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Louisiana Payday Loans
Updated November 2026 · By Payday Loans Reviews Editorial Team · Not a lender
Payday loans are legal in Louisiana, but only through licensed lenders under the Deferred Presentment and Small Loan Act. The state caps the loan amount at $350, and you can borrow for up to 30 days.
Fees are limited to 16.75% of the loan's face value plus a $10 documentation fee, which means the most you can pay in charges on any loan is $68.62. The typical APR is about 780%.
Louisiana short-term loan laws
- Max loan amount
- $350
- Min loan term
- N/A
- Max loan term
- 30 days
- Finance charge cap
- 16.75% of face value + $10 doc fee
- Max absolute fee
- $68.62
- Typical APR
- ~780%
- Rollovers (extensions)
- Prohibited
- Simultaneous loans
- N/A
- Right to rescind
- Next business day
- Governing law
- LA Deferred Presentment and Small Loan Act
- Regulator
- LA Office of Fin. Inst.
Louisiana in context
- Population rank
- 25th
- of 50 states
- Median household income rank
- 47th
- of 50 states
- Households earning under $25,000
- 22.6%
- ▲ 7.7 pts vs US
- Median home value
- $215,220
- ▼ 45% vs US
- Home value to income
- 3.4×
- A $400 emergency expense
- 2.3 days
- of median household income
Payday lending in Louisiana cities
A
B
C
D
G
H
K
L
M
N
S
W
Getting short-term cash in Louisiana
A sudden expense can strain any budget. We run a secure platform that matches you with lenders holding the right licenses for Louisiana.
Submit the online application in minutes, hear back fast and, upon lender approval, have money deposited by the next business day.
Why borrowers in Louisiana use us
- Quick online application In about five minutes, you can complete the simple form from any location at any hour.
- Fast decision Lenders authorized to lend in Louisiana assess your request as soon as it comes in.
- All credit types considered Credit that is damaged does not always result in automatic disqualification.
- Transparent terms All charges and loan contracts are required to follow the LA Deferred Presentment and Small Loan Act.
Louisiana disclosure: These payday and short-term cash advance products are meant for momentary needs only; they are not ongoing solutions to money troubles. Under Louisiana law (LA Deferred Presentment and Small Loan Act), the rates, term lengths and top loan sizes are all set by law. Please borrow with care and review the full agreement before you agree.
What to check before you sign
Louisiana law requires lenders to give you a written agreement that shows the exact dollar amount you'll owe and when payment is due. Read it carefully. The agreement must list the finance charge and the APR, which is the yearly cost of borrowing expressed as a percentage. For example, on a $350 loan for 14 days, the fee would be $68.64 and you'd repay $418.63 total, an APR of 511%.
Make sure the document says the loan cannot be rolled over. Rollovers are prohibited in Louisiana, meaning the lender cannot extend your loan or charge new fees to delay repayment. If the paperwork mentions refinancing or renewal, that's a red flag.
Check that the lender is licensed by the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. Unlicensed lenders operate outside state law and cannot legally collect. If you're unsure, you can verify the license today before leaving the store or clicking submit.
What a payday loan costs in Louisiana
- Fee on a $350 loan
- $68.62
- Share of a two-week household paycheck
- 2.8%
- Hours of work at the local median wage
- 4.2 hours
- Rollovers
- Not allowed in Louisiana
Example based on the Louisiana maximum fee for the maximum loan and local median incomes: two-week paycheck = household income ÷ 26, hourly wage = individual income ÷ 2,080. Actual terms vary by lender.
$500 payday loan vs options in Louisiana
| Option | Term | Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payday loan | — | Above the $350 limit | state maximum |
| Credit card cash advance | 30 days | $37.33 (typical) | 5% fee + 30% APR |
| Credit union PAL | 6 months | $62 total | $90.27/mo at 28% APR, $20 fee |
| Installment loan at state max | 6 months | $110 total | $102/mo at 72% APR |
Calculated from state rules in our database; card terms are typical, not a quote.
Top Louisiana cities for payday storefronts
| City | Residents | Loan offices | Per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenner | 66,744 | 5 | 7.5 |
| Shreveport | 209,795 | 12 | 5.7 |
| Baton Rouge | 386,722 | 17 | 4.4 |
| New Orleans | 414,097 | 8 | 1.9 |
Cities with 20,000+ residents; counts from our directory.
Louisiana at a glance
| Metric | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4.6M | 332.3M |
| Median household income | $62,722 | $85,275 |
| Median rent | $1,041/mo | $1,432/mo |
| Income spent on rent | 35.9% | 31.6% |
| Homeownership | 67.8% | 65.4% |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 12.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 5.3% |
| Without health insurance | 8.1% | 8.6% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | 6.5% |
- Max fee on a $350 loan vs. median monthly household income
- $68.62 = 1.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, by ZIP code. City and state figures are population-weighted averages of ZIP code data and are approximate.
Payday loan cost calculator for Louisiana
Move the sliders to see what a payday loan would cost under Louisiana rules and how it compares with local incomes.
Louisiana maximum: $350
Louisiana maximum: $19.61
Rollovers are not allowed in Louisiana.
- Fee
- $68.64
- Total to repay
- $418.63
- APR
- 511%
- Share of a two-week household paycheck in Louisiana
- 2.8%
Estimate only. APR = fee ÷ amount × 365 ÷ term. Lenders may charge less than the state maximum; actual terms vary.
Louisiana payday loan answers
How much cash can I borrow in Louisiana?
Borrowers who qualify in Louisiana can usually obtain loans from $100 up to $350. The exact amount you are approved for depends on your monthly income, your ability to repay and what Louisiana regulations permit.
Which basic conditions must I meet to apply?
Here is what you need to meet to request a loan in Louisiana:
- Be 18 or older, which marks the legal age of majority
- Hold a current government photo ID and demonstrate Louisiana residency
- Keep a checking account that stays active and belongs to you
- Prove you receive a steady income that can be verified
Can past credit problems or a previous bankruptcy still allow approval?
You might still qualify. Many lenders in our network pay more attention to your current earnings and whether you can afford repayment than to past credit difficulties. Approval is never certain.
How quickly are funds made available?
After a lender approves your request and you sign the agreement electronically, the money often reaches your checking account that same day or by the next business day. The exact timing depends on the lender and your bank.
When and how do I repay my loan?
Loan terms follow state statute: borrowers have up to 30 days to repay. When the due date hits—commonly your next payday—the lender automatically pulls the full amount you borrowed plus any fees straight from your checking account.