Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation

 

Maryland State Collection Agency Licensing Board - Advisory Notice

 

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Effective October 3, 2011 - Collection Agency 2-Year Licensing Fee Will Increase From $400 to $700

ADVISORY

Notice of Final Action

Effective October 3, 2011, a license fee payable by a collection agency to do business in Maryland will increase from $400 to $700 for a two - year license. The new regulations setting the fees were proposed by the State Collection Agency Licensing Board at its meeting on May 11, 2011. The final regulations were approved at the Board's meeting on August 17, 2011. See Code of Maryland Regulations, 09.03.13.01 and .02.

The purpose of this regulatory action is to offset the cost of regulating collection practices in the State of Maryland. The regulation of collection practices in the State has increased in the past decade for several reasons, including (i) growth in the number of third-party collection agencies and the volume of debt collected in Maryland; (ii) evolution and diversification of collection practices; (iii) increase in the complexity of laws governing collections; (iv) growth in the volume of complaints from consumers; and (v) increase in enforcement activity. The level of current licensing fees was set in 1996 and has not kept up with the cost of regulation.

Having found that the fee level was no longer sufficient to cover the cost of regulation in accordance with the provisions of Title 7, Subtitle 1, Business Regulation Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, the Board has approved a final regulation increasing initial license fee and the bi-annual license renewal fee from $400 to $700.

*** PLEASE NOTE ***

  • Any person or entity applying for an original Maryland Collection Agency License on or after October 3, 2011 will be subject to the new license fee.
  • Any person or entity applying for the renewal of the Maryland Collection Agency License that expires on or after October 3, 2011 will be subject to the new license fee.

If you have any questions with the contents of this Advisory, please contact Kelly Mack, Administrative Officer to the Board at (410) 230-6079. Thank you.

 
 
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