Fort Lauderdale at a glance
- Population: a Census-estimated 184,255, placing it 10th among Florida's 411 places (Vintage 2023 subcounty estimate).
- 2020 Census base: 182,777 people (US Census Bureau, 2020 Census count).
- 2020 to 2023 change: about 0.8% growth over the 2020 Census base (US Census Bureau).
- Rank among Florida places: 10th out of 411 Census places (US Census Bureau).
- Size percentile: about 98% of places in Florida are smaller (US Census Bureau).
- Coordinates: 26.1412, -80.1467 (US Census Bureau Gazetteer).
- Nearest larger cities: Hialeah, FL (21 mi); Miami, FL (26 mi); Port St. Lucie, FL (80 mi); Cape Coral, FL (120 mi); each population is a US Census Bureau estimate.
- Nearest smaller places: Lazy Lake, FL (1 mi); Wilton Manors, FL (1 mi); Oakland Park, FL (3 mi) (US Census Bureau estimates).
What a personal loan costs in Fort Lauderdale
A personal loan hands you a single sum and a repayment schedule of equal monthly installments over an agreed term.
Two loans can share an interest rate and still differ in APR once fees are counted, so compare APR; our personal loan calculator shows the difference over the full term.
Lenders weigh your credit history, income and debts when they set the rate, and the term you choose then determines how that rate compounds into total cost.
Pre-qualifying with several lenders takes minutes, uses a soft pull, and gives you real numbers to compare before any hard inquiry.
Florida lending rules that apply in Fort Lauderdale
The table carries the Florida rate and licensing rules that apply to consumer loans made in Fort Lauderdale.
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Small-loan / installment lender licensing | Consumer finance loan license required (chapter 516) Source says: "A person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans ... unless ... the person first obtains a license from the office". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| State lending regulator | Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) Source says: "The Office of Financial Regulation is a state-government agency created by the Governor and Cabinet to provide regulatory oversight for Florida's financial services industry". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
| Deferred presentment fee cap | 10% of the amount provided (transactions not repayable in installments) Source says: "A deferred presentment provider or its affiliate may not charge fees that exceed 10 percent of the currency or payment instrument provided". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Maximum legal interest rate (usury cap) | 18% per annum simple interest (loans/advances of $500,000 or less; loans above $500,000 are exempt from this cap) Source says: "it shall be usury and unlawful ... to ... charge ... a rate of interest greater than the equivalent of 18 percent per annum simple interest". | Florida Legislature (The Florida Senate, Online Sunshine) as of 2026-09-16 |
| Payday lending status | Permitted under license (deferred presentment providers; money services business license under chapter 560) Source says: "Businesses intending to engage in deferred presentment transactions must be licensed as a money services business under chapter 560, Florida Statutes". | Florida Office of Financial Regulation as of 2026-09-16 |
How to compare offers in Fort Lauderdale
Before you commit to a personal loan in Fort Lauderdale, work through these steps:
- Pull your free credit reports and dispute any error — it is the cheapest way to improve the rate you are offered.
- Run your figures through the personal loan calculator on this site so you know the payment before a lender quotes one.
- Pre-qualify with at least three lenders and compare the APR, not the interest rate.
- Check that the lender is licensed in Florida using the regulator named above.
- Read the disclosure for origination fees and any prepayment penalty before you sign.