(625 ILCS 5/Ch. 3 Art. IX heading) ARTICLE IX.
REMITTANCE AGENTS
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(625 ILCS 5/3-900) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-900)
Sec. 3-900.
(Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 88-470. Repealed by P.A. 90-89, eff. 1-1-98.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-901) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-901)
Sec. 3-901. Purpose of Article.
Many persons throughout the State hold themselves out to the public as
being engaged in, and have engaged in, accepting money from members of the
public for remittance to the State of Illinois, and its licensing and
taxing agencies in payment of registration plates, vehicle certificates of title, taxes, or
registration fees. Some of these persons have failed to make such
remittance with the consequent loss to the remitters. It is the public
policy of this State that its people be protected against such hazards.
(Source: P.A. 97-832, eff. 7-20-12.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-902) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-902)
Sec. 3-902. Application of Article. This Article shall not apply to any person who, in connection with the issuance of a
license to him to conduct a business in this State other than a remitter's license, shall have filed,
pursuant to a statutory requirement, a surety bond covering the proper
discharge of any liability incurred by him in connection with the
acceptance for remittance of money for the purposes designated in the
Article pursuant to which he or she is licensed.
(Source: P.A. 97-832, eff. 7-20-12; 98-463, eff. 8-16-13.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-903) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-903)
Sec. 3-903. License.
It shall be unlawful for any person to
act as a "remittance agent" in the State of Illinois without first having
obtained or renewed a license and posted a bond, as
hereafter provided.
(Source: P.A. 97-832, eff. 7-20-12.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-904) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-904)
Sec. 3-904. Application; contents; affidavits; prelicense education certification. (a) Any person who desires to act as a "remittance agent" shall first file
with the Secretary of State a written application for a license. The
application shall be under oath and shall contain the following:
1. The name and address of the applicant.
2. The address of each location at which the | ||
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3. The applicant's business, occupation or | ||
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4. A statement disclosing whether he has been | ||
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5. A statement that the applicant has not committed | ||
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6. Any other information concerning the business of | ||
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(b) The application under subsection (a) shall be accompanied by the affidavits of two persons
residing in the city or town of such applicant's residence. Such affiants
shall state that they have known the applicant for a period of at least two
years; that the applicant is of good moral character and that his
reputation for honesty and business integrity in the community in which he
resides is good. If the applicant is not an individual, the requirements of
this paragraph shall apply to each of its officers or members.
(c) The application under subsection (a) shall be
accompanied by a copy of the certification from the
prelicensing education program required by Section 3-904.5. (Source: P.A. 101-505, eff. 1-1-20 .)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-904.2) Sec. 3-904.2. Remittance agent background check. Each applicant for a remittance license shall have his or her fingerprints submitted to the Department of State Police in an electronic format that complies with the form and manner for requesting and furnishing criminal history record information as prescribed by the Department of State Police. These fingerprints shall be checked against the Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history record databases now and hereafter filed, including, but not limited to, civil, criminal, and latent fingerprint databases. The Department of State Police shall charge applicants a fee for conducting the criminal history records check, which shall be deposited in the State Police Services Fund and shall not exceed the actual cost of the records check. The Department of State Police shall furnish, pursuant to positive identification, records of Illinois convictions to the Secretary of State.
