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

Payday loans in Montana

Payday loans for bad credit in Montana

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

Check your options

BadCreditMD is not a lender or broker. A lending network partner shares requests with lenders, who set their own rates and decide whether to lend. There is no fee to use our service. See disclosures.

Last updated .

Part of the Montana guide

What Montana law allows

Payday loans in Montana
ProductStatusAPR capAmountTermLicenseLaw
Payday loans[1][2][3][4][5][6] AllowedHigh-cost loan 36% APR Not set by statute Not set by statute Deferred Deposit Lender license Mont. Code Ann. Title 31, ch. 1, part 7; fee cap at 31-1-722; enacted rate cap via Initiative I-164
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

Payday loans

Rate cap
Deferred deposit (payday) lenders are capped at 36% APR, all-in, under the same I-164 framework codified in Montana's Deferred Deposit Loan statute (Mont. Code Ann. Title 31, ch. 1, part 7, also cross-referenced at 32-5-301). This rate is low enough that traditional fee-based payday lending is not economically viable.
Fees
36% APR cap includes all fees, same as the general consumer loan cap.
License
Deferred Deposit Lender license would be required to operate, but per DBFI's own guidance no licensees currently exist in this category because the 36% cap makes the traditional payday product unprofitable.

Full detail for every loan type: Montana lending laws.

Check your options

Rent and jobs in Montana

Typical rent and the jobless rate, to weigh before a loan payment.

Rent and unemployment in Montana
MeasureValueYear
Fair market rent, 2 bedroom (monthly)[7]$1,558FY2026
Unemployment rate[8]3.2%2026-08

Other options in Montana

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 Montana.

Other loan types allowed in Montana

See every loan type Montana law allows.

Payday loans in nearby states

Sources

  1. responsiblelending.org/media/montana-voters-reject-payday-loan-abuses. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  2. lmtribune.com/northwest/many-montana-payday-lenders-shutting-down-9d3ca41f. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  3. doa.mt.gov/BFID/mortgage-consumer-finance/faq. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  4. doa.mt.gov/_docs/bfid/DDL/DDL-I-164-Memo.pdf. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  5. leg.mt.gov. Mont. Code Ann. Title 31, ch. 1, part 7. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  6. doa.mt.gov. Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions (DBFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  7. National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Montana. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
  8. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), All States, Seasonally Adjusted. Retrieved September 23, 2026.

Back to top

Important disclosures

APRs vary by lender and state in Montana. Each lender sets its own rates and terms and must show you the APR before you sign.

Representative example

Amount borrowed
$1,000
Annual percentage rate (APR)
36%
Repayment
12 monthly payments
Payment
$100.46
Finance charge
$205.52
Total of payments
$1,205.52

Example: a $1,000 payday loan at 36% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $100.46 costs $1,205.52 in total, including a finance charge of $205.52. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.

  • 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 Montana? Contact the Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions (DBFI) or file a state complaint.
  • You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.