58-33-32. Interstate reciprocity in producer licensing.

(a) The purpose of this section is to make North Carolina insurance producer licensing comply with the reciprocity requirements in the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Public Law 106-102. This section does not apply to surplus lines licensees in Article 21 of this Chapter, except as provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section.

(b) Repealed by Session Laws 2001-203, s. 13, effective July 1, 2002.

(c) Unless denied licensure under G.S. 58-33-30 or G.S. 58-33-50, a nonresident person shall receive a nonresident producer license if:

(1) The person is currently licensed as a resident and in good standing in that person's home state;

(2) The person has submitted the request for licensure in the form prescribed by the Commissioner and has paid the applicable fees required by G.S. 58-33-125;

(3) The person has submitted or transmitted to the Commissioner a copy of the application for licensure that the person submitted to that person's home state, or in lieu of the same, a completed Uniform Application or Uniform Business Entity Application; and

(4) The person's home state awards nonresident producer licenses to residents of this State on a reciprocal basis.

The Commissioner may verify the producer's licensing status through the producer database maintained by the NAIC or affiliates or subsidiaries of the NAIC.

(d) A person licensed as a surplus lines producer in that person's home state shall receive a nonresident surplus lines license under subsection (c) of this section. Except for the licensure provisions of this section, nothing in this section otherwise amends or supersedes any provision of Article 21 of this Chapter.

(e) A person licensed or registered as a viatical settlement broker or provider, as defined in G.S. 58-58-205, in that person's home state shall receive a nonresident viatical settlement broker or provider license under subsection (c) of this section. Except for the licensure provisions of this section, nothing in this section otherwise amends or supersedes any provision of Part 5 of Article 58 of this Chapter.

(f) A person licensed as a limited line credit insurance producer or other type of limited lines producer in that person's home state may, under subsection (c) of this section, receive a nonresident limited lines producer license granting the same scope of authority as granted under the license issued by the producer's home state. For the purposes of this subsection, limited lines insurance is any authority granted by the home state that restricts the authority of the license to less than the total authority prescribed in the associated major lines under G.S. 58-33-26(c)(1), 58-33-26(c)(2), 58-33-26(c)(3), and 58-33-26(c)(4).

(g) An individual who applies for an insurance producer license in this State who was previously licensed for the same kinds of insurance in that individual's home state shall not be required to complete any prelicensing education or examination. This exemption is available only if:

(1) The applicant is currently licensed in the applicant's home state; or

(2) The application is received within 90 days after the cancellation of the applicant's previous license and the applicant's home state issues a certification that, at the time of cancellation, the applicant was in good standing in that state; or

(3) The home state's producer database records, maintained by the NAIC or affiliates or subsidiaries of the NAIC, indicate that the producer is or was licensed in good standing for the kind of insurance requested.

(h) The Commissioner shall not assess a greater fee for an insurance license or related service to a nonresident producer based solely on the fact that the producer does not reside in this State.

(i) The Commissioner shall waive any license application requirements for a nonresident license applicant with a valid license from the applicant's home state, except the requirements imposed by subsection (c) of this section, if the applicant's home state awards nonresident licenses to residents of this State on the same basis.

(j) A nonresident producer's satisfaction of the nonresident producer's home state's continuing education requirements for licensed insurance producers shall constitute satisfaction of this State's continuing education requirements if the nonresident producer's home state recognizes the satisfaction of its continuing education requirements imposed upon producers from this State on the same basis.

(k) A producer shall report to the Commissioner any administrative action taken against the producer in another state or by another governmental agency in this State within 30 days after the final disposition of the matter. As used in this subsection, "administrative action" includes enforcement action taken against the producer by the FINRA. This report shall include a copy of the order or consent order and other information or documents filed in the proceeding necessary to describe the action.

(l) Within 30 days after the initial pretrial hearing date or similar proceeding, a producer shall report to the Commissioner any criminal prosecution of the producer. The report shall include a copy of the initial complaint filed, the order resulting from the hearing or similar proceeding, and any other information or documents filed in the proceeding necessary to describe the prosecution.