Subject 80-3-1 MONEY TRANSMISSION AND RELATED FINANCIAL SERVICES
Rule 80-3-1-.01 Payment Instrument Sellers and Money Transmitters
| (1) | For purposes of Rules 80-3-1-.01, 80-3-1-.03, 80-3-1-.04, 80-3-1-.06, 80-3-1-.07(4), 80-3-1-.08, 80-3-1-.09, and 80-5-1-.02(1), the terms that are defined in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-680 shall have the identical meaning. |
| (2) | Dual Purpose. A license for the sale of payment instruments shall also permit the licensee to conduct money transmission, but the licensee must clearly inform the Department in writing that it intends to transmit money. A separate license will be issued for persons who intend to conduct only money transmission. |
| (3) | Every applicant for a license shall demonstrate to the Department that such applicant has sufficient financial resources in the form of working capital and tangible net worth to successfully engage in the business of selling payment instruments or money transmission. Sufficiency of financial resources shall be determined through financial analysis by the Department of pro-forma and historical financial information of the applicant. Each licensee shall be required to complete and attest to official questionnaires and statements of assets and liabilities when requested for examination purposes. Licensees shall be prohibited from withholding, deleting, destroying, or altering information requested by an examiner of the Department or making false statements or material misrepresentations to the Department during the course of an examination or on any application or renewal form sent to the Department. |
| (4) | Authorized Agents.
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| (5) | Every licensee or authorized agent of a licensee, unless such authorized agent is a financial institution whose deposits are federally insured, shall display prominently in the premises where money is transmitted or where payment instruments are issued or sold a copy of its license. |
| (6) | Every licensee giving notices of additional locations or changes in locations operated by the licensee shall do so in a form and manner as provided by the Department. |
| (7) | Every licensee shall have an audit of its books and records performed at least annually by independent public accountants in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. Audits will be provided to the Department within ten (10) days of the Department's request for such information. In addition, each licensee is required to furnish the Department an activity statement on a quarterly basis in a form and manner prescribed by the Department which, shall include, but not be limited to, the amount of outstanding payment instruments or forty-five (45) days after the end of each calendar quarter. Licensees submitting an activity statement to the Department, are certifying to the material accuracy and validity of the information as submitted. |
| (8) | Proceeds received from the sale of payment instruments or money transmission net of fees charged and retained by the authorized agent shall be remitted to the licensee in accordance with the terms of the contract between the licensee and the authorized agent. |
| (9) | Receipt. Each customer that is a payment instrument holder shall be provided with a written receipt or other evidence of acceptance of the issuance of payment instruments or the transmission of money showing the name of the licensee or trade name of the licensee that is registered with the Department, authorized agent identifier information, the date of issuance of the payment instrument or of the transmission of money, the dollar amount of the issued payment instrument or of the transmitted money, and the fee charged to the customer. |
| (10) | Minimum Books and
Records.
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| (11) | A licensee shall make a written request to the Department seeking approval for any proposed change in ultimate equitable ownership through acquisition or other change in control or change in executive officer resulting from such proposed change in ownership or change in control of the licensee as required by O.C.G.A. § 7-1-688 at least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed change. |
Rule 80-3-1-.02 Check Cashers
| (1) | For purposes of Rules 80-3-1-.02, 80-3-1-.03, 80-3-1-.04, 80-3-1-.06, 80-3-1-.07(3), 80-3-1-.08, 80-3-1-.09, and 80-5-1-.02(2), the terms that are defined in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-700 shall have the identical meaning. |
| (2) | Every applicant for a license shall demonstrate to the Department that such applicant has sufficient financial resources in the form of working capital and tangible net worth to successfully engage in the business of cashing payment instruments. Sufficiency of financial resources shall be determined through financial analysis by the Department of pro-forma and historical financial information of the applicant. Each licensee shall be required to complete and attest to official questionnaires and statements of assets and liabilities when requested for examination purposes. Licensees shall be prohibited from withholding, deleting, destroying, or altering information requested by an examiner of the Department or making false statements or material misrepresentations to the Department during the course of an examination or on any application or renewal form sent to the Department. |
| (3) | Every licensee shall maintain an original written authorization or other evidence of verification attesting to the fact that each specific corporation or other business association has authorized its officers and employees or specific officers or employees to present payment instruments, drawn by the corporation or other business association payable to cash or drawn by any party payable to the corporation or other business association, to a licensee for cashing. A check casher shall not cash a payment instrument payable to persons other than natural persons unless the check casher has on file such written authorization or verification indicating that the payee has authorized the presentation of such payment instruments on behalf of the payee. |
| (4) | Every licensee shall post in prominent view of each teller window or other customer service station a copy of its license. Advertising material related to the cashing of payment instruments and distributed within this state shall bear the legend "LICENSED BY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND FINANCE" in letters at least one-quarter inch high and contain the licensee's unique identifier. |
| (5) | Minimum Books and Records.
