Maryland Code
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-101 (2026)
§ 7-101
✓ current as of May 2026
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§7–101.
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b) “Board” means the State Collection Agency Licensing Board.
(c) “Collection agency” means a person who engages directly or indirectly in the business of:
(1) (i) collecting for, or soliciting from another, a consumer claim; or
(ii) collecting a consumer claim the person owns, if the claim was in default when the person acquired it;
(2) collecting a consumer claim the person owns, using a name or other artifice that indicates that another party is attempting to collect the consumer claim;
(3) giving, selling, attempting to give or sell to another, or using, for collection of a consumer claim, a series or system of forms or letters that indicates directly or indirectly that a person other than the owner is asserting the consumer claim; or
(4) employing the services of an individual or business to solicit or sell a collection system to be used for collection of a consumer claim.
(d) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Financial Regulation.
(e) “Consumer claim” means a claim that:
(1) is for money owed or said to be owed by a resident of the State; and
(2) arises from a transaction in which, for a family, household, or personal purpose, the resident sought or got credit, money, personal property, real property, or services.
(f) (1) “Control person” means a person who has the power, directly or indirectly, to direct the management or policies of a collection agency, whether through ownership of securities, by contract, or otherwise.
(2) “Control person” includes a person who:
(i) is a general partner, an officer, a director, or a member of a collection agency, or occupies a similar position or performs a similar function;
(ii) directly or indirectly has the right to vote 10% or more of a class of voting securities, or has the power to sell or direct the sale of 10% or more of a class of voting securities of a collection agency; or
(iii) in the case of a partnership, a limited partnership, a limited liability partnership, a limited liability company, or any other business entity:
1. has the right to receive on liquidation or dissolution of a collection agency 10% or more of the capital of the collection agency; or
2. has contributed 10% or more of the capital of a collection agency.
(g) “License” means a license issued in any form by the Board under this title to do business as a collection agency, including as provided for through NMLS.
(h) “Licensed collection agency” means a person who is required to be licensed under this title, regardless of whether the person is actually licensed.
(i) “Licensed location” means any location listed by the licensee in NMLS in accordance with this title.
(j) “Licensed name” means:
(1) the licensee’s legal name; and
(2) any trade name used by the licensee in accordance with § 2–121 of the Financial Institutions Article.
(k) “Licensee” means a person licensed under this title to do business as a collection agency.
(l) “NMLS” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Financial Institutions Article.
(m) “Unique identifier” means a number or another identifier assigned by NMLS.
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b) “Board” means the State Collection Agency Licensing Board.
(c) “Collection agency” means a person who engages directly or indirectly in the business of:
(1) (i) collecting for, or soliciting from another, a consumer claim; or
(ii) collecting a consumer claim the person owns, if the claim was in default when the person acquired it;
(2) collecting a consumer claim the person owns, using a name or other artifice that indicates that another party is attempting to collect the consumer claim;
(3) giving, selling, attempting to give or sell to another, or using, for collection of a consumer claim, a series or system of forms or letters that indicates directly or indirectly that a person other than the owner is asserting the consumer claim; or
(4) employing the services of an individual or business to solicit or sell a collection system to be used for collection of a consumer claim.
(d) “Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Financial Regulation.
(e) “Consumer claim” means a claim that:
(1) is for money owed or said to be owed by a resident of the State; and
(2) arises from a transaction in which, for a family, household, or personal purpose, the resident sought or got credit, money, personal property, real property, or services.
(f) (1) “Control person” means a person who has the power, directly or indirectly, to direct the management or policies of a collection agency, whether through ownership of securities, by contract, or otherwise.
(2) “Control person” includes a person who:
(i) is a general partner, an officer, a director, or a member of a collection agency, or occupies a similar position or performs a similar function;
(ii) directly or indirectly has the right to vote 10% or more of a class of voting securities, or has the power to sell or direct the sale of 10% or more of a class of voting securities of a collection agency; or
(iii) in the case of a partnership, a limited partnership, a limited liability partnership, a limited liability company, or any other business entity:
1. has the right to receive on liquidation or dissolution of a collection agency 10% or more of the capital of the collection agency; or
2. has contributed 10% or more of the capital of a collection agency.
(g) “License” means a license issued in any form by the Board under this title to do business as a collection agency, including as provided for through NMLS.
(h) “Licensed collection agency” means a person who is required to be licensed under this title, regardless of whether the person is actually licensed.
