FAQ

A title loan is a secured loan: you borrow against your vehicle’s value and keep driving it, while we hold only the title until you repay. Here is the full online process:

1. Apply in about seven minutes: share your vehicle, state, and income details to check if you pre-qualify. No obligation.
2. Verify your vehicle with photos: instead of an in-person inspection, upload photos or a short video of your car, odometer, and VIN.
3. Upload your documents: title, photo ID, proof of income, proof of residence, and insurance.
4. Get a free offer: we check your title and history through NMVTIS, confirm your car’s value, and send a free, no-obligation offer.
5. Review and sign online: read your APR, total cost, payment schedule, and prepayment and repossession terms, then sign when you are ready.
6. Get your money: after you sign, we fund your loan, often the same business day, by direct deposit (ACH) or cash pickup at a partner location.
7. Repay online: make monthly payments through our portal. No prepayment penalty, so paying early lowers your total interest.
8. Get your title back: once your final payment clears, in about seven to ten business days, we release the lien through your state’s ELT system and the DMV issues you a clean title.

See our full step-by-step guide to how a title loan works.

In most cases, no. You verify your vehicle by photo or video instead of driving it in. Some states require an in-person visit by law for title verification, and we may ask for an inspection if the vehicle’s condition cannot be judged from photos.

After pre-approval, you submit photos or a short video that show:

• The front, back, and both sides of the vehicle.
• The odometer reading, not the trip meter.
• The VIN, usually on the dashboard or the driver-side door jamb.
• The condition of the front and back seats.

You will also describe, to the best of your knowledge, any accidents, damage, major repairs, or title and lien history.

On our side, we run the VIN through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) and other databases to confirm the title is clean and the car is accurate collateral. That replaces the old drive-to-the-store appraisal.

You can upload everything through our secure portal. You will generally need:

• A government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, to confirm you are at least 18 and a resident.
• Proof of income, such as recent pay stubs, bank statements, or a benefit or disability letter, to show you can repay the loan.
• Proof of residence, such as a utility bill, a lease, or official mail.
• Vehicle insurance that meets your state’s minimum. Some loan amounts may call for full coverage, so the balance is protected if the car is totaled.
• Your vehicle title, which we verify and then place an electronic lien on.

We base the value on the photos and video you send, the VIN history we pull, and current market data for your vehicle’s year, make, model, and mileage.

Your offer reflects that value together with your ability to repay, which is why we also ask for proof of income.

How much of that value you can borrow depends on your state’s rules.

Your loan amount is based on your vehicle’s value and your ability to repay, not your credit score. As a general guide, title loans fund about 25% to 50% of a car’s market value.

Swift Title Loans lends in California, Florida, and Georgia, and each state writes its own rules. Here is how that plays out:

• California: state law sets no minimum and no maximum, so your offer tracks your vehicle and your budget. Most California title loans funded through Swift Title Loans run from about $2,800 to $6,000, and loans of $2,500 to $9,999 fall under the state interest cap of 36% a year plus the Federal Funds Rate.
• Florida: the Florida Title Loan Act leaves the amount open as well, so the same two factors decide it. Our funded Florida title loans typically run from about $800 to $3,100.
• Georgia: a title loan is written as a title pawn under the state pawnbroker statutes, and no state ceiling applies there either. Most of the Georgia title pawns we fund land between about $500 and $2,500.

You can read the full rules on our pages for title loans in California, title loans in Florida, and title pawns in Georgia.

For a closer look, read our guide on how much you can borrow on a car title loan.

Pre-approval happens in about seven minutes. Once you have signed your contract and we have confirmed the electronic lien, funding is released right away, often the same day.

Because the process is online, the money is sent electronically:

• Direct deposit by ACH, straight into your bank account.
• Cash pickup at a money-transfer partner such as MoneyGram or Western Union.

Picking up a check at a local office is available if you ever want it, but it is not required and it is not the fastest option.

Title loan rates are set by each state, and in some states the law allows monthly fees that add up to a high annual rate. Swift Title Loans charges only a fraction of what state law allows.

Our loans are structured as installment loans. Each monthly payment covers that month’s interest and pays down part of the principal, so the balance goes down over time.

The exact rate we can offer depends on your lending profile, including your proof of income, your car’s equity, and our credit criteria, and it stays well below the typical figure for title loans. Your full terms are shown in your contract before you sign anything.

Most credit situations are welcome. A title loan is secured by your vehicle, so your credit score is not the deciding factor.

What matters most is that you own a qualifying vehicle and can show the ability to repay through proof of income. Many borrowers with poor or limited credit are approved this way.

You do not need a traditional job, but you do need a verifiable source of income. We accept income from employment, self-employment, retirement, and benefits, among others.

This is because approval depends on your ability to repay the loan, not only on your vehicle’s value.

Yes. You keep and drive your vehicle the entire time. We hold only the title as collateral, not the car, and you get the title back once the loan is repaid.

Yes, and there is no prepayment penalty. Paying extra or settling early reduces the total interest you owe.

You can make payments online through our secure portal, or in cash at retail networks such as Walmart, 7-Eleven, or CVS.

After your last payment clears, usually within seven to ten business days, we notify the state’s Electronic Lien and Title (ELT) system to release the lien. The DMV then mails you a clean paper title or sends an electronic notice that you can request one.

Contact us as soon as you know there may be a problem. It is always better to reach out early so we can look at your options together.

A title loan is secured by your vehicle, so falling behind can eventually put the car at risk of repossession. The Federal Trade Commission explains the risks worth weighing before you borrow. That is why we confirm your ability to repay up front, and why we encourage you to borrow only what comfortably fits your budget.

Title loans are regulated state by state, so availability, rates, and terms vary depending on where you live. The fastest way to check is to choose your state during pre-approval.

You can also see where we operate and read the rules for your area on our title loan locations pages.

Title loans follow the rules of the state where your vehicle is titled and registered, not simply where you happen to be that day. You can apply online from anywhere, but your offer depends on whether we serve that state and on its local rules.

For the details, read our guide on getting a title loan in a different state.

Often, yes. Age matters less than your vehicle’s current market value and condition, so an older car that still runs well and holds value can qualify. We base the offer on what your specific vehicle is worth today, along with your ability to repay.

Learn more in our guide on title loans for an older car.

It depends. A salvage or rebuilt title usually lowers a vehicle’s value and can make approval harder, but it does not always rule a loan out. We look at the title status, the car’s condition, and what it is worth now.

Read more in our guide to salvage title loans.

Usually the title needs to be in your name, because the loan is secured by a vehicle you own. If someone else is on the title, you typically need to transfer it into your name first, or have the titled owner apply with you.

Our guide explains the options when the title is not in your name.

Yes. If you already have a title loan with another lender, you may be able to refinance it with Swift Title Loans, often to lower your rate or your monthly payment. We pay off your current loan and set up new terms based on your vehicle and your ability to repay.

Learn how it works in our title loan refinance guide.