Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you might want to ask. Answered honestly.

Ten categories, fifty-plus answers. If yours isn't here, customer service is a quick email away.

01

About Cash Central

Who we are and how we operate.

Cash Central is a direct online lender of payday and installment loans. We've been making short-term loans since 2005 and have served over 1.2 million customers across 22 U.S. states. We handle every step — application, approval, funding, and servicing — in-house.
Cash Central is a direct lender, not a marketplace or broker. We originate, fund, and service every loan ourselves. Your information is never sold to lead-generators or shared with other lenders.
Cash Central was founded in 2005 and has operated continuously for nearly two decades. We're BBB A+ accredited and CFPB-registered.
Cash Central is state-licensed in 22 U.S. states. Loan products, maximum amounts, and APR vary by state because each state regulates short-term lending independently. The application will tell you what's available where you live.
Yes. Cash Central is a state-licensed lender, registered with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and BBB A+ accredited. You can verify our state licensing on each state's banking-department website.
02

Loan Products

What we offer and how amounts and terms work.

A payday loan is a single-payment short-term loan ($200–$1,000) repaid in full on your next payday, usually two to four weeks later.

An installment loan spreads a larger amount ($300–$5,000) across 6 to 24 monthly payments. Use the calculator on the homepage or pick the product that matches your cash flow.

Loan amounts depend on your state, your income, and (for returning customers) your repayment history. Payday loans range from $200 to $1,000. Installment loans range from $300 to $5,000.
Payday loans are repaid on your next payday — typically 14 to 30 days. Installment loans run 6 to 24 months with monthly payments.
Each state has its own consumer lending rules, so the available products and maximum amounts differ. The application will display the products available in your state once you enter your address.
Most states limit borrowers to one active payday loan at a time with Cash Central. Installment loans follow state-specific rules. The application will inform you if a second loan is allowed.
Returning customers in good standing often qualify for larger maximum amounts on future loans. Your rate is locked at the time you sign — it does not change during the life of the loan.
03

Eligibility

Basic requirements to apply.

You can apply if you meet all of the following:

  • 18 or older (19 in Alabama and Nebraska, 21 in Mississippi and Puerto Rico)
  • U.S. resident living in a state we serve
  • An active checking account in your name
  • A regular, verifiable source of income
  • A valid email address and phone number
Not necessarily — we accept multiple income types. Employment is one path; Social Security, disability, retirement income, alimony, and self-employment are also valid sources of income.
Wages from employment, self-employment, Social Security, SSI/SSDI, retirement, pension, alimony, child support, military pay, and other government benefits. We look for income that is regular and verifiable through your bank-deposit history.
No. Cash Central loans are unsecured personal loans. You don't need a co-signer, guarantor, or any collateral. The decision is based on your income and bank history.
Active-duty military, reservists called to duty, and their dependents are protected by the Military Lending Act, which caps APR at 36% for covered borrowers. We comply fully with the MLA. Some products may be unavailable to covered borrowers as a result.
Yes. Social Security, disability, retirement, and similar benefits are valid income sources. Many of our customers receive benefits as their primary income.
04

Credit & Approval

How decisions are made.

Most applications do not trigger a hard pull from the three major bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). We use alternative credit data providers, so applying typically does not affect your standard FICO score.
We perform a soft inquiry through alternative data providers — typically Clarity Services and FactorTrust — to verify identity and assess risk. This is not a hard credit pull and won't show on your FICO report.
Yes. There is no minimum FICO score requirement. Approval decisions weigh income consistency and bank-account behaviour more heavily than your credit-bureau score. Borrowers with thin or damaged credit are regularly approved.

Common reasons include:

  • Insufficient or irregular income
  • Recent overdrafts or returned items on your checking account
  • An active loan with another short-term lender
  • Information that couldn't be verified against public records

The decline screen will explain the specific reason for your application.

Yes. There is no fixed waiting period to reapply, but we recommend giving your situation 30 days to change — a new pay deposit, an overdraft clearing, an account stabilizing. Multiple back-to-back applications don't improve odds.
Cash Central reports installment loan payment performance to alternative credit bureaus (Clarity Services and FactorTrust). Payday loans are not typically reported. On-time payments may help build your alternative credit profile over time.
05

Application Process

How to apply, step by step.

Click Apply Now on any page. The online form takes about three minutes and is fully mobile-friendly. No documents to upload, no fax, no in-person visit.
  • Name, address, date of birth, contact info
  • Employer or income source
  • Income amount and pay frequency
  • Routing and account number for your checking account
  • The amount you'd like to borrow
Most borrowers finish in under three minutes. The decision returns in seconds. If you choose to e-sign right away and you're approved before the daily cutoff, funds can arrive the same business day.
Yes. The application is fully responsive and works on any modern phone, tablet, or computer. We don't have a separate app — the website handles everything.
If you have to step away mid-application, your progress is held for seven days. You can pick up where you left off from the same browser session or via an email link we'll send if you provided your email address.
None. Cash Central does not require uploads of pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, or ID images. Identity and income are verified electronically through your bank-deposit history.
06

Costs & Pricing

What you'll pay and how it's calculated.

Costs depend on the product, state, loan amount, and term. Payday-loan fees are typically structured as a flat charge per $100 borrowed (varies by state). Installment-loan costs are quoted as APR with a payment schedule.

Every loan agreement displays the exact total cost, APR, and payment schedule before you sign. There are no buried fees.

APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is the cost of credit expressed as a yearly rate, as required by the federal Truth in Lending Act. For short-term loans, APR can look very high because it annualizes a fee designed to be paid in two weeks. The total dollar cost is usually a clearer comparison number for short-term products.

APR annualizes the fee — projecting what it would cost if you held the loan for a full year. A two-week loan's fee, multiplied across 26 two-week periods, creates a large annualized number.

Example: a $15 fee on a $100, 14-day loan is a 391% APR but only $15 in actual cost. For short-term loans, focus on the total dollar amount due, not the annualized percentage.

No. There is no fee to apply, no fee to be approved, and no fee to receive funds. All loan costs are part of the loan itself and are disclosed before you sign.
Cash Central does not charge separate origination fees. Any cost associated with the loan is shown in your loan agreement before you sign.
No prepayment penalty on any Cash Central loan. Paying off an installment loan early reduces the total interest you'll pay over the life of the loan.
Late payments may trigger a late fee (varies by state, typically a small fixed dollar amount) and could be reported to alternative credit bureaus. Repeated missed payments may result in collection activity. If you're struggling, contact customer service before the due date — many borrowers qualify for a payment arrangement.
07

Funding & Receiving Money

How and when funds arrive.

For approved applications signed before the daily cutoff (typically around 11 AM ET on a business day), funds are deposited the same business day. Applications signed after the cutoff, on weekends, or on federal holidays are funded the next business day.
The exact cutoff varies slightly by state and by your bank, but a useful rule of thumb is 11 AM Eastern on a business day for same-day funding. Approved later than that means next business day.
Direct ACH deposit to the checking account you provided in your application. Cash Central does not issue paper checks, prepaid cards, or wire transfers.

Most delays come from the receiving bank, not from us. Common causes:

  • Your bank has its own ACH processing schedule
  • A federal holiday in the middle of the week
  • Account information that needed minor verification

If 24 business hours have passed without the deposit, contact customer service.

No. Funds must go to a checking account in your own name. Prepaid cards, savings accounts, and third-party accounts are not eligible. This protects you against fraud and keeps the loan tied to your verified identity.
Most banks send a push notification when an ACH credit arrives. The credit will appear in your account with a descriptor that includes "Cash Central" or a similar identifier.
08

Repayment

How repayment works and what your options are.

Repayment is by automatic ACH debit from the same checking account that received the funds, on the dates listed in your loan agreement. You can also pay early at any time through your online account.
Payday loans are due in full on your next pay date — typically 14 to 30 days from funding. Installment loans have monthly payment dates timed to your pay cycle, which are listed in your loan agreement before you sign.
Limited adjustments may be possible if you contact customer service before the scheduled payment date. State law and the terms of your agreement govern what's allowed. Repeated date changes are not.
Yes — early payments and additional principal payments are accepted with no penalty. Log into your account or call customer service to make a one-time payment.
Rollovers and refinances are restricted by state law in most jurisdictions and are not offered as a way to extend a loan you can't repay. If you're struggling with a payment, the right step is to contact customer service before the due date about a payment arrangement.

Contact customer service before the payment date. Many borrowers qualify for a one-time payment arrangement that avoids late fees and collection activity.

If you do nothing and the ACH fails: a late fee may apply, the missed payment may be reported to alternative bureaus, and continued non-payment will lead to collection activity.

Yes. There is no prepayment penalty on any Cash Central loan. Paying off early reduces the total interest you pay over the life of the loan.
09

Security & Privacy

How we protect your information.

Yes. Every page of the application and account portal is served over 256-bit SSL encryption. Banking credentials are encrypted end-to-end and never stored in plaintext. We maintain SOC 2 and PCI-DSS compliant infrastructure.
No. Cash Central does not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third-party lead-generators, marketing companies, or other lenders. As a direct lender, we don't need to.
Only Cash Central staff with a documented business need have access to your information — typically your application, account management, payment processing, and customer-service interactions. All employee access is logged and audited.
We retain loan and applicant data for the period required by federal and state recordkeeping laws — typically several years after the loan is closed. After that, data is securely deleted or de-identified.
We have a formal incident-response program. If a breach affects your data, we will notify you directly and provide guidance and credit-monitoring resources as required by state law.
10

Account & Customer Service

Managing your account and getting help.

Log into your account at the Cash Central website using the email and password you set during the application. The dashboard shows your current balance, next payment date, and payment history.
Most updates (address, phone, email) can be made through your online account. Changes to bank-account information require a phone call to customer service for security reasons.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: see the contact page for the toll-free number.

Hours: Mon–Thu 8 AM – 10 PM ET, Fri 8 AM – 8 PM ET, Sat–Sun 12 – 5 PM ET.

Click "Forgot password" on the login page. We'll email a reset link to the address on your account. If you no longer have access to that email, call customer service for identity verification.
Federal law and most state laws provide a short rescission window — typically by the close of the next business day after funding. Contact customer service immediately if you want to cancel. The full borrowed amount must be returned.

First: contact our customer service team so we can try to resolve it directly.

If that doesn't resolve things, you can also file a complaint with the CFPB, the Better Business Bureau, or your state's banking or consumer-protection department.

Got what you needed?

Ready to apply, or still have a question?

Apply in three minutes — real-time decision, same-day funding for approved requests. Or email customer service: [email protected].

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