State Availability & Lending Regulations
How state consumer finance laws and statutory rate caps dictate loan availability across the United States.
Understanding State-by-State Lending Laws
In the United States, consumer small-dollar lending is primarily governed at the state level rather than exclusively by federal statutes. Each state's legislature determines which credit products may operate within its borders, what maximum loan amounts are permitted, and what interest rate caps apply.
Because Bear Loan Company is a referral marketplace, availability of connection services depends on whether participating lenders hold active state licenses and whether the requested loan product complies with your local state statutes.
General Regulatory Frameworks in the U.S.
States that have established statutory frameworks permitting short-term deferred deposit loans (payday loans), often with specific dollar limits (e.g. $500 maximum), maximum fee caps (e.g. $15 per $100), and limits on the number of consecutive rollovers.
States that enforce statutory interest rate caps (commonly 36% APR or lower), which effectively prohibits traditional high-APR short-term payday lending. In these states, consumers typically only have access to structured installment loans, credit union PALs, or bank personal loans.
Most states permit licensed installment lending with established maximum terms (e.g., 6 to 36 months) and tiered interest rates tied to the principal borrowed.
Bear Loan Company does not solicit residents in jurisdictions where prohibited by law. Submitting an inquiry from a state where a specific credit product is restricted will prevent participating lenders from offering that product. Always review your state's Department of Financial Institutions or Banking Commission website to verify lender licensing.