§ 535D.16 — Investigation and examination authority

Iowa § 535D.16

• Jurisdiction: Iowa
• Title XIII: COMMERCE
• Ch. 535D: MORTGAGE LICENSING ACT

Text

The superintendent may conduct investigations and examinations as follows:
1. For purposes of initial licensing, license renewal, license suspension, license
conditioning, license revocation or termination, or general or specific inquiry or investigation
to determine compliance with this chapter, the superintendent may access, receive, and use
any relevant books, accounts, records, files, documents, information, or evidence including
but not limited to:
a. Criminal, civil, and administrative history information, which is accessible to licensing
authorities.
b. Personal history and experience information including independent credit reports
obtained from a consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) of the federal Fair
Credit Reporting Act.
c. Any other documents, information, or evidence the superintendent deems relevant to
the inquiry or investigation regardless of the location, possession, control, or custody of such
documents, information, or evidence.
2. For the purposes of investigating violations or complaints arising under this chapter,
§535D.16, MORTGAGE LICENSING ACT 10
or for the purposes of examination, the superintendent may review, investigate, or examine
any licensee, individual, or person subject to this chapter, as often as necessary in order to
carryoutthepurposesofthischapter. Thesuperintendentmaydirect, subpoena, ororderthe
attendance of and examine under oath all persons whose testimony may be required about
the loans or the business or subject matter of any such examination or investigation, and may
direct, subpoena, or order such person to produce books, accounts, records, files, and any
other documents the superintendent deems relevant to the inquiry.
3. Each licensee, individual, or person subject to this chapter shall make available
to the superintendent upon request the books and records relating to the operations of
such licensee, individual, or person. The superintendent shall have access to such books
and records and interview the officers, principals, mortgage loan originators, employers,
employees, independent contractors, agents, and customers of the licensee, individual, or
person subject to this chapter concerning their business.
4. Each licensee, individual, or person subject to this chapter shall make or compile
reports or prepare other information as directed by the superintendent in order to carry out
the purposes of this section including but not limited to the following:
a. Accounting compilations.
b. Information lists and data concerning loan transactions in a format prescribed by the
superintendent.
c. Such other information deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.
5. In making any examination or investigation authorized by this chapter, the
superintendent may control access to any documents and records of the licensee or person
under examination or investigation. The superintendent may take possession of the
documents and records or place a person in exclusive charge of the documents and records
in the place where they are usually kept. During the period of control, an individual or person
shall not remove or attempt to remove any of the documents or records except pursuant
to a court order or with the consent of the superintendent. Unless the superintendent has
reasonable grounds to believe the documents or records of the licensee have been or are
at risk of being altered or destroyed for purposes of concealing a violation of this chapter,
the licensee or owner of the documents or records shall have access to the documents or
records as necessary to conduct its ordinary business affairs.
6. In order to carry out the purposes of this section, the superintendent may:
a. Retain attorneys, accountants, or other professionals or specialists as examiners,
auditors,orinvestigatorstoconductorassistintheconductofexaminationsorinvestigations.
b. Enter into agreements or relationships with other government officials or regulatory
associations in order to improve efficiencies and reduce regulatory burden by sharing
resources, standardized or uniform methods or procedures, and documents, records,
information, or evidence obtained under this section.
c. Use, hire, contract, or employ publicly or privately available analytical systems,
methods, or software to examine or investigate the licensee, individual, or person subject
to this chapter.
d. Accept and rely on examination or investigation reports made by other government
officials, within or without this state.
e. Accept audit reports made by an independent certified public accountant for the
licensee, individual, or person subject to this chapter in the course of that part of the
examination covering the same general subject matter as the audit and may incorporate the
audit report in the report of the examination, report of investigation, or other writing of the
superintendent.
7. The authority of this section shall remain in effect, whether such a licensee, individual,
or person subject to this chapter acts or claims to act under any licensing or registration law
of this state, or claims to act without such authority.
8. A licensee, individual, or person subject to investigation or examination under this
section shall not knowingly withhold, abstract, remove, mutilate, destroy, or secrete any
books, records, computer records, or other information.