Section 58-19-3 - Licensing of sales finance companies required; denial of license; provision for out-of-state licenses.
58-19-3. Licensing of sales finance companies required; denial of license; provision for out-of-state licenses.
A. No person shall engage in the business of a sales finance company in this state without a license therefor as provided in the Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act [58-19-1 NMSA 1978]; provided, however, that a state or national bank authorized to do business in this state shall not be required to obtain a license under that act but shall comply with all of its other provisions.
B. The application for a license shall be in writing, under oath and in the form prescribed by the director. The application shall contain the name of the applicant; date of incorporation, if incorporated; the address where the business is or is to be conducted and similar information as to any branch office of the applicant; the name and resident address of the owner or partners or, if a corporation or association, of the directors, trustees and principal officers; and such other pertinent information as the director may require.
C. The license fee for each calendar year or part thereof shall be four hundred dollars ($400) for the principal place of business of the licensee and four hundred dollars ($400) for each branch of the licensee maintained in this state. For a license maintained out of this state, the license fee shall be five hundred dollars ($500) for each office. All fees shall be deposited with the state treasurer for deposit and transfer as provided in Section 9-16-14 NMSA 1978.
D. Each license shall specify the location of the office or branch, and the license shall be conspicuously displayed in the office or branch. In case a location is changed, the director shall endorse the change of location on the license upon payment to the director by the licensee of a duplicate license fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
E. Upon the filing of an application and the payment of the fee, the director shall issue to the applicant a license to engage in the business of a sales finance company under and in accordance with the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act for a period which shall expire on December 31 next following the date of its issuance. The license shall not be transferable or assignable. No licensee shall transact any business provided for by the Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act under any other name.
F. The director shall deny a license under the Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act if he finds that:
(1) the applicant has failed to pay the required fee;
(2) the applicant has willfully furnished the director with false or misleading information in the application; or
(3) there is reason to believe that the financial responsibility, character and general fitness of the applicant for an original license and of the individual members and beneficiaries thereof, if the applicant is a copartnership, association or trust, and of the officers and directors thereof, if the applicant is a corporation, are such as to warrant belief that the business will not be operated lawfully, honestly, fairly and efficiently within the declared purposes and spirit of that act.
If an original license is denied by the director, he shall immediately notify the applicant in writing setting forth the reasons for denial.
G. The director may issue a motor vehicle sales finance company license to an applicant who applies for such a license to be located outside the state, if the applicant:
(1) files an application on a form prescribed by the director enclosing a license fee of five hundred dollars ($500);
(2) maintains, at all times, an agent for service of process, who shall be a resident of New Mexico; and
(3) complies with all sections of the Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act and any rules and regulations that may be promulgated by the director and complies with all statutes relating to money, interest and usury which are applicable to motor vehicle sales finance companies.
A motor vehicle sales finance company license may be granted to an applicant anywhere in the United States. Local situs is not a requirement for the granting of a license to an out-of-state applicant.