What a loan can cost in Pennsylvania
Examples at an illustrative rate, never above Pennsylvania's cap for the amount. They are 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 Pennsylvania
Free and low-cost help in Pennsylvania, each with its official link and the date we checked it.
Lending regulator and complaints
Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) licenses lenders in Pennsylvania.
Check a lender's license File a complaint
pa.gov Checked September 23, 2026
Attorney general consumer protection
Takes complaints about scams and unfair debt collection.
attorneygeneral.gov Checked September 23, 2026
211
Help with rent, utilities, food and other urgent bills.
pa211.org Checked September 23, 2026
Legal aid
Free civil legal help if your income is low; income limits vary.
palegalaid.net Checked September 23, 2026
Nonprofit credit counseling
Help with a budget or a debt management plan.
nfcc.org Checked September 23, 2026
Benefits portal
Check whether you qualify for food, cash or other benefits in Pennsylvania.
compass.dhs.pa.gov Checked September 23, 2026
Federal complaints
Complaints 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.
- 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.
- 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.
The rules lenders follow in Pennsylvania
Each rule links to its source. How we research state rules.
Allowed in Pennsylvania: 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 | Up to $25,000 | Not set by statute | Consumer Discount Company license | Consumer Discount Company Act, 7 P.S. Section 6201 et seq.; general usury cap: Loan Interest and Protection Law, 41 P.S. Section 101 et seq. |
| Title loans[3] | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | None | Loan Interest and Protection Law, 41 P.S. Section 101 et seq.; Consumer Discount Company Act, 7 P.S. Section 6201 et seq. |
| Payday loans[3] | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not set by statute | Not set by statute | None | Check Cashing Licensing Act, 63 P.S. Section 2301 et seq.; Loan Interest and Protection Law, 41 P.S. Section 101 et seq. |
| 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 Pennsylvania
Installment and personal loans
- Rate cap
- Under the Consumer Discount Company Act (CDCA), a licensed consumer discount company may make loans of $25,000 or less at interest rates up to 24% per annum.
- Fees
- Entities merely holding themselves out as willing to arrange loans of $25,000 or less without a CDCA license are limited to Pennsylvania's general 6% Loan Interest and Protection Law (LIPL) rate.
- License
- Consumer Discount Company license under the CDCA (Act of Apr. 8, 1937, P.L. 262, No. 66), Dept. of Banking and Securities.
Title loans
- Rate cap
- Not applicable. No dedicated title-loan license exists; title lenders charging their typical rates violate Pennsylvania's general usury cap under the Loan Interest and Protection Law (41 P.S. Section 201 et seq., roughly 6-27% depending on characterization) absent a CDCA license, and the PA Attorney General has obtained restitution (e.g., a $705,000 settlement) against title lenders charging illegal rates.
- License
- None; no license authorizes vehicle title lending at title-loan-typical rates in Pennsylvania.
Payday loans
- Rate cap
- Not applicable; payday lending (deferred presentment on a postdated check) is not authorized. Pennsylvania's Check Cashing Licensing Act (1998) prohibits licensed check cashers from cashing or advancing money on postdated checks, and payday-style loans are also barred by the general usury cap (Loan Interest and Protection Law, 41 P.S. Section 201 et seq., roughly 6% absent a CDCA-type license) since no payday-specific licensing carve-out exists.
- License
- None; no license authorizes payday/deferred-presentment lending in Pennsylvania.
Rent and jobs in Pennsylvania
Typical rent and the jobless rate, to weigh before a loan payment.
Guides for Pennsylvania borrowers
Check your options in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania questions
Does Pennsylvania law allow payday loans?
Pennsylvania law does not allow payday loans. Source: Check Cashing Licensing Act, 63 P.S. Section 2301 et seq.; Loan Interest and Protection Law, 41 P.S. Section 101 et seq..
What is the most a lender can charge in Pennsylvania?
By loan type in Pennsylvania: Installment and personal loans: 24% APR. Title loans: Not allowed. Payday loans: Not allowed.
Where can I file a complaint about a lender in Pennsylvania?
You can file a complaint with Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS), and you can also submit one to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Both links are under Resources in Pennsylvania on this page.
How do I check a lender's license in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) licenses lenders in Pennsylvania. Use the license link under Resources in Pennsylvania on this page to check a lender before you share your information.
Is there free help paying bills in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Resources in Pennsylvania on this page lists free help, including 211, legal aid, nonprofit credit counseling and benefits portal.
Nearby states
- District of ColumbiaAllowed 24% APR
- MarylandAllowed 33% APR (top tier)
- New JerseyAllowed 30% APR
- New YorkAllowed 25% APR
- DelawareAllowedNo rate limit in state law No rate limit
Sources
- legis.state.pa.us. Consumer Discount Company Act, 7 P.S. Section 6201 et seq.. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- pa.gov/services/dobs/file-a-complaint-about-a-financial-entity-or-professional. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- pa.gov. Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania. Each lender sets its own rates and terms and must show you the APR before you sign.
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- Questions about a lender licensed in Pennsylvania? Contact the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS) or file a state complaint.
- You can submit a complaint about any lender to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.