Sec. 208.3 Application and conditions for membership in the Federal Reserve System

(a) Applications for membership and stock.

(1) State banks applying for membership in the Federal Reserve System shall file with the appropriate Federal Reserve Bank an application for membership in the Federal Reserve System and for stock in the Reserve Bank,3 in accordance with this part and § 262.3 of the Rules of Procedure, located at 12 CFR 262.3.

3 A mutual savings bank not authorized to purchase Federal Reserve Bank stock may apply for membership evidenced initially by a deposit, but if the laws under which the bank is organized are not amended at the first session of the legislature after its admission to authorize the purchase, or if the bank fails to purchase the stock within six months of the amendment, its membership shall be terminated.

(2) Board approval. If an applying bank conforms to all the requirements of the Federal Reserve Act and this section, and is otherwise qualified for membership, the Board may approve its application subject to such conditions as the Board may prescribe.

(3) Effective date of membership. A State bank becomes a member of the Federal Reserve System on the date its Federal Reserve Bank stock is credited to its account (or its deposit is accepted, if it is a mutual savings bank not authorized to purchase Reserve Bank stock) in accordance with the Board’s Regulation I (12 CFR part 209).

(b) Factors considered in approving applications for membership. Factors given special consideration by the Board in passing upon an application are:

(1) Financial condition and management. The financial history and condition of the applying bank and the general character of its management.

(2) Capital. The adequacy of the bank’s capital in accordance with § 208.4, and its future earnings prospects.

(3) Convenience and needs. The convenience and needs of the community.

(4) Corporate powers. Whether the bank’s corporate powers are consistent with the purposes of the Federal Reserve Act.

(c) Expedited approval for eligible banks and bank holding companies.

(1) Availability of expedited treatment. The expedited membership procedures described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section are available to:

(i) An eligible bank; and

(ii) A bank that cannot be determined to be an eligible bank because it has not received CAMEL compliance or CRA ratings from a bank regulatory authority, if it is controlled by a bank holding company that meets the criteria for expedited processing under § 225.14(c) of Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.14(c)).

(2) Expedited procedures. A completed membership application filed with the appropriate Reserve Bank will be deemed approved on the fifteenth day after receipt of the complete application by the Board or appropriate Reserve Bank, unless the Board or the appropriate Reserve Bank notifies the bank that the application is approved prior to that date or the Board or the appropriate Federal Reserve Bank notifies the bank that the application is not eligible for expedited review for any reason, including, without limitation, that:

(i) The bank will offer banking services that are materially different from those currently offered by the bank, or by the affiliates of the proposed bank;

(ii) The bank or bank holding company does not meet the criteria under § 208.3(c)(1);

(iii) The application contains a material error or is otherwise deficient; or

(iv) The application raises significant supervisory, compliance, policy or legal issues that have not been resolved, or a timely substantive adverse comment is submitted. A comment will be considered substantive unless it involves individual complaints, or raises frivolous, previously considered, or wholly unsubstantiated claims or irrelevant issues.

(d)(1) Conditions of membership. (1) Safety and soundness. Each member bank shall at all times conduct its business and exercise its powers with due regard to safety and soundness. Each member bank shall comply with the Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards for Safety and Soundness prescribed pursuant to section 39 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1831p-1), set forth in appendix D-1 to this part, and the Interagency Guidelines Establishing Information Security Standards prescribed pursuant to sections 501 and 505 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6801 and 6805) and section 216 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (15 U.S.C. 1681w), set forth in appendix D-2 to this part.

(2) General character of bank’s business. A member bank may not, without the permission of the Board, cause or permit any change in the general character of its business or in the scope of the corporate powers it exercises at the time of admission to membership.

(3) Compliance with conditions of membership. Each member bank shall comply at all times with this Regulation H (12 CFR part 208) and any other conditions of membership prescribed by the Board.

(e) Waivers.

(1) Conditions of membership. A member bank may petition the Board to waive a condition of membership. The Board may grant a waiver of a condition of membership upon a showing of good cause and, in its discretion, may limit, among other items, the scope, duration, and timing of the waiver.

(2) Reports of affiliates. Pursuant to section 21 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 486), the Board waives the requirement for the submission of reports of affiliates of member banks, unless such reports are specifically requested by the Board.

