138.12(9)(c)(c) The service charge shall be computed on the principal balance of a premium finance agreement payable in successive monthly installments substantially equal in amount for a period of one year. On a premium finance agreement providing for installments extending for a period less than or greater than one year, the service charge shall be computed proportionately. 138.12(9)(d)(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of any premium finance agreement, any insured may prepay the obligation in full at any time. In such event, the insured shall receive a refund credit. The amount of such refund credit shall represent at least as great a proportion of the service charge as the sum of the periodic balances after the month in which prepayment is made bears to the sum of all periodic balances under the schedule of installments in the agreement. Where the amount of the refund credit is less than $1, no refund need be made. If in addition to the service charge an additional charge was imposed, such additional charge need not be refunded nor taken into consideration in computing the refund credit. 138.12(10)(10) Charges by licensed lenders; rebates. 138.12(10)(a)(a) A lender licensed under s. 138.09 may charge interest as provided in that section for a loan involving a premium finance agreement. 138.12(10)(b)(b) The interest shall be computed on the balance of the premiums due, after subtracting the down payment made by the insured in accordance with the premium finance agreement, from the effective date of the insurance coverage, for which the premiums are being advanced, to and including the date when the final installment of the premium finance agreement is payable. 138.12(10)(c)(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of any premium finance agreement, any insured may prepay the obligation in full at any time. In such event the insured shall receive a rebate as provided under s. 138.09. 138.12(10)(d)(d) Except as provided in sub. (12) to the contrary, s. 138.09 applies to a loan involving a premium finance agreement made by a licensed lender. 138.12(11)(a)(a) A premium finance agreement may provide for the payment by the insured of a delinquency or default charge of $1 to a maximum of 5 percent of any delinquent installment which is in default for a period of 5 days or more. If the default results in the cancellation of any insurance contract listed in the agreement, the agreement may provide for the payment by the insured of a cancellation charge of $15. A premium finance agreement may also provide for the payment of statutory attorney fees and statutory court costs if the agreement is referred for collection to an attorney not a salaried employee of the insurance premium finance company. 138.12(11)(b)(b) This subsection does not apply to loans by licensed lenders regulated under s. 138.09. 138.12(12)(12) Cancellation. When a premium finance agreement contains a power of attorney or other authority enabling the insurance premium finance company to cancel any insurance contract listed in the agreement, the following applies: 138.12(12)(a)(a) Not less than 10 days’ written notice shall be mailed to the insured of the intent of the insurance premium finance company to cancel the insurance contract unless the default is cured prior to the date stated in the notice. The insurance agent or insurance broker indicated on the premium finance agreement shall also be mailed 10 days’ notice of such action. 138.12(12)(b)(b) Pursuant to the power of attorney or other authority referred to above, the insurance premium finance company may cancel on behalf of the insured by mailing to the insurer written notice stating when thereafter the cancellation shall be effective, and the insurance contract shall be canceled as if such notice of cancellation had been submitted by the insured himself or herself, but without requiring the return of the insurance contract. The insurance premium finance company shall also mail a notice of cancellation to the insured at the insured’s last-known address and to the insurance agent or insurance broker indicated on the premium finance agreement. Compliance by the premium finance company with the provisions of the premium finance agreement or par. (a), shall not be a condition of effective cancellation hereunder. 138.12(12)(c)(c) Where statutory, regulatory or contractual restrictions provide that the insurance contract may not be canceled unless notice is given to a governmental agency, mortgagee or other 3rd party, the insurer shall give the prescribed notice on behalf of itself or the insured to such governmental agency, mortgagee or other 3rd party within a reasonable time after the day it receives the notice of cancellation from the premium finance company. When the above restrictions require the continuation of insurance beyond the effective date of cancellation specified by the premium finance company such insurance shall be limited to the coverage to which such restrictions relate and to the persons they are designed to protect. 138.12(12)(d)(d) Whenever a financed insurance contract is canceled the insurer shall return whatever unearned premiums are due under the insurance contract to the insurance premium finance company for the account of the insured, and such action by the insurer shall be deemed to satisfy the insurer’s obligations under the insurance contract which relate to the return of unearned premiums. If the crediting of return premiums to the account of the insured results in a surplus over the amount due from the insured, the premium finance company shall refund such excess to the insured but no such refund shall be required if it amounts to less than $1. 