31-1-816. Title loan requirements -- liability of borrower. (1) Any licensed title lender may engage in the business of making loans secured by a certificate of title subject to the provisions of this part.
     (2) Every title loan must be reduced to writing in a title loan agreement. Each title loan agreement must provide that:
     (a) the title lender agrees to make a loan of money to the borrower and that the borrower agrees to give the title lender a security interest in unencumbered titled personal property owned by the borrower;
     (b) the borrower consents to the title lender keeping possession of the certificate of title;
     (c) the borrower has the exclusive right to redeem the certificate of title by repaying the loan of money in full and by complying with the title loan agreement for an agreed period of time;
     (d) (i) the title lender may renew the title loan for additional 30-day periods beyond the original term provided that beginning with the sixth extension or continuation, and for each subsequent extension or continuation, the borrower must reduce the principal amount by at least 10% of the original principal amount of the loan; and
     (ii) if the borrower fails to reduce the principal amount as required by subsection (2)(d)(i), the title lender may at its option:
     (A) declare outstanding principal and any finance charges due and payable; or
     (B) solely for the purpose of calculating the finance charge, reduce the amount of the principal balance by 10%, with the understanding that that portion of the principal is still owed by the borrower but that portion of the loan may not accrue interest or finance charges after that date;
     (e) when the certificate of title is redeemed, the title lender shall release its security interest in the titled personal property and return the personal property certificate of title to the borrower;
     (f) (i) upon failure of the borrower to redeem the certificate of title at the end of the original 30-day agreement period or at the end of any agreed-upon 30-day renewal or subsequent renewals, the borrower shall deliver the titled personal property to the title lender at the location specified in the title loan agreement; and
     (ii) the borrower shall deliver the titled personal property to the title lender in substantially the same condition that it was in at the time that the borrower entered into the loan, minus normal wear and tear;
     (g) if the borrower fails to deliver the titled personal property to the title lender, the title lender must be allowed to take possession of the titled personal property;
     (h) upon obtaining possession of the titled personal property, the title lender is authorized to sell the titled personal property and to convey to the buyer good title, subject to the waiting periods provided for in 31-1-820; and
     (i) a borrower who does not redeem a pledged certificate of title is not personally liable to the title lender to repay principal, interest, or expenses incurred in connection with the title loan and that the title lender shall look solely to the titled personal property for satisfaction of the amounts owed under the title loan agreement.
     (3) The security interest provided for in subsection (2)(a) is not perfected unless it is filed in accordance with 23-2-611 or 61-3-103.
     (4) Any borrower who obtains a title loan from a title lender under false pretenses by hiding or not disclosing the existence of a valid prior lien or security interest affecting the titled personal property is personally liable to the title lender for the full amount stated in the title loan agreement, including interest and expenses incurred by the title lender in connection with the loan.

     History: En. Sec. 10, Ch. 455, L. 2001.