State lending rules
Kentucky lending rules
Kentucky is covered on Loancalculated with 416 city and town pages. Personal-loan terms in Kentucky are set by licensed lenders under state law; the sourced rules below apply to every borrower in the state.
The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants.
Advertising disclosure: Loancalculated 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. Read the full disclosure.
Key rules for borrowers in Kentucky
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | Up to 19% per annum, or 4% over the 90-day commercial-paper discount rate, whichever is less (by written agreement) Source says: "At a per annum rate not to exceed four percent (4%) in excess of the discount rate on ninety (90) day commercial paper ... or nineteen percent (19%), whichever is less". |
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (Kentucky Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred deposit service business; payday loans) Source says: "The Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) has secured the services of Veritec Solutions, LLC to provide a common database with real-time access for deferred deposit transactions". |
Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer Loan Company license required (KRS Chapter 286.4) Source says: "How to License a Consumer Loan Company: 1. Read KRS 286.4 and the applicable administrative regulations under KAR 808, Chapter 6". |
Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) Source says: "The Department of Financial Institutions' mission is to serve Kentucky residents by promoting access to a stable financial industry, implementing effective and efficient regulatory oversight". |
Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions as of 2026-09-16 |
| Consumer Loan Company license — statutory basis | License required from the commissioner to make loans at a greater rate of interest than otherwise permitted by law Source says: "No person shall, without first obtaining a license from the commissioner, engage in the business of making loans ... at a greater rate of interest". |
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission (Kentucky Revised Statutes) as of 2026-09-16 |
Cities in Kentucky
We cover 416 cities and towns in Kentucky.
The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants.
Advertising disclosure: Loancalculated 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. Read the full disclosure.