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.
What Tennessee law allows
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payday loans[1][2] | Allowed | Fee cap | Up to $500 | Up to 31 days | Deferred Presentment Services license under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 45, Chapter 17, TDFI | Tenn. Code Ann. Title 45, Chapter 17 |
| Verified against the statute and regulator on September 23, 2026. Laws change; confirm with the regulator before you borrow. | ||||||
The rules in full
Payday loans
- Rate cap
- No flat APR cap found; Deferred Presentment Services Act (Tenn. Code Ann. Title 45, Chapter 17) caps the fee instead at up to 15% of the face value of the check.
- Fees
- Fee capped at 15% of the check's total value.
- License
- Deferred Presentment Services license under Tenn. Code Ann. Title 45, Chapter 17, TDFI; licensee needs $25,000 minimum net worth and internet/phone/fax lending is separately covered by the licensing requirement.
Full detail for every loan type: Tennessee lending laws.
Help in Tennessee
Money snapshot for Tennessee
Other options in Tennessee
Worth checking whatever your credit: these can cost less than a high-rate loan.
- Emergency loans in Tennessee: allowed under Tennessee law; see its limits and license rules.
- Installment loans in Tennessee: allowed under Tennessee law; see its limits and license rules.
- Personal loans in Tennessee: allowed under Tennessee law; see its limits and license rules.
- Title loans in Tennessee: allowed under Tennessee 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 Tennessee.
Payday loans in nearby states
- KentuckyAllowed Fee cap
- AlabamaAllowed Not verified
- GeorgiaNot allowed Not allowed
- IndianaAllowed Fee cap
- MississippiAllowed See the rules
Sources
- tn.gov. Tenn. Code Ann. Title 45, Chapter 17. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- tn.gov. Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Tennessee. 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
APRs vary by lender and state in Tennessee. 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.
- Questions about a lender licensed in Tennessee? Contact the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.