(f) Voluntary withdrawal from membership. Voluntary withdrawal from membership becomes effective upon cancellation of the Federal Reserve Bank stock held by the member bank, and after the bank has made due provision to pay any indebtedness due or to become due to the Federal Reserve Bank in accordance with the Board’s Regulation I (12 CFR part 209).

Sec. 208.4 Capital Adequacy.

(a) Adequacy. A member bank's capital, calculated in accordance with part 217, shall be at all times adequate in relation to the character and condition liabilities and other corporate responsibilities.4 If at any time, in light of all the circumstances, the bank's capital appears inadequate in relation to its assets, liabilities, and responsibilities, the bank shall increase the amount of its capital, within such period as the Board deems reasonable, to an amount which, in the judgment of the Board, shall be adequate.

4Before January 1, 2015, the capital of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41) is calculated in accordance with appendices A, B, and E to this part, as applicable.

(b) Standards for evaluating capital adequacy. Standards and measures, by which the Board evaluates the capital adequacy of member banks for risk-based capital purposes and for leverage measurement purposes, are located in part 217 of this chapter.5

5Before January 1, 2015, the standards and measures by which the Board evaluates the capital adequacy of member banks that are not advanced approaches banks (as defined in §208.41) for risk-based capital purposes and for leverage measurement purposes are located in appendices A, B, and E to this part, as applicable.

Sec. 208.5 Dividends and other distributions.

(a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:

(1) Capital surplus means the total of surplus as reportable in the bank's Reports of Condition and Income and surplus on perpetual preferred stock.

(2) Permanent capital means the total of the bank's perpetual preferred stock and related surplus, common stock and surplus, and minority interest in consolidated subsidiaries, as reportable in the Reports of Condition and Income.

(b) Limitations. The limitations in this section on the payment of dividends and withdrawal of capital apply to all cash and property dividends or distributions on common or preferred stock. The limitations do not apply to dividends paid in the form of common stock.

(c) Earnings limitations on payment of dividends. (1) A member bank may not declare or pay a dividend if the total of all dividends declared during the calendar year, including the proposed dividend, exceeds the sum of the bank's net income (as reportable in its Reports of Condition and Income) during the current calendar year and the retained net income of the prior two calendar years, unless the dividend has been approved by the Board.

(2) “Retained net income” in a calendar year is equal to the bank's net income (as reported in its Report of Condition and Income for such year), less any dividends declared during such year.6 The bank's net income during the current year and its retained net income from the prior two calendar years is reduced by any net losses incurred in the current or prior two years and any required transfers to surplus or to a fund for the retirement of preferred stock.7

6In the case of dividends in excess of net income for the year, a bank generally is not required to carry forward negative amounts resulting from such excess. Instead, the bank may attribute the excess to the prior two years, attributing the excess first to the earlier year and then to the immediately preceding year. If the excess is greater than the bank's previously undistributed net income for the preceding two years, prior Board approval of the dividend is required and a negative amount would be carried forward in future dividend calculations. However, in determining any such request for approval, the Board could consider any request for different treatment of such negative amount, including advance waivers for future periods. This applies only to earnings deficits that result from dividends declared in excess of net income for the year and does not apply to other types of current earnings deficits.

7State member banks are required to comply with state law provisions concerning the maintenance of surplus funds in addition to common capital. Where the surplus of a State member bank is less than what applicable state law requires the bank to maintain relative to its capital stock account, the bank may be required to transfer amounts from its undivided profits account to surplus.

(d) Limitation on withdrawal of capital by dividend or otherwise. (1) A member bank may not declare or pay a dividend if the dividend would exceed the bank's undivided profits as reportable on its Reports of Condition and Income, unless the bank has received the prior approval of the Board and of at least two-thirds of the shareholders of each class of stock outstanding.

(2) A member bank may not permit any portion of its permanent capital to be withdrawn unless the withdrawal has been approved by the Board and by at least two-thirds of the shareholders of each class of stock outstanding.

(3) If a member bank has capital surplus in excess of that required by law, the excess amount may be transferred to the bank's undivided profits account and be available for the payment of dividends if:

(i) The amount transferred came from the earnings of prior periods, excluding earnings transferred as a result of stock dividends;

(ii) The bank's board of directors approves the transfer of funds; and

(iii) The transfer has been approved by the Board.

(e) Payment of capital distributions. All member banks also are subject to the restrictions on payment of capital distributions contained in §208.45 of subpart D of this part implementing section 38 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1831o).

