Is there a fee for paying personal loan early?

Asked by: Bill Ondricka MD  |  Last update: February 6, 2026
Score: 4.6/5 (25 votes)

You might be penalized for early repayment But some lenders charge a prepayment penalty—in other words, a fee you will pay for paying back your loan early. This is another good reason to compare your options and to read your loan agreement carefully when choosing a lender.

Is there a penalty for paying off a personal loan early?

Flat fee: A lender could have a flat fee as a prepayment penalty. For instance, it might charge you an extra $500 if you pay off your loan before the end of your term, regardless of your loan balance. Percentage-based fee: Your personal loan prepayment penalty could be a percentage of your loan balance.

Do personal loans have early repayment charges?

Some lenders charge borrowers a prepayment fee for paying off their loan before the term ends. Not all lenders charge a prepayment fee, but it's worth checking to see if yours does.

What happens if you pay your personal loan early?

Most banks charge a pre-payment penalty if you close your loan earlier than expected. The penalty amount is calculated as a percentage based on either the existing loan balance or the interest the lender will lose due to pre-closure. Generally, the pre-payment penalty is somewhere between 2% to 5% of your loan amount.

Is it worth paying off a personal loan early?

The best benefit from paying off a loan early is reduced interest costs –– saving you a lot of money. But there are other significant reasons you should consider it. Eliminating debt and demonstrating responsible financial behavior may also boost your credit score.

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24 related questions found

Does it cost more to pay off a loan early?

Under the Consumer Credit Regulations 2004, a lender can charge up to two months' additional interest if you choose to pay-off your loan early. This is reduced to a maximum of one month's interest if your loan has less than 12 months left of its term.

Is there a penalty for paying off one main loan early?

If you want to pay off your personal loan early, you can do so any time and OneMain will not charge you a prepayment fee.

Is it good to prepay a personal loan?

Reduction in overall interest cost: By prepaying a Personal Loan, you can reduce the overall interest cost of the loan, as the unpaid interest component decreases. 2. Shorter loan tenure: Prepayment can reduce the loan tenure as it will bring down the outstanding principal amount.

What happens if you want to pay your loan early?

You may still be ahead of the game by reducing the amount of interest you'll pay over the long term. The fee is usually calculated by looking at the remaining loan balance and loan term. For example, fixed rate personal loans often charge an “economic cost” or “fixed cost” for repaying a loan earlier than expected.

Does paying off a loan hurt credit?

It's possible that you could see your credit scores drop after fulfilling your payment obligations on a loan or credit card debt. Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors like your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.

What is the early payoff fee?

A prepayment penalty is a fee that some lenders charge if you pay off all or part of your mortgage early. If you have a prepayment penalty, you would have agreed to this when you closed on your home. Not all mortgages have a prepayment penalty.

How to avoid prepayment penalty on personal loan?

Borrowers may be allowed to foreclose or prepay their loan 6 months after the date it has been disbursed, without any prepayment penalty. A charge of 2.5% + GST will be levied on any prepayment amount that is over 25% of the principal due. Part prepayment can only be done once in a year.

How do I avoid early repayment charges?

How to avoid paying an early repayment charge
  1. Get a mortgage without charges. Your lender may offer a mortgage deal without early repayment charges – ask about this when agreeing your deal. ...
  2. Overpay at the right time. ...
  3. Move lenders at the right time. ...
  4. Port your mortgage. ...
  5. Avoiding the Standard Variable Rate.

How can I pay my loan off early without penalty?

  1. Make bi-weekly payments. Instead of making monthly payments toward your loan, submit half-payments every two weeks. ...
  2. Round up your monthly payments. ...
  3. Make one extra payment each year. ...
  4. Refinance. ...
  5. Boost your income and put all extra money toward the loan.

What states don't allow prepayment penalties?

Most states allow lenders to impose a fee if borrowers pay off mortgages before a specific date – typically in the first three years after taking out a mortgage. While Alaska, Virginia, Iowa, Maryland, New Mexico, and Vermont have banned prepayment penalties, other states allow them with certain conditions.

Can you pay off a fixed personal loan early?

When choosing a fixed rate loan you need to know that if you: repay the loan early, either in full or in part, or • switch to variable interest rate before the end of the fixed rate term, early repayment charges may apply. Early repayment costs can be very large and may vary in size from day to day.

Is it bad to pay off a personal loan early?

Paying off the loan early can put you in a situation where you must pay a prepayment penalty, potentially undoing any money you'd save on interest, and it can also impact your credit history.

How much are early repayment fees?

How much does an early repayment charge cost? The cost of an ERC is based on the outstanding mortgage amount and the point at which you are in your deal. Typically, ERCs range from 1% to 5% of the remaining loan, and this percentage tends to decrease each year you're into the deal.

What happens if I clear my loan early?

As the name suggests, a prepayment penalty is a monetary burden you have to bear when you pay your loan off earlier than specified in the agreement. If the terms and conditions of your loan agreement contain a prepayment clause, you will be penalised if you clear your debt early.

What happens if I pay extra on my personal loan?

Making extra payments on a personal loan gets you out of debt faster, reduces the amount of interest you pay, and can improve your finances. However, it's important to balance paying off your personal loan faster with your other financial goals, such as building an emergency fund or saving for retirement.

What is the settlement fee for a loan?

Settlement or establishment fee: Settlement fee is a fee payable to the bank to cover the cost the bank incurs in establishing your loan. The fee ranges between $0 to $600 depending on the lender. If you opt for a professional package, the settlement fee is usually waived.

Why do lenders not like prepayment?

Lenders dislike prepayments because they lose out on interest charges. Prepayment essentially shortens the term of the loan, which means less interest paid. If enough borrowers prepay their loans, lenders also face increased interest rate risk, meaning the potential for investment losses.

Is there a fee for paying off a loan early?

Each lender may charge different prepayment penalties so it's best to check with your specific lender. It can be a percentage of what's left of the loan, a fixed amount or even charged interest for a set number of months.

Can I pay my loan off early?

Loan providers must allow you to pay back a personal loan early in full, but they can charge you an early repayment charge (ERC). Early repayment charges vary, but typically you can expect to pay the equivalent of one to two months' interest.

Why does paying off loan early hurt credit?

Paying off a loan impacts several factors: reducing payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, and credit diversity. FICO also places more weight on still-open accounts because they will continue to indicate how well debt is being paid in the present.