(a) On and after January 1, 2015, no person shall act as a mortgage servicer, directly or indirectly, without first obtaining a license under section 36a-719 from the commissioner for its main office and for each branch office where such business is conducted, unless such person is exempt from licensure pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. Any activity subject to licensure pursuant to sections 36a-715 to 36a-719l, inclusive, shall be conducted from an office located in a state, as defined in section 36a-2.

(b) The following persons are exempt from mortgage servicer licensing requirements: (1) Any bank, out-of-state bank, Connecticut credit union, federal credit union or out-of-state credit union, provided such bank or credit union is federally insured; (2) any wholly-owned subsidiary of such bank or credit union; (3) any operating subsidiary where each owner of such operating subsidiary is wholly owned by the same such bank or credit union; (4) any person licensed as a mortgage lender in this state while acting as a mortgage servicer from a location licensed as a main office or branch office under sections 36a-485 to 36a-498e, inclusive, 36a-534a and 36a-534b, provided (A) such person meets the supplemental mortgage servicer surety bond, fidelity bond and errors and omissions coverage requirements under section 36a-719c, and (B) during any period that the license of the mortgage lender in this state has been suspended, such exemption shall not be effective; and (5) any person licensed as a mortgage correspondent lender in this state while acting as a mortgage servicer with respect to any residential mortgage loan it has made and during the permitted ninety-day holding period for such loan from a location licensed as a main office or branch office under sections 36a-485 to 36a-498e, inclusive, 36a-534a and 36a-534b, provided during any period the license of the mortgage correspondent lender in this state has been suspended, such exemption shall not be effective.

(c) The provisions of sections 36a-719e to 36a-719h, inclusive, shall apply to any person, including a person exempt from licensure pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, who acts as a mortgage servicer in this state on or after January 1, 2015.

(P.A. 88-230, S. 1, 12; P.A. 89-347, S. 6; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 93-142, S. 4, 7, 8; P.A. 94-122, S. 313, 340; P.A. 01-48, S. 13; P.A. 09-208, S. 34; P.A. 14-89, S. 4; P.A. 15-53, S. 1; P.A. 18-173, S. 71.)

History: (Revisor's note: P.A. 88-230 authorized substitution of “judicial district of Hartford” for “judicial district of Hartford-New Britain” in the public and special acts of 1989, effective September 1, 1991); P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 94-122 deleted provisions allowing the commissioner to bring an enforcement action in superior court and to fine violators up to $2,500 and made technical changes, effective January 1, 1995; Sec. 36-442p transferred to Sec. 36a-718 in 1995; P.A. 01-48 added provision re express delivery; P.A. 09-208 added “take action against such mortgage servicing company” and reference to Sec. 36a-50 and deleted “, order the mortgage servicing company to cease and desist from such violation”, effective July 7, 2009; P.A. 14-89 replaced former provisions re violation by mortgage servicing company with Subsec. (a) re mortgage servicers to be licensed, Subsec. (b) re exemptions from licensure and Subsec. (c) re application of requirements to person acting as a mortgage servicer in this state on or after January 1, 2015; P.A. 15-53 amended Subsec. (b) to add Subdiv. (5) re exemption for licensed mortgage correspondent lender, effective June 19, 2015; P.A. 18-173 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re activity subject to licensure to be conducted from an office located in a state, and amended Subsec. (b) by replacing references to Sec. 36a-498f with references to Sec. 36a-498e in Subdivs. (4) and (5).