§ 6221 — Requirements

(a) General rule.--An installment sale contract shall:

(1) be in writing;

(2) contain all the agreements between a buyer and an installment seller relating to the installment sale of the motor vehicle sold;

(3) be signed by the buyer and seller; and

(4) be complete as to all essential provisions before the buyer signs the contract.

(b) Copies.--

(1) The installment seller shall furnish an exact copy of the installment sale contract without charge to the buyer at the time the buyer signs the contract.

(2) The buyer's copy of the contract shall contain the signature of the seller identical to the signature on the original contract.

(3) Upon request, a holder shall furnish to the buyer a duplicate copy of the contract upon payment of a reasonable fee not to exceed the cost of production.

(c) Acknowledgment.--

(1) The installment seller shall obtain from the buyer a written acknowledgment of the buyer's receipt of a copy of the contract.

(2) The acknowledgment shall be:

(i) printed below the buyer's signature to the contract, if attached to the contract; and

(ii) independently signed by the buyer.

(d) Equal periods and amounts.--An installment sale contract shall provide for payment of the time balance in substantially equal periods and amounts except in the following instances:

(1) The buyer expects the buyer's income to vary because of seasonal employment, seasonal sales, use of accelerated depreciation for tax purposes or other known causes, in which case the contract may provide for payment of the time balance in amounts that vary with the expected varying income.

(2) The sale of a heavy commercial motor vehicle.

(3) The sale of a motor vehicle to a salesperson licensed under the act of December 22, 1983 (P.L.306, No.84), known as the Board of Vehicles Act.

(4) When the contract provides for fixed residual value financing.

(e) Disclosures.--

(1) Prior to a buyer's execution of an installment sale contract, an installment seller shall provide to the buyer an oral and a written disclosure in plain language.

(2) The written disclosure shall:

(i) be separate from the contract to be signed by the buyer;

(ii) be complete without any blank spaces; and

(iii) advise that the purchase of specific items related to acquiring the motor vehicle is voluntary and not required as a condition of the buyer's receiving the installment sale contract loan. The items to which this subparagraph applies:

(A) include a service contract, warranty, debt cancellation agreement, debt suspension agreement and insurance products not required by section 6241 (relating to insurance); and

(B) exclude an option or accessory physically attached to the motor vehicle.

(3) The completed written disclosure shall be copied exactly and furnished by the seller to the buyer at no cost when the buyer receives a copy of the contract.

(f) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "fixed residual value financing" means the manner of purchase whereby a buyer listed as the owner on the motor vehicle title agrees, at the conclusion of a predetermined schedule of installment payments made in substantially equal periods and amounts, to:

(1) satisfy the balance of the contractual amount owing;

(2) refinance any balance owing on the terms previously agreed upon at the time of executing the installment sale contract; or

(3) surrender the motor vehicle at the time and manner agreed upon at the time of executing the contract.

Legislative History

Cross References.Section 6221 is referred to in section 6275 of this title.