2020 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 36a - The Banking Law of Connecticut
Chapter 669 - Regulated Activities
Section 36a-719 - Mortgage servicer license. Issuance. Application. Criminal history records checks. Renewal standards. Automatic suspension of license. Abandonment of application. Schedule and report. Unique identifier of license. Advertising of license.

(a) The commissioner shall issue a mortgage servicer license to an applicant for such license if the commissioner finds that: (1) The applicant has identified a qualified individual for its main office and a branch manager for each branch office where such business is conducted, provided such qualified individual and branch manager have supervisory authority over the mortgage servicer activities at the respective office location and at least three years' experience in the mortgage servicing business within the five years immediately preceding the date of the application for licensure; (2) notwithstanding the provisions of section 46a-80, the applicant, the control persons of the applicant, the qualified individual and any branch manager have not been convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, in a domestic, foreign or military court, a felony during the seven-year period preceding the date of the application for licensing or a felony involving an act of fraud or dishonesty, a breach of trust or money laundering at any time preceding the date of application, provided any pardon or expungement of a conviction shall not be a conviction for purposes of this subdivision; (3) the applicant demonstrates that the financial responsibility, character and general fitness of the applicant, the control persons of the applicant, the qualified individual and any branch manager command the confidence of the community and warrant a determination that the applicant will operate honestly, fairly and efficiently within the purposes of sections 36a-715 to 36a-719l, inclusive; (4) the applicant has met the surety bond, fidelity bond and errors and omissions coverage requirement under section 36a-719c; (5) the applicant, the control persons of the applicant, the qualified individual and any branch manager have not made a material misstatement in the application; and (6) the applicant has met any other similar requirements as determined by the commissioner. If the commissioner fails to make such findings, the commissioner shall not issue a license, and shall notify the applicant of the denial and the reasons for such denial. The commissioner may waive the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection relating to the supervision and experience of (A) a qualified individual where the applicant establishes to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the applicant (i) will not conduct any activity subject to licensure under sections 36a-715 to 36a-719l, inclusive, at the main office, and (ii) has designated a qualified individual who is responsible for the actions of the applicant; and (B) a qualified individual or a branch manager where the applicant establishes to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the applicant (i) holds only mortgage servicing rights at the main office or branch office and conducts no other activity at such office, and (ii) has designated a qualified individual or branch manager at such main office or branch office who is responsible for the actions of the application. No person licensed as a mortgage servicer and granted a waiver by the commissioner shall engage in any activity that would have precluded the issuance of such waiver without first designating a qualified individual or branch manager, as the case may be, who meets all applicable requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection and is approved by the commissioner. For purposes of this subsection, the level of offense of the crime and the status of any conviction, pardon or expungement shall be determined by reference to the law of the jurisdiction where the case was prosecuted. In the event such jurisdiction does not use the term “felony”, “pardon” or “expungement”, such terms shall include legally equivalent events. For purposes of subdivision (1) of this subsection, “experience in the mortgage servicing business” means paid experience in the (I) servicing of mortgage loans, (II) accounting, receipt and processing of payments on behalf of mortgagees or creditors, or (III) supervision of such activities, or any other relevant experience as determined by the commissioner, and “at the respective office location” may be established if the qualified individual or branch manager resides not more than one hundred miles from the location of the office or otherwise demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commissioner an ability to provide full-time, in-person supervision of the office.

(b) An application for a license as a mortgage servicer or renewal of such license shall be made and processed on the system pursuant to section 36a-24b in a form prescribed by the commissioner and accompanied by the fees required by section 36a-719b. Each such form shall contain content as set forth by instruction or procedure of the commissioner and may be changed or updated as necessary by the commissioner in order to carry out the purpose of sections 36a-715 to 36a-719l, inclusive. The applicant shall, at a minimum, furnish to the system information concerning the identity of the applicant, any control person of the applicant, the qualified individual and any branch manager, including personal history and experience in a form prescribed by the system and information related to any administrative, civil or criminal findings by any governmental jurisdiction. For the purpose of this subsection, evidence of experience of the qualified individual and any branch manager shall include: (1) A statement specifying the duties and responsibilities of such person's employment, the term of employment, including month and year, and the name, address and telephone number of a supervisor, employer or, if self-employed, a business reference; and (2) if required by the commissioner, copies of W-2 forms, 1099 tax forms or, if self-employed, 1120 corporate tax returns, signed letters from the employer on the employer's letterhead verifying such person's duties and responsibilities and term of employment including month and year, and, if such person is unable to provide such letters, other proof satisfactory to the commissioner that such person meets the experience requirement. As part of an application, the commissioner may (A) in accordance with section 29-17a, conduct a state or national criminal history records check of the applicant, any control person of the applicant, the qualified individual and any branch manager, and (B) in accordance with section 36a-24b (i) require the submission of fingerprints of the applicant, any control person of the applicant, the qualified individual and any branch manager to the Federal Bureau of Investigation or other state, national or international criminal databases, and (ii) investigate the financial condition of any such person and require authorization from any such person for the system and the commissioner to obtain an independent credit report from a consumer reporting agency, as described in Section 603(p) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681a, as amended from time to time.

(c) (1) The minimum standards for license renewal for a mortgage servicer shall include the following: (A) The applicant continues to meet the minimum standards under subsection (a) of this section; (B) the mortgage servicer has paid all required fees for renewal of the license; and (C) the applicant has paid any outstanding examination fees or other moneys due to the commissioner.

