Section 408.140

Title XXVI TRADE AND COMMERCE

Chapter 408

Effective - 28 Aug 2024, 10 histories   

  408.140.  Additional charges or fees prohibited, exceptions — no finance charges if purchases are paid for within certain time limit, exception. — 1.  No further or other charge or amount whatsoever shall be directly or indirectly charged, contracted for or received for interest, service charges or other fees as an incident to any such extension of credit except as provided and regulated by sections 367.100 to 367.200 and except:

  (1)  On loans for thirty days or longer which are other than open-end credit as such term is defined in the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act and regulations thereunder, a fee, not to exceed ten percent of the principal amount loaned not to exceed one hundred dollars may be charged by the lender; however, no such fee shall be permitted on any extension, refinance, restructure or renewal of any such loan, unless any investigation is made on the application to extend, refinance, restructure or renew the loan;

  (2)  The lawful fees actually and necessarily paid out by the lender to any public officer for filing, recording, or releasing in any public office any instrument securing the loan, and reasonable and bona fide third-party fees incurred for remote or electronic filing, which fees may be collected when the loan is made or at any time thereafter; however, premiums for insurance in lieu of perfecting a security interest required by the lender may be charged if the premium does not exceed the fees which would otherwise be payable;

  (3)  If the contract so provides, a charge for late payment on each installment or minimum payment in default for a period of not less than fifteen days in an amount not to exceed five percent of each installment due or the minimum payment due or fifteen dollars, whichever is greater, not to exceed fifty dollars.  If the contract so provides, a charge for late payment on each twenty-five dollars or less installment in default for a period of not less than fifteen days shall not exceed five dollars;

  (4)  If the contract so provides, a charge for late payment for a single payment note in default for a period of not less than fifteen days in an amount not to exceed five percent of the payment due; provided that, the late charge for a single payment note shall not exceed fifty dollars;

  (5)  Charges or premiums for insurance written in connection with any loan against loss of or damage to property or against liability arising out of ownership or use of property as provided in section 367.170; however, notwithstanding any other provision of law, with the consent of the borrower, such insurance may cover property all or part of which is pledged as security for the loan, and charges or premiums for insurance providing life, health, accident, or involuntary unemployment coverage;

  (6)  Reasonable towing costs and expenses of retaking, holding, preparing for sale, and selling any personal property in accordance with the uniform commercial code - secured transactions, sections 400.9-101 to 400.9-809;

  (7)  A reasonable service fee not to exceed the amount permitted under subdivision (2) of subsection 6 of section 570.120 for any check, draft, order, or like instrument that is returned unpaid by a financial institution, plus an amount equal to the actual fees charged by the financial institution for each check, draft, order, or like instrument returned unpaid;

  (8)  If the contract or promissory note, signed by the borrower, provides for attorney fees, and if it is necessary to bring suit, such attorney fees may not exceed fifteen percent of the amount due and payable under such contract or promissory note, together with any court costs assessed.  The attorney fees shall only be applicable where the contract or promissory note is referred for collection to an attorney, and is not handled by a salaried employee of the holder of the contract;

  (9)  If the open-end credit contract is tied to a transaction account in a depository institution, such account is in the institution's assets and such contract provides for loans of thirty-one days or longer which are open-end credit, as such term is defined in the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act and regulations thereunder, the creditor may charge a credit advance fee of up to the lesser of seventy-five dollars or ten percent of the credit advanced from time to time from the line of credit; such credit advance fee may be added to the open-end credit outstanding along with any interest, and shall not be considered the unlawful compounding of interest as specified under section 408.120;

  (10)  A deficiency waiver addendum, guaranteed asset protection, or a similar product purchased as part of a loan transaction with collateral and at the borrower's consent, provided the cost of the product is disclosed in the loan contract, is reasonable, and the requirements of section 408.380 are met;

  (11)  A convenience fee for payments using an alternative payment channel that accepts a debit or credit card not present transaction, nonface-to-face payment, provided that:

  (a)  The person making the payment is notified of the convenience fee; and

  (b)  The fee is fixed or flat, except that the fee may vary based upon method of payment used; and

  (12)  A charge equal to the cost of the credit report.

  2.  Other provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding, an open-end credit contract under which a credit card is issued by a company, financial institution, savings and loan or other credit issuing company whose credit card operations are located in Missouri may charge an annual fee, provided that no finance charge shall be assessed on new purchases other than cash advances if such purchases are paid for within twenty-five days of the date of the periodic statement therefor.

  3.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in addition to charges allowed pursuant to section 408.100, an open-end credit contract provided by a company, financial institution, savings and loan or other credit issuing company which is regulated pursuant to this chapter may charge an annual fee not to exceed fifty dollars.

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(L. 1951 p. 875 § 408.032 (c), A.L. 1979 S.B. 305, A.L. 1980 H.B. 1195, A.L. 1981 S.B. 5 Revision, S.B. 326, A.L. 1984 S.B. 686, A.L. 1986 H.B. 1207, A.L. 1989 H.B. 386 merged with H.B. 615 & 563 merged with S.B. 192, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1630 merged with S.B. 768, A.L. 1992 S.B. 705 merged with S.B. 688, A.L. 1994 H.B. 1312, A.L. 1996 S.B. 683, A.L. 1998 S.B. 792, A.L. 2001 H.B. 738 merged with S.B. 186, A.L. 2002 S.B. 895, A.L. 2003 S.B. 346, A.L. 2004 H.B. 959 merged with S.B. 1233, et al., A.L. 2011 S.B. 83, A.L. 2013 H.B. 329 merged with S.B. 254, A.L. 2015 S.B. 345, A.L. 2017 H.B. 292, A.L. 2021 S.B. 106, A.L. 2024 S.B. 1359)