(Source: P.A. 101-505, eff. 1-1-20 .) |
(625 ILCS 5/3-904.5) Sec. 3-904.5. Remittance agent prelicensing education program courses. (a) An applicant for a license as a remittance agent shall
complete a minimum of 8 hours of prelicensing education program
courses under this Section prior to submitting an application
to the Secretary of State. (b) To meet the requirements of this Section, at least one
person who is associated with the remittance agent as an owner,
principal, corporate officer, director, or member or partner of
a limited liability company or limited liability partnership
shall complete the education program courses. (c) The prelicensing education program courses shall be
provided by public or private entities with an expertise in the
area as approved by the Secretary of State. The Secretary of
State must approve course curricula and instruction, in
consultation with the Department of Transportation and any
private entity with expertise in the area in the Secretary's
discretion. (d) Each person who successfully completes an approved
prelicensing education program under this Section shall be
issued a certificate by the education program provider. The
current certificate of completion, or a copy of the current
certificate, shall be posted conspicuously in the principal
office of the licensee. (e) The provisions of this Section apply to all remittance
agents including, but not limited to, persons, corporations,
and partnerships, except for the following: (1) motor vehicle rental companies having a national | ||
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(2) national motor vehicle auction companies; (3) wholesale dealer-only auction companies; (4) used vehicle dealerships owned by a franchise | ||
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(5) banks, credit unions, and savings and loan | ||
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(Source: P.A. 101-505, eff. 1-1-20 .) |
(625 ILCS 5/3-905) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-905)
Sec. 3-905. Bond; fee; duration of license. Such applicant shall,
with
his application, deposit with the Secretary of State a bond as hereinafter
provided, for each location at which the applicant intends to act as a
remittance agent. The application shall be accompanied by the payment of a
license fee in the sum of $50.00 (or $25.00 if such application is filed
after July 1) for each location at which he proposes to act as a remittance
agent. If the applicant shall have complied with all of the requirements of
this Section and the Secretary of State shall find after investigation that
the applicant is financially sound and of good business integrity, he shall
issue the required license. Such license shall terminate on December 31 of
the year for which it is issued, but upon application prior to November 15
of any year for which a license is in effect may be renewed for the next
succeeding calendar year. Such application shall be accompanied by the
payment of an annual license fee of $50.00 for each location at which the
applicant proposes to act as a remittance agent and the posting of the bond
herein provided, for each such location.
The bond required by this Section shall be for the term of the
license, or renewal thereof, for which application is made, and shall
run to the People of the State of Illinois, with surety by a bonding or
insurance company authorized to do business in this State, to be
approved by the Secretary of State. It shall be conditioned upon the
proper transmittal of all remittances by the applicant as a
remittance agent and the performance of all undertakings in connection
therewith. It shall be in the minimum sum of $20,000, or in an amount
equal to the aggregate sum of money transmitted to the State by
the applicant during the highest 15 day period in the fiscal
year
immediately preceding the one for which application is made (rounded to
the nearest $1,000), whichever is the greater. However, for the purpose
of determining the bond requirements hereunder, remittances made by
applicants in the form of money orders, checks, or electronic payments which are made payable
directly to the Secretary of State or the Illinois Department of
Revenue by the remitter, shall not be
considered in the aggregate. The bond requirement of this
Section shall not
apply to banks, savings and loan associations, and credit
unions chartered by the State
of Illinois or the United States; provided that the banks, savings
and
loan associations, and credit unions provide to the
Secretary of State an affidavit stating that
the bank, savings and loan association, or credit union is
sufficiently bonded to meet the
requirements as required above. Such affidavit shall be signed by an officer
of the bank, savings and loan association, or credit union and
shall be notarized.
(Source: P.A. 99-324, eff. 1-1-16; 100-450, eff. 1-1-18 .)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-906) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-906)
Sec. 3-906. Denial.
The Secretary of State shall deny any application under this Article
upon any of the following grounds:
(1) That the application contains any false or | ||
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(2) That the applicant has failed to furnish the | ||
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(3) That the required fee has not been paid; or
(4) That the applicant has failed to remit fees to | ||
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(5) That the applicant has engaged in fraudulent | ||
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(6) That the applicant or a member of his immediate | ||
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(7) That the Secretary of State is authorized under | ||
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If the Secretary of State denies the application for a license, or
renewal thereof, he shall so order in writing and
notify the applicant thereof by certified mail. Upon the denial of an
application for a license, or renewal thereof, he shall return the license
fee. An applicant may contest the denial of an application for a license or renewal thereof by requesting an administrative hearing pursuant to Section 2-118 of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 97-832, eff. 7-20-12.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-907) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-907)
Sec. 3-907. Suspension or revocation.
Such license may be suspended or revoked by the Secretary of State for
the violation of any provision of this Act or any rule or regulation of the
Secretary of State and for any reason which, had it existed or been known
to the Secretary of State at the time of the filing of the application for
such license, would have been good cause for the denial of such
application. The Secretary of State shall order such license suspended or revoked in writing and shall notify the licensee of the order by certified mail. A licensee may, upon receipt of an order of suspension or
revocation seek a hearing to review such order pursuant to Section 2-118 of this Code.
(Source: P.A. 97-832, eff. 7-20-12.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-908) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-908)
Sec. 3-908.
