Online Payday Loans & Check Cashing in Iowa

Iowa caps the fee at $15 on the first $100 and $10 on each additional $100 of your check, and your checks can total no more than $500. Apply online any time, or visit one of our Iowa stores.

Last reviewed November 5, 2026

Payday Express serves the Iowa side of the Omaha metro from two stores in Council Bluffs. You can start a payday loan request online in a few minutes, or come in for a loan, check cashing, money orders and money transfers. Iowa law limits payday loans to $500 at a time and caps the fee, and you see every cost in writing before you sign.

Our locations in Iowa

Council Bluffs

Apply online in a few minutes

You do not have to come in. Start your request online at any hour, from your phone or computer.

  1. Fill in the short form. It takes a few minutes and asks about the amount you need, your income and your bank account.
  2. See the terms first. If you get an offer, the amount, the fee, the APR and the due date are shown before you agree. There is no obligation.
  3. Get your money. If you accept, the lender explains how and when the funds are paid, often by direct deposit.

Apply Online

Approval is not guaranteed. The online form is run by a third-party lending network, not by our stores. Its lenders may offer other loan types, such as installment loans, with amounts, costs and terms that differ from our in-store payday loans and depend on your state and the lender.

How payday loans work in Iowa

In Iowa, a payday loan is a delayed deposit service under Iowa Code chapter 533D. You write a personal check (or authorize an electronic debit) for the amount you borrow plus the fee, and the lender agrees to hold it until your next payday. Lenders must be licensed by the Iowa Division of Banking.

What a payday loan costs in Iowa

Your checkMaximum feeCash you receiveAPR if held 14 daysAPR if held 31 days
$100$15$85460%208%
$200$25$175372%168%
$300$35$265344%156%
$400$45$355330%149%
$500$55$445322%146%

How it works: Iowa sets the fee on the amount of your check, and the fee is included in that check. For example, you write a $300 check due on your payday in two weeks: the fee is at most $35, so you receive $265 and repay $300. Over 14 days that works out to an APR of about 344%. Your checks can total no more than $500, so the most you can receive at one time is $445. Your exact fee, APR and deposit date are shown in writing before you sign.

How Iowa law protects you

  • Fee cap. No more than $15 on the first $100 and $10 on each additional $100 of the check amount (pro-rated for part of $100). On a $500 check that is at most $55, so you receive at least $445.
  • $500 limit. A lender may not hold checks from you worth more than $500 in total, or more than two checks, at any one time.
  • 31 days at most. A check may not be held for more than 31 days.
  • No rollovers. A lender may not repay, refinance or consolidate one payday loan with the money from another one from the same lender.
  • Written disclosure. Before you sign you get, in writing, the fee, the APR under the federal Truth in Lending Act and the date your check will be deposited.
  • One returned-check charge. If your check is not good on the agreed date, the lender may charge one penalty of no more than $15.
  • Military borrowers. Active-duty servicemembers and their dependents are covered by the federal Military Lending Act, which caps the Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR, which includes most fees) at 36%. The Iowa cost examples on this page do not apply to covered borrowers.

Source: Iowa Code §533D.9 (fees and disclosures) and §533D.10 (prohibited acts); licensing and complaints: Iowa Division of Banking. Questions or complaints: Iowa Division of Banking. Last reviewed November 5, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Are payday loans legal in Iowa?
Yes. They are offered as delayed deposit services by lenders licensed by the Iowa Division of Banking under Iowa Code chapter 533D.
How much does a payday loan cost in Iowa?
The fee can be no more than $15 on the first $100 and $10 on each additional $100 of your check. The largest total check is $500: the fee is at most $55, so you receive at least $445 and repay $500.
Can I have more than one payday loan at a time in Iowa?
A lender may hold no more than two of your checks, worth no more than $500 in total, at any one time.
Can I roll over a payday loan in Iowa?
No. A lender may not repay or refinance one payday loan with the money from another payday loan from the same lender.
How do I get a cash advance before payday?
Apply online in a few minutes or visit our Council Bluffs stores with your ID, a recent pay stub and a bank statement. If you are approved, you see the full cost before you sign.
Where can I get an urgent cash loan near me?
Our Council Bluffs stores on West Broadway and East Broadway, or online at any hour.

Ready when you are

Start online now, with no obligation. You decide only after you see the full cost.

  • Free to apply
  • Short online form
  • Secure and private
  • Terms shown before you sign

Apply Online Call 402-731-5555