State reference · NC
North Carolina lending rules
North Carolina has 549 Census places covered on Paydayloaning, with a combined estimated population of 6,264,391. Payday and small-loan terms in North Carolina are set by licensed lenders under state law; the sourced rules below apply to every borrower in the state.
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The verdict
Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina
Source: North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) · as of 2026-09-16
- Maximum rate
- For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S
- North Carolina General Assembly
- Licensing
- Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25…
- North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks
- Regulator
- North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB)
- North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks
Rules are quoted from the cited sources. How payday lending is regulated.
Key rules for borrowers in North Carolina
Quoted from the statute, regulator or agency named in each row.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | For loans of $25,000 or less: greater of the 6-month U.S. Treasury bill rate + 6% or 16% (G.S. 24-1.1(c)); any agreed rate above $25,000 Source says: "plus six percent (6%), rounded upward or downward ... or sixteen percent (16%), whichever is greater" |
North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Payday lenders shut down in North Carolina; online payday lending remains an enforcement target Source says: "Payday Lenders: Shut Down In NC, But Still Victimizing Borrowers Online" |
North Carolina Department of Justice (Office of the Attorney General) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Finance Act license from the Commissioner of Banks required for loans of $25,000 or less charging more than Chapter 24 rates Source says: "Direct lenders seeking to charge rates higher than allowed under Chapter 24 on consumer term loans of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or less" |
North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB) Source says: "Lenders operating under the CFA must be licensed by and are subject to regulation by the NCCOB." |
North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks as of 2026-09-16 |
| Consumer Finance Act installment loan rates (G.S. 53-176) | 33% per annum on unpaid balance up to $4,000; 24% on $4,000-$8,000; 18% on the remainder (loans up to $12,000); 18% for loans above $12,000 Source says: "thirty-three percent (33%) per annum on that part of the unpaid principal balance not exceeding four thousand dollars ($4,000)" |
North Carolina General Assembly as of 2026-09-16 |
Cities in North Carolina
All North Carolina citiesWe cover 549 Census places in North Carolina.
Advertising disclosure: Paydayloaning may receive a referral fee if you apply through the link above. That fee does not change the rate you are offered, and it does not change our content. We are not a lender. The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants. Read the full disclosure.