Title Loans in Federal Way , Washington

Car Title Loans In Federal Way, WA

There comes a point in one’s life where your credit score is just not where you need it to be and you might be in need of some emergency cash.

If or when that time comes, you might not have a place to turn to especially if you’re one of many that may not have the best credit history.

Fortunately, that’s not much of a problem if you own a vehicle— you can just apply for a car title loan!

Learning the Basics of a Car Title Loan

Put simply, a car title loan is a short-term and high-interest rate loan for relatively small loan amounts that borrowers can apply for.

Here’s what you need to remember: Loan applicants use the title of their vehicle as a security for the loan.

Thus the name, car title loan. But that’s just one name for car title loans.

Car title loans can also go by many other names: an auto title loan, and even more simply as title loans, title pawns or in Federal Way, pink slip loans.

Putting your vehicle up as a security for the loan means if for some reason you can’t pay back the full loan amount, the lenders of the loan have the right to repossess your vehicle.

This makes pink slip loans a low-risk loan to lenders and more easily accessible to those that may suffer from a bad credit score, so long as they are in possession of a vehicle.

To help you understand better, this is an example of how the process will go:

• A borrower applies for a single-payment title loan of $1000. The lender charges a finance fee of $50 and lends the borrower money for 30 days with an interest rate of 15%.
• The borrower will pay the finance fee and receive their money in cash or have it sent to their bank account/available payment channel within 24-48 hours after the approval of your application.
• At the end of the repayment term, the borrower will have to pay back the entire amount including interest, which means they owe a total of $1150.
• Including the lender’s finance charge, it will essentially cost the borrower a total of $1200 to borrow $1150.

But Who Would Even Need This Kind of Loan?

As previously mentioned, car title loans are popular amongst people with a bad credit score and in need of quick cash.

What’s great about car title loans is that the loan application can be approved and processed quickly— and we mean same-day quick.

Of course, that’s not always the case, but having cash in your hands as soon as possible during emergencies is a godsend.

This is also great for those with family or friends that are in tight spots themselves and can’t provide them with a bit of money right now.

Additionally, car title loans are a great way for people that want to improve their credit scores! Showing that you were able to pay back your loans on time will become a positive point on your credit history.

Would I Qualify?

The basic qualification for car title loans is providing all the required documents, which will be elaborated on further below.

However, the application process might also have a credit check performed to assure your lender you won’t run away with the money. This process is used to verify the applicant’s ability to pay back what was borrowed.

Requirements for a Car Title Loan

Other than your government-issued ID, most lenders in Federal Way will request you to provide the following information and a copy of the following documents:

Vehicle Title Or Pink Slip

Again, this document serves as the security for the loan, and for the sake of ease and swiftness during the loan application, it’s very important that the title is:

• Lien-free. This means that you’re in possession of the vehicle with no outstanding balance on its payment.
• Solely under your name. Even though this isn’t always a necessity, most lenders require or at least prefer the title is under your name only.

Vehicle Registration And Insurance Papers

You will need recent copies of both your vehicle registration and insurance papers to ensure that:

• You’re a “proper” owner of the vehicle and to avoid any legal mishaps should the lenders need to repossess your vehicle.
• To assess the equity value of your vehicle.

Proof of Income

While a credit check isn’t necessary, lenders still want to ensure you have the ability to repay the money they lent you. This can be anything such as:

• Bank statements
• Pay stubs
• Utility bills

Vehicle

You can get a loan by putting up a variety of vehicles up as collateral including but not limited to:

• A car
• An RV
• A motorbike

While bringing your vehicle to the lenders isn’t always necessary, some lenders in Federal Way may require you to bring your vehicle or at least, show pictures of it.

The reason being your lender wants to accurately assess the equity value of your vehicle.

*Your lender may also ask for a different ID depending on your legal status in that particular US state.

How Car Title Loans Work in Federal Way, WA

Since applying for title loans in each state can differ, let’s take a look at the loan process of applying for auto title loans in Washington.

The Loan Process

#1 Research

• The first thing you’ll need to do is do some research on a licensed auto title lender service available to you in Federal Way!
• Car title loans can be illegal in Federal Way, so make sure you’re dealing with a lender that’s licensed by the state to offer car title loans in the city of Federal Way.
• Make sure your information on the Federal Way regulations for title loans is up to date. This is to ensure you aren’t a victim of illegally high-interest rates or absurd loan terms.
• Once you’ve found a lender you like, you can call ahead for pre-approval on your application, a quote for the loan amount, and for any specific requirements.

#2 Filling Out Application Forms

• The next thing to do is fill out the application form, which can either be done online for most lenders in Federal Way or in office. However, due to the dangers of COVID-19, it’s best to fill out the form at home.

