<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcl" article_name="Commercial Law" number="12-114" title_number="12" title_name="Credit Regulations" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Interest and Usury">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section does not apply to a loan subject to § 12–114.1 of this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Any person who violates the usury provisions of this subtitle shall forfeit to the borrower the greater of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Three times the amount of interest and charges collected in excess of the interest and charges authorized by this subtitle; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The sum of $500.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A claim or plea of usury is not valid if, within 30 days from the date the loan contract was executed, the lender:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Notifies the borrower and any other party to the loan contract that the loan was usurious; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Agrees to modify it by substituting for the usurious rate of interest a legal rate of interest not exceeding the stated rate of interest.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Any person who violates the disclosure provisions of § 12–106(b) and (c) of this subtitle is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>Even if a loan document is executed outside of the State, this section is applicable if the loan is made to a resident of Maryland and is secured by property located within the State.</text>
  </level>
</section>
