Can you still get a payday loan in Hawaii? Not the old kind. A payday loan is a small, short-term loan repaid in one lump sum from your next paycheck, and Hawaii's law allowing it no longer exists.

Act 56 of 2021 repealed the state's deferred-deposit statute, HRS Chapter 480F, effective January 1, 2022. Small-dollar lending now runs under HRS Chapter 480J, which requires an "installment lender" license issued by the Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). DCCA describes installment lenders as "formerly known as payday lenders."

The limits a licensed lender works under

The figures below come from DCCA's page on the 2021 law and Ballard Spahr's summary of Act 56. They apply as of the law's January 1, 2022 start date, and DCCA's FAQs were last revised December 29, 2021.

Rule Old payday law (HRS 480F) Installment loans now (HRS 480J)
Maximum amount $600 check face amount $1,500
Price Fee up to 15% of the check 36% a year, plus a monthly maintenance fee up to $35 scaled to loan size
Total cost cap None stated Interest and fees combined cannot exceed 50% of principal
Term Check held up to 32 days At least 2 months ($500 or less) or 4 months (over $500); no more than 12 months
Repayment One lump sum Substantially equal installments, every two weeks, twice a month or monthly

On a $1,500 loan, then, interest and fees together cannot pass $750.

The sources we have do not describe rollover rules, a cooling-off period between loans, a statewide loan database or a required extended payment plan under the current law. The old law limited borrowers to one payday loan at a time, according to legislative testimony. If those rules matter to you, DCCA's consumer FAQ is the place to check.

Online and tribal lenders need a Hawaii license too

The license covers anyone making consumer loans by mail, phone or internet, or acting as an agent for a third party. A loan from an unlicensed lender is void, meaning the lender cannot collect principal, interest or fees. One consumer site states that tribal affiliation does not exempt a lender. That site also repeats outdated pre-2022 figures, so treat its claims with caution.

Banks, credit unions, savings associations and several other categories are exempt from the installment-lender license. Before you borrow from anyone else, check DFI's licensee search or call (808) 587-7040.

Earned wage advances are a separate fight

Some apps sell "earned wage advances," which work like payday loans but are not labeled as loans. The National Consumer Law Center testified in 2024 that some of these advances carry effective APRs above 300%. It backed SB 2664, a bill that would treat these advances as credit under Hawaii's usury law. Our sources do not say whether that bill became law. For scale, Pew data cited in 2021 put the cost of a typical $300 Hawaii payday loan at $529 over five months.

For cheaper credit, credit unions are the obvious first call because they sit outside the 480J caps. We have no verified terms for their small loans, and we found no named Hawaii assistance program to point you to.

If you are closing on a house soon

An underwriter reading your bank statements will see an installment loan in two ways: the deposit when the money arrives, and the recurring debits as you repay it. Expect a request for a letter of explanation about both. While the loan is open, its payment may count in your debt-to-income ratio, which is your monthly debts divided by your income.

The cleanest file is one where the loan is paid off before you apply, with the payoff visible on your statements. If it is already open, tell your loan officer now rather than letting underwriting find it. How each lender treats these loans varies, so ask yours directly.