Texas does not cap what a payday storefront can charge you. The state regulates these loans through a broker model, and the broker's fee — which is most of what you pay — has no maximum set in the statute. That one fact changes what a short-term loan costs here compared with many other states, so it is worth two minutes before you sign anything. Below: what the law allows, the day your benefits land, what minimum wage is, and where to get help with a bill that is due before your money arrives.
What Texas law allows a payday lender to charge
Texas does not license payday lenders directly. It licenses credit access businesses — brokers that arrange the loan for you from a third-party lender. They are regulated under Chapter 393 of the Texas Finance Code by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner.
What that means in practice:
| How it works in Texas | |
|---|---|
| Who you borrow from | A third-party lender, not the storefront |
| Who you pay | The credit access business, which brokered the loan |
| What you sign | Two agreements: a promissory note with the lender and a credit services agreement with the broker |
| What the fee is | Usually a percentage of the amount borrowed |
| Is the fee capped | The statute sets no maximum for the broker's fee |
The interest on the note itself is regulated. The broker's fee is where the cost lives, and that is the number to ask for before you sign. Ask for the total dollar amount you will repay, not the rate.
Checked October 8, 2026 against the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner.
When your benefits actually land
If you get SNAP in Texas, your money does not arrive on the first of the month. It arrives on a day between the 1st and the 28th, decided by the last two digits of your EDG number — the case number on your award letter.
| Last two digits of your EDG number | Day benefits are loaded |
|---|---|
| 00–03 | 1st |
| 04–06 | 2nd |
| 07–10 | 3rd |
| 11–13 | 4th |
| 14–17 | 5th |
| 18–20 | 6th |
| 21–24 | 7th |
| 25–27 | 8th |
| 28–31 | 9th |
| 32–34 | 10th |
| 35–38 | 11th |
| 39–41 | 12th |
| 42–45 | 13th |
| 46–49 | 14th |
| 50–53 | 15th |
| 54–57 | 16th |
| 58–60 | 17th |
| 61–64 | 18th |
| 65–67 | 19th |
| 68–71 | 20th |
| 72–74 | 21st |
| 75–78 | 22nd |
| 79–81 | 23rd |
| 82–85 | 24th |
| 86–88 | 25th |
| 89–92 | 26th |
| 93–95 | 27th |
| 96–99 | 28th |
TANF works differently. It is loaded over the first three days of the month: digits 0–3 on the 1st, 4–6 on the 2nd, 7–9 on the 3rd.
Why this matters: if your rent is due on the 1st and your EDG number ends in 85, your food benefits arrive on the 24th. The gap is not a mistake and it is not going to move — it is worth planning the month around it instead.
Source: Texas Works Handbook, section B-250, checked October 8, 2026.
Minimum wage: what is not changing in 2027
Texas has no minimum wage of its own. State law adopts the federal rate by reference, which is $7.25 an hour and has not moved since July 24, 2009.
So when you read in January that minimum wage went up in 20-odd states, Texas is not one of them. If your income is going to change next year, it will be because your hours or your job changed, not because the floor moved.
Help with a bill that is due before your money
Texas runs its federal energy assistance money through the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP), administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs through local organisations that together cover all 254 counties.
Three things worth knowing before you call:
- You apply through a local subrecipient, not through the state. TDHCA's site has the list for your county.
- Depending on the organisation, you may be able to apply online, by mail, or in person — some will take the application at your home.
- Call before the disconnection notice, not after. The money is limited and the process is not instant.
Cash advance apps in Texas
Cash advance apps are not payday lenders and are not licensed as credit access businesses — they do not charge interest. What they charge, when they charge anything, is an optional fee for an instant transfer; the free transfer takes one to three business days.
B9 is a cash advance, not a loan. There is no interest and no credit check, and the amount available to you is the one shown in the app. If you are comparing options, our guide to cash advance apps for gig workers sets out the honest trade-offs, including the cases where another app suits you better, and what a cash advance is versus a payday loan explains the difference in one page.
If you receive SSI or Social Security, the rules about which apps will work with you are different again — that is covered in cash advance apps that work with SSI.