1. (1) A bank that desires to establish a new loan production office in this state must obtain prior approval from the department.
2. (2) A bank must file an application with the department prior to opening a loan production office using the Application to Establish a Loan Production Office form, April 30, 2025, version, located at banking.mt.gov. If an application is incomplete, the department must notify the applicant by e-mail. An application will not be considered to have been received until it is in a complete form. An application is complete when all information required by the application form has been submitted and received. The department may request additional information from an applicant even if the application is considered complete.

3. (3) The department must approve or deny the application within 45 days of:

   1. (a) the date of the last publication of the notice of intent to establish a new loan production office; or
   2. (b) the date on which a complete application is received, whichever is later.
4. (4) The 45-day deadline may be extended by the department when review of the complete application raises questions or concerns that require additional information from the applicant or any other entity or person. The applicant or other entity or person shall have 60 days to provide the requested information to the department. Following the receipt of all requested additional information and a complete application, the department may extend its review by a one-time 14- calendar day period.
5. (5) A bank organized under the laws of Montana that intends to open a loan production office in another state must submit copies of all required regulatory filings or notices required by the host state and federal agencies along with the items required in the Application of Intent to Establish a Loan Production Office form, if they are not already included in the form, to the department.
6. (6) A Montana state-chartered bank that desires to relocate or close a loan production office temporarily or permanently must give notice to its customers using the Notice of Relocation of Loan Production Office form, April 30, 2025, version, or Notice of Closure of Loan Production Office form, April 30, 2025, version, located at banking.mt.gov.
7. (7) The relocation or closure form must be posted at the loan production office at least thirty days before the relocation or closure of the office. The relocation or closure form must be provided to the department at the same time.
8. (8) The department reserves the right to request additional information regarding opening, closing, or relocation of a loan production office.
9. (9) If the loan production office will be using an assumed name, compliance with 32-1-402, MCA, is required.
10. (10) Each loan production office is subject to examination and supervision by the department in the same manner and to the same extent as the bank.

Authorizing statute(s): 32-1-211, 32-1-218, 32-1-222, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 32-1-211, 32-1-222, 32-1-561, 32-1-562, 32-1-563, 32-1-564, 32-1-565, MCA

History: NEW, 2020 MAR p. 1698, Eff. 9/12/20; AMD, 2025 MAR, Notice No. 2025-900, Eff. 9/13/25.