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Student Debt Relief Services

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Providing debt settlement services on a consumer’s student debt or performing acts to attempt to secure a revised payment plan, forbearance, consolidation, or forgiveness of student debt.

Overview

Under the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL), the DFPI has expanded authority to oversee financial products and services previously unregulated by the Department.  This includes the ability to require registration, collect industry data, and investigate claims of unlawful, unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts or practices.  For general information on the CCFPL or registration regulations, please visit our CCFPL Information for New Registrants page.

Effective February 15, 2025, no person shall engage in the business of offering to provide or providing student debt relief services to California residents without first registering with the Department.

To search for registered providers of student debt relief services, please visit the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS) Consumer Access site or use our Search for Regulated Entities.

FAQs

1. What is student debt?

Student debt is any debt arising from education financing, as defined in the regulations, including both federal and private student debt.

For more information, see California Code of Regulations, title 10, sections 1002 and 1003.

2. What are student debt relief services?

Student debt relief services means providing any debt settlement services, as defined in the regulations, when the underlying debt is student debt.  In addition, student debt relief services include performing acts, such as providing advice, assessing suitability, document preparation, or acting as an intermediary between a consumer and consumer’s servicer of student debt, in an attempt to secure a revised payment plan, forbearance, consolidation, or forgiveness of student debt.

For more information, see California Code of Regulations, title 10, sections 1001 and 1002

3. Are there any exemptions to CCFPL registration for student debt relief services?

Student debt relief services offered or provided to California residents under the authority of another state agency’s license are not subject to registration under the CCFPL.  This includes attorneys acting under the authority of their license to practice law in California.

A licensee offering to provide or providing student debt relief services within the scope of its Check Sellers, Bill Payers, and Proraters (CSBPP) license is exempt from CCFPL registration.

A nonprofit community service organization, offering to provide or providing student debt relief services, that has submitted to the Department an audit report under Financial Code section 12104(i) within the previous 12 months is exempt from CCFPL registration.

Any nonprofit organization exempt from federal taxation that provides student debt relief services to consumers free of charge is exempt from CCFPL registration.

For more information, see Financial Code section 90002, Financial Code section 12104, and  California Code of Regulations, title 10, section 1010.

 

4. If I have registered for debt settlement services under the CCFPL, do I need a separate registration if the non-mortgage debt settled includes student debt?

Yes.  A separate registration is required for each subject product offered or provided.

Any person that offers or provides debt settlement services in connection with student debt arising from education financing, as defined in the regulations, needs a CCFPL Student Debt Relief Services registration.  Debt settlement services for all other non-mortgage debt requires the separate CCFPL Debt Settlement Services registration.

For more information, see California Code of Regulations, title 10, sections 1001, 1002, 1003, 1010, and 1021.  Also, visit the Debt Settlement Services webpage.

5. As a CCFPL student debt relief services registrant, am I required to file an annual report and when is it due?

Yes.  A student debt relief services registrant is required to file an annual report on or before March 15 of each calendar year, starting in 2026.

6. I provide or offer to provide student debt relief services under my CSBPP license, not a CCFPL registration. Do I need to file the CCFPL Student Debt Relief Services annual report?

No.  Only CCFPL student debt relief services registrants are required to file the CCFPL Student Debt Relief Services annual report.

News & Info Links

How to reach us:

Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
Attn: Supervision and Registration of New Covered Persons Program
651 Bannon Street, Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (866) 275-2677
Email: [email protected]

Last updated: Jul 2, 2025 @ 2:38 pm