The commission collects and sets various certificate, registration, and application fees for career schools, colleges, and representatives, with several caps and exceptions.
Sec. 132.201. CERTIFICATE AND REGISTRATION FEES. (a) Certificate and registration fees, except those charged pursuant to Subsection (d), shall be collected by the commission. Each fee shall be in an amount set by the commission in an amount not to exceed 150 percent of each fee in the following schedule: (1) the initial fee for a career school or college: (A) for a certificate of approval is $2,000; or (B) for a small career school or college certificate of approval is $1,000; (2) the first renewal fee and each subsequent renewal fee for a career school or college is the greater of: (A) an amount that is determined by applying a percentage, not to exceed 0.3 percent, to the gross tuition and fees, excluding refunds as provided by Section 132.061 or 132.0611, of the school or college; or (B) $500; (3) the initial registration fee for a representative is $60; (4) the annual renewal fee for a representative is $30; (5) the fee for a change of a name of a career school or college or owner is $100; (6) the fee for a change of an address of a career school or college is $180; (7) the fee for a change in the name or address of a representative or a change in the name or address of a career school or college that causes the reissuance of a representative permit is $10; (8) the application fee for an additional program is $150, except for seminars and workshops, for which the fee is $25; (9) the application fee for a director, administrative staff member, or instructor is $15; (10) the application fee for the authority to grant degrees is $2,000; (11) the application fee for an additional degree program is $250; and (12) the fee for an inspection required by commission rule of classroom facilities that are separate from the main campus is $250. (b) The commission shall periodically review and recommend adjustments in the level of fees to the legislature. (c) For purposes of this section, the gross amount of annual student fees and tuition for a career school or college is the amount determined by the commission based on any report submitted by the school or college to the commission or other information obtained by the commission. (d) In connection with the regulation of any career school or college or program through a memorandum of understanding pursuant to Section 132.002(c), the commission shall set an application and annual renewal fee, not to exceed $2,000. The fee shall be an amount reasonably calculated to cover the administrative costs associated with assuming the additional regulation. (e) The fee for an investigation at a career school or college to resolve a complaint filed against the school or college is $600. The fee may be charged only if: (1) the complaint could not have been resolved by telephone or written correspondence only; (2) a representative of the commission visits the school or college as a part of the complaint resolution process; and (3) the school or college is found to be at fault. (f) The commission may allow payment of any fee authorized under this section or under Section 132.2415 that exceeds $1,000 to be paid by installment. The commission shall provide for appropriate interest charges and late penalties in addition to any other remedy that is provided for by law for the late payment of a fee installment authorized under this section. The commission may assess a reasonable service charge or interest to be paid by a career school or college that pays a fee by installment in an amount not to exceed 10 percent annually of the fee that is to be paid by installment. (g) All fees, interest, or other charges collected under this section shall be used only for the administration of this chapter. (h) The commission may apply or prorate a fee paid by a small career school or college that has complied with the notification requirements of Section 132.064 toward an initial certificate as a career school or college in the event that a career school or college has ceased to qualify as a small career school or college during a certification period. (i) The commission may charge each career school or college a fee for the cost of a service that collects, analyzes, and reports student-level data in order to assess the outcome of students who attend career schools and colleges. The total amount of the fees charged under this subsection must not exceed the cost of the service to the commission. Added by Acts 1971, 62nd Leg., p. 2016, ch. 620, Sec. 1, eff. June 4, 1971. Amended by Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 1268, ch. 463, Sec. 7, eff. June 14, 1973; Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 1975, ch. 359, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 239, Sec. 28, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 813, Sec. 4.21, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 391, Sec. 65, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 1010, Sec. 7, eff. Aug. 30, 1993. Redesignated from Education Code Sec. 32.71 and amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 2, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 655, Sec. 11.50, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1064, Sec. 8, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 364, Sec. 2.27, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 817, Sec. 8.41, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 747 (H.B. 2806), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 496 (S.B. 309), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.