PROPOSED RULES
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
(Division of Consumer Services)
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 11-14-123.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: Amendment to chapter 208-660 WAC implementing the Mortgage Broker Practices Act, chapter 19.146 RCW.
Hearing Location(s): Washington Department of Financial Institutions, 150 Israel Road S.W., Room 319, Tumwater, WA 98501, on September 27, 2011, at 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: October 25, 2011.
Submit Written Comments to: Elizabeth Hampton, 150 Israel Road S.W., Tumwater, WA 98501, P.O. Box 41200, Olympia, WA 98504, e-mail elizabeth.hampton@dfi.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-5068, by September 27, 2011.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Elizabeth Hampton by September 20, 2011, TTY (360) 664-8126 or (360) 902-8793.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The rules for renewal must be amended to require that renewal candidates continue to meet the same standards as those required at the initial licensing.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: Without this amendment, a renewal candidate may renew without meeting the stricter initial licensing requirements. Renewing under lesser standards creates a public safety concern.
This rule making falls under OFM Guideline 3.d.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 43.320 RCW.
Statute Being Implemented: Chapter 19.146 RCW.
Rule is necessary because of federal law, The S.A.F.E. Act, 12 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.
Name of Proponent: Department of financial institutions, governmental.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Cindy Fazio, 150 Israel Road S.W., Tumwater, WA 98501, (360) 902-8800; Implementation and Enforcement: Deborah Bortner, 150 Israel Road S.W., Tumwater, WA 98501, (360) 902-0511.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. The rule amendments will not impose more than minor costs on the businesses impacted by the proposed rules.
A cost-benefit analysis is not required under RCW 34.05.328. Not applicable to the proposed rules.
August 24, 2011
Deborah Bortner, Director
Division of Consumer Services
OTS-4238.1
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 10-20-125, filed 10/5/10,
effective 11/5/10)
WAC 208-660-350
Loan originators -- Licensing.
(1) How do
I apply for a loan originator license? Your application
consists of an on-line filing through the NMLSR and Washington
specific requirements provided directly to DFI. You must pay
an application fee through the NMLSR system. You also must:
(a) Be eighteen years or older.
(b) Have a high school diploma, an equivalent to a high school diploma, or three years experience in the industry. The experience must meet the criteria in WAC 208-660-250 (1)(e)(i) and (ii).
(c) Pass a licensing test. You must take and pass the national and state components of the NMLSR tests. See WAC 208-660-360, Loan originators -- Testing.
(d) Submit an application. You must submit an on-line application through the NMLSR.
(e) Prove your identity. You must provide information to prove your identity.
(f) Pay the application fee. You must pay an application fee for your application, as well as an administrative fee to the NMLSR. See WAC 208-660-550, Department fees and costs.
(g) Complete prelicensing education. You must complete prelicensing education. See WAC 208-660-355.
(2) In addition to reviewing my application, what else will the department consider to determine if I qualify for a loan originator license?
(a) General fitness and prior compliance actions. The department will investigate your background to see that you demonstrate the experience, character, and general fitness that commands the confidence of the community and creates a belief that you will conduct business honestly and fairly within the purposes of the act. This investigation may include a review of the number and severity of complaints filed against you, or any person you were responsible for, and a review of any investigation or enforcement activity taken against you, or any person you were responsible for, in this state, or any jurisdiction. This investigation may also include a review of whether you have had a license issued under the act or any similar state statute suspended.
(b) License suspensions or revocations.
(i) You are not eligible for a loan originator license if you have been found to be in violation of the act or the rules.
(ii) You are not eligible for a loan originator license if you have ever had a license issued under the Mortgage Broker Practices Act or the Consumer Loan Act or any similar state statute revoked.
(iii) For purposes of (b) and (c) of this subsection, a "similar statute" may include statutes involving other financial services, such as insurance, securities, escrow or banking.
(c) Criminal history.
(i) You are not eligible for a loan originator license if you have ever been convicted of a felony involving an act of fraud, dishonesty, breach of trust, or money laundering.
(ii) You are not eligible for a loan originator license if you have been convicted of a gross misdemeanor involving dishonesty or financial misconduct, or a felony not involving fraud, dishonesty, breach of trust, or money laundering, within seven years of the filing of the present application.
(d) Financial background.
(i) The department will investigate your financial background including a review of your credit report to determine if you have demonstrated financial responsibility including, but not limited to, an assessment of your current outstanding judgments (except judgments solely as a result of medical expenses); current outstanding tax liens or judgments or other government liens or filings; foreclosure within the last three years; or a pattern of seriously delinquent accounts within the past three years.
(ii) Specifically, you are not eligible to receive a loan originator license if you have one hundred thousand dollars or more of tax liens against you at the time of appointment by a licensed mortgage broker.
(3) What will happen if my loan originator license application is incomplete? After submitting your on-line application through the NMLSR, the department will notify you of any application deficiencies.
(4) How do I withdraw my application for a loan originator license? Once you have submitted the on-line application through NMLSR you may withdraw the application through NMLSR. You will not receive a refund of the NMLSR application fee but you may receive a partial refund of your licensing fee if the fee exceeds the department's actual cost to investigate the license application.
(5) When will the department consider my loan originator license application to be abandoned? If you do not respond as directed by the department's request for information and within fifteen business days, your loan originator license application is considered abandoned and you forfeit all fees paid. Failure to provide the requested information will not affect new applications filed after the abandonment. You may reapply by submitting a new application package and new application fee.
(6) What happens if the department denies my application for a loan originator license, and what are my rights if the license is denied? Under the Administrative Procedure Act, chapter 34.05 RCW, you have the right to request a hearing. To request a hearing, notify the department, in writing, within twenty days from the date of the director's notice to you notifying you your license application has been denied. See also WAC 208-660-009.