(f) Compliance. A member bank shall use the date a dividend is declared to determine compliance with this section.

Sec. 208.6 Establishment and maintenance of branches.

(1) To the extent authorized by state law, a member bank may establish and maintain branches (including interstate branches) subject to the same limitations and restrictions that apply to the establishment and maintenance of national bank branches (12 U.S.C. 36 and 1831u), except that approval of such branches shall be obtained from the Board rather than from the Comptroller of the Currency.

(2) Branch applications. A State member bank wishing to establish a branch in the United States or its territories must file an application in accordance with the Board’s Rules of Procedure, located at 12 CFR 262.3, and must comply with the public notice and comment rules contained in paragraphs (a)(3) and (a)(4) of this section. Branches of member banks located in foreign nations, in the overseas territories, dependencies, and insular possessions of those nations and of the United States, and in the Commonwealth of uerto Rico, are subject to the Board’s Regulation K (12 CFR part 211).

(3) Public notice of branch applications.

(i) Location of publication. A State member bank wishing to establish a branch in the United States or its territories must publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the form and at the locations specified in § 262.3 of the Rules of Procedure (12 CFR 262.3).

(ii) Contents of notice. The newspaper notice referred to in paragraph (a)(3) of this section shall provide an opportunity for interested persons to comment on the application for a period of at least 15 days.

(iii) Timing of publication. Each newspaper notice shall be published no more than 7 calendar days before and no later than the calendar day on which an application is filed with the appropriate Reserve Bank.

(4) Public comment.

(i) Timely comments. Interested persons may submit information and comments regarding a branch application under § 208.6. A comment shall be considered timely for purposes of this subpart if the comment, together with all supplemental information, is submitted in writing in accordance with the Board’s Rules of Procedure (12 CFR 262.3) and received by the Board or the appropriate Reserve Bank prior to the expiration of the public comment period provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section.

(ii) Extension of comment period. The Board may, in its discretion, extend the public comment period regarding any application under § 208.6. In the event that an interested person requests a copy of an application submitted under § 208.6, the Board may, in its discretion and based on the facts and circumstances, grant such person an extension of the comment period for up to 15 calendar days.

(b) Factors considered in approving domestic branch applications. Factors given special consideration by the Board in passing upon a branch application are:

(1) Financial condition and management. The financial history and condition of the applying bank and the general character of its management;

(2) Capital. The adequacy of the bank’s capital in accordance with § 208.4, and its future earnings prospects;

(3) Convenience and needs. The convenience and needs of the community to be served by the branch;

(4) CRA performance. In the case of branches with deposit-taking capability, the bank’s performance under the Community Reinvestment Act (12 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.) and Regulation BB (12 CFR part 228); and

(5) Investment in bank premises. Whether the bank’s investment in bank premises in establishing the branch is consistent with § 208.21.

(c) Expedited approval for eligible banks and bank holding companies.

(1) Availability of expedited treatment. The expedited branch application procedures described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section are available to:

(i) An eligible bank; and

(ii) A bank that cannot be determined to be an eligible bank because it has not received CAMEL compliance or CRA ratings from a bank regulatory authority, if it is controlled by a bank holding company that meets the criteria for expedited processing under § 225.14(c) of Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.14(c)).

(2) Expedited procedures. A completed domestic branch application filed with the appropriate Reserve Bank will be deemed approved on the fifth day after the close of the comment period, unless the Board or the appropriate Reserve Bank notifies the bank that the application is approved prior to that date (but in no case will an application be approved before the third day after the close of the public comment period) or the Board or the appropriate Federal Reserve Bank notifies the bank that the application is not eligible for expedited review for any reason, including, without limitation, that:

(i) The bank or bank holding company does not meet the criteria under § 208.6(c)(1);

(ii) The application contains a material error or is otherwise deficient; or

(iii) The application or the notice required under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, raises significant supervisory, Community Reinvestment Act, compliance, policy or legal issues that have not been resolved, or a timely substantive adverse comment is submitted. A comment will be considered substantive unless it involves individual complaints, or raises frivolous, previously considered, or wholly unsubstantiated claims or irrelevant issues.

(d) Consolidated Applications.

(1) Proposed branches; notice of branch opening. A member bank may seek approval in a single application or notice for any branches that it proposes to establish within one year after the approval date. The bank shall, unless notification is waived, notify the appropriate Reserve Bank not later than 30 days after opening any branch approved under a consolidated application. A bank is not required to open a branch approved under either a consolidated or single branch application.

