(a) In addition to other lawful charges under various state laws, and notwithstanding any restrictions thereunder, a legal licensed lending institution, a vendor making credit sales, any financial institution operating in Alabama or any individual may, if provided in the contract, charge and collect at the time of making a loan or credit sale, on each contract of loan or credit sale, an interest surcharge of not more than six percent of the part of the amount financed, which is not in excess of two thousand dollars ($2000). In addition to any rebate to which the debtor is otherwise entitled, when any contract upon which an interest surcharge has been charged is prepaid in full by any means within 90 days of date of the contract, the creditor shall refund or credit the debtor with a pro rata portion of the interest surcharge, except that in such event an amount of no less than twenty-five dollars ($25) may be retained by the creditor.
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 8-8-14

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Finance charge: The total cost of credit a customer must pay on a consumer loan, including interest. The Truth in Lending Act requires disclosure of the finance charge. Source: OCC
  • month: means a calendar month. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Open-end credit: A credit agreement (typically a credit card) that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved credit line when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is only billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due. (Also called a charge account or revolving credit.) Source: OCC
  • preceding: means next before. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • United States: includes the territories thereof and the District of Columbia. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) As an alternative to any other interest or finance charge allowed by state laws, and any law or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding, a lender or a vendor in credit sales, any financial institution operating in Alabama or any individual may, in connection with any credit sale, upon any type or class of loan, charge a maximum allowable rate on the amount of such loan or credit sale, not to exceed two percentage points above the prime rate at the time such loan or credit sales contract is executed; or if the debt is created under an open-end credit plan, the maximum finance charge in connection therewith shall be one and three-fourths percent per month on the first $750 or less, and one and one-half percent per month on the excess of any unpaid balance from time to time thereunder. For the purpose of this section, the prime rate shall be the average of the prime rates reported by the three largest banks in New York City as of the close of business three business days immediately preceding the date on which the loan or credit sale is made.
(c) The provisions of this section are cumulative to, and not in derogation of, rights under other provisions of state or federal law and shall not in any way repeal, amend or modify the provisions of Public Law 96-221 enacted by the Congress of the United States and approved March 31, 1980.
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