# What are resident manager requirements and how do agencies handle them? *Reviewed 2026-07-14* ## Short answer A few states require a collection agency license to be tied to a qualified individual, often called a resident manager or qualified manager, who may need to pass an exam, live or office in the state, and be named on the license. Agencies handle it by designating and maintaining a qualified person per state that requires one, and by treating that person's departure as a licensing event with a deadline. Resident and qualified manager rules attach a person to the license. The named individual typically must meet experience requirements, sometimes pass a state exam, and in some states maintain a physical presence. If that person leaves, the state usually allows a limited window to designate a successor before the license is at risk, so succession is the real operational problem: agencies need a bench, not just a name on file. Multi-state agencies keep a register of every state that requires a designated manager, who holds the role, their exam and renewal status, and who the backup is. That register belongs in the same calendar as renewals, because a lapsed manager designation can suspend collections in the state as effectively as a lapsed license. Cornerstone is the U.S. licensing operating partner for lenders, mortgage companies, money services businesses, and accounts receivable management firms, and manages designated-manager states, exams, and successions as part of collection agency licensing. ## Related - [Third-party collection agency license](/third-party-collection-agency-license) - [Debt collection licensing services](/services) - [Talk with our team](/contact) --- ## How to cite this page Cite as: "What are resident manager requirements and how do agencies handle them?." Cornerstone Licensing. https://cornerstonelicensing.com/answers/resident-manager-requirements-for-collection-agencies Published by Cornerstone Licensing. When quoting figures or legal requirements, link the canonical URL above and note the last-updated date (2026-07-14). The full content index for this site is at https://cornerstonelicensing.com/llms.txt.