1. (a) No person shall operate a debt management company in Indiana without having obtained a license from the department. For purposes of this section, a person is operating in Indiana if:

   1. (1) the person or any of the person's employees or agents are located in Indiana; or

   2. (2) the person:

      1. (A) contracts with debtors who are residents of Indiana; or

      2. (B) solicits business from residents of Indiana by advertisements or other communications sent or delivered through any of the following means:

         1. (i) Mail.
         2. (ii) Personal delivery.
         3. (iii) Telephone.
         4. (iv) Radio.
         5. (v) Television.
         6. (vi) The Internet or other electronic communications.
         7. (vii) Any other means of communication.

2. (b) The director may request evidence of compliance with this section at:

   1. (1) the time of application;
   2. (2) the time of renewal of a license; or
   3. (3) any other time considered necessary by the director.

3. (c) For purposes of subsection (b), evidence of compliance with this section may include:

   1. (1) criminal background checks, including a national criminal history background check (as defined in IC 10-13-3-12 ) by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for any individual described in section 5(b)(2), 5(b)(3), or 5(b)(4) of this chapter;
   2. (2) credit histories; and

   3. (3) other background checks considered necessary by the director.

      If the director requests a national criminal history background check under subdivision (1) for an individual described in that subdivision, the director shall require the individual to submit fingerprints to the department or to the state police department, as appropriate, at the time evidence of compliance is requested under subsection (b). The individual to whom the request is made shall pay any fees or costs associated with the fingerprints and the national criminal history background check. The national criminal history background check may be used by the director to determine the individual's compliance with this section. The director or the department may not release the results of the national criminal history background check to any private entity.

4. (d) The fee for a license or renewal of a license shall be fixed by the department under IC 28-11-3-5 and shall be nonrefundable. The department may impose a fee under IC 28-11-3-5 for each day that a renewal fee and any related documents that are required to be submitted with a renewal application are delinquent.
5. (e) If a person knowingly acts as a debt management company in violation of this chapter, any agreement the person has made under this chapter is void and the debtor under the agreement is not obligated to pay any fees. If the debtor has paid any amounts to the person, the debtor, or the department on behalf of the debtor, may recover the payment from the person that violated this section.

6. (f) A license issued under this section, except in a transaction approved under section 3.1 of this chapter, is not assignable or transferable. In order to remain in force, a license issued under this section must be renewed every year in the manner prescribed by the director of the department. The director of the department shall prescribe the form of the renewal application. In order to be accepted for processing, a renewal application must be accompanied by the following:

   1. (1) The license renewal fee imposed under subsection (d).
   2. (2) The licensee's most recent audited financial statements covering the licensee's immediately preceding fiscal year, as prepared by an independent certified public accountant in compliance with the requirements set forth in section 5(d) of this chapter. If the licensee's financial statements for the immediately preceding fiscal year are not available at the time of renewal, the licensee has one hundred twenty (120) days after the end of the immediately preceding fiscal year to file the financial statements.
   3. (3) All other information and documents requested by the director of the department.

7. (g) If the department of state revenue notifies the department that a person is on the most recent tax warrant list, the department shall not issue or renew the person's license until:

   1. (1) the person provides to the department a statement from the department of state revenue that the person's tax warrant has been satisfied; or

   2. (2) the department receives a notice from the commissioner of the department of state revenue under IC 6-8.1-8-2 (k).

      Formerly: Acts 1971, P.L.397, SEC.1; Acts 1972, P.L.10, SEC.6. As amended by P.L.42-1993, SEC.48; P.L.172-1997, SEC.18; P.L.63-2001, SEC.12 and P.L.134-2001, SEC.13; P.L.10-2006, SEC.33 and P.L.57-2006, SEC.33; P.L.213-2007, SEC.44; P.L.217-2007, SEC.42; P.L.90-2008, SEC.28; P.L.35-2010, SEC.120; P.L.89-2011, SEC.37; P.L.172-2011, SEC.132; P.L.216-2013, SEC.21.

As amended by P.L.42-1993, SEC.48; P.L.172-1997, SEC.18; P.L.63-2001, SEC.12 and P.L.134-2001, SEC.13; P.L.10-2006, SEC.33 and P.L.57-2006, SEC.33; P.L.213-2007, SEC.44; P.L.217-2007, SEC.42; P.L.90-2008, SEC.28; P.L.35-2010, SEC.120; P.L.89-2011, SEC.37; P.L.172-2011, SEC.132; P.L.216-2013, SEC.21.