District of Columbia at a glance
- Personal loansAllowed 24% APR
- Installment loansAllowed 24% APR
- Emergency loansAllowed 24% APR
- Payday loansNot allowed
- Title loansNot allowed
Loan options in the District of Columbia
Every loan type we cover is listed, including the ones District of Columbia 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 loansNot allowedA 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 the District of Columbia
Worked examples at an illustrative rate, never above the District of Columbia'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)
- 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.
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
- $3,000
- Annual percentage rate (APR)
- 24%
- Repayment
- 12 monthly payments
- Payment
- $283.68
- Finance charge
- $404.16
- Total of payments
- $3,404.16
Example: a $3,000 installment loan at 24% APR repaid in 12 monthly payments of $283.68 costs $3,404.16 in total, including a finance charge of $404.16. Illustration only; your lender will disclose your actual APR, payment schedule and total cost before you accept a loan.
Resources in the District of Columbia
Free and low-cost places to turn in the District of Columbia, each linked to its official source and dated when we last checked it.
Lending regulator and complaints
DC Department of Insurance Securities and Banking (DISB) licenses lenders in the District of Columbia. Check a lender's license here, and file a complaint if something goes wrong.
Check a lender's license File a complaint
disb.dc.gov Checked September 23, 2026 Available in Spanish
Attorney general consumer protection
The attorney general's consumer protection office takes complaints about scams, unfair debt collection and other business practices.
oag.dc.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.
211warmline.dc.gov 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.
legalaiddc.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 the District of Columbia, and for signing up.
districtdirect.dc.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 the District of Columbia.
The rules lenders follow in the District of Columbia
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 the District of Columbia: installment and personal loans. Not allowed: title loans and payday loans.
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans[1][2][3] | Allowed | 24% APR | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | Money Lender license issued by the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking | D.C. Code Section 28-3301; Section 26-901 and Section 26-905 |
| Title loans[4][1][5][3] | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | Not applicable at market rates | D.C. Code Section 28-3301; Section 26-905 |
| Payday loans[6][3] | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | Not applicable | D.C. Law 17-14, Consumer Protection Amendment Act of 2007; D.C. Code Section 28-3301 |
| 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 the District of Columbia
Installment and personal loans
- Rate cap
- D.C. Code Section 28-3301 caps interest in a written instrument at 24% per annum, and Section 26-905 bars licensed money lenders from exceeding that lawful rate, with the cap covering all fees and charges. This 24% ceiling applies to consumer installment loans.
- License
- Money Lender license issued by the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB).
Title loans
- Rate cap
- High-cost car title lending is not viable in DC because title loans, as consumer loans, remain subject to the general 24% APR usury cap; no separate title-loan carve-out exists.
- License
- Not applicable at market rates; a title-secured loan would need to comply with the 24% Money Lender cap, which precludes the typical title-loan business model.
Payday loans
- Rate cap
- DC banned payday lending in 2007 via the Consumer Protection Amendment Act, which removed payday-loan authorization from the Check Cashing Act of 1998 and left the general 24% APR usury cap in place; there is no deferred presentment carve-out.
- License
- Not applicable; payday lending is not a licensable product in the District.
Money snapshot for the District of Columbia
Guides for District of Columbia borrowers
Check your options in the District of Columbia
District of Columbia questions
Does District of Columbia law allow payday loans?
District of Columbia law does not allow payday loans. Source: D.C. Law 17-14, Consumer Protection Amendment Act of 2007; D.C. Code Section 28-3301.
What is the most a lender can charge in the District of Columbia?
By loan type in the District of Columbia: Installment and personal loans: 24% APR. Title loans: Not allowed. Payday loans: Not allowed.
Where can I file a complaint about a lender in the District of Columbia?
You can file a complaint with DC Department of Insurance Securities and Banking (DISB), and you can also submit one to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Both links are under Resources in the District of Columbia on this page.
How do I check a lender's license in the District of Columbia?
DC Department of Insurance Securities and Banking (DISB) licenses lenders in the District of Columbia. Use the license link under Resources in the District of Columbia on this page to check a lender before you share your information.
Is there free help paying bills in the District of Columbia?
Yes. Resources in the District of Columbia on this page lists free help, including 211, legal aid, nonprofit credit counseling and benefits portal.
Can I get a loan in the District of Columbia 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
- MarylandAllowed 33% APR (top tier)
- DelawareAllowed No numeric cap
- VirginiaAllowed 36% APR
- PennsylvaniaAllowed 24% APR
- New JerseyAllowed 30% APR
Sources
- code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/47-2884.09. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- code.dccouncil.gov. D.C. Code Section 28-3301. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- disb.dc.gov. DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- responsiblelending.org/research-publication/under-radar-evidence-prohibited-vehicle-title-loans-made-22-states-and-dc. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- code.dccouncil.gov. D.C. Code Section 28-3301. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- disb.dc.gov. D.C. Law 17-14, Consumer Protection Amendment Act of 2007. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: District of Columbia. 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 the District of Columbia: APRs from 5.99% to 24%, where the state APR cap is 24%. 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.
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- 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.
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- 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 the District of Columbia? Contact the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.