Payday loans in Wisconsin: the rules

The numbers at a glance

All figures are drafts compiled from public sources and must be confirmed with the regulator before relying on them. State legislatures change these rules — see our state law update tracker.

Payday loans in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and across Wisconsin

The same state rules apply whether you're in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay, Kenosha or Racine — payday lending in Wisconsin is regulated at the state level, so the caps and terms above hold statewide, storefront or online. Online requests like ours reach the same state-licensed lenders that serve every Wisconsin ZIP code, without a trip to a storefront. City ordinances can add local rules for storefronts in some states {{VERIFY}} — the loan agreement must follow state law either way.

Free and low-cost help in Wisconsin

Before borrowing — or if a loan has already gone wrong — every Wisconsin resident can call 211 for emergency rent, utility, food, and medical assistance programs in Milwaukee and statewide (what 211 covers). Nonprofit credit counseling is free or low-cost statewide, and complaints about a lender go to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, which also runs the license lookup you should check before signing. See also: how to verify a lender's license.

What a typical loan costs in Wisconsin

Wisconsin's fee rule (No statutory fee cap {{VERIFY}}) is what your loan agreement has to respect. As a feel for the math: a two-week $300 loan at $15 per $100 costs $45 — about 391% APR — and the same fee structure over 30 days is about 183% APR. Run your own numbers in the cost calculator before you sign anything, and compare it against a pay advance app or credit union small-dollar loan first.

Borrowing here, sensibly

Legal doesn't mean cheap — payday-style credit in Wisconsin still typically costs triple-digit APRs. Check the cheaper options first, run the numbers in the cost calculator, and if you do borrow, verify the lender's license with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and never borrow more than your next paychecks can absorb.