No licensee shall directly or indirectly charge, contract for, or receive any interest or charge of any nature unless a loan is made.

complete the loan in accordance with the loan application, a licensee may charge, contract for, and receive an amount equal to the actual expenses incurred by the licensee in connection with the preparation for the loan.

Every licensee who lends any sum of money may contract for and receive charges at a rate not exceeding the sum of the following:

including, but not in excess of nine hundred dollars ($900).

This section does not apply to any loan of a bona fide principal amount of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or more as determined in accordance with Section 22251.

As an alternative to the charges authorized by Section 22303, a licensee may contract for and receive charges at the greater of the following:

in which the loan is made, as established by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, on advances to member banks under Sections 13 and 13a of the Federal Reserve Act, as now in effect or hereafter from time to time amended, or if there is no single determinable rate for advances, the closest counterpart of this rate as shall be determined by the Commissioner of Financial Institutions. Charges shall be calculated on the unpaid principal balance.

commissioner shall designate a substantially equivalent index.

required pursuant to this section, shall obtain that approval by July 1, 2020, and, once approved, shall report borrower payment performance to that consumer reporting agency in connection with all loans originated under this section on and after January 1, 2020.

approved by the commissioner for use in complying with this section or offer the borrower a credit education program or seminar provided by an independent third party, which has previously been reviewed and approved by the commissioner for use in complying with this section. A credit education program or seminar may be provided in writing, electronically, or orally, but, if provided orally, shall be accompanied by written or electronic materials that a prospective borrower can retain or access following the conclusion of the program or seminar.

score.

independent third party.

In addition to the charges authorized by Section 22303, 22304, or 22304.5, a licensee may contract for and receive an administrative fee, which shall be fully earned immediately upon making the loan, with respect to a loan of a bona fide principal amount of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) at a rate not in excess of 5 percent of the principal amount (exclusive of the administrative fee) or fifty dollars ($50), whichever is less, and with respect to a loan of a bona fide principal amount in excess of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), at an amount not to exceed seventy-five dollars ($75). No administrative fee may be contracted for or received in connection with the refinancing of a loan unless at least one year has elapsed since the receipt of a previous administrative fee paid

by the borrower. Only one administrative fee may be contracted for or received until the loan has been repaid in full. For purposes of this section, “bona fide principal amount” shall be determined in accordance with Section 22251.

No amount in excess of that allowed by this article shall be directly or indirectly charged, contracted for, or received by any person, and the total charges of the finance lender and broker and any other person in the aggregate shall not exceed the maximum rate provided for in this article.

A licensee shall not charge, impose, or receive any penalty for the prepayment of a loan. This section does not apply to a loan secured by real property.

Notwithstanding Section 22307, a licensee may contract for and receive charges on the unpaid principal balance at a single annual percentage rate, applied on the basis of the number of days actually elapsed, if the annual rate would produce a finance charge at the maturity of the contract not in excess of the finance charge resulting from the application of the graduated rates specified in Section 22303, when the loan is paid according to its terms, and charges are computed on the basis that a month is any period of 30 consecutive days, as provided in Section

22307; provided, however, that if prepayment in full occurs on or before the third installment date, all charges shall be recomputed as a percentage per month of the unpaid principal balance or portions thereof, based on the number of days actually elapsed.

Except as provided in Section 22305 and Article 4 (commencing with Section 22400), no charges on loans made pursuant to this division shall be paid, deducted, or received in advance, or compounded. However, if part or all of the consideration for a new loan contract is the unpaid balance of a prior loan, the principal amount payable under the new loan contract may include any unpaid interest that has accrued on the prior loan. The unpaid principal balance of a precomputed loan is the balance due after refund or credit of unearned interest as provided in Section

22400. At the time of making the loan, the licensee shall deliver to the borrower, or, at the direction of the borrower, deliver to another person, an amount equal to the face value of the loan and the note evidencing the loan.

refund of less than one dollar ($1).

No person in connection with or incidental to the making of any loan regulated by this division may require the borrower to contract for purchase, or agree to purchase, any other thing in connection with the loan. A policy of insurance of the type specified in Section 22313 and credit life and disability insurance is not prohibited by this section. A policy of insurance of the type defined by subdivision (a) of Section 12640.02 of the Insurance Code shall not be deemed to be a collateral sale, purchase, or agreement within the terms of this section or of Section

22201 or 22312.

No person in connection with or incidental to the making of a loan shall require the borrower to enter into any collateral sales agreements or contracts, other than the contract of pledge, assignment, or mortgage or personal property, or if otherwise permitted by this division, the deed of trust, mortgage, or lien on real property, by the borrower to the lender as security for the repayment of the loan and charges on the loan. Insurance of the type specified in Section 22313, credit life insurance, and credit disability insurance are not prohibited by this

section.

Insurance on tangible personal or real property offered as security shall not be deemed to be a collateral sale, purchase, or agreement within the terms of Section 22201, 22311, or 22312, when all the following requirements are met:

This section does not apply to any loan of a bona fide principal amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more, or to a duly licensed finance lender in connection with any such loan or loans as determined in accordance with Section 22251.

insurance” and “credit disability insurance” have the same meanings as defined in Section 779.2 of the Insurance Code.

borrower an amount not in excess of that permitted by or pursuant to Section 779.36 of the Insurance Code.

shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the borrower a copy of the policy, certificate, or other evidence thereof, within a reasonable time. In the event a licensee provides credit disability or loss-of-income insurance pursuant to this division, the licensee shall also deliver an understandable written statement to the borrower detailing the conditions under which the borrower will be entitled to make a claim under the insurance policy and the procedure to be followed in making the claim. This statement shall be first approved by the Insurance Commissioner.

This section does not apply to any loan of a bona fide principal amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more, or to a duly licensed finance lender in connection with any such loan or loans as determined in accordance with Section 22251.

shall also be offered without retroactive coverage, and the premium rate for each coverage shall be separately stated in writing to the borrower.

premium by the month shall not exceed a pro rata relationship to the annual premium. Credit disability insurance need not be offered for a period less than the term of the loan to which it is applicable, and no credit disability insurance shall be written for a period in excess of the term of the loan to which it is applicable.

This section does not apply to any loan of a bona fide principal amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more, as determined in accordance with Section 22251.

A licensee may collect the cost of a lot book report purchased in lieu of the title insurance provided for in Section 22313. The cost is not included in charges as defined in this division or in determining the maximum charges that may be made under this article.

On any loan made that is secured by real property, an appraisal fee not to exceed the actual cost of the appraisal may be charged by the licensee if a written appraisal is provided to the licensee by a qualified appraiser. Only one fee for appraising the same real property may be collected unless the borrower has obtained a new or additional loan and more than one year has elapsed since the prior appraisal. The fee is not included in charges as defined in this division or in determining the maximum charges that may be made under this article.