Skip to main content
Menu Icon
Close

InfoBytes Blog

Financial Services Law Insights and Observations

Filter

Subscribe to our InfoBytes Blog weekly newsletter and other publications for news affecting the financial services industry.

  • NY state court granted decision to continue its new check cashing fee methodology

    State Issues

    On December 7, the Supreme Court of the State of New York granted a motion to dismiss a challenge made to NYDFS’s check cashing regulation and ruled in favor of NYDFS. As previously covered in InfoBytes, the January regulation’s methodology capped the maximum percentage check cashing fee for most check types (social security, unemployment, emergency relief, veterans’ benefits) at 2.2 percent or $1, whichever is greater, and eliminated automatic fee increases based on CPI every year that had been in place since 2005.

    Shortly after the rule took effect in June, several plaintiffs sued NYDFS alleging that the amended regulation was arbitrary and capricious, violated the purpose of the banking law, and was an unconstitutional property deprivation. The NY Supreme Court found that the amended regulation had a rational basis and was supported by the administrative record. Because NYDFS neither violated the NY state banking law nor the Administrative Procedures Act, the court further declared that the “amended regulation did not constitute a deprivation of property in the absence of either procedural or substantive due process.” Because the court dismissed the petition entirely in NYDFS’s favor, the court denied the plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction as merely “academic.” 

    State Issues Courts Check Cashing Fees Consumer Finance NYDFS CPI

  • NYDFS issues check-cashing fee regulations

    State Issues

    On January 18, NYDFS announced that it has adopted an updated check cashing regulation. As previously covered by InfoBytes, NYDFS issued a proposed check cashing regulation in June 2022, following an emergency regulation announced in February 2022, that halted annual increases on check-cashing fees and locked the current maximum fee set last February at 2.27 percent (covered by InfoBytes here). The regulation establishes a new fee methodology that evaluates the needs of licensees and consumers who use check cashing services. Two tiers of fees for licensed check cashers are recommended: (i) the maximum fee that a check casher may charge for a public assistance check issued by a federal or state government agency (including checks for Social Security, unemployment, retirement, veteran’s benefits, emergency relief, housing assistance, or tax refunds) is set at 1.5 percent; and (ii) the maximum fee a check casher is permitted to charge for all other checks, drafts, or money orders is $1 or 2.2 percent, whichever is greater. According to NYDFS Superintendent Adrienne Harris, “the existing fee methodology wasn’t just outdated, but inappropriate and punitive to consumers.” She further noted that “[c]heck cashers should not be entitled to automatic, annual fee increases.”

    State Issues Bank Regulatory New York NYDFS State Regulators Check Cashing Fees

  • NYDFS proposes check-cashing fee regulations

    State Issues

    On June 15, NYDFS issued a proposed check cashing regulation following an emergency regulation announced in February that halted annual increases on check-cashing fees and locked the current maximum fee set last February at 2.27 percent (covered by InfoBytes here). The proposed regulation establishes a new fee methodology which evaluates the needs of licensees and consumers who use check cashing services. Two tiers of fees for licensed check cashers are recommended: (i) the maximum fee that a check casher may charge for a public assistance check issued by a federal or state government agency (including checks for Social Security, unemployment, retirement, veteran’s benefits, emergency relief, housing assistance, or tax refunds) is set at 1.5 percent; and (ii) the maximum fee a check casher is permitted to charge for all other checks, drafts, or money orders is $1 or 2.2 percent, whichever is greater. NYDFS added that starting January 31, 2027 (and annually every five years thereafter), licensed check cashers may request an increase in the maximum fees established. Comments on the proposed regulation will be accepted for 60 days.

    State Issues Bank Regulatory State Regulators NYDFS Consumer Finance New York Check Cashing Fees

  • NYDFS locks maximum check-cashing fee at 2.27 percent

    State Issues

    On February 14, NYDFS issued an emergency regulation halting annual increases on check-cashing fees and locking the current maximum fee set last February at 2.27 percent. “As our world evolves, so must our approach to regulation, which is why for the first time in Department history, we are reexamining the methodology used to determine the maximum check cashing fee,” Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris stated. “[NYDFS] has a responsibility to take a hard look at the impacts of financial products and services on New Yorkers, especially members of underserved communities.” NYDFS noted that the emergency regulation underscores its concerns over the fixed methodology used to determine annual check-cashing fees, which is based on the Consumer Price Index and is not, according to the Department, “necessarily a reliable or accurate indicator of the costs of operating within a specific sector of business, such as financial services.” NYDFS stated that it intends to promulgate a proposed regulation for a new fee methodology and will seek public comments before a final regulation is issued. The emergency regulation will remain in effect until a final regulation is adopted.