138.12(13)(13) No filing necessary. No filing of the premium finance agreement or recording of a premium finance transaction shall be necessary to perfect the validity of such agreement as a secured transaction as against creditors, subsequent purchasers, pledgees, encumbrancers, successors or assigns. 138.12(14)(14) Established insurance premium finance companies. Any person or corporation engaged in the business of an insurance premium finance company on May 19, 1970, may continue in operation under this section but shall obtain a license by January 1, 1970. 138.12(15)(15) Applicability of chs. 421 to 427 to this section. All consumer loans as defined in chs. 421 to 427 made by licensees under this section shall be governed by this section to the extent that chs. 421 to 427 are inconsistent with this section. 138.14(1)(a)(a) “Affiliate” means, with respect to a person, another person who owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, such person. In this paragraph “control” means any of the following: 138.14(1)(a)1.1. For a corporation, direct or indirect ownership of, or the right to control, 10 percent or more of the voting shares of the corporation, or the ability of a person to elect a majority of the directors or otherwise effect a change in policy. 138.14(1)(a)2.2. For any entity other than a corporation, the ability to change the active or passive principals of the organization. 138.14(1)(bm)(bm) “Customer” means an individual who enters into a payday loan with a licensee. 138.14(1)(br)(br) “Customer identification number” means a unique number assigned to a customer in a manner specified by the division, or by the database provider acting at the direction of the division. 138.14(1)(d)(d) “Database provider” means a 3rd-party provider with whom the department contracts to operate the database or, if the division elects to operate the database, the division. 138.14(1)(e)(e) “Department” means the department of financial institutions. 138.14(1)(g)(g) “Financial establishment” means any organization that is authorized to do business under state or federal law and that holds a demand deposit, savings deposit, or other asset account belonging to an individual. 138.14(1)(h)(h) “General order” means an order that is not a special order. 138.14(1)(i)(i) “Licensee” means a person holding a license issued by the division under sub. (5). 138.14(1)(j)(j) “Maturity date” means the date specified when originating a payday loan on which the loan is required to be paid in full. 138.14(1)(k)1.1. A transaction between an individual with an account at a financial establishment and another person, including a person who is not physically located in this state, in which the person agrees to accept from the individual one or more checks, to hold the check or checks for a period of time before negotiating or presenting the check or checks for payment, and to loan to the individual, for a term of 90 days or less, before negotiating or presenting the check or checks for payment, an amount that is agreed to by the individual. 138.14(1)(k)2.2. A transaction between an individual with an account at a financial establishment and another person, including a person who is not physically located in this state, in which the person agrees to accept the individual’s authorization to initiate one or more electronic fund transfers from the account, to wait a period of time before initiating the electronic fund transfer or transfers, and to loan to the individual, for a term of 90 days or less, before initiating the electronic fund transfer or transfers, an amount that is agreed to by the individual. 138.14(1)(L)(L) “Special order” means an order against a person. 138.14(2)(2) License required. A person may not originate or service a payday loan involving a Wisconsin resident without first having obtained from the division a license under sub. (5) for each place of business at which the person originates or services payday loans involving Wisconsin residents. Such a license is required for, and this section applies to, all payday loans made to a Wisconsin resident, regardless of whether the loan is made by face-to-face contact, mail, telephone, Internet, or any other means. 138.14(3)(3) Exemptions. This section does not apply to any of the following: 138.14(3)(a)(a) Banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, trust companies, credit unions, or any of their affiliates. 138.14(3)(b)(b) Any transaction in which no finance charge, and no other fees or charges of any kind, are required or accepted, at any time, from the person receiving the loan. For the purposes of this paragraph, “finance charge” has the meaning given in 12 CFR 1026.4. 138.14(4)(a)1.1. Subject to subd. 1g., application for licenses under sub. (5) shall be made to the division in writing in the form and manner prescribed by the division and shall include all of the following: Effective date noteNOTE: Subd. 1. (intro.) is shown as amended eff. 1-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 267. Prior to 1-1-25 it reads: Effective date text1. Application for licenses under sub. (5) shall be made to the division in writing in the form and manner prescribed by the division and shall include all of the following:
