(a) Upon the filing of the required application and license fee under sections 36a-563 and 36a-564, the commissioner shall investigate the facts and no license shall be granted unless the commissioner finds that: (1) The experience, character and general fitness of the applicant and its control persons, qualified individual and any branch manager are satisfactory; (2) the activities to be conducted by the applicant will be for the convenience and advantage of the consumers it seeks to serve; (3) the applicant has available the funds required by subsection (d) of this section; and (4) the applicant and its control persons and any qualified individual and branch manager have not made a material misstatement in the application. If the commissioner fails to make such findings, the commissioner shall not issue a license and shall notify the applicant of the denial and the reasons for such denial.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the commissioner may deny an application if the applicant or its control persons or qualified individual or branch manager have demonstrated a lack of financial responsibility. For purposes of this subsection, a person has shown that he or she is not financially responsible when such person has shown a disregard in the management of such person’s own financial condition. A determination that a person has not shown financial responsibility may include, but is not limited to: (1) Current outstanding judgments, except judgments solely as a result of medical expenses; (2) current outstanding tax liens or other government liens and filings; (3) foreclosures during the three years preceding the date of application for an initial license or renewal of a license; or (4) a pattern of seriously delinquent accounts within the past three years.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, and subject to the provisions of section 46a-80, the commissioner may deny an application based on the history of criminal convictions of the applicant or of its control persons or qualified individual or branch manager.

(d) Applicants shall have a minimum of fifty thousand dollars continuously available for each licensed location. The requirement of this subsection may be met by cash on hand, cash in bank or lines of credit.

(e) The minimum standards for renewal of a small loan license shall include the following: (1) The applicant continues to meet the minimum standards under subsection (a) of this section; (2) the applicant has paid all required fees for renewal of the license; and (3) the applicant has paid any outstanding examination fees or other moneys due to the commissioner.

(f) (1) Withdrawal of an application for a license shall become effective upon the commissioner’s acceptance on the system of a withdrawal request. The commissioner may deny a license up to the date one year after the date the withdrawal became effective. Surrender of a license shall be governed by subsection (c) of section 36a-51. Not later than fifteen days after a licensee ceases to engage in this state in the business of a small loan lender for any reason, including a business decision to terminate operations in this state, license revocation, bankruptcy or voluntary dissolution, such licensee shall request surrender of the license on the system for each location in which such licensee has ceased to engage in such business.

(2) If the license expires due to the licensee’s failure to renew, the commissioner may institute a revocation or suspension proceeding or issue an order suspending or revoking such license pursuant to section 36a-570 not later than one year after the date of such expiration.

(g) Every license shall remain in force and effect until the license has been surrendered, revoked or suspended, or has expired in accordance with the provisions of sections 36a-555 to 36a-573, inclusive.

(P.A. 79-249; P.A. 89-338, S. 2; P.A. 90-99, S. 1, 2; P.A. 91-25, S. 1, 2; P.A. 95-28; P.A. 96-38; P.A. 00-164, S. 2; P.A. 16-65, S. 29; P.A. 17-236, S. 6.)

History: P.A. 89-338 increased the loan limit in Subsecs. (a) and (c) from $5,000 to $10,000 and made one-hundred-twenty-month and 15-day payment period where a cash advance brought the balance in excess of $5,000; P.A. 90-99 amended Subsec. (c) by defining “bona fide error” and amended Subsec. (h) by authorizing the sale of credit accident and health insurance on open-end loans and specifying borrowers right to terminate coverage; P.A. 91-25 amended Subsec. (a) by adding “interest” to Subdiv. (2) and changing “charges are” to read “interest is” in Subdiv. (3), amended Subsec. (c) by limiting interest on open-end loans to an annual percentage rate not to exceed 19.8% and adding Subdivs. (1) to (4), inclusive, re permissible loan charges, amended Subsec. (d) by adding “interest or”, amended Subsec. (e) by changing “charges” to read “interest” and made technical changes to Subdivs. (f) and (g); Sec. 36-233b transferred to Sec. 36a-565 in 1995; P.A. 95-28 changed “ten” to “fifteen” in Subsecs. (a)(1), defining “open-end loan”, and (c), deleted Subsec. (g) re maximum term for full payment and re maximum specified annual percentage rates, and relettered Subsecs. (h) to (k), inclusive, as Subsecs. (g) to (j) (Revisor’s note: A reference in Subsec. (g) to “Commissioner of Insurance” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Insurance Commissioner” for consistency with customary statutory usage); P.A. 96-38 amended Subsec. (c)(1) to increase permitted annual fee from $35 to $50; P.A. 00-164 amended Subsec. (c)(3) by replacing language re bad check charge with language re service charges for dishonored check; P.A. 16-65 replaced former provisions with new Subsecs. (a) to (g) re findings required for issuance of license, denial of application, minimum funds, standards for renewal, withdrawal of application, surrender of license and failure to renew, effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 17-236 amended Subsec. (c) by making a technical change, effective July 11, 2017.