Are Payday Loans Legal in Florida? Limits, Fees and Alternatives

Yes. Payday loans are legal in Florida, under a state law with firm limits. A single-payment payday loan is capped at $500, the fee at 10% of the money you receive, and the term at 7 to 31 days. Every loan is logged in a statewide database, and you cannot have more than one open at a time. Title loans are also legal, with rates capped at 30% a year or less, and the regulator's October 2026 file lists only 2 licensed title loan offices with a Florida address.

Payday loans in Florida

Florida calls these "deferred presentment" loans. A lender must hold a money services business license from the Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) and file a declaration of intent, renewed every 24 months (Fla. Stat. § 560.403). There are two kinds.

Single-payment loans

• Amount: the check face amount can be at most $500, not counting fees (§ 560.404(5)).
• Fee: at most 10% of the cash or payment instrument you receive (§ 560.404(6)(a)). A lender may add a verification fee of up to $5 on top (§§ 560.309(8), 560.404(6)(b)).
• Term: at least 7 days and at most 31 days (§ 560.404(8)).

A worked example, using the cap: you receive $300 for 14 days. The 10% fee can be at most $30, plus up to $5 for verification. The $30 fee alone is an APR (annual percentage rate) of about 261% (our arithmetic: 10% every 14 days, scaled to a year). See how APR works for why a short loan shows such a large rate.

Installment payday loans

• Amount: the check face amount and outstanding balance can be at most $1,000, not counting fees (§ 560.404(5)).
• Fee: at most 8% of the outstanding balance on a biweekly basis (§ 560.404(6)(a)). On $1,000 outstanding, that is up to $80 for each two weeks the balance stays.
• Term: at least 60 days and at most 90 days (§ 560.404(8)).
• Payments: at least 13 days apart and at most one calendar month apart (§ 560.404(26)).

Rules that protect borrowers

• One loan at a time. You cannot have more than one payday loan open with any provider (§ 560.404(19)).
• A 24-hour wait. After one loan ends, you must wait 24 hours before taking another (§ 560.404(19)).
• No rollovers. Rolling a loan over, or paying it off with another payday loan, is prohibited (§ 560.404(18)).
• A statewide database. Before each loan, the lender must check a common database run by the OFR. The state may charge the lender up to $1 per loan (or per 30-day period on an installment loan) to use it (§ 560.404(24)). The lender submits details such as your name, Social Security or employment authorization alien number, address and driver license number. If you do not have those, ask the lender what it accepts.
• A 60-day grace period. On a single-payment loan, if you cannot repay in full, the lender must give you 60 days at no extra charge. You must book a credit counseling appointment within 7 days after the loan term ends and complete the counseling (§ 560.404(22)).
• No criminal case over the check. A borrower cannot be prosecuted in criminal court for a payday-loan check. The lender can sue to collect, but may not collect treble damages (§ 560.406(1)).

The OFR page for borrowers says you can verify a payday lender's license on the OFR website or by phone at (850) 487-9687, option 1. It says this matters most for online lenders, because dealing with unlicensed internet companies makes problems hard to resolve (checked October 11, 2026).

What the state's own numbers showed

The newest cost figures we hold are from a Florida House staff analysis of OFR data for July 2016 to June 2017. They are old, so treat them as background:

• About 7.7 million transactions, with $3.09 billion advanced and $306 million in advance fees.
• An average transaction of $400.77, with an average fee of 9.9% of the advance.
• 37.6% of consumers had 10 or more transactions. Only 0.71% used the grace period.
• 923 licensed locations on June 30, 2017.

The OFR's licensee file for October 2026 shows 600 approved payday branch licenses and 30 licensees with Florida addresses. We list 599 payday loan stores in Florida. Amscot (233 listings), Advance America (119) and ACE Cash Express (74) have the most. These are counts of listings in our data, not a ranking.

Title loans in Florida

Title lenders need an active OFR license, with a separate license for each office (§ 537.004(1)). The rate caps are low: at most 30% a year on the first $2,000 of principal, 24% on the part between $2,000 and $3,000, and 18% above $3,000 (§ 537.011(1)). A title loan can be extended in 30-day periods by mutual consent, at no higher rate, and unpaid interest cannot be added to the principal (§ 537.011(3)).

The OFR file for October 2026 shows 2 approved title loan offices with a Florida address, and we list 2 title loan stores in Florida. For how title loans work in general, see title loans explained.

Installment loans in Florida

Consumer finance companies lend under chapter 516 and need an OFR license, including for each branch (§ 516.02(1)). They may lend up to $25,000 (§ 516.031(1)). The most they can charge is:

• 36% a year on the first $10,000 of principal,
• 30% a year on the part between $10,000 and $20,000, and
• 24% a year on the part between $20,000 and $25,000 (§ 516.031(1)).

So on a $5,000 balance the interest cap is 36% a year, or at most $36 a year for each $100 of balance outstanding. A lender not authorized under chapter 516 or other statutes cannot charge more than 18% a year on loans of $25,000 or less (§ 516.02(2)(a)).

