Good to excellent credit
American Express
- Credit profile
- Excellent
- APR range
- 6.99% – 19.99%
- Loan amount
- $3,500 – $40,000
Personal finance / MT
Personal loans, banking, insurance, and debt help in Montana
Montanans use personal loans for debt consolidation, unexpected expenses, home improvement, and major life events, under a flat rate cap adopted directly by voters in 2010.
30lenders in the dataset
MTstate guide
$1,471/yraverage homeowners premium in dataset
51jurisdictions in the dataset
01 / Personal loans
Personal loans in Montana
Montanans use personal loans for debt consolidation, unexpected expenses, home improvement, and major life events, under a flat rate cap adopted directly by voters in 2010.
Interest-rate law
The Consumer Loan Act caps licensees at a flat 36%, with no tiering by loan size and no stated dollar ceiling on loan size within the Act. Montanans passed Initiative 164 by a 78%-22% margin in 2010, cutting a previous 400% ceiling on payday, title, and consumer loans down to the current 36%.
| Loan range | Rate | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Any amount | 36% flat | Montana Consumer Loan Act (Initiative 164, 2010) |
Lender complaints: Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions
02 / Lender directory
Lenders by credit profile
Good to excellent credit
Axos Bank
- Credit profile
- Excellent
- APR range
- 11.79% – 20.84%
- Loan amount
- $7,000 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
Citi
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 9.99% – 17.49%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $30,000
Good to excellent credit
Discover
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 6.99% – 24.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,500 – $40,000
Good to excellent credit
Happy Money
- Credit profile
- Good
- APR range
- 7.95% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $5,000 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
LightStream
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 6.74% – 25.39%
- Loan amount
- $5,000 – $100,000
Good to excellent credit
PenFed
- Credit profile
- Good
- APR range
- 7.99% – 17.99%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
Prosper
- Credit profile
- Good
- APR range
- 8.99% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
Reach Financial
- Credit profile
- Not specified
- APR range
- 5.99% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $3,500 – $40,000
Good to excellent credit
Rocket Loans
- Credit profile
- Good
- APR range
- 8.01% – 29.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $45,000
Good to excellent credit
SoFi
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 8.74% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $5,000 – $100,000
Good to excellent credit
USAA
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 9.89% – 18.51%
- Loan amount
- $2,500 – $100,000
Good to excellent credit
US Bank
- Credit profile
- Not specified
- APR range
- 8.74% – 24.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $50,000
Good to excellent credit
Wells Fargo
- Credit profile
- Good - Excellent
- APR range
- 6.74% – 25.99%
- Loan amount
- $3,000 – $100,000
Fair credit
60MonthLoans
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 25% – 36%
- Loan amount
- $2,600 – $10,000
Fair credit
Achieve
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 6.25% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $5,000 – $50,000
Fair credit
Avant
- Credit profile
- Poor to Good
- APR range
- 9.95% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $35,000
Fair credit
Best Egg
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 6.99% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $2,000 – $50,000
Fair credit
Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub)
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 7.04% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $60,000
Fair credit
LendingPoint
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 7.99% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $36,500
Fair credit
Navy Federal Credit Union
- Credit profile
- Fair - Excellent
- APR range
- 8.74% – 18%
- Loan amount
- $250 – $50,000
Fair credit
Oportun
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- N/A – 35.95%
- Loan amount
- $300 – $10,000
Fair credit
Upgrade
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 7.74% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $50,000
Fair credit
Upstart
- Credit profile
- Fair
- APR range
- 6.20% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $75,000
Poor or limited credit
Integra Credit
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 149% – 399%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $3,000
Poor or limited credit
NetCredit
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 34% – 99.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,000 – $10,000
Poor or limited credit
OneMain Financial
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 18% – 35.99%
- Loan amount
- $1,500 – $20,000
Poor or limited credit
OppLoans
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 160% – 195%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $5,000
Poor or limited credit
Personify Financial
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 36% – 179.50%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $15,000
Poor or limited credit
Rise
- Credit profile
- Poor
- APR range
- 99% – 199%
- Loan amount
- $500 – $5,000
03 / Debt consolidation
Debt consolidation
Montana's flat 36% cap applies regardless of loan size, so a debt consolidation loan priced anywhere near that ceiling isn't likely to save much over a typical credit card APR; look for a rate meaningfully below 36%.
