§ 7–102
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-102 (2026)
Title 7. Collection Agencies
Subtitle 1. Definitions; General Provisions
§ 7–102LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.
(2)
“Common ownership” means direct or indirect ownership of more than 50% of a person.
(3)
“Principal business” means a business activity of a person that comprises more than 50% of the total business activities of the person.
(b)
This title does not apply to:
(1)
a bank;
(2)
a federal or State credit union;
(3)
a mortgage lender;
(4)
a person acting under an order of a court of competent jurisdiction;
(5)
a licensed real estate broker, or an individual acting on behalf of the real estate broker, in the collection of rent or allied charges for property;
(6)
a savings and loan association;
(7)
a title company as to its escrow business;
(8)
a trust company;
(9)
a lawyer who is collecting a debt for a client, unless the lawyer has an employee who:
(i)
is not a lawyer; and
(ii)
is engaged primarily to solicit debts for collection or primarily makes contact with a debtor to collect or adjust a debt through a procedure identified with the operation of a collection agency; or
(10)
a person who is collecting a debt for another person if:
(i)
both persons are related by common ownership;
(ii)
the person who is collecting a debt does so only for those persons to whom it is related by common ownership;
(iii)
the principal business of the person who is collecting a debt is not the collection of debts; and
(iv)
before collecting a debt, the person files with the Board:
(1)
the correct name of the person;
(2)
an address and telephone number of a contact person; and
(3)
the name of the person’s resident agent.