How to Verify a Licensed Lender With the California DFPI
A two-minute license check can save you from an illegal or fraudulent lender.
Knowledge Base
Clear, sourced answers on borrowing in California — state rules, real costs, and safer alternatives.
Everything here is written for Elk Grove residents and checked against official California sources. Use the topics below to find loan laws, worked cost examples, and alternatives to high-cost borrowing.
A two-minute license check can save you from an illegal or fraudulent lender.
Why a title loan puts more at stake than a payday loan, and what California caps.
The protections California law gives you the moment you take a payday loan.
How the Fair Access to Credit Act reshaped mid-size lending in California.
The statute behind the $300 cap, the fee limit, and the rollover ban, explained simply.
Why California’s rollover ban is one of its strongest borrower protections.
The fee looks small; the APR tells the real story. Here’s the full cost breakdown.
The math behind California’s $255 payday take-home, and what to do when you need more.
A plain-English guide to the rules every California payday borrower should know before signing.