Section 18-A. Application fees

1. The provisions of this section shall only
  be  applicable  to  applications  for  which  a  fee is authorized to be
  imposed  by  any  other  provision  of  this  chapter   or   regulations
  promulgated thereunder.
    2.  The  fees set forth in this section may be imposed notwithstanding
  any fee amount set forth in any other provision of this chapter  or  the
  regulations promulgated thereunder.
    3.  As  used in this section, "applications" shall include notices and
  similar filings.
    4. The fee which shall be imposed for any application for  an  initial
  license,  registration,  incorporation or for the formation of any other
  entity pursuant to this chapter, or for a merger, acquisition,  purchase
  or  sale  of  assets,  change  of  control, or for any other application
  requiring the approval of the superintendent or the banking  board  that
  may  necessitate,  as  determined by the superintendent, a determination
  regarding the character or fitness and/or the safety  and  soundness  of
  such applicant or a similar investigative undertaking by the department,
  shall be:
    (a) twelve thousand five hundred dollars when such application relates
  to  a  banking organization, bank holding company or, except as provided
  in paragraph (b) of this subdivision, a foreign banking corporation;
    (b) seven thousand five hundred dollars when such application  relates
  to  licensing  a  branch,  agency  or representative office of a foreign
  banking corporation;
    (c) one thousand five hundred dollars when the application relates  to
  a mortgage broker; or
    (d) three thousand dollars for all other such applications.
    5.  The  fee  for  any  application  requiring  the  approval  of  the
  superintendent or the banking board, including, but not limited to,  any
  application  required to change the name of the applicant, open branches
  or offices or additional locations,  or  relocate  an  existing  branch,
  office,   or   location,  and  any  other  application  not  subject  to
  subdivision four of this section, shall be:
    (a) seven hundred fifty dollars when  the  application  relates  to  a
  banking  organization,  bank  holding  company, out-of-state state bank,
  foreign credit union, or foreign banking corporation;
    (b) two thousand dollars when the application relates to the licensing
  of an additional location or change of location or the  licensing  of  a
  mobile unit of a licensed casher of checks; or
    (c) five hundred dollars for all other such applications.
    6.  The  superintendent,  in  his or her sole discretion, may waive or
  reduce the amount of the fee to be imposed  pursuant  to  this  section,
  either on a case-by-case basis or, by regulation, generally with respect
  to a type of application, if the superintendent determines that:
    (a) the payment of such fee would impose an economic hardship upon the
  applicant;
    (b)  the  amount of such fee is excessive with respect to the expenses
  incurred by the banking department to investigate such application; or
    (c) such waiver or reduction (i) serves the  interests  of  interstate
  administrative  reciprocity  or multi-state regulatory cooperation; (ii)
  facilitates the administration of the banking department;  or  (iii)  is
  otherwise appropriate.