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Cash Advance Fees & Laws by State

Last updated: July 20, 2026

What a cash advance actually costs you depends entirely on your state — the same $500 advance can carry a flat 15% fee in one state and be effectively unavailable in another. Here's the full breakdown.

The Short Version

24 states currently allow a cash advance priced under state-specific fee or rate rules, with costs ranging from a flat percentage fee to no cap at all. 27 states plus the District of Columbia cap all-in costs — usually near 36% APR — or prohibit the product outright.

States Where a Cash Advance Is Available

Alabama, Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming permit a cash advance under their own fee caps, loan-size limits, and renewal rules — every state name links to the full cost breakdown.

States That Cap or Restrict Cash Advance Costs

StateStatusWhat's Different
ColoradoRestrictedVoters capped all-in costs at 36% APR back in 2018.
IllinoisRestrictedThe Predatory Loan Prevention Act capped all consumer loans at 36% APR in 2021.
MaineRestrictedA 30% APR small-loan cap rules out triple-digit-rate cash advances entirely.
MinnesotaRestrictedA 36% APR cap took effect in 2024, replacing the old fee schedule.
MontanaRestrictedA voter-approved 36% usury cap, with a narrow tribal-lender exception.
NebraskaRestrictedInitiative 428 capped cash advances at 36% APR after an 83% voter approval in 2020.
New HampshireRestrictedA 36% APR cap has held since 2009, paired with a 60-day lockout after an outstanding advance.
New MexicoRestrictedA 36% APR cap enacted in 2023 replaced the prior fee-based structure.
OhioRestrictedRestructured as an installment product with a 28% APR cap and a 91-day minimum term.
OregonRestrictedA 36% interest cap plus a separate origination fee pushes the real cost closer to 154% APR.
South DakotaRestrictedVoters capped all-in costs at 36% APR in a decisive 2016 ballot measure.
VirginiaRestrictedSingle-payment payday advances were replaced with 36%-capped installment loans.
ArizonaRestrictedA 36% usury cap has made traditional cash advance loans unavailable since 2010.
ArkansasRestrictedA 17% constitutional usury cap — the only state with a rate limit written into its constitution.
ConnecticutRestrictedState law bars using a paycheck itself as security for a loan.
GeorgiaRestrictedLoans under $3,000 structured as a payday product are barred outright.
HawaiiRestrictedAct 56 banned the traditional cash advance model in 2022, replacing it with 36%-capped installment loans.
MarylandRestrictedA 33% usury cap makes traditional cash advances unavailable statewide.
MassachusettsRestrictedA low usury cap has kept traditional cash advances out of the state for years.
New JerseyRestrictedA low usury cap keeps traditional cash advances off the table statewide.
New YorkRestrictedA 25% criminal usury cap makes payday-style cash advances illegal outright.
North CarolinaRestrictedBanned since 2001 under a 36% small-loan cap — the first state to ban the product outright.
PennsylvaniaRestrictedA 24% APR cap on licensed lenders keeps traditional cash advances out.
South CarolinaRestrictedThe Deferred Presentment Services Act was fully repealed, effective January 2026.
VermontRestrictedA low usury cap prohibits traditional cash advances statewide.
Washington DCRestrictedA 24% APR cap makes traditional cash advances effectively illegal in the District.
West VirginiaRestrictedNo deferred-presentment cash advances are permitted under state law.
Laws change frequently and this summary is for general information only — not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements for your state before assuming a product is available to you.

Why This Matters When You Apply

CashAdvantage only routes applications to lenders licensed in the state you live in. If your state caps costs near 36% APR, you won't be matched with a traditional cash-advance product — but personal installment loans or credit-builder options may still be available through our network.

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