Arkansas lending rules
Arkansas has 500 Census places covered on Loansloth, with a combined estimated population of 2,062,567. Personal-loan terms in Arkansas are set by licensed lenders under state law; the sourced rules below apply to every borrower in the state.
Key rules for borrowers in Arkansas
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 17% per annum for loans not made by or to governmental units or by federally insured depository institutions (Amendment 89, effective January 1, 2011) Source says: "shall not exceed seventeen percent (17%) per annum". |
Arkansas Legislature — Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 89, § 3 (proposed by H.J.R. 1004 of 2009) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Not permitted — all storefront payday lending eliminated; the Attorney General has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending since 2008 Source says: "the Attorney General's office has worked to eliminate all forms of payday lending in Arkansas"; "all storefront payday loan operations in Arkansas have been shut down". |
Arkansas Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | See the latest published figure value_text left null: the State Bank Department does not publish a consumer small-loan license rate schedule that could be verified; storefront payday lending has been eliminated (see Payday lending status). See the linked regulator page for the licensee categories it supervises. |
Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Arkansas State Bank Department Source says: "The Department is charged with regulating state-chartered commercial banks with main offices in Arkansas". |
Arkansas State Bank Department as of 2026-09-16 |
Cities in Arkansas
We cover 500 Census places in Arkansas.
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Frequently asked questions
What interest rate can a lender charge in Arkansas?
It depends on the product and the statute that governs it. The sourced table on this page lists Arkansas's usury cap and the licensing rules, each with its publisher and a link to the primary source.
Are payday loans legal in Arkansas?
Payday lending is regulated state by state; some states permit it, some cap it, and some prohibit it outright. See the sourced figure on this page for the current position.
Do I need a license to lend money in Arkansas?
Most consumer lenders must be licensed by the state regulator named on this page. You can verify a lender's license with that regulator before you sign anything.