Fla. Stat. § 658.995 — Florida Code / Title XXXVIII / Chapter 658 / Section 658.995
658.995 Credit Card Bank Act.
Status: in_force

(1) This section may be cited as the “Credit Card Bank Act.”

(2) As used in this section, the term: (a) “Credit card” means any type of arrangement or loan agreement pursuant to which a domestic lender or credit card bank gives a borrower the privilege of using a credit card or other credit confirmation or device of any type in transactions out of which debt arises, including: 1. By the domestic lender or credit card bank honoring a draft or similar order for the payment of money created, authorized, issued, or accepted by the borrower; or 2. By the domestic lender or credit card bank paying or agreeing to pay the borrower’s obligation. (b) “Credit card account” means an arrangement between a domestic lender or credit card bank and a borrower for the creation of debt pursuant to a credit card and under which: 1. The domestic lender or credit card bank may permit the borrower to create debt from time to time; 2. The unpaid balance of principal of such debt and the loan, finance, or other appropriate charges are debited to an account; 3. A loan finance charge is computed or an interest rate is imposed upon the outstanding balances of the borrower’s account from time to time; and 4. The domestic lender or credit card bank is to render bills or statements to the borrower at regular intervals, the amount of which bills or statement is payable by and due from the borrower on a specified date as stated in such bill or statement or, at the option of the borrower but subject to the terms and conditions of the credit card account, may be paid by the borrower in installments. (c) “Credit card bank” means a national bank that has its principal place of business in this state or a bank organized under the laws of this state, the activities of which are limited by law to those permitted pursuant to subsection (3). (d) “Domestic lender” means any bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or other business organization organized or chartered under the laws of this state or of the United States, which in any event is authorized by law to accept deposits and make loans and has its principal place of business in this state. (e) “Foreign lender” means any bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or other business organization organized or chartered under the laws of the United States, or any state other than this state or the District of Columbia, which in any event is authorized by law to accept deposits and make loans and has its principal place of business outside this state. (f) The term “business organization” shall have the meaning set forth in s. 658.27(1)(b).

(3) Subject to the provisions of this section and to the approval of the office, any domestic lender, foreign lender, or business organization may organize, own, and control a credit card bank on the terms and conditions provided in this section: (a) If the credit card bank is to be organized under the laws of this state, such bank shall be organized as provided in this section; (b) In connection with the application to organize or to control a credit card bank, the applicant shall pay to the office a filing fee as provided in s. 658.73 for the formation of a bank or trust company; (c) The shares of a credit card bank shall be owned solely by a domestic lender, a foreign lender, or a business organization; (d) The credit card bank shall accept deposits only at a single location in this state; (e) The credit card bank shall at all times maintain capital stock and paid-in surplus as required by regulatory policies of the commission and office but in no event less than $4 million; (f) The credit card bank may engage only in the business of soliciting, processing, and making loans pursuant to credit card accounts and conducting such other activities as may be necessarily incident thereto; (g) The credit card bank may not accept demand deposits or deposits that the depositor has the ability to withdraw by check or similar means for payment to third parties or others; (h) The credit card bank may accept savings or time deposits of only $100,000 or more; (i) The credit card bank must, prior to opening, obtain and thereafter maintain insurance of its deposits by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and (j) The credit card bank may not engage in the business of making commercial loans.

(4) A credit card account between any domestic lender or credit card bank and a borrower, wherever the borrower’s place or residence, shall be governed solely by the laws of this state and federal law unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing by the parties. However, in no case shall such a writing by the parties supersede the interest rate provisions of s. 655.954. A domestic lender or credit card bank may, as specified in the written agreement governing a credit card account, modify terms or conditions of such credit card account upon prior written notice or such modification as specified by the terms of the agreement governing the credit card account or by the Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. ss. 1601 et seq.). Any such notice provided by a domestic lender or credit card bank shall specify that the borrower has the right to surrender the credit card whereupon the borrower shall have the right to continue to pay off the borrower’s credit card account in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions as then in effect. The borrower’s failure to surrender the credit card prior to the modifications becoming effective shall constitute a consent to the modifications.

(5) All credit card banks organized under the laws of this state shall be subject to the supervision, regulation, and examination of the office, and the office shall have all enforcement powers with respect thereto as are provided in the financial institutions codes.

(6) A credit card bank shall be subject to the provisions of the financial institutions codes except when any rights, powers, privileges, or provisions of the financial institutions codes are inconsistent with the rights, powers, privileges, provisions, or limitations of this section.

(7) A credit card bank shall not be considered a “bank” for the purposes of ss. 658.27-658.2953.

History: s. 140, ch. 92-303; s. 1806, ch. 2003-261; s. 102, ch. 2013-18; s. 163, ch. 2014-17.