Short on Cash? Get a California Payday Loan Online
Unexpected bill, car repair, or a rent gap before payday? Get up to $255 cash from lenders licensed to serve California — apply online in about two minutes, funds as soon as the next business day.
Get Your Cash Match
One form - offers from lenders licensed to serve California
What do Californians borrow for?
A payday loan is a two-week bridge, sized to the gap. Pick your situation — each breakdown shows the exact cost before you apply:
Car repair
The mechanic won't wait for payday. A $300 loan covers most common repairs — the legal maximum.
See $300 loan costs →Medical bill
Co-pays and prescriptions that can't wait. A $100 loan is the smallest and cheapest bridge.
See $100 loan costs →Rent & utilities
Close the gap before late fees hit. $255 is the maximum cash a California loan puts in your hands.
See $255 loan costs →How it works
1. Fill the 2-minute form
Amount and name to start; income and checking-account details on the secure application.
2. Get matched with a lender
Lenders licensed to serve California respond with real offers — review the APR and total repayment first.
3. Receive your cash
Accept and the money lands in your checking account as soon as the next business day.
What will it cost you?
California caps deferred deposit (payday) loans at $300 with a maximum fee of 15% of the face value.
APR = (fee ÷ amount) × (365 ÷ days). Fees don't compound — but rollovers are illegal in California precisely because repeating this fee every two weeks is what traps borrowers.
Like the math? Lock your offer before payday.
California law fixes the fee at 15% — the only variable left is time. Two fields, about two minutes, and lenders in our network respond with real offers. Checking rates never touches your credit score.
- Licensed to serve borrowers statewide — every county, every city covered.
- Bad credit is fine: approval turns on income, not your score.
- Funds can land as soon as the next business day.
Get Your Cash Match
One form - offers from lenders licensed to serve California
Is it legal near you?
Payday lending is legal statewide — our service covers 488 cities across 43 counties, 34.8 million Californians. Local rules don't change the math, but local income levels change how much that flat 15% fee hurts. Pick your county:
- Los Angeles County
- Orange County
- San Diego County
- Riverside County
- San Bernardino County
- Santa Clara County
- Alameda County
- Sacramento County
- Contra Costa County
- San Francisco County
- Fresno County
- Ventura County
- San Mateo County
- Kern County
- San Joaquin County
- Stanislaus County
- Solano County
- Santa Barbara County
- Sonoma County
- Monterey County
- Tulare County
- Placer County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Yolo County
- Santa Cruz County
- Merced County
- Marin County
- Butte County
- Imperial County
- Kings County
- Shasta County
- El Dorado County
- Napa County
- Madera County
- Humboldt County
- Sutter County
- Lake County
- Yuba County
- San Benito County
- Nevada County
- Mendocino County
- Lassen County
- Tehama County
California law at a glance
| You borrow | Fee (14 days) | Total due (14d) | APR (14d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $15 | $115 | 391% |
| $200 | $30 | $230 | 391% |
| $255 | $38.25 | $293.25 | 391% |
| $300 | $45 | $345 | 391% |
Who regulates lenders?
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (dfpi.ca.gov) licenses and oversees payday lenders. Any legitimate storefront or website will display a DFPI license — if it doesn't, walk away and file a complaint.
The statute behind the numbers
Everything on this page traces back to Cal. Fin. Code § 23000 et seq. — the California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law. It sets the $300 cap, the 15% fee ceiling, the 31-day maximum term, and the ban on rollovers.
Your rights at signing
- Rescind free. You can back out by the end of the next business day — return the money, pay nothing.
- No rollovers. A lender cannot charge you a new fee to push the due date.
- No criminal threats. Prosecution or its threat over a returned check is illegal under the law.
- Full disclosure. The contract must state the fee and APR in writing before you sign.
Questions borrowers ask
Are payday loans legal in California?
Yes. Deferred deposit transactions are legal and regulated by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) under California Financial Code § 23000 et seq. Lenders must hold a DFPI license.
How much can I borrow at once in California?
The maximum is $300 per loan — and because the fee is capped at 15%, you typically receive up to $255 in cash and write a check for $300. You can only have one outstanding payday loan at a time.
What does a $300 payday loan cost in California?
At the maximum 15% fee, $300 costs $45. Over a 14-day term that works out to an annual percentage rate of about 391%.
Can I roll over or extend my payday loan?
No. Rollovers are prohibited in California. Lenders cannot accept additional fees to extend the repayment period, and you cannot take a new loan to pay off an old one from the same lender.
Can I cancel a payday loan after signing?
Yes. California law gives you until the end of the next business day to rescind the loan and return the money at no cost.
Can a lender sue me or press charges over a bounced check?
A lender can pursue civil collection, but California law explicitly bars criminal prosecution or threats of prosecution for a returned check on a payday loan.
Ready to compare offers?
See what lenders in our network can offer you — checking rates won't affect your credit score. California rules apply statewide: $300 max, 15% fee, no rollovers.
Apply online