What a payday loan costs — before West Virginia’s rules
A payday loan typically costs $15–$20 per $100 borrowed for a two-week term — roughly 400% APR — and is due as a single lump sum on your next payday. That single-payment structure, not the fee on any one loan, is the trap: most fees come from borrowers who cannot clear the balance in one go and roll it over. Where a state caps rates below payday levels, licensed payday lending disappears and a loan above the cap is generally void — not legally collectible, whatever the contract says.
The law in West Virginia
- Rate cap
- Effective ban — no payday lending is permitted, and high-rate loans violate the WV Consumer Credit and Protection Act.
- Key law
- West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act (WVCCPA); payday lending prohibited.
- Enforcement
- In November 2015 the WV Attorney General announced a $13 million settlement with CashCall over loans at 59–96% interest and 84,371 collection calls; a WV court also ruled Payday Financial was not a genuine tribe and had no immunity.
West Virginia extracted a $13 million CashCall settlement in 2015, and it appears on many tribal lenders’ explicit "do-not-lend" state lists.
What it means for a West Virginia borrower
Payday and tribal high-rate loans are illegal, void and uncollectable in West Virginia, and courts have rejected sham "tribal" immunity. Lenders routinely exclude West Virginia.
If you already have a payday loan in West Virginia
A loan that violates West Virginia’s ban may be partly or fully unenforceable — which changes your options with the lender and any collector. This is general information, not legal advice.
- Complain to the WV Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.
- A payday or high-rate loan is void — refuse collection and seek relief.
Cheaper first — try these before a payday loan in West Virginia
Payday Loans and tribal lenders in West Virginia
Many online lenders that market payday loans to West Virginia residents are tribal lenders arguing their sovereignty places them outside state rate caps — a separate legal question this site tracks in depth. For which tribal brands lend to West Virginia residents and how state law applies to them, see the West Virginia tribal-lending page.
Tribal loans in West Virginia →Frequently asked questions
Are payday loans legal in West Virginia?
In West Virginia, a payday loan at typical rates is not legally viable. The state’s rate cap makes a ~400% APR loan void and not legally collectible, so licensed storefront payday lenders do not operate — and online or tribal lenders that lend anyway are on weak legal footing.
What is the maximum payday loan rate in West Virginia?
Effective ban — no payday lending is permitted, and high-rate loans violate the WV Consumer Credit and Protection Act.
What can I do about a payday loan I already have in West Virginia?
Because West Virginia effectively bans high-cost payday loans, a loan that exceeds the state limit may be partly or fully uncollectible. Complain to the WV Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. This is general information, not legal advice.