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| (6) | All payment instruments drawn on a financial institution domiciled in the United States and cashed by a licensee shall be sent for deposit to the licensee's account at a financial institution authorized to do business in the State of Georgia whose deposits are federally insured or sent for collection not later than the close of business on the next business day after the date on which the payment instrument was cashed. |
| (7) | Each licensee shall maintain a principal location at which its books and records are maintained and which is accessible to the Department for examination during normal business hours. Records required to be maintained under this rule may be maintained in a photographic, electronic, or other similar format at a central location within or outside the State of Georgia provided specific records can be transmitted to a location designated by the Department within ten (10) days of the Department's request. The Department may examine any person that purports to satisfy the exemption from licensure set forth in O.C.G.A. § 7-1-701.1 to verify that the person qualifies for the exemption from licensure. A licensee that refuses to permit an investigation or examination of books, accounts and records (after a reasonable request by the Department), that withholds material information or makes a misrepresentation shall have its license revoked. |
| (8) | The business of the licensee may be conducted through additional outlets, including those operated as mobile facilities, provided that mobile facilities maintain a regular schedule of times and locations at which they cash payment instruments, file the schedule with the Department, and comply with local licensure requirements at each location at which business is conducted. A licensee must provide the Department with written notice at least thirty (30) days prior to it conducting business at any additional outlets. |
| (9) | A licensee shall notify the Department in writing within fifteen (15) days of the closing of the portion of its business that cashes payments instruments and shall surrender its original license to the Department at that time. |
| (10) | A licensee shall make a written request to the Department seeking approval for any proposed change in ultimate equitable ownership through acquisition or other change in control or change in executive officer resulting from such change in ownership or change in control of the licensee as required by O.C.G.A. § 7-1-705.1 at least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed change. |
| (11) | Every licensee giving notices of changes in locations operated by the licensee over those previously reported shall do so at least thirty (30) days prior to conducting business at the new location and on forms provided by the Department. |
Rule 80-3-1-.03 Money Service Businesses: Compliance with Federal Requirements
| (1) | For the purposes of this Rule, Money Service Businesses ("MSBs") refer to a class of non-bank financial institutions defined in the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 and its related regulations, including those set forth at 31 CFR Chapter X (together, the "Bank Secrecy Act"), which Act requires such non-bank financial institutions to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, United States Department of the Treasury and to comply with other recordkeeping and compliance laws. |
| (2) | A licensee under Article 4 or 4A of Chapter 1 of Title 7 that satisfies the definition of an MSB under the Bank Secrecy Act, shall comply with the federal registration requirements for such businesses and shall provide the Department with evidence of such registration. |
| (3) | All licensees under Article 4 or 4A of Chapter 1 of Title 7 must have a compliance program and must comply with the recordkeeping requirements, currency transaction reporting, and suspicious activity reporting set forth in the Bank Secrecy Act provided the licensees are required to do so under the Bank Secrecy Act. Other recordkeeping requirements required by state law are provided for in Rules 80-3-1-.01(10) and 80-3-1-.02(5). Licensees may consult https://www.fincen.gov/resources/financial-institutions/money-services-businesses [File Link Not Available] for questions about the federal requirements. |
Rule 80-3-1-.04 Reports of Large Currency Transactions, Recordkeeping, and Suspicious Activity Reporting Requirements for Check Cashers, Payment Instrument Sellers and Money Transmitters
| (1) | Persons engaged in the business of cashing payment instruments, selling payment instruments, and transmitting money and authorized agents of money transmitters and payment instrument sellers shall be subject to the filing requirements for large currency transactions as prescribed in Article 11 of Chapter 1 of Title 7, and as further directed herein. |
| (2) | The reporting requirements contained in Article 11 of Chapter 1 of Title 7 shall be met by filing with the appropriate federal agency a copy of the form(s) filed in compliance with the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970 and its related regulations, including those set forth at 31 CFR Chapter X (together, the "Bank Secrecy Act") within the time limits set forth therein. Such forms shall include the filing of currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports as described in the Bank Secrecy Act and accompanying regulations. |
| (3) | Recordkeeping. Georgia law regarding such recordkeeping for check cashers, payment instrument sellers and money transmitters shall be satisfied by compliance with all applicable federal law. Such federal law includes, but is not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act. A licensed check casher that does not satisfy the definition of a check casher under the Bank Secrecy Act shall comply with the state recordkeeping requirements at Rule 80-3-1-.02(5). |
| (4) | Records required to be maintained under Paragraph (3) of this rule may be maintained in a photographic, electronic, or other similar form at a central location within or outside the State of Georgia provided specific records can be transmitted to a location designated by the Department within ten (10) days of the date of the Department's request. |
| (5) | Currency transaction reporting requirements for financial institutions are contained in Chapter 80-9-1 of the Department's regulations. |
Rule 80-3-1-.05 Reserved
Rule 80-3-1-.06 Reports of Apparent Criminal Irregularity by Check Cashers, Payment Instrument Sellers, Money Transmitters, and Authorized Agents
| (1) | Sale of payment instruments and money transmitter licensees shall file with the Department the name, location, and federal tax identification number of any authorized agent within this state who has failed to remit to the licensee the proceeds received from the sale of the licensee's payment instruments or from licensee's money transmission activities in accordance with the terms of the contract between the licensee and the authorized agent or whose authorized agency status has been revoked, suspended, terminated, cancelled, or voluntarily closed due to an outstanding liability due to the licensee. The report shall state the aggregate amount of unremitted payment instrument sales or money transmission proceeds due to the licensee and any provisions which have been made to recover same. |
| (2) | Structuring to avoid reporting.
