§ 24-9.  Loans exempt from rate and fee limitations.

(a) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Bank" means a bank, savings and loan association, savings bank, or credit union chartered under the laws of North Carolina or the United States. However, the term "bank" does not include any subsidiary or affiliate of a bank, savings and loan association, savings bank, or credit union chartered under the laws of North Carolina or the United States that is not itself a bank, savings and loan association, savings bank, or credit union chartered under the laws of North Carolina or the United States.

(2) "Equity line of credit" means a loan, other than an exempt loan, that satisfies all of the following conditions:

a. The lender is a bank.

b. The loan is a revolving line of credit, open-end loan, revolving credit plan, or revolving credit card plan, and the loan is secured by a mortgage or deed of trust on real property.

c. At any time within a specified period not to exceed 30 years the borrower may request and the lender is obligated to provide credit advances up to the agreed aggregate credit limit. As used in this sub-subdivision, "lender is obligated" means that the lender is contractually bound to provide credit advances. However, the equity line of credit and the lender's obligation to make credit advances shall be subject to the provisions of section 226.5b(f) of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the official commentaries and rulings issued pursuant thereto, as the same may be amended from time to time, without regard to whether that section of the Code of Federal Regulations would otherwise apply to the loan.

d. Any repayments of principal by the borrower within the specified time will reduce the amount of advances counted against the aggregate credit limit.

e. The initial loan amount is ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or more. On January 1, 2008, and on January 1 every five years thereafter, the minimum initial loan amount sufficient to qualify a loan closed on or after that date as an equity line of credit under this section shall be increased by one thousand dollars ($1,000). For example, a loan closed on or after January 1, 2008, but prior to January 1, 2013, shall not be considered an equity line of credit unless the initial loan amount is eleven thousand dollars ($11,000) or more, and a loan closed on or after January 1, 2013, but prior to January 1, 2018, shall not be considered an equity line of credit unless the initial loan amount is twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) or more.

An equity line of credit shall cease being an equity line of credit subject to the provisions of this section from and after the date the loan amount is reduced below the equity line of credit's initial loan amount unless (i) the loan amount was reduced for one or more of the reasons or pursuant to one or more of the methods specified in section 226.5b(f)(2) or section 226.5b(f)(3)(vi) of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the official commentaries and rulings issued pursuant thereto, as the same may be amended from time to time, without regard to whether that section of the Code of Federal Regulations would otherwise apply to the loan, or (ii) the loan amount was reduced at the request of the borrower because the borrower was engaged in the refinancing of a loan secured by a superior lien on the same real property and the reduction in the loan amount of the equity line of credit is no greater than the difference between the loan amount secured by the refinancing mortgage and the outstanding principle balance of the loan being refinanced.

(3) "Exempt loan" means a loan in which:

a. The loan amount is three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) or more; or

b. The borrower is a person other than a natural person; or

c. The loan is obtained by a natural person primarily for a purpose other than a personal, family, or household purpose. Whether a loan is obtained primarily for a purpose other than a personal, family, or household purpose shall be guided by the standards established by the federal Truth In Lending Act (Title 1 of Public Law 90-321; 82 Stat. 146; 15 U.S.C. § 160, et seq.) and all regulations and rulings issued pursuant to that Act, as the same may be amended from time to time.

(4) "Loan" means an advance of money or an extension of credit that is made to or on behalf of a borrower, the principal amount of which the borrower has an obligation to pay the lender. The term includes revolving lines of credit, open-end loans, revolving credit plans, and revolving credit card plans in addition to closed-end loans.

(5) "Loan amount" means the principal amount of a loan or, in the case of a revolving line of credit, open-end loan, revolving credit plan, or revolving credit card plan, the initial maximum credit limit.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter or any other provision of State law, any borrower in an exempt loan transaction may agree to pay, and any lender, including a bank, may charge and collect from the borrower, interest at any rate and fees and other charges in any amount that the borrower agrees to pay. A claim or defense of usury is prohibited in an exempt loan transaction.

(c) The provisions of G.S. 24-1.2A, 24-11, and 24-11.1 shall not apply to equity lines of credit offered by banks. Except as provided in this subsection and notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter or any other provision of State law, any bank may charge and collect from any borrower interest at any rate and fees and other charges in any amount that the borrower agrees to pay in connection with an equity line of credit. However, an equity line of credit made by a bank shall be subject to the following, to the extent otherwise applicable:

(1) The provisions of G.S. 24-1.1E (relating to restrictions and limitations on high-cost home loans).

(2) The provisions of G.S. 24-10.2 (relating to consumer protections in certain home loans).

(3) Notwithstanding the limitation against prepayment penalties contained in G.S. 45-82.4, a bank may charge and collect prepayment fees or penalties following the borrower's voluntary exercise of a right or option to repay all or any portion of the outstanding balance of a variable interest rate equity line of credit at a fixed interest rate over a specified period of time, subject to the following limitations:

a. Prepayment fees or penalties may be charged only with respect to the prepayment of that portion of the outstanding balance the borrower voluntarily agrees to repay at a fixed interest rate over a specified time;

b. No prepayment fees or penalties may be charged for prepayments made more than 30 months after the borrower voluntarily exercises the right or option to repay that portion of the outstanding balance of the equity line of credit at a fixed interest rate over a specified period of time; and

c. The prepayment fees or penalties charged with respect to that portion of the outstanding balance to be repaid at a fixed rate over a specified period of time may not exceed, in the aggregate, more than two percent (2%) of the amount prepaid.

Otherwise, no prepayment fees or penalties may be charged or collected by the bank with respect to an equity line of credit.

(d) The provisions of G.S. 24-11 and G.S. 24-11.1 shall not apply to revolving credit card plans offered by banks. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter or any other provision of State law, any bank may charge and collect from any borrower interest at any rate, as well as fees and other charges in any amount that the borrower agrees to pay in connection with a revolving credit card plan. This subsection (d) shall not apply to a revolving credit card plan that is secured by a mortgage or deed of trust on real property. (1963, c. 753, s. 1; 1965, c. 335; 1969, c. 896; 1979, c. 138, s. 5; 1995, c. 351, s. 13; 2003-401, s. 1; 2011-312, s. 1.)