What people use personal loans for
A personal loan is a lump sum repaid in fixed monthly payments, often for a larger cost such as a car repair, a move or medical bills; the examples below stay within Vermont limits.
What personal 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
- $3,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 18%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $275.04
- Finance charge
- $300.48
- Total of payments
- $3,300.48
Example: a $3,000 installment loan at 18% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $275.04 costs $3,300.48 in total, including a finance charge of $300.48. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
Representative example
- Amount borrowed
- $1,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 24%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $94.56
- Finance charge
- $134.72
- Total of payments
- $1,134.72
Example: a $1,000 installment loan at 24% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $94.56 costs $1,134.72 in total, including a finance charge of $134.72. 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)
- 24%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $47.28
- Finance charge
- $67.36
- Total of payments
- $567.36
Example: a $500 installment loan at 24% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $47.28 costs $567.36 in total, including a finance charge of $67.36. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
What Vermont law allows
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans[1][2][3][4][5] | Allowed | 24% APR (top tier) | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | Lender license | 8 V.S.A. chapter 73; 9 V.S.A. sec. 41a; 9 V.S.A. sec. 46 |
| 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
- Licensed lenders under 8 V.S.A. chapter 73 may not charge more than authorized by 9 V.S.A. sec. 41a or 46 (8 V.S.A. sec. 2233(a)). For installment loans not otherwise covered, 9 V.S.A. sec. 41a(b)(5) caps the finance charge at 24 percent per annum on the first 1,000 dollars and 12 percent per annum on the balance above 1,000 dollars, or an 18 percent APR, whichever is higher. Single-payment loans by Title 8 lenders are capped at 18 percent per annum; vehicle and equipment loans at 18 percent (20 percent for older collateral); retail installment contracts at 18 percent on the first 500 dollars and 15 percent above. The general usury ceiling is 12 percent per annum unless another statute specifically authorizes a different rate.
- Fees
- Fees for licensed lenders are governed by 8 V.S.A. sec. 2233, which ties total charges to the 9 V.S.A. sec. 41a/46 ceiling.
- License
- Lender license (8 V.S.A. chapter 73), issued by the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Banking Division.
Full detail for every loan type: Vermont lending laws.
Help in Vermont
Rent and jobs in Vermont
Typical rent and the jobless rate, to weigh before a loan payment.
Other options in Vermont
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 Vermont.
Other loan types allowed in Vermont
Personal loans in nearby states
- New HampshireAllowed 36% APR
- MassachusettsAllowed 23% APR
- New YorkAllowed 25% APR
- ConnecticutAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
- Rhode IslandAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
Sources
- legislature.vermont.gov. 8 V.S.A. chapter 73. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- legislature.vermont.gov. 9 V.S.A. sec. 41a. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/08/073/02233. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- dfr.vermont.gov. Vermont Department of Financial Regulation, Banking Division. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- ago.vermont.gov/consumer/money-and-credit/personal-loans. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Vermont. 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 Vermont. Each lender sets its own rates and terms and must show you the APR before you sign.
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