California DFPI Issues Urgent Reminder On Debt Collection Annual Reports Due By March 16

California DFPI is requiring all Debt Collection Licensing Act (DCLA) licensees that were licensed before January 1, 2026 to submit their 2025 debt collection Annual Report via the DFPI Self-Service Portal no later than Monday, March 16, 2026.

Who must file

• All debt collectors licensed under the DCLA and licensed as of December 31, 2025 must file an Annual Report for calendar year 2025.​

• DFPI’s March 2026 bulletin reiterates this applies to all DCLA licensees licensed before January 1, 2026.

Deadline and reporting window

• Due date: March 16, 2026 (DFPI has aligned the DCLA deadline to that date in the 2026 cycle).

• Filing window: Licensees can input reports in the Self‑Service Portal from January 2, 2026 through March 16, 2026.​

How to file (portal steps)

DFPI instructs licensees to file only through the DFPI Self‑Service Portal, not NMLS.​

• Go to the DFPI Self‑Service Portal login page (DocQNet) and sign in with your registered username and password.​

• From the welcome page, click your name (top right), then select “Annual, Liability & Industry Survey Reporting.”​

• Under “Your Reports,” choose “Debt Collection Annual Reports.”​

• Optionally download the blank form with instructions (“Download Blank Form”) to see all fields.​

• Click “Start” to complete the report and follow the prompts to submit.​

• To amend, return to the same page and use “Re‑Open” to edit and resubmit before the deadline.​

Key data elements (substance of the report)

While DFPI’s site doesn’t list every field in the short summary, prior guidance for DCLA annual reports indicates licensees should expect to report California collection activity for the preceding year, including:

• Number of California debtor accounts purchased and collected.

• Face value dollar amount of California debtor accounts in portfolio and outstanding uncollected amounts.

• Net proceeds generated from California debtor accounts.

• Whether the licensee operated as a debt collector, debt buyer, or both.

• Litigation or enforcement actions related to debt collection practices.

Enforcement and consequences

• DFPI has authority under Financial Code section 100021(a) to require the Annual Report and has already used this authority in enforcement actions where licensees failed to file.

• In at least one 2025 administrative action, DFPI issued a Notice of Failure and a desist and refrain order and assessed penalties for not filing the Annual Report.​

• For other DFPI regimes (e.g., CFL), DFPI has imposed late‑reporting penalties up to tens of thousands of dollars, signaling that similar consequences (penalties, potential suspension, and heightened supervision) are plausible under DCLA for non‑filers and chronic late filers.

DFPI vs. other annual reports