This division does not apply to any of the following:

(a) Any person, or his or her authorized agent, doing business under license and authority of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions under Division 1 (commencing with Section 99) or under any law of this state or of the United States relating to banks, trust companies, building or savings associations, industrial loan companies, personal property brokers, credit unions, title insurance companies or underwritten title companies, as defined in Section 12402 of the Insurance Code, escrow agents subject to Division 6 (commencing with Section 17000), or finance lenders subject to Division 9 (commencing with Section 22000).

(b) (1) Any person licensed under Chapter 14A (commencing with Section 1851) of Division 1 or any agent of the person, when selling any traveler’s check, as defined in Section 1852, which is issued by the person.

(2) Any person licensed under Division 16 (commencing with Section 33000) or any agent of the person, when selling any payment instrument, as defined in Section 33059, which is issued by the person.

(c) The services of a person licensed to practice law in this state, when the person renders services in the course of his or her practice as an attorney-at-law, and the fees and disbursements of the person, whether paid by the debtor or other person, are not charges or costs and expenses regulated by or subject to the limitations of this chapter. These fees and disbursements shall not be shared, directly or indirectly, with the prorater or check seller.

(d) Any transaction in which money or other property is paid to a “joint control agent” for disbursal or use in payment of the cost of labor, materials, services, permits, fees, or other items of expense incurred in construction of improvements upon real property.

(e) A merchant-owned credit or creditors association, or a member-owned, member-controlled, or member-directed association whose principal function is that of servicing the community as a reporting agency.

(f) Any agency or service subject to Title 2.91 (commencing with Section 1812.500) of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code, when providing services under that title.

(g) Any person licensed under Part 1 (commencing with Section 10000) of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code, when acting in any capacity for which he or she is licensed under that part.

(h) A common law or statutory assignment for the benefit of creditors or the operation or liquidation of property or a business enterprise under supervision of a creditor’s committee.

(i) The services of a person licensed as a certified public accountant or a public accountant in this state, when the person renders services in the course of his or her practice as a certified public accountant or a public accountant, and the fees and disbursements of the person, whether paid by the debtor or other person, are not charges or costs and expenses regulated by or subject to the limitations of this chapter. These fees and disbursements shall not be shared, directly or indirectly, with the prorater or check seller.

(j) Any person licensed under Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 1800) of Division 1 or any agent of the person, when selling any check or draft that is drawn by the person and is of the type described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 1800.5.

(k) Any group of banks each of which is organized under the laws of a nation other than the United States and one or more of which are licensed by the Commissioner of Financial Institutions under Article 3 (commencing with Section 1750) of Chapter 13.5 of Division 1, or any agent of the group, when selling any foreign currency traveler’s check, as defined in Section 1852, issued by the group. Each bank that is a member of the group is jointly and severally liable to pay the foreign currency traveler’s check.

(l) Any transaction of the type described in Section 1854.1.

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 538, Sec. 171. Effective January 1, 2007.)