BadCreditMDYour one-stop guide to bad credit loans and help in your state.

Installment loans in Hawaii

Installment loans for bad credit in Hawaii

Installment loans are allowed in Hawaii from state-licensed lenders (Installment Lender license). Here are the limits Hawaii law sets, what a typical loan can cost, and where to get free help if you need it.

Last updated .

BadCreditMD is not a lender or broker. We explain your options; a lending network partner shares requests with lenders, who set their own rates and decide whether to lend. See disclosures.

Part of the Hawaii guide

Check your optionsYour request goes to a lending network partner, who shares it with lenders. Lenders set their own rates and decide whether to lend. There is no fee to use our service.

How installment loans work

An installment loan is repaid in equal payments over months, not in one payment on your next payday, which can make a mid-size bill easier to budget. The examples below show how the amount changes the payment and total cost within Hawaii 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
$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 Hawaii law allows

Installment loans in Hawaii
ProductStatusAPR capAmountTermLicenseLaw
Installment and personal loans[1][2][3][4] Allowed 36% APR Up to $1,500 Up to 1 year Installment Lender license HRS ch. 480J, especially s. 480J-4
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
Hawaii Installment Loan Act, HRS ch. 480J, s. 480J-4: an installment lender may contract for and receive interest at a rate not exceeding 36% per year on the unpaid principal balance. Loans are precomputed (a month = 1/12 year, a day = 1/365 year).
Fees
HRS 480J-4 prohibits loan origination fees and limits the default charge to $30 after a payment is ten days past due.
License
Installment Lender license (Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions, DCCA), required under HRS ch. 480J since January 1, 2022; a loan made without the required license is void, with no principal, interest, fees, or charges collectible.

Full detail for every loan type: Hawaii lending laws.

Money snapshot for Hawaii

Hawaii household data
MeasureValueYear
Fair market rent, 2 bedroom (monthly)[5]$2,568FY2026
Population[6]1,446,1462024
Unemployment rate[7]2.7%2026-08

Other options in Hawaii

Worth checking whatever your credit: these can cost less than a high-rate loan.

  • Emergency loans in Hawaii: allowed under Hawaii law; see its limits and license rules.
  • Personal loans in Hawaii: allowed under Hawaii 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 Hawaii.

See every loan type Hawaii law allows.

Sources

  1. codes.findlaw.com/hi/division-2-business/hi-rev-st-sect-480j-4. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  2. cca.hawaii.gov. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  3. capitol.hawaii.gov. HRS ch. 480J, especially s. 480J-4. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  4. cca.hawaii.gov. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  5. National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Hawaii. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  6. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Vintage 2024 National and State Population Estimates. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  7. 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 Hawaii: 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.

  • BadCreditMD is not a lender or broker and does not make loans or credit decisions. When you submit a request, a lending network partner shares it with third-party lenders, and those lenders or the partner may pay us a fee for each referral. The lenders decide whether to offer you a loan.
  • There is no fee to use BadCreditMD. Lenders or our lending network partner may pay us.
  • Lenders set their own rates, fees and terms. Offers depend on your credit, income, state of residence and each lender's criteria.
  • Our service is not available in all states, and not every loan type is available in every state.
  • By submitting a request you consent to lenders checking your credit, which may affect your score, and to your information being shared with them.
  • Submitting a request does not mean you will be approved or funded, or that you will receive any particular amount or rate.
  • Short-term loans are costly and are not a long-term financial solution. Borrow only what you can repay on time.
  • BadCreditMD publishes general information about loans and state rules. It is not legal or financial advice.
  • BadCreditMD is operated by BadCreditMD, LLC, 30 N Gould St Ste N, Sheridan, WY 82801. Contact: pr@badcreditmd.com. Full details are on our disclosures page and disclaimer.
  • Questions about a lender licensed in Hawaii? Contact the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division 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.