,000 by a licensed consumer finance company (tiers as amended effective July 1, 2024).
- Fees
- Delinquency charge allowed only for a payment in default at least 12 days and agreed in writing: max $15 per monthly payment, $7.50 per semimonthly payment, and $5 to $7.50 per biweekly payment (Fla. Stat. 516.031(3)).
- License
- Consumer Finance Company license (CF license, Florida Office of Financial Regulation, ch. 516 F.S.).
Full detail for every loan type: Florida lending laws.
Help in Florida
Rent and jobs in Florida
Typical rent and the jobless rate, to weigh before a loan payment.
Other options in Florida
Cheaper options to try first
Worth checking whatever your credit: these can cost less than a high-rate loan.
- Credit union payday alternative loans (PALs), capped at 28% APR under NCUA rules (12 CFR 701.21).
- Nonprofit credit counseling through the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
- A payment plan from the company you owe, if you ask before you miss a payment.
- 211 for help with rent, utilities and food: call 211 or visit 211.org.
More cheaper options in Florida.
Other loan types allowed in Florida
- Personal loans in Florida
- Emergency loans in Florida
- Title loans in Florida High-cost loan
- Payday loans in Florida High-cost loan
Installment loans in nearby states
- GeorgiaAllowed 60% APR
- South CarolinaAllowed 18% APR
- AlabamaAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
- MississippiAllowed See the rules
- North CarolinaAllowed 33% APR (top tier)
Sources
- natlawreview.com/article/new-florida-law-overhauls-consumer-finance-loan-interest-rate-requirements. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- flofr.gov. Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), Division of Consumer Finance. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- flsenate.gov. Fla. Stat. ch. 516. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Florida. 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
APRs vary by lender and state in Florida. Each lender sets its own rates and terms and must show you the APR before you sign.
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- Questions about a lender licensed in Florida? Contact the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), Division of Consumer Finance or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.