Loans in Washington: Payday & Installment Options

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Yes, you can get a loan in Washington. Payday loans go up to $700 or 30% of your gross monthly income, whichever is less, and licensed installment lenders can charge no more than 25% a year in interest.

Check Your Options

Payday loan	Up to $700 or 30% of gross monthly income; fee up to 15%
Installment	25% a year, plus an origination fee of up to 4%
Example	$1,000 over 12 months: about $95.04 a month at the 25% cap
You need	ID, proof of income and a bank account
Regulator	Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), 1-877-746-4334

Compare Washington Loan Costs Installment Loan Rules

Washington Loan Costs: $300 Payday to $5,000 Installment

The most a Washington-licensed lender can charge, by loan:

Loan	You repay	Cost (APR)
$300 payday, 14 days	$345 once	$45 (~391%)
$700 payday, 45 days	$795 once	$95 (~110%)
$1,000, 12 months	12 × $95.04	$180 (~33%)
$3,000, 24 months	24 × $160.11	$963 (~29%)
$5,000, 36 months	36 × $198.80	$2,357 (~28%)

Worked out from Washington law, not offers from lenders in our network; a lender can charge less. Installment costs include the 4% origination fee, counted as paid at the start.

A payday loan is one payment, due within 45 days. For fees at every amount, see Washington payday loan rules. An installment loan spreads the cost over monthly payments at a far lower APR.

Washington's Consumer Loan Act: 25% Interest, 4% Fee

Installment lenders need a Consumer Loan Company license from DFI. The Consumer Loan Act lets them:

Charge simple interest of no more than 25% a year.
Add one origination fee: up to 4% of the first $20,000 and 2% above that. It can be added to the loan.
Charge a late penalty of up to 10% of an installment that's 10 days or more overdue.

The 2024 Predatory Loan Prevention Act, which covers loans made from June 6, 2024, tightened the Act. Making, offering, assisting or arranging a higher-rate loan for a Washington resident is barred, online included; a company with the main economic interest in such a loan counts as the lender; and a non-mortgage loan made without the required license is void and can't be collected. Banks and credit unions lend under their own rules and are outside the Act.

Online and Tribal Lenders Under Washington Law

Payday lenders that serve Washington residents online need the same DFI license as stores. A small loan made by an unlicensed lender to someone in Washington can't be collected, and the lender can't sue you for it in Washington.

Some online lenders are owned by federally recognized tribes. DFI doesn't license them and says state agencies generally can't help with complaints about them. In 2025, all 16 payday complaints DFI received concerned unlicensed lenders.

From Request to Signed Offer in Washington

Pick the loan: $700 or less, due in one payment within 45 days, is a payday loan; more money or monthly payments means an installment loan.
Submit one request through LendUp. Lenders in our network review it, and any offer shows the APR, payments and total cost before you sign.
Check the lender's Washington license in NMLS Consumer Access, as shown below, before you sign.

Check Your Options

Payday Endorsement or Consumer Loan License? Checking NMLS

Official lookup tool NMLS Consumer Access

Search NMLS Consumer Access by the company's legal name or NMLS number, usually in the website footer.
For a payday loan, look for a Washington Check Casher license with a Small Loan Endorsement; for an installment loan, a Consumer Loan Company license.
Match the name and address on the license to your loan offer.

Need help? Call DFI at 1-877-746-4334, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific.

No criminal threats. A payday lender can't threaten prosecution or any legal action it can't take.
Limits on collection calls. A payday lender contacting you more than three times a week, or at home between 9 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., is presumed to be harassing you.
Complaints. File with DFI online through its complaint page or by phone.

Common Questions

What's the easiest loan to get approved for in Washington?

Approval is never certain, and each lender sets its own standards. What Washington law sets is the price: a payday loan is capped at $700 or 30% of your gross monthly income, and an installment loan at 25% a year plus an origination fee.

How can I get a $1,000 loan in Washington?

A $1,000 loan is above the $700 payday limit, so it would be an installment loan. At the 25% cap over 12 months it's about $95.04 a month, plus an origination fee of up to $40.

What is the interest rate cap on installment loans in Washington?

25% a year, simple interest, for lenders licensed under the Consumer Loan Act, plus an origination fee of up to 4% of the first $20,000 and 2% above. Banks and credit unions lend under their own rules.

Can an online lender charge more than 25% in Washington?

Not legally, unless it's exempt, like a bank. The Consumer Loan Act bars making, offering, assisting or arranging a higher-rate loan for a Washington resident, and a non-mortgage loan from an unlicensed lender is void.

Are payday loans legal in Washington state?

Yes, from lenders with a DFI small loan endorsement: up to $700 or 30% of gross monthly income, for up to 45 days, with fees of 15% on the first $500 and 10% above.

Where do I complain about a Washington lender?

File with DFI online or call 1-877-746-4334. DFI licenses payday and consumer loan lenders and investigates complaints.

Official Sources

General information, not legal advice. Facts on this page were checked against these sources on October 28, 2026.

LendUp isn't a lender. We pass your request to lenders in our network; offers aren't guaranteed, and we may earn compensation if a loan is funded.

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Loans in Washington: Payday and Installment Options