(i) “Licensed location” means any location listed by the licensee in NMLS in accordance with this title.
(j) “Licensed name” means:
(1) the licensee’s legal name; and
(2) any trade name used by the licensee in accordance with § 2–121 of the Financial Institutions Article.
(k) “Licensee” means a person licensed under this title to do business as a collection agency.
(l) “NMLS” has the meaning stated in § 1–101 of the Financial Institutions Article.
(m) “Unique identifier” means a number or another identifier assigned by NMLS.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 14
cases (9 in the last 5 years), 2013–2026 · leading case: Old Repub. Ins. v. Gordon, 137 A.3d 237 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2016).
Old Repub. Ins. v. Gordon, 137 A.3d 237 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2016). “) § 7-101 of the Business Regulation Article (“BR”) provides, in pertinent part, as follows: (c) “Collection agency” means a person who engages directly or indirectly in the business of: *** (ii) collecting a consumer claim the person owns, if the claim was in default when the…”
Davis v. Toyota Motor Credit Corp., 251 F. Supp. 3d 925 (D. Maryland 2017). “” Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-101 (c)(l)(i).”
Grant-Fletcher v. McMullen & Drury, P.A., 964 F. Supp. 2d 514 (D. Maryland 2013). “btain the Proper Licensure as a Collection Agency in the State of Maryland in Violation of § 1692e(5) M & D’s Motion for Summary Judgment will be granted as to Count VI because there is no genuine issue of material fact as to whether M & D’s receptionist is engaged primarily to…”
Robert Horowitz v. Fed. Ins. Co., 680 F. App'x 224 (4th Cir. 2017). “Law §§ 14-201 to -204 (LexisNexis 2013) (MCDCA), and the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act, Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. §§ 7-101 to -502 (LexisNexis 2015) (MCALA), by funding a state court action for unpaid legal fees brought against the Horowitzes by the Horowitzes’ former…”
Sullivan v. YES Energy Mgmt. (D. Maryland 2022). “Additionally, state law provides that entities involved in debt collection must be licensed by the State Collection Licensing Board to do business as a collection agency, pursuant to the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act (“MCALA”), Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-101 et seq.…”
Smith v. Westminster Mgmt. (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2023). “34 The issue in Old Republic was whether an insurance company that paid a claim on a credit insurance policy and then attempted to recover the amount of the claim from the borrower was required to be licensed under the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act, Md. Code, Bus. Reg…”
Smith v. Westminster Mgmt. (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2023). “34 The issue in Old Republic was whether an insurance company that paid a claim on a credit insurance policy and then attempted to recover the amount of the claim from the borrower was required to be licensed under the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act, Md. Code, Bus. Reg…”
Smith v. Westminster Mgmt. (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2023). “34 The issue in Old Republic was whether an insurance company that paid a claim on a credit insurance policy and then attempted to recover the amount of the claim from the borrower was required to be licensed under the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act, Md. Code, Bus. Reg…”
Caroline J. Francavilla, Etc. v. Absolute Resolutions Vi, LLC (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. 2024). “We reject plaintiff's suggestion that we expand upon a line of cases where the Court held the entire controversy doctrine inapplicable to certain 2 Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. §§ 7-101 to -502.”
Robinson v. Fay Servicing LLC (D. Maryland 2019). “Plaintiffs allege that Ventures Trust has unlawfully profited from collection activities related to the Plaintiffs’ defaulted mortgage loans by failing to obtain the license required under the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act (“MCALA”), Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-101 ,…”
Moore v. RealPage Util. Mgmt., Inc. (D. Maryland 2023). “Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. §§ 7-101 (d)(1), 7-301(a), & 7-401(a).”
Bittinger v. DNF Assocs., LLC (D. Maryland 2023). “Specifically, the fact that the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act (*MCALA”), Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-101 (West 2015), more directly regulates the activities of such entities weighs against the conclusion that they must also be licensed under the SFCLL.”
— Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-101(c) — 1 case
Old Repub. Ins. v. Gordon, 137 A.3d 237 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 2016). “) § 7-101 of the Business Regulation Article (“BR”) provides, in pertinent part, as follows: (c) “Collection agency” means a person who engages directly or indirectly in the business of: *** (ii) collecting a consumer claim the person owns, if the claim was in default when the…”
— Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 7-101(c)(1)(i) — 1 case
Hall (D. Maryland 2026).
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