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The Military Lending Act or MLA database is a Department of Defense Manpower website that allows consumers, banks, credit card companies, and other lenders to verify if a consumer is a “covered borrower” as defined by the Military Lending Act of 2006.
You can access the Military Lending Act website at https://mla.dmdc.osd.mil/mla/
The Military Lending Act protects servicemembers, spouses, and dependents from certain lending practices, such as charging more than 36% annual interest on loans.
Some credit card companies and banks offer special protections on their credit cards to comply with the strict rules of the MLA law.
Learn more about getting your MLA benefits on Chase cards in the podcast episode below or in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course.
You may use the MLA database to look up your record, a spouse's record, or a dependent's record.
The Defense Manpower Data Center will verify an individual's covered borrower status by verifying if the social security number provided is on active duty, a spouse of an active duty servicemember, or a dependent of an active duty servicemember.
For National Guard and Reservists, if you are on 30+ day active duty orders you should be in the MLA database and should be covered borrowers. Your spouses should also be covered borrowers while you are on active duty orders.
The text you want to see when you pull an MLA report is:
“Based on the information you provided, DMDC does possess information indicating that the individual is either on active duty for more than 30 days or a family member of a service member on active duty for more than 30 days based on the Status Inquiry Date.”
In this post:
Military Lending Act Credit Cards
Many banks and companies choose to offer special military protections for MLA covered borrowers. This makes compliance with the law easier for them. There are many credit cards that offer protections for military. I listed some of the best below.
Amex MLA Database
American Express protects covered borrowers such as military servicemembers members on active duty orders and their spouses.
Chase MLA Database
Chase also waives annual fees for covered borrowers like active duty military servicemembers and their spouses.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
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- $95 annual fee can be adjusted with Chase policy
- Member FDIC
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Learn how to apply on our partner's secure site
- $795 annual fee adjusted with Chase policy
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- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠ including The Edit℠
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- Complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 – a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
- Learn more in the Chase Sapphire Reserve review
How to Use the MLA Database
You can run a search for you or your spouse by selecting “single record request.” You will need to create a free account.
You will need your Social Security Number (SSN), birthday, and at least your last name.
If you are having issues with the MLA database, make sure your information is correct in DEERS. Double check birthdays, SSNs, and spelling of names.
FAQ
The Military Lending Act or MLA protects active duty servicemembers, their spouses, and dependents from certain lending practices. These consumers are known as “covered borrowers” and may not be charged more than 36% annual interest on credit products, including fees.
A covered borrower as defined by the Military Lending Act of 2006 is an active duty servicemember, a dependent of an active duty servicemember, or a spouse of an active duty servicemember. For National Guard or Reservists, you are considered active duty if you are on active duty orders (Title 10 or Title 32) for 30 days or longer.
Payday loans, deposit advance products, and vehicle title loans. Also overdraft lines of credit but not traditional overdraft services; and Installment loans.
Residential mortgages (financing to buy or build a home that is secured by the home), mortgage refinances, home equity loans or lines of credit, or reverse mortgages. A loan to buy a motor vehicle when the credit is secured by the motor vehicle you are buying. Also loans to buy personal property when the credit is secured by the property you’re buying, like a vehicle or home appliance.
The Military Lending Act website is https://mla.dmdc.osd.mil/mla/
Hi, when trying to make an account, it says I have to have a company name and an address, as well as a POC. Would that be my unit and how would I go about the POC?
No one is ever going to check this information. Just list your POC as Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse. If you want to be a little more serious, just list a friend in a military unit.
The information here is very helpful. I searched my spouse name with her social and DOB on the MLA website but it says ‘DMDC does not possess informatation’ on her. I callled DMDC and they were not helpful. Do you know how i can go about this?
Go to your DEERS office on base/post, make sure her Social Security Number, name, and date of birth are correct in DEERS.
Every single time this has come up before, at least one of those 3 things have been wrong in DEERS. Once it was corrected, the DMDC database updated in a few days and the MLA check was successful.