How Our Title Loans Work
5 Star Car Title Loans lends against cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles through a simple and secure application.
The application takes about five minutes and shows how much you may qualify for based on your vehicle’s value, your income and your ability to repay.5
You can get started online for free with no obligation, by phone, or at a nearby location, or use any combination to complete the process.3
Here are the four steps, from start to finish.
Your Title Loan In Four Steps
01. Start Your Application
Fill out a short inquiry form. Tell us your vehicle’s year, make, model and mileage, along with your personal, contact and basic income information.
Once you finish, you will see whether you pre-qualify for a title loan with us. If we need anything more, we will contact you to complete your application.
02. Qualify Your Car
Next we check your car, because your car is what secures the loan. You can do this online without a physical inspection, which saves you a trip, or in person if you prefer.
Photograph your vehicle with your phone: all four sides, the dashboard with the odometer showing, the VIN plate, and any damage. Upload them together with your documents.
We may ask to see the car in person if your photos are not clear.
Once we have checked your vehicle and your documents, we give you your final approval.6
03. Sign And Get Your Money
We then send your contract for you to review. You can still walk away until you sign it.
Read it closely and ask us about anything that is not clear. You repay in fixed installments, so check the total cost and be sure you can afford the payments.7
Once you sign, you can receive your money the same business day, as long as everything is approved and signed before 2 PM local time.8
You can take it as a direct deposit to your bank account, a transfer to your debit card, or cash in person.
No bank account? We can send you a MoneyGram number instead, and you collect the cash at a MoneyGram location near you, often a Walmart or a grocery store.
Your car stays with you the whole time, and you keep driving it as usual.
04. Pay Off And Get Your Title
Your payments are due on the dates set in your agreement. You can pay online, by phone, or by any of the other ways we accept.
When your final payment clears, we release the lien and send your title back to you.
Why Apply With Us
Licensed And Secure
You send everything to a licensed lender over a secure, encrypted connection.
Terms Up Front, No Hidden Fees
You see the loan amount, the payment, the number of payments and the total cost before you sign anything.6
Pay It Off Early With No Penalty
You can settle the loan ahead of schedule without an extra fee, and paying early reduces what the loan costs you.7
How Much You Can Get
You can typically get a title loan for 25% to 50% of your vehicle’s market value, up to $50,000, subject to the maximum loan amount allowed by your state’s law.6
Key factors we use to determine how much you may qualify for include:
- Your vehicle’s make, model, mileage, condition, and current market value.
- Your income and ability to repay the loan.
- Your state’s maximum loan limits.
For a better idea of how much you may receive if approved, see our average title loan amounts by state from recent years.
Common Questions
What Do I Need To Get Approved?
You will need six things:
- Your vehicle title, in your name
- Your photo ID, meaning a driver’s license, a state ID or a passport
- Proof that you can afford the payments
- Proof of active insurance
- Proof of your address
- Your vehicle, by photos or in person
Our page on what you need to qualify for a title loan explains why we ask for each one.
Can I Keep Driving My Car?
Yes. We hold your vehicle title while the loan is open, not your car.
We do not take your car and we do not ask for a spare key.
What Would Stop Me From Getting Approved?
Most often the car is not worth enough for the amount you asked for, which usually means a smaller loan rather than no loan.
Your file also stops if you are not named on the title, if the name there does not match your ID, if your ID has expired, or if you cannot show your income, which is how we know you can repay the loan.
Does 5 Star Car Title Loans Check My Credit?
A soft credit check may be required as part of the final approval process, and that does not affect your FICO score.
Your credit score is not the main factor in the decision. We look at your vehicle’s value, your overall financial situation and your ability to repay the loan, so borrowers with bad credit may still qualify.
What Happens If I Cannot Make A Payment?
Contact us before you miss a payment, because more options may be open while your account is still current.
If you default on the payments, your car can be repossessed.
Before You Apply
A title loan is a high-cost form of credit designed for short-term needs. Before you apply, look at the total cost of the loan, not just the monthly payment.7
Make sure you can afford the payments and repay the loan as agreed. Remember, your vehicle secures the loan and may be repossessed if you default.9
Still deciding? Read our guide on whether a title loan is right for you to understand when it may make sense and when another option may be better.
Reviewed by
Head of Underwriting and Lending Operations, 5 Star Car Title Loans
Last reviewed September 1, 2026