Location.
A licensee may not do business at a location not set forth in his
license, but the Secretary of State may issue an amended license covering
an additional location or locations, upon application therefor, the payment
of an additional license fee and the posting of the required bond for each
such location.
(Source: P.A. 76-1705.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-909) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-909)
Sec. 3-909.
Money accepted for remittance - Obligations of licensee.
Each licensee shall forward to the remittee all money accepted for
remittance not later than the fifth calendar day after the date upon which
such money was received by the licensee, and shall promptly fulfill any
other obligation it has undertaken in connection therewith.
(Source: P.A. 76-1705.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-910) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-910)
Sec. 3-910.
Records of transactions.
Each licensee shall maintain for a period of three years the following
records with reference to each transaction involving a remittance:
1. The address of the location at which the transaction occurred.
2. The name and address of the remitter.
3. The name and address of the remittee.
4. The purpose of the remittance.
5. The amount of money received for remittance.
6. The date of receipt of the money for remittance by the licensee.
7. The date such money was forwarded to the remittee.
8. If applicable, the date the license plate, vehicle tax sticker,
license or other instrument issued by the remittee, was delivered to the
remitter by the licensee.
(Source: P.A. 76-1705.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-911) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-911)
Sec. 3-911.
Examination of business.
The Secretary of State or any of his representatives designated by him
may examine the business of any person who acts, or may be acting, as a
remittance agent, to determine whether such person is complying with the
provisions of this Act and with such rules and regulations as may be
promulgated by the Secretary of State pursuant to its provisions. For that
purpose, the Secretary of State or his representatives shall have free
access to the offices, places of business, and records of any such person.
(Source: P.A. 76-1705.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-912) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-912)
Sec. 3-912.
Rules and regulations.
The Secretary of State may make such rules, regulations, direction,
orders, decisions and findings as may be necessary for the enforcement of
this Act and the purposes sought to be attained herein.
(Source: P.A. 76-1705.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-913) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-913)
Sec. 3-913. Hearings. Hearings under this Article shall be governed by Section 2-118 of this
Act and the Administrative Review Law as amended, shall apply to and
govern all proceedings for judicial review of any final order issued by the
Secretary of State.
(Source: P.A. 97-832, eff. 7-20-12.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-914) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-914)
Sec. 3-914.
Violations - Injunction.
The violation of any provision of this Act by any remittance agent may
be restrained by the issuance of an injunction by
the circuit court, against him and any other person who shall aid or abet him in
such violation, upon filing of a complaint by any person adversely affected
thereby, the State's Attorney of such county, or by the Attorney General of
the State of Illinois.
(Source: P.A. 79-1358.)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-915) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-915)
Sec. 3-915.
Any person who violates, or who aids or abets another in the violation,
of any provision of this Act or any rule or regulation promulgated
thereunder, or does any act prohibited by this Act, or who fails, neglects,
or refuses to perform any duty required by any provision of this Act or
rule or regulation of the Secretary of State, within the time prescribed by
the Secretary of State, or who fails, neglects, or refuses to obey any
lawful order given or made by the Secretary of State, shall be guilty of a
Class B misdemeanor, and each such act, failure, neglect, or refusal shall
constitute a separate and distinct offense.
(Source: P.A. 77-2720 .)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-916) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-916)
Sec. 3-916.
Issuance of license - Effect.
The issuance of a license pursuant to the provisions of this Act shall
not be construed to grant to any remittance agent the authority to act as
agent for the State of Illinois or any of its instrumentalities or
political subdivisions, or for any of their officials or for any other
person.
(Source: P.A. 76-1705 .)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-917) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 3-917)
Sec. 3-917.
Recovery of damages.
Any person who shall have been damaged by reason of the failure of any
"remittance agent" to fulfill the conditions of any bond filed pursuant to
the provisions of this Act may maintain a suit thereon to recover his
damages and his reasonable attorney's fees, against such "remittance agent"
or his surety, or both: provided, however, the aggregate liability of the
surety to all such persons shall, in no event, exceed the sum of such bond.
(Source: P.A. 76-1705 .)
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(625 ILCS 5/3-918)
Sec. 3-918. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 98-756, eff. 7-16-14. Repealed by P.A. 98-787, eff. 7-25-14.)
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