#3 Gathering And Presenting The Documents

• As soon as the application has been filled out, you’ll need to submit it along with the required documents discussed with the lender.
• After checking your valid ID, the lender will inspect the application and documents. This step is usually done in the office so you can discuss loan terms and sign the contract after. Please read the fine print!
• While documents can be mailed or sent online, not every lender in Federal Way would allow or advise this considering the sensitive information exchanged during the loan process.

#4 Discussion And Signing

• After going through the application and documents, the lender will discuss specific loan terms with you.
• This is also why you should do your research and get information straight beforehand— knowing what you’re getting into can give you a fair deal during this discussion.
• The lender should provide you with the following finalized and complete loan terms including:
• Loan amount
• Interest rate
• Any finance charges (this is any fee the lender may charge for their services)
• Payment deadlines
• Annual percentage rate
• Along with these specific details on the loan terms, make sure to check that the title loan contract also stipulates the names of both the borrower and the lender, as well as a specific description of the vehicle.
• If all terms are agreeable to you, then both you and the lender should sign the contract.

#5 Getting Your Cash

• Now that the documents have been signed and processed, the lender will be able to give you your money in cash or wired directly to your bank account right away or within 24-48 hours.
• How soon you’d actually receive your money may depend on how big the loan is.

#6 Paying It Back

• There’s more than one way to pay back a loan and it all depends on the loan terms discussed with the lender.
• For a single-payment title loan, you are meant to pay the entire amount borrowed through the title loan plus whatever interest rates discussed as one lump-sum payment at the end of the loan term.
• For an installment title loan, as its name suggests, it’s a title loan that is meant to be paid back in set increments on set dates as discussed with the lender.
• When paying back car title loans, it’s also important to check for a pre-payment clause. This allows the lender to be paid a penalty fee if the borrower pays back the title loan money too soon.
• Paying car title loans back too soon can improve the credit of the borrower, but it also lessens the amount of money the lender may earn through daily interest.
• Keep in mind, however, that paying for title loans early may still be cheaper even with a pre-payment clause penalty fee.

#7 Loan Rollovers

• If auto title loans cannot be paid back by the end of the loan term, the borrowers may opt for a loan rollover, which extends the term of the loan.
• While this gives the borrower more time to pay back the money, similar interest rates will continue to be charged, meaning the borrower will end up owing even more money.
• Much more than loans, loan rollovers can become the start of a never-ending and ever-worsening cycle of debt.
• But, this also gives you some time to try and buy your car back— albeit probably at a much higher price than you’d like.

The Washington Consumer Credit Code

Most pertinent information on car title loans can be found in the Washington Consumer Credit Code. This includes:

• Statutes that protect borrowers from false advertising or fraudulent practices by lenders of title loans.
• Limits on the money amount on loan by lenders, the rates they charge, and the loan terms they set amongst other things.

Take note: This information can be subject to frequent change and it is advisable to check these laws right BEFORE applying for a title loan.

FAQs

Can I Qualify for a Title Loan Without a Job?

Unfortunately, this can be difficult since car title loans require proof of income. If you have income coming in passively such as from rent, this should do just fine.

Still, applying for a title loan will be much easier to qualify for than applying for a loan with bigger financial institutions such as a credit union. All you need to qualify for one are the following:

• The documents required by the lender.
• Your applying for the loan proceeds to go towards household purposes— this means you’re using the money for personal needs only. These loans cannot be given out for student loans services.

How Much Can I Get With an Auto Title Loan?

Ultimately, how much you can get out of a title loan depends on the value of your car.

The better the condition, the more you can borrow. Generally, you can get anywhere between $100-$50,000. Just take note that:

• It also depends on the lender and there technically isn’t anything that stops them from lending you more.
• If you’re a first-time borrower you might be limited to borrowing up to a certain amount only despite the value of your car.

What Happens If I Don’t Pay It Back?

If you defer on car title loans you will have to give up your collateral, which in this case is your car or other vehicle:

• Your car will be repossessed and put up for sale.
• You will probably incur additional debt to your bank account and worsen your credit score.

Are There Other Quick Options?

For your information, there are other quick loan options available to you other than car title loans— the most popular of which being payday loans.

Payday Loans

• For those that don’t own a car, another quick loan alternative you can avail of is a payday loan.
• They are also short-term loans with high-interest rates, though they are usually for much smaller amounts compared to title loans.
• There may be more risk with this loan without a car or vehicle as to the loan’s collateral.

Conclusion

When money is tight and there’s no credit union you can turn to, one sure way to get the money you need right away is through car title loans. But it can be pretty risky so make sure that:

• You studied all the pertinent information beforehand.
• You are certain you can pay the loan back on time.
• You have no other options.

If you have ticked off all the bullet points above, then you can safely and successfully apply for a title loan!