(1) Any person who willfully and intentionally violates any provision of s. 520.995 or engages in the business of a retail installment seller without obtaining a license as required by this part is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(2) In the case of a willful violation of this part with respect to any retail installment sale, the buyer may recover from the person committing such violation, or may set off or counterclaim in any action against the buyer by such person, an amount equal to any finance charge and any fees charged to the buyer by reason of delinquency, plus attorney’s fees and costs incurred by the buyer to assert rights under this part.
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to any violation of the requirement in s. 520.07(1)(c) that the seller deliver or mail to the buyer a copy of the contract signed by the seller, if the seller delivered to the buyer at the time the buyer signed the contract an exact copy of the contract that the buyer signed.
History.—s. 11, ch. 57-799; s. 9, ch. 59-456; s. 491, ch. 71-136; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 21, ch. 80-256; s. 2, ch. 81-318; s. 5, ch. 87-91; ss. 7, 35, 36, ch. 90-103; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 32, ch. 2001-196.
Structure Florida Statutes
Title XXXIII - Regulation of Trade, Commerce, Investments, and Solicitations
Chapter 520 - Retail Installment Sales
Part I - Motor Vehicle Sales Finance (Ss. 520.01-520.14)
520.01 - Motor Vehicle Retail Sales Finance Act.
520.07 - Requirements and prohibitions as to retail installment contracts.
520.08 - Finance charge limitation.
520.085 - Simple-interest contracts.
520.09 - Credit upon anticipation of payments.
520.10 - Refinancing retail installment contract.
520.125 - Variable rate contracts; mobile homes.
520.14 - Termination of retail installment contract for leasing a motor vehicle by a servicemember.