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| (3) | Any licensed payment instrument seller, money transmitter, or check casher shall notify the Department within ten (10) business days of any knowledge or discovery of any criminal act or apparent criminal act by any officer, director, or employee of such licensee or by any officer, director, or employee of an authorized agent occurring in this state and relating to the business of the licensee. Such notification shall include a full description of the acts or apparent acts believed to be in violation of the criminal laws of this state or the United States, the names of all persons believed to be involved, a statement as to action taken by the licensee in response to the discovery or suspicions, and a copy of the written notification to the licensee's fidelity insurance carrier. |
| (4) | Licensees governed by these Rules shall be subject to amendments of the Bank Secrecy Act which may impose other reporting obligations for suspicious transactions. |
Rule 80-3-1-.07 Administrative Fines and Penalties
| (1) | Except as otherwise indicated, these fines and penalties apply to any person, partnership, association, corporation, or any other group of individuals, however organized, that is required to be licensed under Article 4 or Article 4A of Chapter 1 of Title 7. The Department, at its sole discretion, may waive or modify a fine based upon the financial resources of the person, gravity of the violation, history of previous violations, and such other facts and circumstances deemed appropriate by the department. |
| (2) | All fines levied by the Department are due within thirty (30) days from the date of assessment and must be paid prior to renewal of the annual license, reapplication for a license, or any other activity requiring Departmental approval. |
| (3) | Check Cashers. The Department establishes
the following fines and penalties for violation of the law and rules governing
check cashers.
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| (4) | Payment Instrument Sellers and
Money Transmitters. The Department establishes the following fines and
penalties for violation of the laws and rules governing payment instrument
sellers and money transmitters.
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Rule 80-3-1-.08 State Requirements for Financial Institutions
| (1) | A financial institution required to report any currency transaction in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000), including a transaction in excess of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000), may satisfy state currency transaction filing and reporting requirements by filing a timely report (FinCEN Form 104) with the federal authority designated in the Currency and Foreign Transaction Reporting Act of 1970 ("Bank Secrecy Act"). |
| (2) | Banks and credit unions are required to follow federal guidelines and requirements for detecting abuses or the structuring of transactions designed to avoid Bank Secrecy Act reporting, including transactions described in Rule 80-3-1-.04(4). |
Rule 80-3-1-.09 Verification of Lawful Presence Citizenship Affidavit
| (1) | Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-36-1, the Department is required to obtain an affidavit verifying the lawful presence of every natural person that submits an application for a license as a payment instrument seller, money transmitter, or check casher on behalf of an individual, business, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or any other business entity. For businesses, corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and other business entities (collectively "company applicant"), only an owner or executive officer that is authorized to act on behalf of the company applicant is authorized to submit the required signed and sworn affidavit. |
| (2) | In the event the individual that executed the lawful presence affidavit on behalf of the company applicant is no longer an owner or executive officer of the licensee, the licensee must notify the Department within ten (10) business days following the date of the occurrence and provide the Department with an affidavit from a current owner or executive officer verifying his or her lawful presence on behalf of the licensee. The failure to disclose within ten (10) business days that the owner or executive officer that executed the lawful presence affidavit is no longer in that position with the licensee or to timely submit a new affidavit from a current owner or executive officer may subject the license to revocation, suspension, and other administrative action. |
Rule 80-3-1-.10 Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry
| (1) | License issuance and renewals.
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| (2) | The
responsibility of applicants and licensees to update information in NMLSR.
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| (3) | A licensee may challenge information entered by the Department into the NMLSR. All challenges must be sent to the Department in writing addressed to the attention of the Deputy Commissioner of Non-Depository Financial Institutions. Once received, the Department shall consider the merits of the challenge raised and provide the licensee with a written reply that shall be the Department's final decision regarding the challenge. |