If you have specific legal questions, please seek the advice of an attorney.
Refund anticipation lenders facilitate loans against anticipated tax refunds. They also:
- Must be engaged in business of preparing tax returns
- Must display and discuss fee schedule(s)
- Often use a federal pre-emption structure
Applications
Business wishing to act as a Refund Anticipation Loan Facilitator must create an account an apply on ALECS. Please turn your browsers auto fill feature off prior to beginning your application. To avoid any potential glitches, please use Chrome or Firefox browsers.
Existing Registrants
To renew your registration, log in to ALECS, click on Renew Registration, select the RAL from type, select the registrations you wish to renew and click the renew button.
Registrations are renewed annually in December regardless of when you applied for the registration. If your RAL registration has expired, simply register again.
Examination and Enforcement
There is no examination authority over registered creditors, but the agency does possess investigative authority and may inspect business records through the receipt of a complaint.
A regulated loan license exempts registration requirements for some industries and those records may be examined as part of a routine exam of a license holder’s business.
Statutes & Rules
These are the primary statutes and rules that apply to refund anticipation loan facilitators. This is not a complete list of laws that refund anticipation loan facilitators are required to comply with.
Primary State Statute
Chapter 352, Texas Finance Code: Tax Refund Anticipation Loans
OCCC's Rules
Title 7, Chapter 87, Texas Administrative Code
Other State Statutes
Texas Constitution and Statutes
Federal Statutes & Rules
U.S. Government Publishing Office