(2) Duration of branch approval. Branch approvals remain valid for one year unless the Board or the appropriate Reserve Bank notifies the bank that in its judgment, based on reports of condition, examinations, or other information, there has been a change in the bank’s condition, financial or otherwise, that warrants reconsideration of the approval.

(e) Branch closings. A member bank shall comply with section 42 of the FDI Act (FDI Act), 12 U.S.C. 1831r–1, with regard to branch closings.

(f) Branch relocations. A relocation of an existing branch does not require filing a branch application. A relocation of an existing branch, for purposes of determining whether to file a branch application, is a movement that does not substantially affect the nature of the branch’s business or customers served.

Sec. 208.7 Prohibition against use of interstate branches primarily for deposit production.

(a) Purpose and scope—(1) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to implement section 109 (12 U.S.C. 1835a) of the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 (Interstate Act).

(2) Scope. (i) This section applies to any State member bank that has operated a covered interstate branch for a period of at least one year, and any foreign bank that has operated a covered interstate branch licensed by a State for a period of at least one year.

(ii) This section describes the requirements imposed under 12 U.S.C. 1835a, which requires the appropriate Federal banking agencies (the Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) to prescribe uniform rules that prohibit a bank from using any authority to engage in interstate branching pursuant to the Interstate Act, or any amendment made by the Interstate Act to any other provision of law, primarily for the purpose of deposit production.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) Bank means, unless the context indicates otherwise:

(i) A State member bank as that term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(d)(2); and

(ii) A foreign bank as that term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 3101(7) and 12 CFR 211.21.

(2) Covered interstate branch means:

(i) Any branch of a State member bank, and any uninsured branch of a foreign bank licensed by a State, that:

(A) Is established or acquired outside the bank's home State pursuant to the interstate branching authority granted by the Interstate Act or by any amendment made by the Interstate Act to any other provision of law; or

(B) Could not have been established or acquired outside of the bank's home State but for the establishment or acquisition of a branch described in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section; and

(ii) Any bank or branch of a bank controlled by an out-of-State bank holding company.

(3) Home State means:

(i) With respect to a State bank, the State that chartered the bank;

(ii) With respect to a national bank, the State in which the main office of the bank is located;

(iii) With respect to a bank holding company, the State in which the total deposits of all banking subsidiaries of such company are the largest on the later of:

(A) July 1, 1966; or

(B) The date on which the company becomes a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act.

(iv) With respect to a foreign bank:

(A) For purposes of determining whether a U.S. branch of a foreign bank is a covered interstate branch, the home State of the foreign bank as determined in accordance with 12 U.S.C. 3103(c) and 12 CFR 211.22; and

(B) For purposes of determining whether a branch of a U.S. bank controlled by a foreign bank is a covered interstate branch, the State in which the total deposits of all banking subsidiaries of such foreign bank are the largest on the later of:

(1) July 1, 1966; or

(2) The date on which the foreign bank becomes a bank holding company under the Bank Holding Company Act.

(4) Host State means a State in which a covered interstate branch is established or acquired.

(5) Host state loan-to-deposit ratio generally means, with respect to a particular host state, the ratio of total loans in the host state relative to total deposits from the host state for all banks (including institutions covered under the definition of “bank” in 12 U.S.C. 1813(a)(1)) that have that state as their home state, as determined and updated periodically by the appropriate Federal banking agencies and made available to the public.

(6) Out-of-State bank holding company means, with respect to any State, a bank holding company whose home State is another State.

(7) State means state as that term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(a)(3).

(8) Statewide loan-to-deposit ratio means, with respect to a bank, the ratio of the bank's loans to its deposits in a state in which the bank has one or more covered interstate branches, as determined by the Board.

(c)(1) Application of screen. Beginning no earlier than one year after a covered interstate branch is acquired or established, the Board will consider whether the bank's statewide loan-to-deposit ratio is less than 50 percent of the relevant host State loan-to-deposit ratio.

(2) Results of screen. (i) If the Board determines that the bank's statewide loan-to-deposit ratio is 50 percent or more of the host state loan-to-deposit ratio, no further consideration under this section is required.

(ii) If the Board determines that the bank's statewide loan-to-deposit ratio is less than 50 percent of the host state loan-to-deposit ratio, or if reasonably available data are insufficient to calculate the bank's statewide loan-to-deposit ratio, the Board will make a credit needs determination for the bank as provided in paragraph (d) of this section.

