Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 75 - REGULATION OF TRADE, COMMERCE AND INVESTMENTS (§§ 75-1-101 — 75-NEW-NEW-007) › Chapter 67 - LOANS (§§ 75-67-1 — 75-67-639) › Article 13 - MISSISSIPPI CREDIT AVAILABILITY ACT (§§ 75-67-601 — 75-67-639) › Section 75-67-609 - [Repealed effective 7/1/2026] Applicant eligibility requirements

To be eligible for a credit availability license, an applicant shall:
(a)
Operate lawfully and fairly within the purposes of this article.
(b)
Not have been convicted in the last ten (10) years or be active as a beneficial owner for someone who has been convicted in the last ten (10) years of a crime that the commissioner finds directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the business of offering credit availability transactions.
(c)
File with the commissioner a bond with good security in the penal sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00), payable to the State of Mississippi, for the faithful performance by the licensee of the duties and obligations pertaining to the business so licensed and the prompt payment of any judgment which may be recovered against the licensee on account of charges or other claims arising directly or collectively from any violation of the provisions of this article. The bond shall not be valid until the commissioner approves it. The applicant may file, in lieu of the bond, cash, a certificate of deposit or government bonds in the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00). Those deposits shall be filed with the commissioner and are subject to the same terms and conditions as are provided for in the surety bond required in this paragraph. Any interest or earnings on those deposits are payable to the depositor. Applicants applying for multiple licenses may submit a single bond for all licenses, provided that the total value of the bond is equal to Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) per license applied for.
(d)
File with the commissioner an application for a license and the initial license fee required in this article. If applicant's application is approved, a credit availability license will be issued within thirty (30) days.
(e)
File with the commissioner a set of fingerprints from any local law enforcement agency for each owner of a sole proprietorship, partners in a partnership or principal owners of a limited liability company that own at least ten percent (10%) of the voting shares of the company, shareholders owning ten percent (10%) or more of the outstanding shares of the corporation, except publically traded corporations and their subsidiaries, and any other executive officer with significant oversight duties of the business. In order to determine the applicant's suitability for license, the commissioner shall forward the fingerprints to the Department of Public Safety; and if no disqualifying record is identified at the state level, the Department of Public Safety shall forward the fingerprints to the FBI for a national criminal history record check.
(f)
Complete and file with the commissioner an annual renewal application for a license accompanied by the renewal fee required in this article.
Reenacted by Laws, 2021, ch. 353, HB 1075,§ 5, eff. 7/1/2021.
Reenacted without change by Laws, 2018, ch. 404, HB 811,§ 5, eff. 7/1/2018.
Added by Laws, 2016, ch. 500, SB 2409, 5, eff. 7/1/2016.