04 / Banking and credit unions
Banking in Montana
National banks offer scale and convenience, while Montana-based regional and community banks compete on relationship banking and faster local lending decisions.
Banks listed
- Glacier BankHeadquartered in Kalispell, MT.
- First Interstate BankHeadquartered in Billings, MT.
- Wells FargoNational bank.
- US BankNational bank, headquartered in Minneapolis, MN.
- Stockman BankHeadquartered in Miles City, MT.
- First Security BankHeadquartered in Bozeman, MT.
Credit unions
Montana's credit unions are member-owned, not-for-profit institutions that often post lower loan rates and fewer fees than comparable bank products, with membership tied to living, working, or having other ties to a specific group.
About 3.1% year-over-year median membership growth (Q4 2025 NCUA data), compared to a national median of about -0.5%, alongside a notably high median loan-to-share ratio (about 90%).
Reflects Montana's sparse, rural geography directly: Montana Federal Credit Union's field of membership labels more than 40 counties as "a rural district." Roots include state-government origins (Rocky Mountain Credit Union, 1940) and mining-town roots (Southwest Montana Community Federal Credit Union, tied to Anaconda's copper boom). Montana Credit Union's 2022 field-of-membership expansion took it from 3 counties to 44.
Federally insured credit union deposits are protected up to $250,000 through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.
Credit unions listed
05 / Debt settlement
Debt settlement
Legal under a two-track system: "debt management" companies must be licensed by the Montana Department of Justice's Office of Consumer Protection, post a $50,000 surety bond, and pay a $1,000 annual license fee; "debt settlement" companies specifically must register but don't require a full license. No clearly documented fee cap for either track; the federal Telemarketing Sales Rule's ban on advance fees is the baseline protection.
Companies listed in the dataset
06 / Insurance
Montana insurance
Regulator
Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI)
Insurance regulator websiteAuto insurance
25/50/20
Montana requires $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident bodily injury liability plus $20,000 property damage liability.
Homeowners and renters
$1,471/yr
- State requirement
- No
- National homeowners average
- $1,337/yr
- Renters average
- $154/yr
15th-highest homeowners premium in the country (2021 NAIC data). Montana carries significant wildfire exposure in forested western regions, plus hail and severe thunderstorms across its plains; wildfire risk has continued affecting availability and pricing since 2021.
07 / Questions
Montana FAQs
How do I file a complaint against a lender in Montana?
Contact the Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions, which licenses and supervises consumer lenders operating in Montana.
How do I file a complaint against my insurance company in Montana?
File with the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI).
What's the maximum interest rate a lender can legally charge on a personal loan in Montana?
36% flat for any Montana Consumer Loan Act licensee, with no tiering by loan size and no stated dollar ceiling within the Act.
What credit score do I need for a personal loan in Montana?
It depends on the lender. Banks and credit unions typically want a FICO score of 700+; FinTech lenders work with fair credit (low-to-mid 600s); some lenders serve poor or limited credit at higher APRs.
Are payday loans legal in Montana, and are there caps on fees or loan amounts?
Yes, but at the same 36% cap that applies to other consumer loans, following Initiative 164 (2010). Deferred deposit (payday) loans specifically are capped at $300, with a minimum of $50. There are currently no licensed storefront payday lenders in the state, though licensed online lenders still serve residents within the 36% cap.
How long can a debt collector legally pursue an unpaid debt in Montana before the statute of limitations runs out?
8 years for written contracts (Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-202(1)); 5 years for oral contracts and open accounts (§ 27-2-202(2)). Payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock.
What's the difference between a debt consolidation loan and debt settlement for someone living in Montana?
A debt consolidation loan pays off debts in full with newly borrowed money at a fixed schedule, letting credit recover quickly. Debt settlement negotiates reduced balances but requires stopping payments first, damaging credit, and forgiven amounts can be taxable. Montana licenses debt management companies and requires registration for debt settlement providers, a two-tracked regulatory layer.