(2) The license of a mortgage servicer failing to satisfy the minimum standards for license renewal shall expire. The commissioner may adopt procedures for the reinstatement of expired licenses consistent with the standards established by the system. The commissioner may automatically suspend a mortgage servicer license if the licensee receives a deficiency on the system indicating that the payment required by section 36a-719b was Returned-ACH or returned pursuant to such other term as may be utilized by the system to indicate that the payment was not accepted. After a license has been automatically suspended pursuant to this section, the commissioner shall (A) give the licensee notice of the automatic suspension, pending proceedings for revocation or refusal to renew pursuant to section 36a-719j and an opportunity for a hearing on such action in accordance with section 36a-51, and (B) require such licensee to take or refrain from taking such action as the commissioner deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.

(d) The commissioner may deem an application for a license under this section abandoned if the applicant fails to respond to any request for information required under sections 36a-715 to 36a-719l, inclusive, or the regulations adopted pursuant to said sections. The commissioner shall notify the applicant on the system that if such information is not submitted not later than sixty days from the date of such request, the application shall be deemed abandoned. An application filing fee paid prior to the date an application is deemed abandoned pursuant to this subsection shall not be refunded. Abandonment of an application pursuant to this subsection shall not preclude the applicant from submitting a new application for a license.

(e) As part of its application and upon a change to such information, a mortgage servicer shall file with the commissioner a current schedule of the ranges of costs and fees it charges mortgagors for its servicing-related activities.

(f) Any person making any filing or submission of any information on the system shall do so in accordance with the procedures and requirements of the system and shall pay the applicable fees or charges to the system. Each mortgage servicer licensee shall, to the extent required by the system, timely submit to the system accurate reports of condition that shall be in such form and shall contain such information as the system may require. Failure by a licensee to submit a timely and accurate report of condition shall constitute a violation of this provision. At least annually, a licensee shall file with the commissioner a report in a form and format acceptable to the commissioner detailing the mortgage servicer's activities in the state, including (1) the number of residential mortgage loans the mortgage servicer is servicing, (2) the type and characteristics of the residential mortgage loans in this state, (3) the number of serviced residential mortgage loans in default, along with a breakdown of thirty-day, sixty-day and ninety-day delinquencies, (4) information on loss mitigation activities, and (5) information on foreclosures commenced in this state.

(g) The unique identifier of any person licensed under this section shall be clearly shown on all solicitations and advertisements, including business cards and Internet web sites, and any other documents as established by rule, regulation or order of the commissioner, and shall be clearly stated in all audio solicitations and advertisements. The solicitations and advertisements of any person licensed under this section: (1) Shall not include any statement that such person is endorsed in any way by this state, except that such solicitations and advertisements may include a statement that such person is licensed in this state; (2) shall not include any statement or claim that is deceptive, false or misleading; (3) shall otherwise conform to the requirements of sections 36a-715 to 36a-719l, inclusive, any regulations issued thereunder and any other applicable law; and (4) shall be retained for two years from the date of use of such solicitation or advertisement.

(P.A. 14-89, S. 5; P.A. 17-38, S. 15, 17-233, S. 26; P.A. 18-173, S. 72.)

History: P.A. 17-38 amended Subsec. (d)(1) by replacing “receipt by the commissioner of a notice of intent to withdraw such application” with “the commissioner's acceptance on the system of a withdrawal request”; P.A. 17-233 amended Subsec. (f) by deleting “At least annually” and adding “and upon a change to such information” re filing with commissioner current schedule of ranges of costs and fees charged for servicing-related activities, deleting Subdiv. (1) and (2) designators and redesignating existing Subparas. (A) to (E) as Subdivs. (1) to (5), adding “At least annually, a licensee shall file with the commissioner” re report, deleting “including details on workout arrangements undertaken,” in redesignated Subdiv. (4), and making technical changes; P.A. 18-173 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision re branch manager to have supervisory authority over office for which license is sought in Subdivs. (2) and (3), adding “the control persons of the applicant, the qualified individual and the branch manager” in Subdiv. (5), adding provisions re commissioner's authority to waive supervision and experience requirements, replacing Subpara. (A) to (C) designators with clause (I) to (III) designators, and adding provision re establishment of “at the respective office location”, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing provision re application to be filed with the system with provision re application to be made and processed on the system pursuant to Sec. 36a-24b, deleting “36a-718, inclusive, and sections 36a-719a to”, deleting provision re applicant to notify commissioner on the system of change to information, deleting provision re commissioner's authority to conduct criminal history records check and require applicant to submit fingerprints, and adding provisions re commissioner's authority to conduct criminal history records check, require submission of fingerprints and investigate financial condition of person, amended Subsec. (c) by adding Subpara. (C) re applicant has paid outstanding examination fees or other moneys due in Subdiv. (1), adding Subpara. (A) and (B) designators and replacing “action that, in the opinion of the commissioner, will effectuate the purposes of this section” with “action as the commissioner deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section” in Subdiv. (2), deleted former Subsec. (d) re withdrawal of application, redesignated existing Subsecs. (e) and (f) as Subsecs. (d) and (e), amended Subsec. (f) by adding provisions re person filing or submitting information on the system to do so in accordance with procedures and requirements and timely submission of accurate reports of condition, added Subsec. (g) re unique identifier and solicitations and advertisements, and made technical and conforming changes.