    State Issues State Regulators NYDFS Check Cashing Consumer Finance Fees Bank Regulatory

  • Mississippi reenacts licensing requirements

    On March 17, the Mississippi governor signed HB 1075, which will, among other things, reenact licensing provisions for lenders who provide “credit availability transactions” to customers through fully amortized loans paid over a term of four to 12 months. Under the act, transactions made by unlicensed lenders will be null and void. The act outlines licensing requirements, including those related to annual renewal fees, bond deposits, and expedited licensing requests. The provisions also allow the commissioner to “issue a temporary license authorizing the operation of a credit availability business on the receipt of an application for a license involving principals and owners that are substantially identical to those of an existing licensed credit availability licensee.” Temporary licenses will remain effective until a determination is made on the status of a permanent license. The act also outlines provisions for check cashing business, including licensing requirements and limits on other activities. The act takes effect July 1.

    Licensing State Issues State Legislation Consumer Lending Check Cashing

  • Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions extends emergency declarations to non-depository entities

    State Issues

    On July 24, the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions extended emergency declarations for residential mortgage lenders, check cashers, bond for deed escrow agents and repossession agents, brokers and lenders licensed under the Louisiana Consumer Credit Law and Deferred Presentment and Small Loan Act, and pawnbrokers. The orders were previously covered here. Such entities are granted the authority to temporarily close licensed locations within Louisiana or to temporarily close and/or relocate to another location within the state. Mortgage loan originators are permitted to work from home, whether located in Louisiana or another state, even if the home is not registered with the LOFI. The declarations also provide instructions for notifying the LOFI of a temporary location change. The declarations will remain in effect as long as there is a public health emergency relating to Covid-19, or until rescinded or replaced.

    State Issues Covid-19 Louisiana Non-Depository Institution Mortgage Lenders Check Cashing Escrow Auto Finance Repossession Broker-Dealer Lending Consumer Credit Licensing Mortgage Origination

  • Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions updates non-depository emergency declarations

    State Issues

    On June 5, the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions updated its non-depository 2020 Covid-19 emergency declarations to extend earlier guidance regarding closure of licensed locations and temporary location changes for residential mortgage lenders, brokers and originatorscheck casherslenders or brokers licensed pursuant to the Louisiana Consumer Credit Law and the Louisiana Deferred Presentment and Small Loan Act, pawnbrokers, and repossession agents and bond for deed escrow agents. The original emergency declarations were previously covered here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. The declarations extend the guidance until June 26, 2020, unless terminated sooner.

    State Issues Covid-19 Mortgage Lenders Mortgages Broker-Dealer Mortgage Origination Check Cashing Lending Repossession Bond Escrow

  • Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions declares emergency for check-cashing entities

    State Issues

    On April 9, Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions Commissioner John Ducrest declared a state of emergency and issued guidance for Louisiana-based check-cashing entities in response to the Covid-19 crisis. The order: (i) granted check cashers the authority to temporarily relocate and close operations, services, or products; (ii) waived the 30-day notification requirement pertaining to closures or relocations of services, operations, and products; and (iii) provided guidance for reporting operational changes and temporary relocations. The declaration expires April 30, unless otherwise extended or renewed.

    State Issues Covid-19 Louisiana Check Cashing

  • Louisiana Commissioner of Financial Institutions advises non-depository institutions on temporary closures

    State Issues

    On March 18, Louisiana’s Commissioner of Financial Institutions released emergency advisories for non-depository institutions, specifically repossession agents and bond for deed escrow agents, check cashers, pawnbrokers, licensed consumer lenders/brokers, and residential mortgage lenders. The advisories authorized the temporary closure or relocations of licensed locations and waived the standard 30-day notice requirement for such closures. Licensees should notify the Office of Financial Institutions as soon as possible regarding any temporary closures or relocations and may submit requests for waiver of the standard change of location fee by email. Unless otherwise instructed, temporary location changes should not be submitted through NMLS.  In addition, the advisory for residential mortgage lenders confirms that licensed MLOs may work from their homes.

    State Issues Louisiana Non-Depository Institution Check Cashing Repossession Bond Covid-19

  • Kentucky creates separate licenses for check cashing and deferred deposit service businesses

    State Issues

    On March 19, the Kentucky governor signed S.B. 145, which establishes separate licenses for check cashing and deferred deposit service businesses. In addition, S.B. 145 creates a new section that allows the Department of Financial Institutions commissioner to (i) require license applications and certain other regulatory filings to also be filed with the State Regulatory Registry (Registry); (ii) report violations, enforcement actions, and other relevant information to the Registry; and (iii) access the Registry as “an agent for requesting information from and distributing information to the [DOJ] or other governmental agencies.” The act takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the legislature.

    State Issues State Legislation Licensing Check Cashing Deposits

Pages

Upcoming Events