An application for an escrow agent license must be in writing in such form as is prescribed by the director, and must be verified on oath by the applicant. An application for an escrow agent license must include the following:

Terms Used In Washington Code 18.44.031

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. Source: OCC
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
(1) The applicant’s form of business organization and place of organization;
(2) Information concerning the identity of the applicant, and its officers, directors, owners, partners, controlling persons, and employees, including fingerprints for submission to the Washington state patrol, the federal bureau of investigation, and any government agency or subdivision authorized to receive information for state and national criminal history background checks; personal history; experience; business record; purposes; and other pertinent facts, as the director may reasonably require. The director may also request criminal history record information, including nonconviction data, as defined by RCW 10.97.030. The department may disseminate nonconviction data obtained under this section only to criminal justice agencies. The applicant must pay the cost of fingerprinting and processing the fingerprints by the department;
(3) If the applicant is a corporation or limited liability company, the address of its physical location, a list of officers, controlling persons, and directors of such corporation or company and their residential addresses, telephone numbers, and other identifying information as the director may determine by rule. If the applicant is a sole proprietorship or partnership, the address of its business location, a list of owners, partners, or controlling persons and their residential addresses, telephone numbers, and other identifying information as the director may determine by rule. Any information in the application regarding the personal residential address or telephone number of any officer, director, partner, owner, controlling person, or employee is exempt from the public records disclosure requirements of chapter 42.56 RCW;
(4) In the event the applicant is doing business under an assumed name, a copy of the business license issued through the business licensing system established under chapter 19.02 RCW, with the registered trade name shown;
(5) The qualifications and business history of the applicant and all of its officers, directors, owners, partners, and controlling persons;
(6) A personal credit report from a recognized credit reporting bureau satisfactory to the director on all officers, directors, owners, partners, and controlling persons of the applicant;
(7) Whether any of the officers, directors, owners, partners, or controlling persons have been convicted of any crime within the preceding ten years which relates directly to the business or duties of escrow agents, or have suffered a judgment within the preceding five years in any civil action involving fraud, misrepresentation, any unfair or deceptive act or practice, or conversion;
(8) The identity of the licensed escrow officer designated by the escrow agent as the designated escrow officer responsible for supervising the agent’s escrow activity;
(9) Evidence of compliance with the bonding and insurance requirements of RCW 18.44.201; and
(10) Any other information the director may require by rule. The director may share any information contained within a license application, including fingerprints, with the federal bureau of investigation and other regulatory or law enforcement agencies.
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