South Carolina § 37-3-504 - Revocation or suspension of license.

§ 37-3-504. Revocation or suspension of license.

(1) The State Board of Financial Institutions may issue to a person licensed to make supervised loans an order to show cause why his license should not be revoked or suspended for a period not in excess of 6 months. The order shall state the place for a hearing and set a time for the hearing that is no less than 10 days from the date of the order. After the hearing the Board shall revoke or suspend the license if it finds that:

(a) the licensee has repeatedly and wilfully violated this title or any rule or order lawfully made pursuant to this title; or

(b) facts or conditions exist which would clearly have justified the Board in refusing to grant a license had these facts or conditions been known to exist at the time the application for the license was made.

(2) No revocation or suspension of a license is lawful unless prior to institution of proceedings by the State Board of Financial Institutions notice is given to the licensee of the facts or conduct which warrant the intended action, and the licensee is given an opportunity to show compliance with all lawful requirements for retention of the license.

(3) If the State Board of Financial Institutions finds that probable cause for revocation of a license exists and that enforcement of this title requires immediate suspension of the license pending investigation, it may, after a hearing upon 5 days' written notice, enter an order suspending the license for not more than 30 days.

(4) Whenever the State Board of Financial Institutions revokes or suspends a license, it shall enter an order to that effect and forthwith notify the licensee of the revocation or suspension. Within five days after the entry of the order it shall deliver to the licensee a copy of the order and the findings supporting the order.

(5) Any person holding a license to make supervised loans may relinquish the license by notifying the State Board of Financial Institutions in writing of its relinquishment, but this relinquishment shall not affect his liability for acts previously committed.

(6) No revocation, suspension, or relinquishment of a license shall impair or affect the obligation of any preexisting lawful contract between the licensee and any debtor.

(7) The State Board of Financial Institutions may reinstate a license, terminate a suspension, or grant a new license to a person whose license has been revoked or suspended if no fact or condition then exists which clearly would have justified the Board refusing to grant a license.

HISTORY: 1976 Act No. 686 SECTION 2; 1982 Act No. 385, SECTION 39.