(a) A corporation that seeks to be chartered shall file an application with the department and shall pay applicable fees established by regulation of the department to defray the costs of the investigation and review of the application.

(b) The department shall, by regulation, prescribe annual examination fees, charter fees, registration fees, and supervision fees to be paid by each merchant acquirer limited purpose bank. In addition, the department may, by regulation, prescribe reasonable application and related fees, special investigation fees, hearing fees, and fees to provide copies of any book, account, report, or other paper filed in its office or for any certification thereof or for processing any papers as required by this title. The department, in its discretion, may require the payment of such fees in any manner deemed to be efficient, including collection through automated clearing-house arrangements or other electronic means, so that the state receives funds no later than the date the payment is required to be made. The department is authorized to net the fees authorized in this subsection to recover any costs incurred by the department related to any investigation or examination of a merchant acquirer limited purpose bank.

(c) The merchant acquirer limited purpose bank shall have, within one year after the date it receives its charter, no fewer than 50 employees located in this state devoted to merchant acquiring activities; provided, however, a merchant acquirer limited purpose bank may contract with an eligible organization for the performance of merchant acquiring activities, settlement activities, or any of the other services identified in paragraph (4) of Code Section 7-9-2, and when a merchant acquirer limited purpose bank enters into such contracts with an eligible organization for merchant acquiring activities, settlement activities, or any other services identified in paragraph (4) of Code Section 7-9-2, the minimum number of employees in this state shall be determined by the commissioner at a level to assure the continued and substantive presence of the merchant acquirer limited purpose bank in this state for the purpose of conducting its corporate affairs and operations. If a merchant acquirer limited purpose bank contracts with an eligible organization that is an affiliate of the merchant acquirer limited purpose bank, the commissioner shall consider the eligible organization's or its parent's, affiliates', or subsidiaries' employees engaged on behalf of the merchant acquirer limited purpose bank as employees of the merchant acquirer limited purpose bank for purposes of complying with this subsection.