PART II. MAXIMUM CHARGES

§969.9. Consumer loans

A. The maximum loan finance charge for any consumer loan that may be charged, contracted for, or received may equal either Paragraph (1) or (2) of this Subsection but not exceed:

(1) The sum of all of the following:

(a) Thirty-six percent per annum for that portion of the unpaid principal amount of the loan not exceeding one thousand four hundred dollars.

(b) Twenty-seven percent per annum for that portion of the unpaid principal amount of the loan exceeding one thousand four hundred dollars and not exceeding four thousand dollars.

(c) Twenty-four percent per annum for that portion of the unpaid principal amount on the loan exceeding four thousand dollars and not exceeding seven thousand dollars.

(d) Twenty-one percent per annum for that portion of the unpaid principal amount of the loan exceeding seven thousand dollars.

(2) The credit service charge rate that would otherwise apply under R.S. 6:969.10 to a comparable consumer credit sale of a Class 2, Class 3, or Class 4 motor vehicle, as applicable, and regardless of amount.

B. This Section does not limit or restrict the manner of contracting for loan finance charges whether by way of precomputed interest, simple interest, or otherwise, so long as the annualized loan finance charge rate computed on an actuarial or United States Rule basis over the entire scheduled term of the transaction, assuming that all payments will be made when due and disregarding the possible effects of early prepayment or acceleration of maturity, does not exceed the maximum rates permitted in this Chapter. Demand loans shall have a presumed term of five years.

C. For the purposes of this Section, the term of a consumer loan commences with the date the contract is signed or the funds advanced, whichever occurs first. Differences in the lengths of months may be disregarded and a day may be counted as one-thirtieth of a month. Subject to classifications and differentiations the lender may reasonably establish, a part of a month in excess of fifteen days may be treated as a full month if periods of fifteen days or less are disregarded and if that procedure is not consistently used to obtain a greater yield than would otherwise be permitted.

D. Notwithstanding any provision of Subsection A, the extender of credit may contract for and receive a minimum loan finance charge of not more than fifteen dollars when the amount financed does not exceed two hundred dollars, or twenty-five dollars when the amount financed exceeds two hundred dollars; such charge shall be in lieu of all other loan finance charges.

Acts 1999, No. 794, §1, eff. July 2, 1999.