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 North Dakota 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 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.
- Emergency 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.
Installment 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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- 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.