State Laws
State Licensing Laws, Summarized
Plain-English summaries of state-level licensing requirements, regulatory bodies, and key statutes. Updated as state law changes.
Maps by industry
Explore state laws by industry
Each regulated industry has its own state-by-state map and law summaries. Choose an industry to see only that industry's requirements.
charitable registration
contractor license
debt collection
money transmitter
mortgage
subdivision
State Laws
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Best-of guides
Ranked guides for this decision
Best States to Start a Collection Agency in 2026
Some states let a new collection agency open with a simple bond filing or registration, while others require a full license application with exams, audits, and branch approvals. This list ranks the states where a new agency can get compliant fastest, based on the licensing work our team files every day.
Best License Paths for a Debt Collection Startup in 2026
Third-party agency, debt buyer, collection law firm, or first-party servicer: the business model you pick determines which licenses you need and how heavy the buildout is. This list ranks the main licensing paths for a new collections business and the tradeoffs of each.
Best License Types for Fintech Lenders in 2026
A fintech lending product can sit under several different state license regimes depending on how the credit is structured, who holds the receivable, and how money moves. This list ranks the license types that matter most for fintech lenders and explains when each one is the right foundation.
Best States to Prioritize for Money Transmitter Licensing in 2026
You cannot launch a money transmission product in all fifty states at once, so sequencing is the real strategy. This list ranks the state groups worth prioritizing, from your home state to the modernization-act adopters to the heavyweight markets worth saving for later rounds.
Need the underlying figures? The Regulatory Data Center publishes the requirement and bond-amount datasets behind these pages, with a change log, quarterly snapshots, and CSV/JSON downloads.
Stay Ahead of the Rules
Recent rule changes, deadline announcements, and state agency updates we are tracking for you.
- Action Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions KY Aug 4, 2026
Kentucky Agreed Order Against Old Colonial Mortgage, LLC
Kentucky DFI lists an Agreed Order against Old Colonial Mortgage, LLC dated August 3, 2026, case 2025DFI188. It is one of the state licensing enforcement actions verified in the target period.
- Action Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions KY Aug 4, 2026
Kentucky Agreed Order Against Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated
Kentucky DFI lists an Agreed Order against Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated dated August 3, 2026, case 2026DFI0078. The action was publicly listed during the requested date range.
- Action Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions KY Aug 4, 2026
Kentucky Agreed Order Against Milestone Lending LLC
Kentucky DFI lists an Agreed Order against Milestone Lending LLC dated July 27, 2026, case 2026DFI0074. The action is one of several Kentucky mortgage enforcement entries posted in the target period.
- Action Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions KY Aug 4, 2026
Kentucky Agreed Order Against TDA Capital Group, LLC
Kentucky DFI lists an Agreed Order against TDA Capital Group, LLC dated July 27, 2026, case 2025DFI0063. The action appears on the state's mortgage enforcement actions page.
- Action Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions KY Aug 4, 2026
Kentucky Agreed Order Against UpEquity SPV2 LLC
Kentucky DFI lists an Agreed Order against UpEquity SPV2 LLC dated July 27, 2026, case 2026DFI0083, on its mortgage enforcement actions page. The item falls squarely within the requested period.