While the name Servicemembers Civil Relief Act seems to imply that it would only cover members of the armed forces, SCRA benefits can extend far past members of the military. Members of the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast guard, Space Force, National Guard, and Reserve components, as well as commissioned officers of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In addition, these benefits and protections cover the “dependants” of servicemembers. Dependants are defined as the spouses and children of servicemembers.
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
The servicemembers civil relief act has six main benefits and protections outlined by the Department of Justice and is the successor of the soldiers and sailors civil relief act.
- The six percent interest rate cap
- The six percent interest rate cap applies to individuals that enter military service and their spouses. During an active duty service member’s period of service and one year after, the amount of interest to be charged on certain financial obligations incurred prior to military service may not exceed six percent per year.
- Protections against default judgments
- If the defendant in a civil judicial proceeding is an active duty service member, a default judgment may not be entered against them until an attorney has been appointed to represent the interests of the service member.
- Non-judicial foreclosures
- During a service member’s period of active duty service and one year after, a creditor cannot complete non-judicial foreclosure proceedings. The creditor must get a court order to foreclose.
- Installment contracts and repossessions
- If a service member has made at least one installment payment or placed a deposit on a vehicle, it cannot be repossessed during the borrower’s period of military service.
- Residential lease terminations
- This benefit is available to individuals in active duty military service that have received permanent change of station order or deployment orders for a period of at least 90 days. As a result, this benefit is only available during a service member’s period of active duty.
- Enforcement of storage liens
- During an individual’s period of active duty military service and 90 days thereafter, a person holding a lien on their property may not enforce it.
Use the SCRACVS to verify SCRA Protections
Landlords, property managers, and motor vehicle lessors may not always know which of their clients are in the military and which are not. Regardless, military members are guaranteed SCRA protections. Therefore, it is imperative to check military status before beginning any legal action against your renter. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Centralized Verification service is the best place to verify military status.
Many lenders, banks, landlords, property managers, and motor vehicle lessors use the SCRACVS to check the military status of their renters and customers. It is quick, easy, and cost-effective — we even offer batch discounts for large-volume searches. Results are usually delivered within 24 hours. SCRACVS can also provide live customer support to answer your questions.
Stay safe and avoid fines and penalties for violating the SCRA by using the SCRACVS for all your military verifications.