53-248. Registration procedure; informal hearing.

(a) Initial Registration. An application to become registered as a facilitator shall be in writing, under oath, and in a form prescribed by the Commissioner. The application shall contain all information prescribed by the Commissioner. Each application for registration shall be accompanied by a fee, payable to the Commissioner, of two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) for each office where the registrant intends to facilitate refund anticipation loans.

Upon the filing of an application for registration, if the Commissioner finds that the responsibility and general fitness of the applicant are such as to command the confidence of the community and to warrant belief that the business of facilitating refund anticipation loans will be operated within the purposes of this Article, the Commissioner shall register the applicant as a facilitator of refund anticipation loans and shall issue and transmit to the applicant a certificate attesting to the registration. If the Commissioner does not so find, he shall not register the applicant and shall notify the applicant of the reasons for the denial.

Upon receipt of a certificate of registration, the applicant is registered under this Article and may engage in the business of facilitating refund anticipation loans at the offices identified on the application for registration.

(b) Renewal. Each registration as a facilitator of refund anticipation loans shall expire on December 31 following the date it was issued, unless it is renewed for the succeeding year. Before the registration expires, the registrant may renew the registration by filing with the Commissioner an application for renewal in the form and containing all information prescribed by the Commissioner. Each application for renewal of registration shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each office where the registrant intends to facilitate refund anticipation loans during the succeeding year.

Upon the filing of an application for renewal of registration under this Article, the Commissioner shall renew the registration unless the Commissioner determines that the fitness of the registrant or the operations of the registrant would not support registration of the registrant under subsection (a). If the Commissioner makes such a determination, he shall so notify the registrant, stating the reasons for the determination.

(c) Display of Certificate. Each registrant shall prominently display a certificate issued under this Article in each place of business in the State where the registrant facilitates the making of refund anticipation loans.

(d) Within five days of receipt of the Commissioner's notice, as required by subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the applicant may make written demand of the Commissioner for a hearing. The hearing before the Commissioner shall be an informal hearing and shall be held with reasonable promptness.