The Florida Senate

516.21  Restriction of borrower's indebtedness.--No licensee shall directly or indirectly charge, contract for, or receive any interest, discount, or consideration greater than 18 percent per annum upon any loan, or upon any part or all of any aggregate loan indebtedness of the same borrower, of the amount of more than $25,000. The foregoing prohibition shall also apply to any licensee who permits any person, as borrower or as endorser, guarantor, or surety for any borrower, or otherwise, or any husband and wife, jointly or severally, to owe directly or contingently or both to the licensee at any time a sum of more than $25,000 for principal. However, if the proceeds of any loan of $25,000 or less are used to discharge a preexisting debt of the borrower for goods or services owed directly to the person who provided such goods or services, the licensee may accept from such person a guaranty of payment of the principal of such loan with interest at a rate not exceeding 18 percent per annum, and the acceptance of one or more such guaranties in any aggregate amount shall not affect the rights of such licensee to make the charges against the primary borrower authorized by s. 516.031, nor shall the limitation apply to the isolated acquisition directly or indirectly by purchase or by discount of bona fide obligations of a borrower. However, in the event a licensee makes a bona fide purchase of substantially all of the loans made under this chapter from another licensee or other lender not affiliated with the purchaser and such licensee or other lender has an existing loan outstanding to one or more of the borrowers whose loans are purchased, such licensee making such purchase shall be entitled to liquidate and collect the balances due on such loans, including all lawful charges and interest at the rates or amounts agreed upon in such loan contracts.

History.--s. 8, ch. 20728, 1941; s. 12, ch. 57-201; s. 11, ch. 73-192; ss. 4, 15, ch. 79-274; s. 1, ch. 79-592; s. 2, ch. 81-318; s. 4, ch. 85-32; ss. 10, 16, 17, ch. 88-342; s. 7, ch. 90-104; s. 4, ch. 91-429.