State lending rules
Tennessee lending rules
Tennessee is covered on Loancalculated with 344 city and town pages. Personal-loan terms in Tennessee 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 Tennessee
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 10.75% per annum (maximum effective formula rate for written contracts, announced September 15, 2026) Source says: the maximum effective formula rate of interest in Tennessee is 10.75 percent per annum |
Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Licensed; deferred presentment services (payday) lenders must obtain a TDFI license, including internet lenders (Tenn. Code Ann. § 45-17-103) Source says: deferred presentment services in this state through the use of the internet, facsimile, telephone, or other means without having first obtained a license |
Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | TDFI Compliance Division licenses industrial loan & thrift companies, deferred presentment companies, flexible credit companies, and other consumer lenders Source says: The Compliance Division is responsible for the licensing and regulatory supervision of the following types of financial institutions operating in Tennessee |
Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) Source says: The Department regulates banks, credit unions, trust companies, business and industrial development corporations, industrial loan and thrift companies |
Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI) as of 2026-09-16 |
Cities in Tennessee
We cover 344 cities and towns in Tennessee.
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.