Payday loans in BC cost up to $14 per $100 borrowed, so a $500 loan costs $70 and you repay $570, usually on your next payday and always within 62 days. That cap has applied since January 1, 2025, when it came down from $15, and it covers every fee a licensed lender can charge. Every lender, storefront or online, that lends to BC residents has to hold a Consumer Protection BC licence, can’t lend you more than 50% of your paycheque, and has to let you cancel for free within two business days of signing. This guide covers the rules, what the licensed lenders in BC charge, what the loans look like in Surrey, Kelowna, Vancouver and Victoria, and the cheaper option if you have a job: an advance on pay you’ve already earned for $5 with payroll connected.
Key Takeaways
- BC’s legal maximum is $14 per $100 borrowed, including all fees. A $300 loan costs $42, a $1,000 loan costs $140.
- A payday loan in BC can’t exceed $1,500 or 50% of your paycheque, and it has to be repaid within 62 days. Rollovers are banned and a lender can only have one loan open with you at a time.
- You have two business days after signing to cancel any BC payday loan at no cost.
- Licensed lenders available across BC include iCash, Money Mart and Wagepay, all at the $14 cap. Check any lender in Consumer Protection BC’s payday licence search before you sign.
- NotchUp is an earned wage access provider, not a payday lender: up to $1,500 by Interac e-Transfer in about 15 minutes for $5 with payroll connected, no interest, no credit check, in BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.
This article reflects BC payday loan rules under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act as of October 2026. Lender fees, limits and availability change, so confirm the current terms on the lender’s own site and the rules on Consumer Protection BC before you borrow.
$5
Flat fee — same whether you borrow $50 or $1,500
15 min
Interac e-Transfer, available 24/7
0
No credit check, no SIN required
BC Payday Loan Rules (2026)
Payday lending in BC is regulated by Consumer Protection BC under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act and the Payday Loans Regulation. The rules that matter when you’re borrowing:
- Maximum cost: $14 per $100 borrowed. That includes every charge and fee. It dropped from $15 on January 1, 2025, when the federal cap took effect, and no licensed lender can go above it.
- Maximum loan: $1,500, and no more than 50% of your paycheque. A $1,200 net paycheque means a $600 ceiling, whatever the lender’s advertised maximum.
- Term: repaid within 62 days. In practice the loan is due on your next payday, so most BC payday loans run 14 days.
- Two business days to cancel. You can cancel any payday loan for free within two business days of receiving the agreement, no reason needed. After that, the cancellation terms in your agreement apply.
- No rollovers, one loan at a time. A lender can’t renew your loan for a fee, issue a new loan to pay off the old one, or give you a second loan while the first is open.
- Early repayment is free. You can pay the loan off in full any time before the due date without an extra charge.
- Written agreement first. The lender has to give you a written agreement that states the cost in dollars before the money moves, and storefronts have to post their rates.
- Licensed, or illegal. Any person or business lending payday loans to BC residents, in person, by phone or online, needs a Consumer Protection BC licence.
For how BC compares with the rest of the country, see payday loans in Canada. Alberta runs a different model entirely, with 42 to 62 day instalment terms, covered in payday loans in Alberta.
Best Payday Loans in BC (2026), Compared
Every licensed payday lender in BC charges the same $14 per $100, so the comparison comes down to speed, hours, whether a credit check happens, and whether you need a storefront. The first row isn’t a payday loan at all.
| Lender | Type | Fee | Max Amount | Speed | Credit Check | BC Licensed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NotchUp | Earned wage access (EWA) | $5 flat | Up to $1,500 | About 15 min by Interac e-Transfer, 24/7 | No | BC licence #86443, Consumer Protection BC |
| iCash | Licensed payday lender | $14 per $100 | Up to $1,500 | E-Transfer in about 2 minutes after signing, 24/7 | No | Yes |
| Money Mart | Licensed payday lender | $14 per $100 | Up to $1,500 | Same day, branches and online | No | Yes |
| Wagepay | Licensed payday lender | $14 per $100 | Up to $1,500 | E-Transfer in about 2 minutes, 24/7 | Not stated | Yes |
| Bree | Cash advance app | Free standard, $2.99 to $45.99 express | Up to $750 | 1 to 3 business days free, same day paid | No | Not a payday lender |
iCash serves BC along with six other provinces and runs a credit check on first-time applicants, though income carries more weight than the score. Wagepay lends in BC, Alberta and Ontario and wants regular employer income of at least $400 a week. Money Mart has a dozen branches in and around Vancouver plus online lending. Bree is free if you can wait 1 to 3 business days for up to $750, and charges for same-day delivery. For how Bree and the other apps compare, see cash advance apps in Canada.
