Section 83.503 - Administrative FeeAn authorized lender may collect an administrative fee pursuant to Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(f), on interest-bearing and precomputed loans.
(1) As an alternative to the maximum administrative fee specified in Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(f), an authorized lender may collect an administrative fee that does not exceed the maximum administrative fee amount computed under this paragraph. (A) Definitions. In this paragraph: (i) "Consumer price index" means the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: U.S. City Average, All Items, 1967=100, compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, or, if that index is canceled or superseded, the index chosen by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as most accurately reflecting the changes in the purchasing power of the dollar for consumers.(ii) "Reference base index" means the consumer price index for December 2023.(B) Base amount. Effective until June 30, 2025, the maximum administrative fee is $125.(C) Annual adjustment. Beginning in 2025, each year, the amount of the maximum administrative fee will be adjusted. The adjustment will be effective from July 1 of the year of adjustment to June 30 of the next year. The adjusted amount of the maximum administrative fee is the greater of $125 or the amount computed by:(i) dividing the reference base index into the consumer price index at the end of the preceding year;(ii) computing the percentage of change under clause (i) of this subparagraph to the nearest whole percent;(iii) multiplying $125 by the result under clause (ii) of this subparagraph; and(iv) rounding the result computed under clause (iii) of this subparagraph to the next lower multiple of $5.00, unless the result computed under clause (iii) of this subparagraph is a multiple of $5.00 in which event that result is used.(D) Computation and publication. Beginning in 2025, each year, the OCCC will compute the adjusted maximum administrative fee. No later than May 1, the OCCC will publish the amount of the maximum administrative fee in effect for the year of adjustment.(2) An administrative fee may not be contracted for, charged, or received by an authorized lender directly or indirectly on a renewal or modification of an existing obligation that has an interest charge authorized by Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(e) more than once in any 365-day period. An administrative fee may not be contracted for, charged, or received by an authorized lender directly or indirectly on a renewal or modification of an existing obligation that has an interest charge authorized by Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(a) or (d) more than once in any 180-day period. The administrative fee may be contracted for, charged, or received in a renewal or modification if the authorized lender did not contract for, charge, or receive the administrative fee on any previous obligation within the appropriate period.(3) An administrative fee may not be contracted for, charged, or received by an authorized lender on the refinance of a loan that utilizes Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(a), (d), or (e) rates for a period of 365 days after the lender has entered into a Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(e) rate loan in which an administrative fee was contracted for, charged, or received.(4) An administrative fee is a prepaid charge and may be contracted for, charged, or received in addition to the contractual interest charge authorized by Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(a), (d), or (e).(5) The administrative fee may be included in the cash advance on which interest is computed under Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(a) or (e). The administrative fee may be included in the principal balance on which interest is computed under Texas Finance Code, § 342.201(d).7 Tex. Admin. Code § 83.503
The provisions of this §83.503 adopted to be effective November 9, 2006, 31 TexReg 8989; amended to be effective September 5, 2013, 38 TexReg 5704; amended to be effective July 10, 2014, 39 TexReg 5142; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 43, Number 09, March 2, 2018, TexReg 1257, eff. 3/8/2018; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 49, Number 27, July 5, 2024, TexReg 4903, eff. 7/11/2024