The OFR's October 2026 file shows 205 approved installment branch licences and 109 company licences with Florida addresses. We list 313 installment loan stores in Florida; OneMain Financial (79) and Mariner Finance (38) have the most. Our guide to installment loans vs. payday loans explains the difference.

Pawn loans in Florida

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) licenses pawnbrokers, with a separate license for each shop (§ 539.001(2)(a), (3)(a)). A pawnbroker's service charge, interest included, cannot be more than 25% of the amount lent for each 30-day period, with a $5 minimum (§ 539.001(11)(a)). Unredeemed goods must be held at least 30 days after maturity (§ 539.001(10)). Our directory has only a single Florida pawn listing so far, so use the FDACS search below to check a shop.

How to check a Florida lender's license

• Payday, title and installment lenders: the OFR's licensee search, or (850) 487-9687, option 1. The OFR also publishes monthly registration data files.
• Pawn shops: the FDACS business search.
• Complaints: the OFR takes them through the enforcement section of its website.

State rules that can matter

Topic	What the rule says	Law
Amount and fee	Single-payment loan: up to $500, fee up to 10% of cash received, plus up to $5 verification.	Fla. Stat. § 560.404(5), (6)
Installment payday	Up to $1,000; fee up to 8% of the balance biweekly; term 60 to 90 days.	Fla. Stat. § 560.404(5), (6), (8)
One at a time	No more than one open payday loan per provider; 24-hour wait after payoff; no rollovers.	Fla. Stat. § 560.404(18), (19)
Grace period	60 days at no extra charge if you complete credit counseling.	Fla. Stat. § 560.404(22)
Database	Lenders check an OFR database before each loan.	Fla. Stat. § 560.404(24)(a)
Title loans	30% a year to $2,000, 24% to $3,000, 18% above.	Fla. Stat. § 537.011(1)
Installment loans	36% a year to $10,000, 30% to $20,000, 24% to $25,000.	Fla. Stat. § 516.031(1)
Pawn	Service charge up to 25% per 30 days; goods held 30 days after maturity.	Fla. Stat. § 539.001(10), (11)

From our state rules data, last checked October 8, 2026. Rules change. Check Florida on the lender directory page.

Where the stores are

We list 915 lender locations in 181 Florida cities. The most are in Miami (99), Orlando (61), Jacksonville (48), Tampa (41) and Hialeah (23). Florida has no city ordinances in our data. We know the hours for only 91 locations, so we do not give weekend or late-hours totals for the state. Call a store to confirm its hours. For lenders that work online, see online lenders in Florida.

Options to consider first

These are general options, not recommendations of a particular provider.

• Credit union PALs. Federal credit unions may offer Payday Alternative Loans: PALs I of $200 to $1,000 for 1 to 6 months, PALs II up to $2,000 for 1 to 12 months, with an application fee of $20 at most (12 CFR 701.21(c)(7)). The rate is limited to the NCUA's ceiling, 28% when written; check the NCUA's current letter.
• The Florida grace period. If a single-payment loan comes due and you cannot pay, you can ask for the 60-day grace period by booking credit counseling within 7 days.
• A payment plan with the biller before you borrow.
• 211. Call 211 or visit 211.org for local help with rent, utilities and food.

Frequently asked questions

Are payday loans legal in Florida?

Yes. Lenders need an OFR license, and loans follow limits on amount, fees and term (Fla. Stat. §§ 560.403, 560.404).

How much can I borrow in Florida?

A single-payment payday loan can have a check face amount of $500 at most. A payday installment loan can be $1,000 at most, not counting fees.

Can I have two payday loans at once in Florida?

Not from the same provider. You cannot have more than one payday loan open with any provider, and you must wait 24 hours after paying one off before taking another (§ 560.404(19)). The statewide database is how lenders check.

Can I go to jail for not paying a payday loan in Florida?

You cannot be prosecuted in criminal court over a payday-loan check. The lender can still sue you to collect (§ 560.406(1)).

What if I can't repay on time?

On a single-payment loan, you are entitled to a 60-day grace period at no extra charge. Book a credit counseling appointment within 7 days after the term ends, and complete it (§ 560.404(22)).

Are title loans available in Florida?

They are legal but rare. The rate caps are 30%, 24% and 18% a year by tier, and the OFR shows 2 licensed title loan offices in October 2026.

Sources

• Fla. Stat. § 560.404 (deferred presentment), Florida Legislature, checked October 8, 2026; also §§ 560.403, 560.309, 560.406.
• Fla. Stat. ch. 537 (title loans), checked October 8, 2026.
• Fla. Stat. ch. 516 (consumer finance), checked October 8, 2026.
• Fla. Stat. § 539.001 (pawnbroking), checked October 8, 2026.
• OFR: payday lenders (deferred presentment providers), Florida Office of Financial Regulation, checked October 11, 2026.
• OFR registration data download (October 2026 licensee files), checked October 8, 2026.
• House staff analysis, CS/CS/HB 857 (2018), Florida House of Representatives, citing OFR data for 2016-17, checked October 8, 2026.
• 12 CFR 701.21, eCFR.

We are not a lender. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; check Florida's current rules and the lender's own disclosures before you borrow.