Examinations, reports, and internal audits; penalty.
F.S. 655.045
in effect(1)
The office shall conduct an examination of the condition of each state financial institution at least every 18 months. The office may conduct more frequent examinations based upon the risk profile of the financial institution, prior examination results, or significant changes in the institution or its operations. The office may use continuous, phase, or other flexible scheduling examination methods for very large or complex state financial institutions and financial institutions owned or controlled by a multi-financial institution holding company. The office shall consider examination guidelines from federal regulatory agencies in order to facilitate, coordinate, and standardize examination processes.
(a)
The office may accept an examination of a state financial institution made by an appropriate federal regulatory agency or may conduct a joint or concurrent examination of the institution with the federal agency. However, if the office accepts an examination in accordance with this paragraph, the office shall conduct at least once during each 36-month period beginning July 1, 2023, a subsequent examination of each state financial institution in a manner that allows the preparation of a complete examination report not subject to the right of a federal or other non-Florida entity to limit access to the information contained therein. The office may furnish a copy of all examinations or reviews made of financial institutions or their affiliates to the state or federal agencies participating in the examination, investigation, or review, or as otherwise authorized under s. 655.057.
(b)
If, as a part of an examination or investigation of a state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation, the office has reason to believe that the conduct or business operations of an affiliate may have a negative impact on the state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation, the office may conduct such examination or investigation of the affiliate as the office deems necessary.
(c)
The office may recover the costs of examination and supervision of a state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation that is determined by the office to be engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice. The office may also recover the costs of a review conducted pursuant to paragraph (b) of an affiliate of a state financial institution determined by the office to have contributed to an unsafe or unsound practice at a state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation.
(d)
As used in this section, the term “costs” means the salary and travel expenses directly attributable to the field staff examining the state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation, and the travel expenses of any supervisory staff required as a result of examination findings. The mailing of any costs incurred under this subsection must be postmarked within 30 days after the date of receipt of a notice stating that such costs are due. The office may levy a late payment of up to $100 per day or part thereof that a payment is overdue, unless excused for good cause. However, for intentional late payment of costs, the office may levy an administrative fine of up to $1,000 per day for each day the payment is overdue.
(e)
The office may require an audit of a state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation by an independent certified public accountant, or other person approved by the office if the office, after conducting an examination of the state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation, or after accepting an examination of the state financial institution by an appropriate state or federal regulatory agency, determines that an audit is necessary in order to ascertain the condition of the financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation. The cost of such audit shall be paid by the state financial institution, subsidiary, or state service corporation audited.
(f)
In coordinating an examination required under this section, if a federal agency suspends or cancels a previously scheduled examination of a state financial institution, the office has an additional 90 days to meet the examination requirement of this section. In such case, the requirement is deemed met by the federal agency conducting the examination or upon the office conducting the examination instead.
(2)
Each state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation shall submit a report, at least four times each calendar year, as of such dates as the commission or office determines. The report must include such information as the commission by rule requires for that type of institution.
(a)
The office shall levy an administrative fine of up to $100 per day for each day the report is past due, unless it is excused for good cause.
(b)
For an intentional late filing of the report, the office shall levy an administrative fine of up to $1,000 per day for each day the report is past due.
(3)
The board of directors of each state financial institution or, in the case of a credit union, the supervisory committee or audit committee shall perform or cause to be performed, within each calendar year, an internal audit of each state financial institution, subsidiary, or service corporation and file a copy of the report and findings of such audit with the office on a timely basis. The internal audit must include such information as the commission by rule requires for that type of institution.
(a)
With the approval of the office, the board of directors or, in the case of a credit union, the supervisory committee may elect, in lieu of such periodic audits, to adopt and implement an adequate continuous audit system and procedure that includes full, adequate, and continuous written reports to, and review by, the board of directors or, in the case of a credit union, the supervisory committee, together with written statements of the actions taken thereon and reasons for omissions to take actions, all of which shall be noted in the minutes and filed among the records of the board of directors or, in the case of a credit union, the supervisory committee. If at any time such continuous audit system and procedure, including the reports and statements, becomes inadequate, in the judgment of the office, the state financial institution shall promptly make such changes as may be required by the office to cause the same to accomplish the purpose of this section.
(b)
A de novo state financial institution open less than 4 months is exempt from the audit requirements of this section.
(4)
A copy of the report of each examination must be furnished to the state financial institution examined and presented to the board of directors at its next regular or special meeting. Each director shall review the report and acknowledge receipt of the report and such review by signing and dating the prescribed signature page of the report and returning a copy of the signed page to the office.
Source: FL Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/Chapter655/AllFetched: 7/8/2026