Quick answer
Sacramento, CA residents can get loans from licensed lenders regulated by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). Payday loans are legal. Call (800) 236-7761 or use the form to see which lenders will work with you today.
Loan options for Sacramento residents
California law determines what loans are available, what they cost, and who can lend. Here is how each product stands under current California law:
| Loan type | Status in CA | Key limits |
|---|---|---|
| Payday / cash advance | Legal | Fee for a deferred deposit transaction may not exceed 15% of the face amount of |
| Cash advance | Legal | Licensed lenders |
| Title loans | Legal | Auto title loans from a licensed finance lender fall under the California Financ |
| Installment loans | Restricted | California Financing Law: for a bona fide principal under $2,500 - 2.5%/month on |
| Bad credit loans | Restricted | Special limits apply |
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California loan rules at a glance
All loan products in Sacramento follow California law. Licensed lenders are regulated by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). Here are the key provisions for the most common loan types:
California loan rules at a glance
- Payday max amount
- $300 (face amount of the customer's check)
- Payday term
- up to 31 days
- Payday cost cap
- Fee for a deferred deposit transaction may not exceed 15% of the face amount of the check; a fee up to $15 may be charge
- Title loan term
- Minimum 30 days
- Title loan rate
- Auto title loans from a licensed finance lender fall under the California Financing Law: for loans under $2,500 the § 22
- Payday licensing
- California Deferred Deposit Transaction Law license (originator) from DFPI
- Governing statutes
- Civil Code 1719, Residential Mortgage Lending Act, The § 22304.5, the § 22303
Regulator: California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) · Phone: 1-866-275-2677 · Statutes: Civil Code 1719, Residential Mortgage Lending Act, The § 22304.5, the § 22303 · Last verified: 2026-10-08
Cheaper options in Sacramento
Before you take a high-cost loan, check these local alternatives:
- County, area code(s), nearby cities for Sacramento (Census / FCC / state sources)
- California product statuses restated concisely with regulator link (city inherits state law; never invent city-level law)
- Sacramento-specific local alternatives: credit unions offering PALs, municipal/state utility hardship programs, Sacramento 211 entry
- Nearby-city internal links