(A) A person required to be licensed as a credit counseling organization must submit to the department an application for a license on forms prescribed by the department. The applicant shall file an application with the department in writing, under oath:

(1) the name and address of each owner, officer, director, member, or partner of the applicant;

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 37-7-104

  • Consumer: means consumer as defined in § 37-1-301(10). See South Carolina Code 37-7-101
  • Credit counseling organization: means a person providing or offering to provide to consumers credit counseling services for a fee, compensation, or gain, or in the expectation of a fee, compensation, or gain, including debt management plans. See South Carolina Code 37-7-101
  • Credit counselor: means an employee or agent of a credit counseling organization engaging in services described in item (3). See South Carolina Code 37-7-101
  • Department: means the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. See South Carolina Code 37-7-101
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Person: means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, unincorporated organization, or other form of entity, however organized, including a nonprofit organization. See South Carolina Code 37-7-101

(2) a description of the ownership interest of any officer, director, member, partner, agent, or employee of the applicant in the affiliate or subsidiary of the applicant or in another entity that provides a service to the applicant or a consumer relating to the applicant’s credit counseling organization;

(3) a description of the applicant’s consumer education program;

(4) financial statements for the applicant as of the most recent fiscal year;

(5) a current copy of the applicant’s standard debt management plan;

(6) the surety bond required in § 37-7-103;

(7) consent to a criminal records check; and

(8) a list of all employees engaged in credit counseling services.

(B) Each application for a license as a credit counseling organization must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of one hundred dollars for each business location, an investigation fee of fifty dollars, and the actual cost of obtaining criminal history record checks.

(C)(1) The application for a license as a credit counselor must include:

(a) the name and address of the applicant;

(b) the name of the employer credit counseling organization;

(c) consent to a criminal records check; and

(d) description of the applicant’s general fitness and character.

(2) The nonrefundable fee for an application for licensing as a credit counselor is forty dollars in addition to the actual cost of obtaining criminal history checks.