(a) No person shall act as a third-party loan servicer, directly or indirectly, for a loan to a Rhode Island borrower without first obtaining a license under this chapter from the director, or the director's designee.
(b) No license shall be required of:
(1) A depository institution, or an affiliate or subsidiary of a depository institution, that is controlled by, or under common control with, the depository institution and subject to the regulatory authority of the primary regulator of the depository institution.
(2) A lender licensed under chapter 14 of title 19 that retains the servicing rights on a loan originally closed in the lender's name and subsequently sold, in whole or in part, to a third party, provided that the provisions of §§ 19-14.11-2 (segregated accounts) and 19-14.11-4 (prohibited acts and practices) of this chapter shall apply to such lender.
(3) A debt-management company licensed in this state when engaged in activities permitted pursuant to its debt-management license.
(4) An attorney licensed in this state when collecting a debt on behalf of a client.
(5) Bona-fide nonprofit, organizations, exempt from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, that are approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as housing counseling agencies; that have a physical location in Rhode Island; and that lend state or federal funds.
History of Section.
P.L. 2014, ch. 487, § 2; P.L. 2014, ch. 522, § 2.