(1) A person may not engage in business in this state as a consumer collection agency or continue to do business in this state as a consumer collection agency without first registering in accordance with this part, and thereafter maintaining a valid registration.
(2) Each consumer collection agency doing business in this state shall register with the office and renew such registration annually as set forth in s. 559.555.
(3) This section does not apply to:
(a) An original creditor.
(b) A member of The Florida Bar.
(c) A financial institution authorized to do business in this state and any wholly owned subsidiary and affiliate thereof.
(d) A licensed real estate broker.
(e) An insurance company authorized to do business in this state.
(f) A consumer finance company and any wholly owned subsidiary and affiliate thereof.
(g) A person licensed pursuant to chapter 520.
(h) An out-of-state consumer debt collector who does not solicit consumer debt accounts for collection from credit grantors who have a business presence in this state.
(i) An FDIC-insured institution or subsidiary or affiliate thereof.
(4) An out-of-state consumer debt collector as defined in s. 559.55(11) who is not exempt from registration by application of subsection (3) and who fails to register in accordance with this part shall be subject to an enforcement action by the state as specified in s. 559.565.
History.—ss. 5, 13, ch. 93-275; s. 678, ch. 2003-261; s. 2, ch. 2014-116.