Arizona at a glance
- Personal loansAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
- Installment loansAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
- Emergency loansAllowed 36% APR (top tier)
- Payday loansNot allowed
- Title loansAllowed 204% APR (top tier)
Loan options in Arizona
Every loan type we cover is listed, including the ones Arizona law does not allow, so you can see why and what else can work.
- Personal loansAllowedA lump sum you repay in fixed monthly payments. See what your state allows and what a loan can cost.
- Installment loansAllowedFixed payments over months, not weeks. See your state's rate limits and a worked cost example.
- Emergency loansAllowedMoney for an urgent bill, usually a smaller installment loan. Check your state's limits before you borrow.
- Payday loansNot allowedA short loan usually due in one payment on your next payday. Allowed in fewer states, so read the fee limits first.
- Title loansAllowedA loan secured by your car title. Allowed in fewer states, and your car is at risk if you cannot repay.
Other ways to borrow
- Credit union payday alternative loans: small loans from federal credit unions with an APR capped at 28% under NCUA rules. (12 CFR 701.21)
- Credit-builder loans: a small loan held in savings while you pay it off, which can help build a payment history.
- Secured credit cards: a card backed by a deposit you make, which can help build credit when you pay on time.
- Payment plans: many utilities, hospitals and lenders offer hardship plans if you ask before you miss a payment.
What a loan can cost in Arizona
Worked examples at an illustrative rate, never above Arizona's rate cap for that loan amount where the law sets one. They are examples, not quotes.
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.
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.
Resources in Arizona
Free and low-cost places to turn in Arizona, each linked to its official source and dated when we last checked it.
Lending regulator and complaints
Arizona Department of Financial Institutions (DIFI) licenses lenders in Arizona. Check a lender's license here, and file a complaint if something goes wrong.
Check a lender's license File a complaint
difi.az.gov Checked September 23, 2026
Attorney general consumer protection
The attorney general's consumer protection office takes complaints about scams, unfair debt collection and other business practices.
azag.gov Checked September 23, 2026
211
Call 211 or visit your local 211 site to reach help with rent, utilities, food and other urgent bills.
211arizona.org Checked September 23, 2026
Legal aid
Free civil legal help for people with low incomes, including debt collection, repossession and eviction problems. Income limits vary.
clsaz.org Checked September 23, 2026
Nonprofit credit counseling
Nonprofit counselors can help you build a budget or set up a debt management plan. Look for an NFCC or FCAA member agency.
nfcc.org Checked September 23, 2026
Benefits portal
The official site for checking whether you qualify for food, cash or other benefits in Arizona, and for signing up.
healthearizonaplus.gov Checked September 23, 2026
Federal complaints
Submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Submit a complaint to the CFPB
consumerfinance.gov Checked September 23, 2026 Available in Spanish
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). 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 Arizona.
The rules lenders follow in Arizona
These rules protect you as a borrower and explain the labels above. Each one links to the source we took it from. How we research state rules.
Allowed in Arizona: installment and personal loans and title loans. Not allowed: payday loans.
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans[1][2][3] | Allowed | 36% APR (top tier) | Up to $10,000 | Not set by statute | Consumer Lender License issued by the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions | A.R.S. Section 6-601 et seq. |
| Title loans[4][2][5] | Allowed | 204% APR (top tier) | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | Sales Finance Company license issued by the Arizona Department of Insurance and... | A.R.S. Section 44-291; A.R.S. Section 44-281; A.R.S. Section 44-282 |
| Payday loans[6][7][8][2] | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | Not applicable as a distinct product | Former A.R.S. Section 6-1251 et seq., sunset July 1, 2010 |
| 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.
Rate, fee and license rules in Arizona
Installment and personal loans
- Rate cap
- Arizona Consumer Lender Act (A.R.S. Title 6, Chapter 6, Section 6-601 et seq.) caps licensed consumer lender loans of $10,000 or less on a tiered basis: up to 36% per year on loans of $3,000 or less, and on larger loans 36% on the first $3,000 plus 24% on the amount over $3,000 (or a single blended rate producing the same total finance charge).
- License
- Consumer Lender License issued by the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions (DIFI).
Title loans
- Rate cap
- A.R.S. Section 44-291(G) caps monthly finance rates on secondary motor vehicle finance transactions (title loans): 17% per month on $500 or less, 15% per month on $501 to $2,500, 13% per month on $2,501 to $5,000, and 10% per month on amounts over $5,000.
- License
- Sales Finance Company license issued by the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI); title loans are 'secondary motor vehicle finance transactions'.
Payday loans
- Rate cap
- No standalone payday/deferred presentment statute remains in force; Proposition 200 (2008), which would have made the deferred presentment licensing program permanent, was rejected by voters, and the program's authorization sunset on June 30, 2010. Since then, short-term storefront loans that used to be made as payday loans fall under the Consumer Lender Act's 36%-tiered APR cap.
- License
- Not applicable as a distinct product; any short-term lender must hold a Consumer Lender License under A.R.S. Section 6-601 et seq. and comply with its rate caps.
Money snapshot for Arizona
Guides for Arizona borrowers
Check your options in Arizona
Arizona questions
Does Arizona law allow payday loans?
Arizona law does not allow payday loans. Source: Former A.R.S. Section 6-1251 et seq., sunset July 1, 2010.
What is the most a lender can charge in Arizona?
By loan type in Arizona: Installment and personal loans: 36% APR (top tier). Title loans: 204% APR (top tier). Payday loans: Not allowed.
Where can I file a complaint about a lender in Arizona?
You can file a complaint with Arizona Department of Financial Institutions (DIFI), and you can also submit one to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Both links are under Resources in Arizona on this page.
How do I check a lender's license in Arizona?
Arizona Department of Financial Institutions (DIFI) licenses lenders in Arizona. Use the license link under Resources in Arizona on this page to check a lender before you share your information.
Is there free help paying bills in Arizona?
Yes. Resources in Arizona on this page lists free help, including 211, legal aid, nonprofit credit counseling and benefits portal.
Can I get a loan in Arizona with a 500 credit score?
Lenders look at more than your score, such as income and existing debts, and each sets its own rules. BadCreditMD cannot tell you whether a lender will approve you.
Nearby states
- New MexicoAllowed 36% APR
- UtahAllowed No numeric cap
- NevadaAllowed No numeric cap
- ColoradoAllowed Tiered cap
- CaliforniaAllowed 36% APR
Sources
- Justia. law.justia.com/codes/arizona/title-6/section-6-601. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- difi.az.gov. Arizona Department of Financial Institutions (DIFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- azleg.gov. A.R.S. Section 6-601 et seq.. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- difi.az.gov/faq/what-maximum-interest-rate-auto-title-loans. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- azleg.gov. A.R.S. Section 44-291. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- votesmart.org/elections/ballot-measure/1199/payday-loan-reform-act. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- arizonalawreview.org/woolston. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- apps.azsos.gov. Former A.R.S. Section 6-1251 et seq., sunset July 1, 2010. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Arizona. 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 Arizona: APRs from 5.99% to 35.99%, where the state APR cap is 36% at most and lower on larger loans. This range is not a quote; each lender sets its own rates. Your APR depends on your credit, income, state and the lender.
- 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.
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- Questions about a lender licensed in Arizona? Contact the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions (DIFI) or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.