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<section article="gfi" article_name="Financial Institutions" number="11-603.1" title_number="11" title_name="Consumer Credit" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Mortgage Loan Originators">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “affiliated insurance producer–mortgage loan originator” means an individual who:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Originates mortgage loans made by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A financial institution that is:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Described in § 11–502(b)(1) of this title; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Approved by the Commissioner under subsection (b) of this section; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A mortgage lender that is approved by the Commissioner under subsection (c) of this section;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Is a licensed insurance producer in good standing under § 10–103 of the Insurance Article; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Holds an appointment as an insurance producer for an insurer that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A financial institution or a mortgage lender described in item (1) of this subsection; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A mortgage lender that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Is approved by the Commissioner under subsection (d) of this section;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Originates loans made by a financial institution or a mortgage lender described in item (1) of this subsection; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Is acting as a mortgage broker, as defined in § 11–501 of this title.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The Commissioner shall approve a financial institution described in subsection (a)(1)(i) of this section based on the following criteria:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The financial institution is in good standing with its primary state or federal regulator; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The financial institution is in material compliance with applicable state and federal law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Commissioner shall approve a mortgage lender described in subsection (a)(1)(ii) of this section based on the following criteria:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The mortgage lender is in good standing with the Commissioner and any other regulator to which it is subject; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The mortgage lender is in material compliance with applicable state and federal law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Commissioner shall approve a mortgage lender described in subsection (a)(3)(ii) of this section based on the following criteria:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The mortgage lender is in good standing with the Commissioner and any other regulator to which it is subject; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The mortgage lender is in material compliance with applicable state and federal law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Approval by the Commissioner of a financial institution under subsection (b) of this section and a mortgage lender under subsection (c) or (d) of this section shall be in writing.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An application for a license under this section shall be in the form approved by the Commissioner.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The application shall require the identification of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A financial institution or a mortgage lender described in subsection (a)(1) of this section;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If applicable, a mortgage lender described in subsection (a)(3)(ii) of this section; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The insurer with which the applicant holds an appointment.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>An application for a license under this section shall be sponsored by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A financial institution or a mortgage lender described in subsection (a)(1) of this section that is identified in the application; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If a mortgage lender described in subsection (a)(3)(ii) of this section is identified in the application, the mortgage lender.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Notwithstanding §§ 11–602(a) and 11–603 of this subtitle, and subject to the provisions of this section, a license issued under this section authorizes the licensee to act as a mortgage loan originator only on behalf of a sponsor that is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Identified in the licensee’s application; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>A mortgage lender; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>A person that is exempt from licensing as a mortgage lender.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>This section may not be construed to authorize sponsorship other than for the purpose described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>An applicant for a license under this section and a licensee under this section shall comply with all other requirements for licensing as a mortgage loan originator under this subtitle.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>A licensee under this section shall limit the licensee’s activities to originating mortgage loans made by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A financial institution approved by the Commissioner under subsection (b) of this section; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A mortgage lender approved by the Commissioner under subsection (c) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>A financial institution or a mortgage lender that sponsors a licensee’s license application shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Supervise the licensee, including providing direction through written instructions or electronic means and by periodically examining the licensee’s books, records, and other aspects of the licensee’s business;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Be held jointly and severally liable with the licensee for claims arising out of the licensee’s mortgage loan origination activities; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Meet, or cause the licensee to meet, the surety bond requirements under § 11–619(c) of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>Except as provided in subsection (l) of this section, a licensee under this section may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Aid or assist a borrower to obtain a mortgage loan from:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A financial institution other than a financial institution identified in the licensee’s license application; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A mortgage lender other than a mortgage lender identified in the licensee’s application;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Except for compensation based on the principal balance of a mortgage loan, be compensated by any person for mortgage loan origination activities on a basis that depends on the terms of the mortgage loan, including interest rate or fees;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Receive a finder’s fee, as defined in § 12–801 of the Commercial Law Article;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Handle borrower or other third party funds in connection with the origination or closing of a mortgage loan;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Refer a borrower to any other licensee under Subtitle 5 of this title; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Make or service a mortgage loan.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <text>A licensee under this section may forward a check to a financial institution or a mortgage lender identified in the licensee’s license application if the check is:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Made payable to the financial institution or the mortgage lender;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>From an applicant for a mortgage loan; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>In connection with an application for a mortgage loan to cover costs for:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>An appraisal;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A credit report; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Processing the application.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An individual may not act as an affiliated insurance producer–mortgage loan originator unless the licensee:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Notifies the Commissioner, in the form and in accordance with the process that the Commissioner requires, in advance of a change in the licensee’s name or the licensee’s sponsor;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Pays to the Commissioner a license amendment fee set by the Commissioner for each notice provided under item (i) of this paragraph; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>In the case of a new sponsor, amends the sponsorship information on NMLS by submitting the amendment in the form required by the Commissioner to indicate that the licensee is sponsored by the new sponsor.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a licensee ceases to be sponsored by any financial institution approved by the Commissioner under subsection (b) of this section or any mortgage lender approved by the Commissioner under subsection (c) or (d) of this section, the licensee shall notify the Commissioner within 10 business days, and the license shall be placed into nonactive status through NMLS.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>During the time that a license is in nonactive status, it is a violation of this subtitle for the licensee to engage in any activity for which a license is required under this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The license shall remain in nonactive status until the licensee:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Notifies the Commissioner, in the form and in accordance with the process that the Commissioner requires, that the licensee has obtained sponsorship from a financial institution that is approved by the Commissioner under subsection (b) of this section or a mortgage lender that is approved by the Commissioner under subsection (c) or (d) of this section; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Has complied with the requirements set forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <text>The Commissioner may issue a license under this subtitle to an individual who is not sponsored by a financial institution approved by the Commissioner under subsection (b) of this section or a mortgage lender approved by the Commissioner under subsection (c) or (d) of this section, provided that the license is placed into and remains in nonactive status until the licensee:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Notifies the Commissioner, in the form and in accordance with the process that the Commissioner requires, that the licensee has obtained sponsorship from:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A financial institution approved by the Commissioner under subsection (b) of this section; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A mortgage lender approved by the Commissioner under subsection (c) or (d) of this section; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Has complied with the requirements set forth in subsection (m)(1) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
