2013 North Carolina General Statutes
Chapter 53 - Regulation of Financial Services.
Article 19B - The Secure and Fair Enforcement Mortgage Licensing Act.
Section 53-244.105 - 105. Records, addresses, escrow funds, or trust accounts.

53-244.105. Records, addresses, escrow funds, or trust accounts.

(a) Every licensee shall make and keep the accounts, correspondence, memoranda, papers, books, and other records as prescribed in rules adopted by the Commissioner. All records shall be preserved for three years unless the Commissioner, by rule, prescribes otherwise for particular types of records.

(b) No person shall make any false statement or knowingly and willfully make any omission of a material fact in connection with any information or reports filed with the Commissioner, a governmental agency, or the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry or in connection with any oral or written communication with the Commissioner or another governmental agency. If the information contained in any document filed with the Commissioner or the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry is or becomes inaccurate or incomplete in any material respect, the licensee or exempt entity shall within 30 days file a correcting amendment to the information contained in the document.

(c) Each mortgage broker licensee shall maintain and transact business from a principal place of business in this State. The Commissioner may, by rule, impose terms and conditions under which the records and files of a mortgage lender or mortgage servicer may be maintained outside of this State. A principal place of business shall not be located at an individual's home or residence. A mortgage lender, mortgage broker, or mortgage servicer licensee shall maintain a record of the principal place of business with the Commissioner and report any change of address of the principal place of business or any branch office within 15 days after the change.

(d) A licensee shall maintain in a segregated escrow fund or trust account any funds which come into the licensee's possession but which are not the licensee's property and which the licensee is not entitled to retain under the circumstances. The escrow fund or trust account shall be held on deposit in a federally insured financial institution. Individual loan applicants' or borrowers' accounts may be aggregated into a common trust fund so long as (i) interests in the common fund can be individually tracked and accounted for and (ii) the common fund is kept separate from and is not commingled with the licensee's own funds. (2009-374, s. 2.)