$300 Payday Loans in California: The Legal Maximum
California's Deferred Deposit Transaction Law hard-caps payday loans at $300 — the face value of the check, not the cash you receive. Here's the full anatomy of a maximum-size loan.
What $300 costs at every legal term
| You borrow | Fee (7 days) | Fee (14 days) | Fee (21 days) | Fee (30 days) | Total due (7d) | Total due (14d) | Total due (21d) | Total due (30d) | APR (7d) | APR (14d) | APR (21d) | APR (30d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300 | $45 | $45 | $45 | $45 | $345 | $345 | $345 | $345 | 782% | 391% | 261% | 182% |
When a $300 loan makes sense
- You were quoted a $300 loan and want to confirm it's legal.
- You're comparing a payday loan against an installment loan.
- You need the largest small-dollar advance available before payday.
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$300 loan FAQ
How much does a $300 payday loan cost in California?
At the statutory maximum, the fee is $45 — 15% of $300. You repay $345 on your next payday, within 31 days.
What APR is that?
On a 14-day term, $300 with a $45 fee works out to about 391% APR. The fee itself doesn't change with the term.
Can I get $300 with bad credit in California?
Payday lenders don't run traditional credit checks — approval hinges on income and an open checking account. That speed is exactly why the effective APR is so high.
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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.
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