What types of loans are covered under the Military Lending Act?

As of October 3, 2016, most types of consumer loans offered to active-duty servicemembers and their dependents have to comply with the Military Lending Act (MLA).  These credit products include, but are not limited to:

• Payday loans, deposit advance products, and vehicle title loans;
• Overdraft lines of credit but not traditional overdraft services; and
• Installment loans, with the exceptions noted below.

NOTE:  Credit card companies didn’t have to comply with the MLA until October 3, 2017.

If you’re a servicemember on active duty and decide to take out one of these loans, you have rights under the MLA, including a limit on the interest rate the creditor can charge.

There are some loans the MLA doesn’t cover – namely, credit that is secured by the property being purchased. These loans include:

• Residential mortgages (financing to buy or build a home that is secured by the home), mortgage refinances, home equity loans or lines of credit, or reverse mortgages;
• A loan to buy a motor vehicle  when the credit is secured by the motor vehicle you are buying; and
• A loan to buy personal property when the credit is secured by the property you’re buying, like a vehicle or home appliance.