SAFE Lending Act of 2025

Creates new consumer protections for small-dollar lending and for payments using "remotely created checks," limits certain fees on prepaid accounts, requires registration and disclosure by small-dollar lenders and lead generators, and directs studies and rulemaking. It gives consumers more control over who can issue remotely created checks, counts agreed small-dollar EFT repayments as protected preauthorized transfers, and requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to finalize implementing rules within one year.

Also requires lenders that make designated small-dollar loans to register with the CFPB, subjects certain remote and national-bank small-dollar loans to the consumer’s State laws on rates and fees, restricts third-party lead brokers for these loans, bans overdraft fees on prepaid accounts, and orders a GAO study on capital access and small-dollar credit impacts for Indian Tribes.