Right to cure
Also known as: cure period, notice of right to cure
A state-law requirement that a lender give a defaulted borrower written notice and a defined window (typically 10 to 30 days) to bring the loan current before the lender can accelerate the balance, repossess collateral, or sue. About 20 states require it on consumer loans.
Full definition
The right to cure is a state-level borrower protection that interrupts a lender's path from default to legal remedies. Where it applies (Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and roughly 15 other states each with their own statute), the lender must serve a notice that specifies the missed payment amount, the deadline to pay (typically 10, 15, 20, or 30 days), and the consequence of not curing. If the borrower pays the past-due amount plus permitted late fees within the cure window, the loan is reinstated and the lender cannot accelerate or sue based on that default. Right-to-cure does not exist under federal law for unsecured personal loans, so out-of-state lenders sometimes attempt to skip the step; in cure-required states, doing so is grounds for a counterclaim.
- Written by
- Get Advance Loan Editorial Team
- Reviewed by
- Compliance Review
- Published
- January 15, 2026
- Last reviewed
- May 22, 2026
- TILA (Truth in Lending Act)The federal law that requires lenders to disclose loan terms, APR, fees, and the schedule of payments before a borrower signs.
- FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act)The federal law that governs credit reports and credit-bureau practices, including your right to a free annual report and to dispute errors.
- ECOA (Equal Credit Opportunity Act)The federal law that prohibits lender discrimination based on race, religion, sex, marital status, age, national origin, or receipt of public assistance.
- MLA (Military Lending Act)Federal law capping consumer-credit APRs to active-duty service members and their dependents at 36% (the Military APR, or MAPR).
- CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)The federal agency that supervises and enforces consumer financial-protection laws across most U.S. lenders.
- TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act)The federal law governing telemarketing calls and texts, including the prior-express-written-consent requirement for autodialed marketing.
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