Most one-hour and payday loan companies require employment verification because these types of lenders typically base their credit decisions on your income and ability to repay the loan, rather than on your credit history. However, there are a few lenders that likely won’t call your employer to verify employment, as long as you provide documented proof of income. Below, we have more information about these companies, as well as a list of loan-finding services to help you find a loan that suits your needs.

No Employment Verification Loans

One-hour loans and payday loans typically require proof of income and employment. Lenders want confirmation that you’ll be able to pay back the loan. Since payday lenders focus more on your ability to pay than your credit history, most cash advance or payday loan stores require a verifiable employment history instead of conducting a credit check.

We were unable to find any legitimate payday or one-hour loan companies that don’t require proof of income. While an online search will return several payday loan options marketed as “no verification loans,” our research found that these websites have overwhelmingly negative reviews and, in some cases, were reported as scams.

However, customer service representatives for the more reputable lenders listed below said that they will only call your employer if you fail to provide sufficient documentation and proof of income. We’ve listed these companies, las well as their available loan types, requirements, and employment verification policies. We’ve ordered the list below starting with the best overall options.

ACE Cash Express

  • Loan types: Installment, payday
  • Employment verification required? Not always; you do not need to be employed to apply. You can provide proof of alternative income, such as Social Security benefits, disability benefits, alimony, or self-employed income.
  • Credit check required? Yes, but ACE Cash Express does not require an extensive credit history or a strong credit score.
  • Other requirements:
    • Must be at least 18
    • Must have a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
    • Must have a valid email address and phone number
    • Must have a checking account that has been open for at least one month
    • Must live in the state where you apply
    • Must not have an active bankruptcy case or plan to file for bankruptcy
    • Must not be active duty or a reserve member of the U.S. military or a spouse or dependent of a member of the U.S. military
    • Must show a valid photo ID if applying in store
  • States serviced: California, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas
  • Find out more or apply, or find an ACE Cash Express

Advance America

  • Loan types: Installment, payday
  • Employment verification required? No, but proof of income is required. Proof of income may include check stubs, bank statements showing direct deposits, or an award letter.
  • Credit check required? Yes, but Advance America does not require you to have an established credit history and does not report payday loans to Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.
  • Other requirements:
    • Must have a Social Security number
    • Must have a valid email address
    • Must have a checking account
    • Must show a government-issued photo ID if applying in-store
  • States serviced: Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
  • Find out more or apply, or find an Advance America

Money Mart

  • Loan types: One-hour payday loans, online payday loans
  • Employment verification required? No, Money Mart typically will not contact your employer, as long as you provide current documents as proof of income — like recent pay stubs or bank statements.
  • Credit check required? Yes, for online applications; in-store applications do not require a credit check
  • Other requirements:
    • Must be at least 18
    • Must have a checking account
    • Must have a valid phone number
    • Must have a valid email address
    • Must show a valid photo ID if applying in-store
  • States serviced: California, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana
  • Find out more or apply, or find a Money Mart

Note: Be aware that you should only consider a payday loan in a financial emergency. Payday loans typically have higher interest rates than traditional loans, and they can lead to a cycle of debt if you fail to repay them on time. Instead, you might want to consider a hardship loan (as previously reported), which typically has better terms than a payday loan.

Loan-Finding Services

In addition to the lenders listed above, you may be able to find a loan with no employment verification using a loan-finding service. Online referral services allow you to apply to a network of lenders offering payday or personal loans by only submitting a single application. Terms and requirements vary by lender, but some do not require employment verification.

Be aware that when using these sites, several different lenders will have access to your personal information. Signing up or requesting a loan may lead to a large number of calls from various lenders — sometimes even after you’ve accepted a loan. Several of the popular peer-to-peer, loan-finding companies include:

Lenders That Require Employment Verification

During the course of our research and as reported in our article on one-hour payday loans, we found that the following lenders do require employment verification:

  • Allied Cash Advance
  • Check City
  • Check Into Cash
  • Check ‘n Go
  • HonestLoans
  • LendNation
  • LendUp
  • OppLoans
  • Speedy Cash

If you can provide proof of employment or non-traditional income, our related articles include more options for online payday loans and signature loans with no credit checks.

In Summary

One-hour loans and payday loans typically require employment verification; however, some lenders like ACE Cash Express, Advance America, and Money Mart are willing to accept alternative forms of income and, in most cases, will not contact your employer as long as you provide proper documentation. Loan-finding services like CashOne, Snappy PayDay Loans, and PersonalLoans.com may also be able to connect you to lenders that do not require employer verification.


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