Each applicant when submitting his or her application shall pay a licensing fee and an investigation fee determined by the director as provided in RCW 43.24.086. The licensing fee for an out-of-state collection agency shall not exceed fifty percent of the licensing fee for a collection agency. An out-of-state collection agency is exempt from the licensing fee if the agency is licensed or registered in a state that does not require payment of an initial fee by any person who collects debts in the state only by means of interstate communications from the person's location in another state. If a license is not issued in response to the application, the license fee shall be returned to the applicant.

An annual license fee determined by the director as provided in RCW 43.24.086 shall be paid to the director on or before January first of each year. The annual license fee for an out-of-state collection agency shall not exceed fifty percent of the annual license fee for a collection agency. An out-of-state collection agency is exempt from the annual license fee if the agency is licensed or registered in a state that does not require payment of an annual fee by any person who collects debts in the state only by means of interstate communications from the person's location in another state. If the annual license fee is not paid on or before January first, the licensee shall be assessed a penalty for late payment in an amount determined by the director as provided in RCW 43.24.086. If the fee and penalty are not paid by January thirty-first, it will be necessary for the licensee to submit a new application for a license: PROVIDED, That no license shall be issued upon such new application unless and until all fees and penalties previously accrued under this section have been paid.

Any license or branch office certificate issued under the provisions of this chapter shall expire on December thirty-first following the issuance thereof.