138.14(4)(a)1.a.a. Except as provided in subd. 3., if the applicant is an individual, the applicant’s social security number. 138.14(4)(a)1.b.b. If the applicant is not an individual, the applicant’s federal employer identification number. 138.14(4)(a)1.c.c. A statement signed by or on behalf of the applicant that acknowledges that the applicant is subject to the debt collection requirements under ch. 427 with respect to payday loans. 138.14(4)(a)1g.1g. The division shall utilize the nationwide multistate licensing system and registry, and the provisions of s. 224.35 shall apply, with respect to applicants and licensees under this section. 138.14(4)(a)1m.1m. An applicant or licensee under this section shall register with, and maintain a valid unique identifier issued by, the nationwide multistate licensing system and registry. 138.14(4)(a)1r.1r. Each licensee shall keep current and accurate all material information on file with the division and the nationwide multistate licensing system and registry as provided in s. 224.35 (6). 138.14(4)(a)2.2. The division may not disclose any information received under subd. 1. a. or b. to any person except as follows: 138.14(4)(a)2.a.a. The division may disclose information under subd. 1. a. or b. to the department of revenue for the sole purpose of requesting certifications under s. 73.0301 and to the department of workforce development for the sole purpose of requesting certifications under s. 108.227. 138.14(4)(a)2.b.b. The division may disclose information under subd. 1. a. to the department of workforce development in accordance with a memorandum of understanding under s. 49.857. 138.14(4)(a)2.c.c. The division may disclose information to the nationwide multistate licensing system and registry as provided in s. 224.35. 138.14(4)(a)3.3. If an applicant who is an individual does not have a social security number, the applicant, as a condition of applying for a license, shall submit a statement made or subscribed under oath or affirmation to the division that the applicant does not have a social security number. The form of the statement shall be prescribed by the department of workforce development. Any license issued in reliance upon a false statement submitted by an applicant is invalid. 138.14(4)(b)(b) At the time of making application, an applicant for a license shall pay to the division a nonrefundable $300 fee for investigating the application and a $500 annual license fee. If the cost of the investigation exceeds $300, the applicant shall upon demand of the division pay to the division the amount by which the cost of the investigation exceeds the nonrefundable fee. 138.14(4)(c)(c) The division shall require any applicant or licensee to file and maintain in force a bond in a sum not to exceed $5,000 for each place of business at which the applicant or licensee makes payday loans to a Wisconsin resident. The bond shall be in a form prescribed by and acceptable to the division. 138.14(5)(a)(a) Upon the filing of an application under sub. (4) and the payment of the required fees, the division shall investigate the relevant facts. Except as provided in par. (b), if the division finds that the character and general fitness and the financial responsibility of the applicant, and the members thereof if the applicant is a partnership, limited liability company, or association, and the officers and directors thereof if the applicant is a corporation, warrant the belief that the business will be operated in compliance with this section, the division shall issue a license to the applicant. If the division does not make such finding, the division shall deny the application. 138.14(5)(b)(b) The division may not issue a license to an applicant if any of the following applies: 138.14(5)(b)2.2. The department of revenue certifies under s. 73.0301 that the applicant is liable for delinquent taxes. 138.14(5)(b)2m.2m. The department of workforce development certifies under s. 108.227 that the applicant is liable for delinquent unemployment insurance contributions. 138.14(5)(b)3.3. The applicant fails to comply, after appropriate notice, with a subpoena or warrant issued by the department of workforce development or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and related to paternity or child support proceedings. 138.14(5)(b)4.4. The applicant is delinquent in making court-ordered payments of child or family support, maintenance, birth expenses, medical expenses, or other expenses related to the support of a child or former spouse, as provided in a memorandum of understanding entered into under s. 49.857. 138.14(5)(c)(c) A license may be renewed or reinstated as provided in s. 224.35 (7). A license that is not renewed or reinstated by the end of the reinstatement period provided in s. 224.35 (7) shall be deemed to have expired on December 31 of the year immediately preceding the reinstatement period, unless the initial license date is between November 1 and December 31, in which instance the initial license term shall run through December 31 of the following year. Effective date noteNOTE: Par. (c) is shown as repealed and recreated eff. 1-1-25 by 2023 Wis. Act 267. Prior to 1-1-25 it reads: Effective date text(c) A license shall remain in force and effect until suspended or revoked in accordance with this section or surrendered by the licensee, and a licensee shall, on or before each December 10, pay to the division the annual license fee for the next succeeding calendar year.
138.14(5)(d)(d) A license is not assignable and permits operation under it only at or from the place of business specified in the license. 138.14(5)(e)(e) A licensee shall conspicuously post a license at the place of business where the licensee makes payday loans, or if conducting business through the Internet, on the licensee’s website so that the license is easily viewed by a consumer. 138.14(6)(a)(a) Whenever a licensee changes the address of its place of business to another location within the same city, village, or town, the licensee shall give written notice thereof, in a form and manner prescribed by the division, to the division within 10 business days of the relocation. If so directed by the division, the licensee shall provide any notice required under this subsection to the nationwide multistate licensing system and registry as provided in s. 224.35. No change in the place of business of a licensee to a different city, village, or town is permitted under the same license.
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