Sec. 503. (1) The department shall receive and act on all applications for licenses to make consumer loans. Applications must be as prescribed by the director of the department of financial institutions. If, at any time, the information or record contained in:

(a) an application filed under section 502 of this chapter or section 502.1 of this chapter; or

(b) a renewal application filed under section 503.6 of this chapter;

is or becomes inaccurate or incomplete in a material respect, the applicant shall promptly file a correcting amendment with the department.

     (2) A license shall not be issued unless the department finds that the professional training and experience, financial responsibility, character, and fitness of:

(a) the applicant and any significant affiliate of the applicant;

(b) each executive officer, director, or manager of the applicant, or any other individual having a similar status or performing a similar function for the applicant; and

(c) if known, each person directly or indirectly owning of record or owning beneficially at least ten percent (10%) of the outstanding shares of any class of equity security of the applicant;

are such as to warrant belief that the business will be operated honestly and fairly within the purposes of this article.

     (3) The director is entitled to request evidence of compliance with this section at:

(a) the time of application;

(b) the time of renewal of a license; or

(c) any other time considered necessary by the director.

     (4) Evidence of compliance with this section concerning a person licensed under section 502 of this chapter may include and for a person licensed under section 502.1 of this chapter must include:

(a) criminal background checks as described in section 503.1 of this chapter, including a national criminal history background check (as defined in IC 10-13-3-12) by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for any individual described in subsection (2);

(b) credit histories as described in section 503.2 of this chapter;

(c) surety bond requirements as described in section 503.3 of this chapter;

(d) a review of licensure actions in Indiana and other states; and

(e) other background checks considered necessary by the director.

     (5) For purposes of this section and in order to reduce the points of contact that the director may have to maintain under this section, the director may use the NMLSR as a channeling agent for requesting and distributing information to and from any source as directed by the director.

     (6) The department may deny an application under this section if the director of the department determines that the application was submitted for the benefit of, or on behalf of, a person who does not qualify for a license.

     (7) Upon written request, the applicant is entitled to a hearing on the question of the qualifications of the applicant for a license as provided in IC 4-21.5.

     (8) The applicant shall pay the following fees at the time designated by the department:

(a) An initial license fee as established by the department under IC 28-11-3-5.

(b) Examination fees as established by the department under IC 28-11-3-5.

(c) An annual renewal fee as established by the department under IC 28-11-3-5.

     (9) A fee as established by the department under IC 28-11-3-5 may be charged for each day a fee under subsection (8)(b) or (8)(c) is delinquent.

     (10) The licensee may deduct the fees required under subsection (8)(a) and (8)(c) from the filing fees paid under IC 24-4.5-6-203.

     (11) Except in a transaction approved under section 515 of this chapter, a license issued under this section is not assignable or transferable.

     (12) If the department of state revenue notifies the department that a person is on the most recent tax warrant list, the department shall not issue or renew the person’s license until:

(a) the person provides to the department a statement from the department of state revenue that the person’s tax warrant has been satisfied; or

(b) the department receives a notice from the commissioner of the department of state revenue under IC 6-8.1-8-2(k).

Formerly: Acts 1971, P.L.366, SEC.4. As amended by P.L.14-1992, SEC.33; P.L.122-1994, SEC.25; P.L.80-1998, SEC.7; P.L.23-2000, SEC.8; P.L.10-2006, SEC.7 and P.L.57-2006, SEC.7; P.L.213-2007, SEC.10; P.L.217-2007, SEC.9; P.L.3-2008, SEC.174; P.L.90-2008, SEC.9; P.L.35-2010, SEC.53; P.L.89-2011, SEC.17; P.L.27-2012, SEC.19; P.L.176-2019, SEC.19.