InfoBytes Blog
State Law Update: Washington Amends Consumer Loan Act and Mortgage Broker Practices Act Regulations
Recently, the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions finalized two rulemakings to amend existing regulations and adopt new regulations under the Consumer Loan Act and the Mortgage Broker Practices Act. The final rules make numerous changes impacting mortgage and other consumer lenders, including with regard to licensing and reporting. For example, the amendments to the Consumer Loan Act regulations (i) add requirements and prohibitions relating to force-placed insurance, (ii) clarify licensing exemptions for consumer lenders and mortgage originators, and (iii) add new provisions addressing the activities of servicers and third party residential mortgage loan modification services. The amendments under the Mortgage Broker Practices Act include some of the changes made under the Consumer Loan Act and, among other things (i) revise the definition of mortgage broker, (ii) require approval from the Department for an individual to work as a designated broker for more than one licensee, and (iii) clarify application of loan originator requirements to inactive licensees. All of the changes take effect on November 1, 2012.