What a loan can cost in Wisconsin
Examples at an illustrative rate, never above Wisconsin's cap for the amount. They are 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 Wisconsin
Free and low-cost help in Wisconsin, each with its official link and the date we checked it.
Lending regulator and complaints
Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions licenses lenders in Wisconsin.
Check a lender's license File a complaint
dfi.wi.gov Checked September 23, 2026
Attorney general consumer protection
Takes complaints about scams and unfair debt collection.
datcp.wi.gov Checked September 23, 2026 Available in Spanish
211
Help with rent, utilities, food and other urgent bills.
211wisconsin.communityos.org Checked September 23, 2026
Legal aid
Free civil legal help if your income is low; income limits vary.
legalaction.org 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 Wisconsin.
access.wi.gov Checked September 23, 2026 Available in Spanish
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 Wisconsin
Each rule links to its source. How we research state rules.
Allowed in Wisconsin: installment and personal loans, title loans and payday loans.
| Product | Status | APR cap | Amount | Term | License | Law |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installment and personal loans[1][2][3] | AllowedNo rate limit in state law | No rate limit | Up to $25,000 | Not set by statute | Licensed Lender license | Wis. Stat. sec. 138.09 |
| Title loans[4][5][6] | AllowedNo rate limit in state law | No rate limit | Up to $25,000 | Up to 6 months | Licensed Lender license | Wis. Stat. sec. 138.16 |
| Payday loans[7][8][9][10] | AllowedNo rate limit in state law | No rate limit | Up to $1,500 | Up to 3 months | Payday lender license | Wis. Stat. sec. 138.14 |
| 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 Wisconsin
Installment and personal loans
- Rate cap
- Licensed Lenders Law, Wis. Stat. sec. 138.09: a license is required to make a consumer loan with a finance charge above 18 percent per year (sec. 138.09(1g)); loans exceeding 25,000 dollars in principal are outside the section. Under sec. 138.09(7)(bp), a loan made after October 31, 1984 is not subject to any maximum interest rate limit, so licensed lenders have no statutory APR cap. The former 9.50 dollars per 100 dollars advance-interest schedule is no longer in the current text.
- Fees
- No statutory rate cap (sec. 138.09(7)(bp)). Structural limits: loans of 3,000 dollars or less in equal installments may not be scheduled beyond 36 months and 15 days if principal exceeds 700 dollars, or 24 months and 15 days if 700 dollars or less (sec. 138.09(7)(d)1.). Post-default rate may equal but not exceed the disclosed APR.
- License
- Licensed Lender license under Wis. Stat. sec. 138.09, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).
Title loans
- Rate cap
- Wis. Stat. sec. 138.16: a title loan is a loan of 25,000 dollars or less secured by the borrower's motor vehicle with an original term of not more than 6 months, made by a licensed lender holding a title loan certificate for the location. Principal may not exceed 50 percent of the vehicle's retail value. There is no limit on interest before maturity; after maturity interest may not exceed 2.75 percent per month.
- Fees
- No pre-maturity interest limit; post-maturity interest capped at 2.75 percent per month, computed daily without compounding (sec. 138.16).
- License
- Licensed Lender license under Wis. Stat. sec. 138.09 with a Title Loan Certificate of Authorization, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).
Payday loans
- Rate cap
- Wis. Stat. sec. 138.14 imposes no cap on interest before the maturity date of a payday loan. After maturity, interest may not exceed 2.75 percent per month. A payday loan has a term of 90 days or less. Aggregate outstanding payday liability to all licensees may not exceed the lesser of 1,500 dollars or 35 percent of gross monthly income. A customer may repay a payday loan with one subsequent payday loan but may not repay that subsequent loan with another payday loan.
- License
- Payday lender license (Licensed Lender authority extended to payday loans) under Wis. Stat. sec. 138.14, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI).
Rent and jobs in Wisconsin
Typical rent and the jobless rate, to weigh before a loan payment.
Guides for Wisconsin borrowers
Check your options in Wisconsin
Wisconsin questions
Does Wisconsin law allow payday loans?
Wisconsin law allows payday loans. State law sets no numeric cap on the cost. Source: Wis. Stat. sec. 138.14.
What is the most a lender can charge in Wisconsin?
By loan type in Wisconsin: Installment and personal loans: No rate limit. Title loans: No rate limit. Payday loans: No rate limit.
Where can I file a complaint about a lender in Wisconsin?
You can file a complaint with Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, and you can also submit one to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Both links are under Resources in Wisconsin on this page.
How do I check a lender's license in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions licenses lenders in Wisconsin. Use the license link under Resources in Wisconsin on this page to check a lender before you share your information.
Is there free help paying bills in Wisconsin?
Yes. Resources in Wisconsin on this page lists free help, including 211, legal aid, nonprofit credit counseling and benefits portal.
Nearby states
Sources
- Justia. law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/chapter-138/section-138-09. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- dfi.wi.gov. Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Wis. Stat. sec. 138.09. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- Justia. law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/chapter-138/section-138-16. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- dfi.wi.gov. Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Wis. Stat. sec. 138.16. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- Justia. law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/chapter-138/section-138-14. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- dfi.wi.gov. Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI). Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/misc/lc/information_memos/2023/im_2023_05. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Wis. Stat. sec. 138.14. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
- National Low Income Housing Coalition. Out of Reach 2026: Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin? Contact the Wisconsin Department 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.