Personal loans in District of Columbia
Consumer lending in District of Columbia is regulated by the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. Below are the sourced rules that affect what a lender can charge you, followed by the cities we cover.
Lending rules in District of Columbia
| Payday lending | Prohibited. The District of Columbia repealed its pre-existing payday lending statute in 2007.Source: National Conference of State Legislatures · as of 2023 |
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| Small-loan / installment licensing | Consumer lenders must obtain a state license (Yes; if interest rate is greater than 6% per year). Statutory basis: D.C. Code §§ 26-901 et seq. Licensing administered through NMLS: Yes.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026 |
| Interest rate cap (usury limit) | Usury limit: 6% in the absence of a written contract and 24% for a written contract (D.C. Code § 28-3301, 3303). Finance rates and fees for licensed lenders: 24% per year. CSBS 50-state survey of consumer finance laws; state-verified usury catalog.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026 |
| Consumer lending regulator | Consumer lenders in District of Columbia are licensed and supervised by the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking.Source: Conference of State Bank Supervisors · as of 2026 |
| Debt collection rules | Third-party debt collectors must comply with the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.; state consumer-protection and debt-collection enforcement is handled by the District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General. The FDCPA expressly authorizes state attorneys general to enforce it (15 U.S.C. § 1692l). Some states also require collection agencies to be licensed.Source: District of Columbia Office of the Attorney General · as of 2026 |
| Military lending protections | The federal Military Lending Act (MLA) caps the Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR) at 36% for consumer credit extended to active-duty service members, their spouses and certain dependents, and bars mandatory arbitration and prepayment penalties on covered loans. Federal protection that applies nationwide, including in this state.Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau · as of 2024 |
| Complaint / licensing lookup | Check whether a lender holds a state license through NMLS Consumer Access (nmlsconsumeraccess.org) or the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking; consumers can file complaints with the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking or the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint.Source: Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) Consumer Access · as of 2026 |
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Cities in District of Columbia
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