(7) How will the department provide me with my loan originator license? The department may use any of the following methods to provide you with your loan originator license:
(a) A license sent to you electronically that you may print.
(b) A license verification available on the department's web site and accessible for viewing by the public.
(8) May I transfer, sell, trade, assign, loan, share, or give my loan originator license to someone else? No. A loan originator license authorizes only the individual named on the license to conduct the business at the location listed on the license.
(9) How do I change information on my loan originator license? You must submit an amendment to your license through the NMLSR. You may be charged a fee.
(10) What is an inactive loan originator license? When a licensed loan originator is not sponsored by a licensed or exempt company, the license is inactive. If a licensed loan originator works for a consumer loan company (chapter 31.04 RCW) as a W-2 employee, they may continue to do business under their inactive license until June 30, 2010, or until the company goes onto the NMLSR and sponsors their license.
(11) When my loan originator license is inactive, must I continue to pay annual fees, and complete continuing education for that year? Yes. You must comply with all the annual licensing requirements or you will be unable to renew your inactive loan originator license.
(12) How do I activate my loan originator license? The sponsoring company must submit a sponsorship request for your license through the NMLSR. The department will notify you and all the companies you are working with of the new working relationship if approved.
(13) When may the department issue interim loan originator licenses? To prevent an undue delay, the director may issue interim loan originator licenses with a fixed expiration date. The license applicant must have substantially met the initial licensing requirements, as determined by the director, to receive an interim license. In no case shall these requirements be less than the minimum requirements to obtain a license under the S.A.F.E. Act.
(14) When does my loan originator license expire? The loan originator license expires annually on December 31st. If the license is an interim license, it may expire in less than one year.
(15) How do I renew my loan originator license?
(a) You must continue to meet the minimum standards for license issuance. See RCW 19.146.310.
(b) Before the license expiration date you must renew your license through the NMLSR. Renewal consists of:
(i) Pay the annual assessment fee; and
(ii) Meet the continuing education requirement. You will not have a continuing education requirement in the year in which you complete prelicensing education. See WAC 208-660-370.
(((b))) (c) The renewed license is valid until it
expires, or is surrendered, suspended or revoked.
(16) If I let my loan originator license expire, must I apply to get a new license? If you complete all the requirements for renewal on or before February 28th each year, you may renew an existing license. However, if you renew your license during this two-month period, in addition to paying the annual assessment on your license, you must pay an additional fifty percent of your annual assessment. See subsection (15) of this section for the license renewal requirements.
During this two-month period, your license is expired and you must not conduct any business under the act that requires a license.
Any renewal requirements received by the department must be evidenced by either a United States Postal Service postmark or department "date received" stamp prior to March 1st each year. If you fail to comply with the renewal request requirements prior to March 1st, you must apply for a new license.
(17) If I let my loan originator license expire and then apply for a new loan originator license within one year of the expiration, must I comply with the continuing education requirements from the prior license period? Yes. Before the department will consider your new loan originator application complete, you must provide proof of satisfying the continuing education requirements from the prior license period.
(18) May I still originate loans if my loan originator license has expired? No. Once your license has expired you may no longer conduct the business of a loan originator, or hold yourself out as a licensed loan originator, as defined in the act and these rules.
(19) What happens to the loan applications I originated before my loan originator license expired? Existing loan applications must be processed by the licensed mortgage broker or another licensed loan originator working for the mortgage broker.
(20) May I surrender my loan originator's license? Yes. Only you may surrender your license before the license expires through the NMLSR.
Surrendering your loan originator license does not change your civil or criminal liability, or your liability for any administrative actions arising from acts or omission occurring before the license surrender.
(21) Must I display my loan originator license where I work as a loan originator? No. Neither you nor the mortgage broker company is required to display your loan originator license. However, evidence that you are licensed as a loan originator must be made available to anyone who requests it.
(22) If I operate as a loan originator on the internet, must I display my license number on my web site? Yes. You must display your license number, and the license number and name as it appears on the license of the licensed mortgage broker you represent, on the web site.
(23) Must I include my license number on any documents? You must include your license number immediately following your name on solicitations, including business cards, advertisements, and residential mortgage loan applications.
(24) When must I disclose my loan originator license number? In the following situations you must disclose your loan originator license number and the name and license number of the mortgage broker you are associated with:
(a) When asked by any party to a loan transaction, including third party providers;
(b) When asked by any person you have solicited for business, even if the solicitation is not directly related to a mortgage transaction;
(c) When asked by any person who contacts you about a residential mortgage loan;
(d) When taking a residential mortgage loan application.
(25) May I conduct business under a name other than the name on my loan originator license? No. You must only use the name on your license when conducting business. If you use a nickname for your first name, you must use your name like this: "FirstName "Nickname" LastName."
(26) Will I have to obtain an individual bond if the company I work for is exempt from licensing? Reserved.
(27) Will I have to file quarterly call reports if I have an individual bond? Reserved.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.320.040, 19.146.223, and 2010 c 35. 10-20-125, § 208-660-350, filed 10/5/10, effective 11/5/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.320.040, 19.146.223, and 2009 c 528. 09-24-091, § 208-660-350, filed 12/1/09, effective 1/1/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.320.040. 09-12-111, § 208-660-350, filed 6/2/09, effective 7/3/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.320.040, 19.144.070, 2008 c 109. 09-01-156, § 208-660-350, filed 12/23/08, effective 1/23/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.320.040, 19.146.223. 08-05-126, § 208-660-350, filed 2/20/08, effective 3/22/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.320.040, 19.146.223, 2006 c 19. 07-13-079, § 208-660-350, filed 6/18/07, effective 7/19/07; 06-23-137, § 208-660-350, filed 11/21/06, effective 1/1/07.]