2022 Montana Code Annotated
Title 31. Credit Transactions and Relationships
Chapter 1. Credit Transactions
Part 2. Retail Installment Sales
31-1-221. Licensing of sales finance companies required
31-1-221. Licensing of sales finance companies required. (1) A person may not engage in the business of a sales finance company, including the purchase of retail installment contracts that are entered into in this state, without a license as provided in this part, except that a bank, trust company, savings and loan association, or credit union authorized to do business in this state is not required to obtain a license under this part but shall comply with all of the other provisions of this part.
(2) The application for a license must be in writing in the form and submitted in the manner that the department may direct.
(3) The license fee for each calendar year or part of a year is $100 for the applicant's principal place of business and for each additional branch location at which the applicant engages in sales finance company activities concerning retail installment contracts between retail sellers and buyers in this state. A licensee need not maintain a physical place of business within this state.
(4) Except as provided in 31-1-222, upon the submission of a complete license application and the payment of required fees, the department shall issue a license to the applicant to engage in the business of a sales finance company in accordance with the provisions of this part for a period that expires December 31 following the date of the license's issuance. The license is not transferable or assignable. A licensee may not transact any business provided for by this part under any other name.
(5) The department may direct that fees chargeable under subsection (3) be remitted to the department through a nationwide licensing system. The department's portion of fees charged and collected under this chapter must be deposited in the state special revenue fund for the use of the department in its supervision function.
History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 282, L. 1959; amd. Sec. 170, Ch. 431, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 74-603; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 600, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 9, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 63, L. 2013.
