Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 80-5-1-.02 - License and Supervision Fees for Check Cashers, Money Transmitters, Representative Offices, Mortgage Lenders, Mortgage Brokers, Mortgage Loan Originators, and Installment Lenders; Due Dates

(1) Money transmitters.

(a) The annual license fee is one thousand nine hundred dollars ($1,900) for money transmitters.

(b) The annual renewal license fee is one thousand nine hundred dollars ($1,900) money transmitters and shall be due and must be received by the Department on or before the first day of December of each year. A licensee whose renewal application and annual license renewal fee is not received by the Department on or before December 1 may be assessed a late fine of three hundred dollars ($300) and cannot be assured of renewal of its license prior to January 1.

(c) An additional non-refundable application investigation fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) will be assessed.

(d) Applicants for Department approval of a change in ownership, change in control, or change in executive officer as set forth in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-688 shall pay a nonrefundable investigation, application, and processing fee of five hundred dollars ($500).

(2) Check Cashers.

(a) The annual license fee is three hundred dollars ($300).

(b) The annual renewal license fee is three hundred dollars ($300).

(c) An initial investigation and supervision fee shall be five hundred fifty dollars ($550) for the first year. It is not refundable, but if the license is granted it shall satisfy the annual fee for the first license period.

(d) Initial and renewal license fees shall also include an additional thirty dollars ($30) for the second and each additional location, plus a fee in an amount as directed by the Department to cover the cost of the required number of fingerprints for each individual background check.

(e) Annual renewal license fees shall be due and must be received by the Department on or before the first day of December of each year. A licensee whose renewal application and annual renewal license fee is not received by the Department on or before the first day of December of each year may be assessed a late fine of three hundred dollars ($300) and cannot be assured of renewal of its license prior to January 1.

(f) Applicants for Department approval of a change in ownership, change in control, or change in executive officer as set forth in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-705.1 shall pay a nonrefundable investigation, application, and processing fee of five hundred dollars ($500).

(3) Registrants of Georgia state representative offices as defined in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1100 shall pay an annual registration fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000).

(4) Mortgage licensees.

(a) Lenders. The initial and renewal application and license fee for mortgage lenders shall be nine hundred dollars ($900). The initial fee of nine hundred dollars ($900) covers the main office. Any branch offices included in the initial application shall be assessed a fee of three hundred thirty dollars ($330) each. A fee of three hundred thirty dollars ($330) will be assessed for each additional office not initially registered, if such office is located in Georgia, and if mortgage lending activity is conducted at the office. An initial investigation fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per applicant shall also apply. Subsequent renewal applications and license fees must be received on or before December 1 of each year or the applicant may be assessed a late fine of three hundred dollars ($300). A renewal application and license fee not received on or before the December 1 renewal application deadline of each year cannot be assured of issuance or renewal prior to January 1, at which time the license or registration will expire. Applicants may not conduct a mortgage business without a current license or registration.

(b) Brokers. The initial and renewal application and license fee for mortgage brokers shall be four hundred dollars ($400). The initial four hundred dollar ($400) fee covers the main office. Any branch offices located in Georgia shall be assessed a fee of three hundred thirty dollars ($330) each. Brokers include loan processors. Processors are defined in Rule 80-11-4-.07. Such a processor may have a separate main office and other branch offices where mortgage loan processing is done. The offices will be treated the same as brokers' offices. An initial investigation fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per applicant shall also apply. Subsequent renewal applications and license fees must be received on or before December 1 of each year or the applicant may be assessed a late fine of three hundred dollars ($300). A renewal application and license fee that is not received on or before the December 1 renewal application deadline of each year cannot be assured of issuance or renewal prior to January 1, at which time the license or registration will expire. Applicants may not conduct a mortgage business without a current license or registration.

(c) Mortgage Loan Originators. The initial and renewal application and license fee for mortgage loan originators shall be two hundred dollars ($200). Subsequent renewal application fees must be received by the Department on or before December 1 of each year or the applicant may be assessed a late fine of two hundred dollars ($200). A renewal application is not deemed received until all required information, including a renewal fee in the appropriate amount and documentation showing that the requisite continuing education hours have been obtained, has been provided by the licensee. A renewal application, containing all of the required information along with the correct fees and proof of required continuing education that is not received by the Department on or before the December 1 renewal application deadline of each year cannot be assured of issuance or renewal prior to January 1, at which time the license or registration will expire. Applicants may not conduct mortgage loan origination activity without a current license.

(d) All late fees collected by the Department, net of the cost of recovery, which cost shall include any cost of hearing and discovery in preparation for hearing, shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the general fund or may be paid as provided in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1018(e).

(e) Applicants for approval to acquire directly or indirectly ten percent (10%) or more of the voting shares of a corporation or ten percent (10%) or more of the ownership of any other entity licensed to conduct business as a mortgage lender and/or a mortgage broker under O.C.G.A. Article 13 (otherwise called change of control) shall pay a nonrefundable investigation, application and processing fee of five hundred dollars ($500).

