Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $10,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 29.99%
- Repayment
- 48 monthly payments
- Payment
- $360.00
- Finance charge
- $7,280.00
- Total of payments
- $17,280.00
Example: a $10,000 installment loan at 29.99% APR repaid in 48 monthly payments of $360.00 costs $17,280.00 in total, including a finance charge of $7,280.00. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
Loan types the law allows at $10,000
Counts of states, from our state law dataset. A state can allow a loan type and still cap how much you can borrow.
| Loan type | States that allow it | Capped below $10,000 | No amount limit in state law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans | 51 | 7 | 27 |
| Title loans | 28 | 6 | 21 |
| Payday loans | 35 | 26 | 9 |
States that cap installment and personal loans below $10,000
- Alabama $1,499.99
- California $9,999.99
- Georgia $3,000
- Hawaii $1,500
- Massachusetts $6,000
- Oklahoma $1,500
- Rhode Island $5,000
States that cap title loans below $10,000
- California $9,999.99
- Kansas $2,500
- Missouri $5,000
- Mississippi $2,500
- Tennessee $2,500
- Virginia $2,500
All 26 states that allow payday loans and set a maximum amount cap them below $10,000; see payday loans by state.
Where the rate cap depends on the loan size
In these states the law sets a different rate cap by loan size. This is the cap the statute sets for $10,000, not a quote.
| State | Loan type | Rate cap in state law for $10,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $200; 24% APR above $200 |
| Alaska | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $850; 24% APR from $850 to $10,000 |
| Arizona | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $3,000; 24% APR above $3,000 |
| Arizona | Title loans | 120% APR |
| Connecticut | Installment and personal loans | 25% APR |
| Florida | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $10,000 |
| Indiana | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $2,000; 21% APR from $2,000 to $4,000; 15% APR above $4,000, or 25% APR if greater |
| Indiana | Title loans | 36% APR up to $2,000; 21% APR from $2,000 to $4,000; 15% APR above $4,000, or 25% APR if greater |
| Iowa | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $3,000; 24% APR from $3,000 to $8,400; 18% APR above $8,400 |
| Kansas | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $860; 21% APR above $860 |
| Kentucky | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $5,000; 29.04% APR from $5,000 to $10,000 |
| Louisiana | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $1,400; 27% APR from $1,400 to $4,000; 24% APR from $4,000 to $7,000; 21% APR above $7,000 |
| Maine | Installment and personal loans | 18% APR |
| Maine | Payday loans | 30% APR up to $2,000; 24% APR from $2,000 to $4,000; 18% APR above $4,000 |
| Maryland | Installment and personal loans | 24% APR |
| Minnesota | Installment and personal loans | 33% APR up to $1,425; 19% APR above $1,425, or 21.75% APR if greater |
| Nebraska | Installment and personal loans | 24% APR up to $1,000; 21% APR above $1,000 |
| North Carolina | Installment and personal loans | 33% APR up to $4,000; 24% APR from $4,000 to $8,000; 18% APR above $8,000 |
| Rhode Island | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $300; 30% APR from $300 to $800; 24% APR above $800 |
| Texas | Installment and personal loans | 30% APR up to $500; 24% APR from $500 to $1,050; 18% APR above $1,050 |
| Vermont | Installment and personal loans | 24% APR up to $1,000; 12% APR above $1,000, or 18% APR if greater |
| West Virginia | Installment and personal loans | 27% APR |
| Wyoming | Installment and personal loans | 36% APR up to $1,000; 21% APR above $1,000 |
| Wyoming | Title loans | 36% APR up to $1,000; 21% APR above $1,000 |
$10,000 is more than a credit union payday alternative loan (PAL) can be: NCUA rules cap PALs at $2,000 (12 CFR 701.21).
What published data says about $10,000
- In the Federal Reserve's 2025 household survey, 21% of major vehicle repairs or replacements and 27% of major house or appliance repairs cost $5,000 or more, among people who had one and knew the amount.
- In the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, families with installment loans other than student or vehicle loans owed an average of $10,700 on them.
- TransUnion's data for the second quarter of 2026 put average unsecured personal loan debt at $11,694 per borrower.
Ways to borrow $10,000
At $10,000, installment loans are allowed in 51 states; 7 of them cap them below this amount, and 27 set no amount limit in state law. Title loans are allowed in 28 states, and 6 of those cap them below $10,000. A credit union PAL tops out at $2,000. $10,000 is close to the average that families owed on installment loans other than student and car loans in the Federal Reserve's survey, $10,700, and large home or car repairs can cost $5,000 or more. TransUnion put average unsecured personal loan debt at $11,694 per borrower. Nonprofit credit counseling can help compare a loan this size with a budget or a debt management plan.
From our state law dataset; each state page cites its statutes. How we research state rules.
Important disclosures
APRs vary by lender and state. Each lender sets its own rates and terms and must show you the APR before you sign.
- 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.
- Each state regulates lenders through its own financial regulator. Our state guides link to each one.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.