Columbia, SC · South · Allowed
Payday loans in Columbia
Columbia is governed by South Carolina's statewide lending law — cities don't set their own loan rules. Storefront payday lending is permitted in South Carolina. State law caps what lenders can charge — the limits below are the legal ceiling, and honest lenders stay under it.
The limits below are the legal ceiling — any offer above them is being made outside the law.
Lending storefronts in Columbia
134,309 residents · Lexington County / Richland County Median household income is $41,260 — below the South Carolina median of $47,139.
11 storefront locations of 7 companies listed in the public directory snapshot below. Categories are the directory's own — verify a store's license with the state regulator before borrowing.
| Lender | Address | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advance America Check Cashing/Pay-day Loans | 3910 Two Notch Rd Ste B, 29204 | (803) 714-6391 | Mon 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Advance America Check Cashing/Pay-day Loans | 1531 Broad River Rd, 29210 | (803) 750-5750 | Mon 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Advance America Check Cashing/Pay-day Loans | 2302 Decker Blvd, 29206 | (803) 736-5441 | Mon 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Advance America Check Cashing/Pay-day Loans | 9003 Two Notch Rd Ste 11, 29223 | (803) 419-1935 | Mon 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Advance America Check Cashing/Pay-day Loans | 7535-A Garners Ferry Rd, 29209 | (803) 776-3397 | Mon 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Bond Finance Installment Loans | 3902 Two Notch Rd Ste D, 29204 | (803) 714-7100 | Mon 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Friendly Finance Installment Loans | 1112 Washington St, 29201 | (803) 765-9670 | Mon 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Instant Cash Loans Installment Loans | 1722 Broad River Rd Unit I, 29210 | (803) 216-8646 | Mon–Fri 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM · Sat–Sun Closed |
| Lendmark Financial Services Auto Loan Providers, Business Financing, Installment Loans | 7001 St Andrews Rd Unit A-18, 29212 | (803) 407-9099 | Mon–Fri 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM · Sat–Sun Closed |
| Security Finance Installment Loans | 1111 Taylor St, 29201 | (803) 252-8697 | Mon 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
| Sunbelt Credit Installment Loans | 5114 Fairfield Rd, 29203 | (803) 786-1100 | Mon 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM · hours vary |
Listing data: public business directory, collected 2022-02-20. Stores close and relocate — confirm with the regulator's license lookup on the South Carolina page before visiting. Spot an error? Report it.
The online route in Columbia
A parallel market lends entirely online — application, decision and funding on a website, no storefront. Lenders licensed in South Carolina follow the state schedule anywhere in the state, but bank-partner and tribal loans are structured outside state rate limits, and regulators dispute that model.
From the online lenders directory — terms each lender publishes about itself, checked September 2026. Directory only: we are not affiliated and make no availability promises — verify with the lender and the South Carolina regulator.
The rules behind the numbers
Deferred presentment service agreements are short-term loans and are not intended to solve long-term financial problems.
In practice: borrow $300 for a standard term and the finance charge is $45 — $345 repaid at the end, about 391% APR. Every compliant lender in Columbia has to fit inside that schedule.
Statute: S.C. Code Ann. § 34-39-110 et seq.
Regulator: South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions · bofi.sc.gov
Questions people ask in Columbia
Are payday loans legal in Columbia, SC?
Yes. Storefront payday lending is permitted across South Carolina, and Columbia runs under the same state rules: maximum loan $550, fees capped at 15% of face value of check ($15 per $100). A store charging above the cap is operating illegally.
How much would a $300 loan cost me in Columbia?
The same as anywhere in South Carolina: state law sets the schedule. On a typical $300 loan the finance charge is about $45 — $345 repaid at the end of the standard term.
Which lenders have stores in Columbia?
11 storefronts are listed in Columbia in our 2022-02-20 directory snapshot (7 different companies). The full list with addresses, phones and hours is in the table above.
Who regulates lenders in Columbia?
Complaints about a lender go to the South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions (bofi.sc.gov) — keep the loan agreement and every fee disclosure you were given.