(f) Application for an additional office of a licensee shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of three hundred thirty dollars ($330), as provided in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1006.

(5) Installment Lenders.

(a) The annual license fee is five hundred dollars ($500).

(b) The annual license renewal fee is five hundred dollars ($500) and must be received by the Department on or before the first day of December of each year. A licensee whose renewal application and annual license renewal fee is not received by the Department on or before December 1 may be assessed a late fine of three hundred dollars ($300) and cannot be assured of renewal of its license prior to January 1.

(c) An additional nonrefundable initial application investigation fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) will be assessed.

(d) Applicants for Department approval of a change in ownership, change in control, or change in executive officer as set forth in O.C.G.A. § 7-3-32 shall pay a nonrefundable investigation, application, and processing fee of five hundred dollars ($500).

(e) An application for an additional location of a licensee shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of three hundred dollars ($300). An annual renewal fee of three hundred dollars ($300) per each approved additional location shall be due and must be received by the Department on or before the first day of December of each year.

(6) The Department may discount or surcharge all supervision or license fees herein provided to assure funding of annual appropriations by the General Assembly.

(7) Any fees or charges imposed by the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry ("NMLSR") shall be independent of any fees charged by the Department. Applicants, licensees, and registrants will be responsible for any and all fees or charges imposed by NMLSR.

(8) All license, investigation, and supervision fees, late fees, fines, taxes owed to the Department, and assessed civil penalties must be paid prior to renewal, reinstatement, or reapplication for a license or any other approval from the Department.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 80-5-1-.02

O.C.G.A. §§ 7-1-41, 7-1-61, 7-1-683, 7-1-685, 7-1-702, 7-1-704, 7-1-716, 7-1-721, 7-1-1004 7-1-1005, 7-3-20, 7-3-32.

Original Rule entitled "Supervision Fees" adopted. F. Nov. 4, 1975; eff. Nov. 24, 1975. Amended: F. June 8, 1976; eff. June 28, 1976. Repealed: New Rule of the same title adopted. F. June 9, 1980; eff. July 1, 1980, as specified by the Agency. Repealed: New Rule entitled "License Registration and Supervision Fees" adopted. F. May 24, 1982; eff. June 13, 1982. Amended: F. June 28, 1984; eff. August 1, 1984, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. June 10, 1988; eff. June 30, 1988. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Sept. 4, 1990; eff. Sept. 24, 1990. Amended: F. Oct. 15, 1993; eff. Nov. 4, 1993. Amended: F. Sept. 26, 1995; eff. Oct. 16, 1995. Amended: Rule retitled "License, Registration and Supervision Fees for Check Cashers and Sellers, Representative Offices and Mortgage Lenders and Brokers; Due Dates" adopted. F. July 14, 1998; eff. August 3, 1998. Amended: F. Dec. 18, 2000; eff. Jan. 7, 2001. Amended: Rule retitled "License, Registration and Supervision Fees for Check Cashers and Sellers, Money Transmitters, Representative Offices and Mortgage Lenders and Brokers; Due Dates". F. July 28, 2003; eff. August 17, 2003. Amended: F. Sept. 1, 2004; eff. Sept. 21, 2004. Amended: F. Aug. 15, 2005; eff. Sept. 4, 2005. Amended: F. Aug. 22, 2006; eff. Sept. 11, 2006. Amended: F. Aug. 15, 2007; eff. Sept. 4, 2007. Amended: F. Aug. 4, 2008; eff. Aug. 24, 2008. Amended: F. Dec. 15, 2008; eff. Jan. 4, 2009. Amended: F. Aug. 17, 2009; eff. Sept. 6, 2009. Amended: F. Aug. 2, 2011; eff. Aug. 22, 2011. Amended: Title changed to "License and Supervision Fees for Check Cashers, Payment Instrument Sellers, Money Transmitters, Representative Offices and Mortgage Lenders and Brokers; Due Dates." F. June 10, 2014; eff. June 30, 2014. Amended: F. Aug. 29, 2014; eff. Sept. 18, 2014. Amended: F. Dec. 5, 2014; eff. Dec. 25, 2014. Amended: F. June 15, 2015; eff. July 5, 2015. Amended: F. June 20, 2016; eff. July 10, 2016. Amended: New title "License and Supervision Fees for Check Cashers, Payment Instrument Sellers, Money Transmitters, Representative Offices, Mortgage Lenders, Mortgage Brokers, and Installment Lenders; Due Dates." F. Aug. 19, 2020; eff. Sept. 8, 2020. Amended: F. Jan. 8, 2021; eff. Jan. 28, 2021. Amended: F. July 7, 2022; eff. July 27, 2022. Amended: New title, "License and Supervision Fees for Check Cashers, Money Transmitters, Representative Offices, Mortgage Lenders, Mortgage Brokers, Mortgage Loan Originators, and Installment Lenders; Due Dates." F. July 7, 2023; eff. July 27, 2023. Amended: F. Dec. 20, 2024; eff. Jan. 9, 2025.