Hawaii at a glance
- Personal loansAllowed 36% APR
- Installment loansAllowed 36% APR
- Emergency loansAllowed 36% APR
- Payday loansNot allowed
- Title loansNot allowed
Loan options in Hawaii
Every loan type we cover is listed, including the ones Hawaii 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 Hawaii
Worked examples at an illustrative rate, never above Hawaii'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.
Resources in Hawaii
Free and low-cost places to turn in Hawaii, each linked to its official source and dated when we last checked it.
Lending regulator and complaints
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) licenses lenders in Hawaii. Check a lender's license here, and file a complaint if something goes wrong.
Check a lender's license File a complaint
cca.hawaii.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.
cca.hawaii.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.
auw211.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.
legalaidhawaii.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 Hawaii, and for signing up.
humanservices.hawaii.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 Hawaii.
The rules lenders follow in Hawaii
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 Hawaii: 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][4] | Allowed | 36% APR | Up to $1,500 | Up to 1 year | Installment Lender license | HRS ch. 480J, especially s. 480J-4 |
| Title loans[5][6] | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | No license type exists for title-secured consumer loans in Hawaii. | HRS ch. 412; no specific title-loan enabling statute located |
| Payday loans[2] | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | No license category exists for deferred deposit/payday lending post-repeal | Former HRS ch. 480F, repealed by Act 56, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, effective January 1, 2022 |
| 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 Hawaii
Installment and personal loans
- Rate cap
- Hawaii Installment Loan Act, HRS ch. 480J, s. 480J-4: an installment lender may contract for and receive interest at a rate not exceeding 36% per year on the unpaid principal balance. Loans are precomputed (a month = 1/12 year, a day = 1/365 year).
- Fees
- HRS 480J-4 prohibits loan origination fees and limits the default charge to $30 after a payment is ten days past due.
- License
- Installment Lender license (Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions, DCCA), required under HRS ch. 480J since January 1, 2022; a loan made without the required license is void, with no principal, interest, fees, or charges collectible.
Title loans
- Rate cap
- Not applicable.
- Fees
- Not applicable; no licensed product exists.
- License
- No license type exists for title-secured consumer loans in Hawaii.
Payday loans
- Rate cap
- Not applicable. Hawaii's deferred deposit (payday loan) statute was repealed effective January 1, 2022 by Act 56 (2021) and replaced by the licensed Installment Loan Act (HRS ch. 480J). Traditional single-payment payday/deferred-deposit lending is no longer a legal, licensable product in Hawaii.
- Fees
- Not applicable; product category repealed.
- License
- No license category exists for deferred deposit/payday lending post-repeal; small-dollar lending must be done under the Installment Lender license (ch. 480J).
Money snapshot for Hawaii
Guides for Hawaii borrowers
Check your options in Hawaii
Hawaii questions
Does Hawaii law allow payday loans?
Hawaii law does not allow payday loans. Source: Former HRS ch. 480F, repealed by Act 56, Session Laws of Hawaii 2021, effective January 1, 2022.
What is the most a lender can charge in Hawaii?
By loan type in Hawaii: Installment and personal loans: 36% APR. Title loans: Not allowed. Payday loans: Not allowed.
Where can I file a complaint about a lender in Hawaii?
You can file a complaint with Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI), and you can also submit one to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Both links are under Resources in Hawaii on this page.
How do I check a lender's license in Hawaii?
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) licenses lenders in Hawaii. Use the license link under Resources in Hawaii on this page to check a lender before you share your information.
Is there free help paying bills in Hawaii?
Yes. Resources in Hawaii on this page lists free help, including 211, legal aid, nonprofit credit counseling and benefits portal.
Can I get a loan in Hawaii 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.
Sources
- codes.findlaw.com/hi/division-2-business/hi-rev-st-sect-480j-4. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- cca.hawaii.gov. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- capitol.hawaii.gov. HRS ch. 480J, especially s. 480J-4. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- cca.hawaii.gov. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- Justia. HRS ch. 412. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- cca.hawaii.gov. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Hawaii. 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 Hawaii: APRs from 5.99% to 35.99%, where the state APR cap is 36%. 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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- Questions about a lender licensed in Hawaii? Contact the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.