Real Cost Breakdown: Payday Loans in BC
The $14 per $100 cap sounds small until you put it next to the amounts people actually borrow.
| Loan Amount | Payday Loan Fee (BC max) | NotchUp Fee | Savings with NotchUp |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200 | $28 | $5 | $23 |
| $300 | $42 | $5 | $37 |
| $500 | $70 | $5 | $65 |
| $750 | $105 | $5 | $100 |
| $1,000 | $140 | $5 | $135 |
| $1,500 | $210 | $5 | $205 |
On a 14-day $500 payday loan the $70 fee works out to an APR of about 365%, which is the figure every BC lender has to disclose in the agreement. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s payday loan page puts the same $300 loan at $42 from a payday lender against $7.65 as a credit card cash advance over 14 days.
Payday Loans in Vancouver, Burnaby and Victoria
Metro Vancouver is BC’s largest payday lending market. In Vancouver the storefronts cluster along Hastings Street and Main Street, Burnaby’s run along Kingsway, and Victoria’s sit along Douglas Street and around Uptown, with fewer stores than the Lower Mainland. Money Mart has branches in all three cities, and iCash and Wagepay serve every BC postal code online. The price is identical everywhere: $14 per $100, no more than 50% of your paycheque, two business days to cancel. The one thing a storefront gives you that an online lender doesn’t is a counter to stand at, and the one thing it takes away is the clock, since a branch closes and an online e-Transfer doesn’t.
Payday Loans in Surrey
Surrey is the second-largest city in BC and has one of the densest clusters of payday storefronts in the province, along King George Boulevard, 96 Avenue and in Whalley around Surrey Central Station. A lot of the demand comes from how people in Surrey get paid: shift work in warehousing, logistics and trades, plus gig income from rideshare and delivery, where the paycheque lands on a different day every week and a bill doesn’t wait. The rules are the same as the rest of BC, $14 per $100 at most, a loan capped at 50% of the paycheque and two business days to cancel, so a Surrey borrower pays exactly what a Vancouver borrower pays. Online lenders licensed in BC approve and send e-Transfers in Surrey on nights and weekends, which is when a shift worker is usually free to apply. If your income is from work, including gig work, NotchUp is the cheaper route: an advance on pay you’ve already earned, in about 15 minutes, for $5 with payroll connected. For how gig income is treated, see cash advances for gig workers.
Payday Loans in Kelowna
Kelowna’s payday storefronts sit mostly along Harvey Avenue, the city’s main commercial corridor, and the city’s borrowing problem has a shape of its own: seasonal and tipped income. Orchards, vineyards, construction, tourism and the restaurants that serve it all pay well in season and thinly or not at all out of it, and a payday lender treats that unevenly. You need proof of regular income to qualify, the loan can’t exceed 50% of the paycheque you show, and when the season ends and the paycheques stop, so does the lending. Cash tips that never hit your bank account don’t count as income at most lenders either, which can make a server’s loan smaller than their real earnings would justify. The cap, the 62-day limit and the two-day cancellation right are the same in Kelowna as in Vancouver. NotchUp qualifies seasonal and tipped work the same as any other work income while you’re being paid for it, and the advance amount follows your current account activity, so it tracks the season rather than ignoring it.
Is NotchUp Available in BC?
Yes. NotchUp is an earned wage access provider: it advances pay you’ve already earned but haven’t been paid yet, for $5 with payroll connected, with no interest on a standard advance and no credit check. It’s licensed in British Columbia (licence #86443, issued January 11, 2024) and regulated by Consumer Protection BC, and it serves BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. Advances run from $50 to $1,500, one at a time, and arrive by Interac e-Transfer in about 15 minutes, 24/7. No SIN is needed. A $500 advance costs $5 and you repay $505 on your next payday.
Income from work qualifies: a job, self-employment, freelance, gig or seasonal work. EI, CPP, disability assistance or child benefits count alongside work income, not on their own, so a reader on BC income assistance alone won’t qualify; the BC income assistance payment dates page is the better read in that case. If a repayment fails, an NSF fee of up to $20 and late interest of up to 20% a year apply, and an unpaid advance can be reported to the credit bureaus, so treat the due date the way you’d treat any other.
An advance covers a timing gap between paycheques, not a budget that comes up short every month, and approval is based on your current account activity, so being approved once doesn’t guarantee the next one. For a closer look at the company, see Is NotchUp legit?
How to Verify a Licensed Payday Lender in BC
Run the lender’s name through Consumer Protection BC’s payday licence search before you sign anything: set the licence type to Payday Lender, the status to Active, and search by name or city. Walk away if you see any of these:
- A fee above $14 per $100, or any fee charged before you get the money
- A loan larger than 50% of your paycheque, or above $1,500
- A term longer than 62 days, or an offer to roll the loan over
- No written agreement, or an agreement that doesn’t state the cost in dollars
- A second loan offered while your first is still open
- Pressure to sign on the spot, or a refusal to let you cancel within two business days
- No BC licence number on the website or in the store
Complaints go to Consumer Protection BC at 1-888-564-9963. For lenders across BC and Alberta that skip the credit check, see no credit check loans in Alberta and BC.
