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CFPB Releases Revised Payday Loan Exam Manual Incorporating MLA Requirements
On September 17, the CFPB released revised short-term, small-dollar lending Examination Procedures that incorporate the regulations issued by the Department of Defense (DoD) to implemente the Military Lending Act (MLA), which addresses alleged predatory lending practices by lenders that operate near military bases. The CFPB was given explicit power to enforce the MLA in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.
The revised Procedures note that the MLA covers active-duty military members and their dependents and applies to “consumer credit,” defined as closed-end loans that are payday loans with a term of 91 days or fewer and an amount financed of $2,000 or less as well as certain vehicle title loans and tax refund anticipation loans. The revised Manual notes the special requirements of the MLA, including: (i) capping the Military Annual Percentage Rate (the APR under TILA plus other charges such as credit insurance premiums and fees for certain credit-related ancillary products) at 36 percent; (ii) prohibiting a lender from holding a post-dated personal check, debit authorization, or title to a vehicle for repayment or security; (iii) prohibiting mandatory arbitration clauses and waivers of legal rights under the SCRA or other consumer protection laws; (iv) prohibiting lenders from rolling over loans, unless the new transaction results in more favorable terms for the consumer; (v) prohibiting lenders from requiring consumers to pay through the military wage allotment system; and (vi) prohibiting prepayment penalties.
The CFPB’s press release notes the Bureau’s ongoing coordination with the Department of Defense on servicemember protection, as described in the agencies’ 2012 Joint Statement of Principles on small-dollar lending.