FHA branch offices could become a thing of the past.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development published a final rule on February 2, 2024, eliminating the requirement for lenders to register each branch office where lenders and mortgagees conduct FHA business with HUD. FHA addressed questions from stakeholders in Frequently Asked Questions.

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The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (“DFPI” or the “Department”) will have no shortage of applications to process before year end.  Last week, the DFPI reminded industry participants that, beginning on September 1, 2021, it will make available through the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (“NMLS”) the application needed to apply for a license under the Debt Collection Licensing Act (“DCLA”).  Passed in September of 2020, the DCLA (SB 908) requires any person engaged in the business of debt collection, which includes debt buyers, to apply for a license on or before Friday, December 31, 2021, in order to continue to operate as a debt collector in California when the DCLA goes into effect on January 1, 2022.  Failure to submit an application by the December 31st application deadline will preclude a debt collector from lawfully operating as a debt collector until the issuance of a license (Fin. Code §§ 100000.5, 100001(a)).  For more details,  the DFPI has published a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at:  Debt Collectors: Frequently Asked Questions | The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (ca.gov).

Also, nearly two years after publishing a Notice or Proposed Rulemaking that will require all California Financing Law (“CFL”) licenses to be issued through the NMLS, and one day prior to an extended NMLS maintenance period (covered in our prior blog post), the DFPI announced that existing  CFL licensees are now eligible to begin transitioning their licenses to the NMLS.   Oddly, the announcement was made two days prior to the July 22nd end date for the comment period relating to the most recently proposed modifications to the proposed rules (see  Fifth Notice of Modifications to Proposed Regulations).  Upon final approval of  the regulations, it is expected that all CFL licenses will be issued through the NMLS by December 31, 2021.  This change may not be welcome for entities that do not presently have an NMLS record because establishing a Company Record through the NMLS to transition an existing CFL license onto the system is a separate process that takes time and effort.

Given the typical processing times (usually 90 days) for CFL license applications and the upcoming NMLS renewal period that begins on November 1, 2021, CFL licensees that do not have an existing NMLS Company Record should consider starting the transition process sooner rather than later. 
Continue Reading California Licensing Update

Mayer Brown is pleased to announce that Krista Cooley, a partner in our Financial Services Regulatory and Enforcement group, has recently expanded her existing practice to take the lead in managing our state licensing practice.  Krista is an experienced Consumer Financial Services attorney with over 19 years of experience.  In this role, Krista advises clients on compliance with the requirements of federal and state laws governing the licensing, approvals and practices of brokers, lenders, purchasers and servicers of mortgages and other consumer loan products, as well as sales finance companies, money service businesses and collection agencies. She also assists clients in navigating the complex state and federal licensing and approval process in connection with, among others, new business lines, legal entity conversions, restructuring and change of control transactions.

Stacey Riggin, one of our Government Affairs Advisors, and Dana Lopez, our Licensing Manager, work closely with Krista and will continue to oversee our team of five regulatory compliance analysts, each of whom has over ten years of experience working together on licensing matters.  Our team has decades of experience in managing nationwide licensing projects and assisting clients in obtaining approval with state and federal government agencies to engage in a variety of financial services related activities.  Our team also coordinates regulatory approvals needed to facilitate mergers, equity investments, stock and asset acquisitions, and servicing sales and transfers.Continue Reading Mayer Brown Announces Consumer Finance Licensing Team Transition

Two days after its original announcement, the NMLS Policy Committee has amended its previously announced 60-day temporary deadline extension for certain types of reporting submitted in NMLS. According to the current posting on the NMLS website, it appears that because the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council announced there would be a 30-day extension for certain reports, the NMLS Policy Committee reduced its extension for filing financial statements and certain other reports from 60 days to 30 days. The revised reporting due date table has also been amended to reflect the new 30-day temporary deadline extension. We do not know the consideration(s) that went into this new decision.

Plus, the NMLS Policy Committee is now encouraging
Continue Reading NMLS Amends Extension to State Reporting Due Dates, as Coronavirus Still Plagues the Land

The next test for mortgage finance companies licensed through the NMLS is the requirement of a number of states to provide financial statements through the NMLS within 90 days of the licensee’s fiscal year end.  We brought this issue to the attention of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (“CSBS”) two weeks ago, and this was considered by the NMLS Policy Committee last week. No decision was made at that time, but the Policy Committee agreed to consider the matter further this week. As we understand, after the meeting of the Policy Committee on Tuesday, it was decided that while financial statements are still due, there will be a 60 day grace period to provide the financial statements, and certain other required filings of state licensed entities. Specifically, the NMLS Policy Committee issued the following yesterday:

“In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on state regulated entities, the NMLS Policy Committee has implemented a 60-Day deadline extension for the following types of reporting submitted in NMLS:

  • Money Services Business Call Report
  • Mortgage Call Report
  • Financial Statement

Continue Reading Coronavirus Still Plagues the Land, but State Regulators Step Up and Provide Some Temporary Relief from Certain State Filings

Last week was busy for the financial technology industry (Fintechs) and non-bank regulators.

New York joined the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) in filing a lawsuit against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and announced plans to adopt a uniform licensing system for Fintechs. CSBS issued its support of the lawsuit,

It’s fall, Halloween is over, and the scary clowns (other than those vying for political office) will recede into the forests next to small communities.  Now it’s time to look forward.  Many, we hear tell, cannot do so with joy as they plan for Thanksgiving and the year-end holidays.  Rather, there is a sense of dread and foreboding as mortgage companies, money transmitters, and collection agencies, among others, begin the annual license renewal process through the NMLS.  Before too many deficiencies start haunting your NMLS Account Records, the Consumer Financial Services practice group at Mayer Brown wishes to offer you some cheer to keep your spirits up and 12 terrific tips (indeed, huuuuuge ideas) to help you slog through renewals and minimize deficiencies.
Continue Reading A Dozen Tips for Less Stress During the License Renewal Season*