Earned Wage Access vs Payday Loans in BC: Key Differences
| Feature | Payday Loan (BC) | Earned Wage Access (NotchUp) |
|---|---|---|
| Regulated by | Consumer Protection BC under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act | Licensed in BC (#86443), regulated by Consumer Protection BC |
| Cost | $14 per $100 ($140 on $1,000) | $5 with payroll connected |
| Max amount | 50% of your paycheque, up to $1,500 | Up to $1,500, based on earned pay and account activity |
| Credit check | Varies by lender; iCash checks first-time applicants | No |
| Rollover risk | Banned in BC; the full loan is due on the due date | None; repaid from your next paycheque |
| Speed | About 2 minutes to same day, depending on the lender | About 15 minutes |
| 24/7 availability | Online lenders yes, storefronts no | Yes, including weekends and holidays |
| If you don’t repay | Collections and credit bureau reporting | NSF fee up to $20, late interest up to 20% a year, possible credit bureau reporting |
Bottom Line
A BC payday loan costs $14 per $100, capped at 50% of your paycheque and $1,500, due within 62 days, from a lender you can look up on Consumer Protection BC’s licence search. iCash, Money Mart and Wagepay all lend at that cap, and the choice between them is about hours and whether you want a branch. If you’re employed, including shift, gig or seasonal work, the cheaper move is an advance on pay you’ve already earned: $5 with payroll connected through NotchUp, in about 15 minutes, instead of $70 on $500. If you need the money after hours anywhere in the province, same day e-Transfer loans in BC covers every option that pays out around the clock, and payday loan alternatives in Canada covers the routes that don’t involve a loan at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are payday loans legal in BC?
Payday loans are legal in BC and regulated by Consumer Protection BC under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act. Lenders need a provincial licence, can charge no more than $14 per $100 borrowed, can’t lend more than $1,500 or 50% of your paycheque, and must let you cancel within two business days. Lending without a licence is illegal, so check the licence search before you sign.
What’s the maximum payday loan in BC?
The maximum payday loan in BC is $1,500, and it also can’t be more than 50% of your paycheque. If your net pay is $1,400 every two weeks, the most any licensed lender can offer you is $700, whatever its advertised limit says. The maximum cost on that $700 is $98.
Can I get a payday loan in BC with bad credit?
Yes. Most licensed BC payday lenders base the decision on your income and bank activity, not your credit score, and the $14 per $100 cap is the same whatever your score. iCash does run a credit check on first-time applicants, though it weighs income more heavily. NotchUp doesn’t check credit at all. For the full picture, see cash advances with bad credit.
Can I get a same-day payday loan in BC online?
Yes. iCash and Wagepay both send Interac e-Transfers within minutes of a signed agreement, 24/7, anywhere in BC, and Money Mart funds same day online during its hours. NotchUp’s advance lands in about 15 minutes at any hour, for $5 with payroll connected rather than $14 per $100. The e-Transfer goes to your bank account, so a storefront visit is never required.
Can I get a payday loan on seasonal income in BC?
Yes, while you’re being paid. A BC payday lender needs proof of regular income, usually recent pay stubs or bank statements, and will lend up to 50% of the paycheque you can show, so a seasonal worker in Kelowna or anywhere else qualifies in season and stops qualifying when the paycheques stop. Cash tips that don’t go through your bank account generally don’t count. NotchUp treats seasonal, tipped and gig work as work income while it’s being paid, with the advance amount following your current account activity; EI on its own doesn’t qualify, but EI alongside work income does.
What’s the difference between a payday loan and earned wage access in BC?
A payday loan is new borrowing at up to $14 per $100, so $1,000 costs $140 and is due within 62 days. Earned wage access advances pay you’ve already earned but haven’t received, so NotchUp sends up to $1,500 for $5 with payroll connected and takes the repayment on your next payday. Both are regulated by Consumer Protection BC; the difference is the cost and the fact that an advance is limited to what you’ve earned.
What happens if I can’t repay a payday loan in BC?
The lender can charge the dishonoured payment fee stated in your agreement, pursue the balance through collections and report the default to Equifax and TransUnion, which stays on your file for six years. A BC lender can’t roll the loan over or charge you more than the $14 per $100 already agreed. If you can’t pay, call the lender before the due date, and if the debt is one of several, the non-profit Credit Counselling Society in BC offers free advice at 1-888-527-8999.
Is there a cheaper alternative to payday loans in BC?
Yes. If you have work income, an earned wage access advance from NotchUp costs $5 with payroll connected for up to $1,500, against $140 on a $1,000 payday loan. Bree lends up to $750 at 0% if you can wait 1 to 3 business days. A credit card cash advance costs roughly $7.65 on $300 over 14 days per the FCAC, and a credit union or bank overdraft is usually cheaper still. The full list is in payday loan alternatives in Canada.
This article is for informational purposes only and doesn’t constitute professional financial advice. If you’re experiencing financial difficulty, consider contacting a licensed insolvency trustee or a non-profit credit counselling agency for free, confidential support.Related reading: Payday loans in Canada — the national guide | Payday loans in Alberta — same $14/100 cap | No credit check loans in Alberta and BC | Same-day e-Transfer loans in BC | Cash advance apps in Canada