(d) Credit needs determination—(1) In general. The Board will review the loan portfolio of the bank and determine whether the bank is reasonably helping to meet the credit needs of the communities in the host state that are served by the bank.

(2) Guidelines. The Board will use the following considerations as guidelines when making the determination pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section:

(i) Whether covered interstate branches were formerly part of a failed or failing depository institution;

(ii) Whether covered interstate branches were acquired under circumstances where there was a low loan-to-deposit ratio because of the nature of the acquired institution's business or loan portfolio;

(iii) Whether covered interstate branches have a high concentration of commercial or credit card lending, trust services, or other specialized activities, including the extent to which the covered interstate branches accept deposits in the host state;

(iv) The Community Reinvestment Act ratings received by the bank, if any, under 12 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.;

(v) Economic conditions, including the level of loan demand, within the communities served by the covered interstate branches;

(vi) The safe and sound operation and condition of the bank; and

(vii) The Board's Regulation BB—Community Reinvestment (12 CFR part 228) and interpretations of that regulation.

(e) Sanctions—(1) In general. If the Board determines that a bank is not reasonably helping to meet the credit needs of the communities served by the bank in the host state, and that the bank's statewide loan-to-deposit ratio is less than 50 percent of the host state loan-to-deposit ratio, the Board:

(i) May order that a bank's covered interstate branch or branches be closed unless the bank provides reasonable assurances to the satisfaction of the Board, after an opportunity for public comment, that the bank has an acceptable plan under which the bank will reasonably help to meet the credit needs of the communities served by the bank in the host state; and

(ii) Will not permit the bank to open a new branch in the host state that would be considered to be a covered interstate branch unless the bank provides reasonable assurances to the satisfaction of the Board, after an opportunity for public comment, that the bank will reasonably help to meet the credit needs of the community that the new branch will serve.

(2) Notice prior to closure of a covered interstate branch. Before exercising the Board's authority to order the bank to close a covered interstate branch, the Board will issue to the bank a notice of the Board's intent to order the closure and will schedule a hearing within 60 days of issuing the notice.

(3) Hearing. The Board will conduct a hearing scheduled under paragraph (e)(2) of this section in accordance with the provisions of 12 U.S.C. 1818(h) and 12 CFR part 263.

Subpart B -- Investments and Loans

Sec. 208.20 Authority, purpose, and scope.

(a) Authority. Subpart B of Regulation H (12 CFR part 208, subpart B) is issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under 12 U.S.C. 24; sections 9, 11 and 21 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 321–338a, 248(a), 248(c), and 481–486); sections 1814, 1816, 1818, 1823(j), 1831o, 1831p–1 and 1831r–1 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1814, 1816, 1818, 1823(j), 1831o, 1831p–1 and 1831r–1); and the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001–4129).

(b) Purpose and scope. This subpart B describes certain investment limitations on member banks, statutory requirements for amortizing losses on agricultural loans and extending credit in areas having special flood hazards, as well as the requirements for issuing letters of credit and acceptances.

Sec. 208.21 Investments in premises and securities.

(a) Investment in bank premises. No state member bank shall invest in bank premises, or in the stock, bonds, debentures, or other such obligations of any corporation holding the premises of such bank, or make loans to or upon the security of any such corporation unless:

(1) The bank notifies the appropriate Reserve Bank at least fifteen days prior to such investment and has not received notice that the investment is subject to further review by the end of the fifteen day notice period;

(2) The aggregate of all such investments and loans, together with the amount of any indebtedness incurred by any such corporation that is an affiliate of the bank (as defined in section 2 of the Banking Act of 1933, as amended, 12 U.S.C. 221a), is less than or equal to the bank's perpetual preferred stock and related surplus plus common stock plus surplus, as those terms are defined in the FFIEC Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income; or

(3)(i) The aggregate of all such investments and loans, together with the amount of any indebtedness incurred by any such corporation that is an affiliate of the bank, is less than or equal to 150 percent of the bank's perpetual preferred stock and related surplus plus common stock plus surplus, as those terms are defined in the FFIEC Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income; and

(ii) The bank:

(A) Has a CAMELS composite rating of 1 or 2 under the Uniform Interagency Bank Rating System8 (or an equivalent rating under a comparable rating system) as of the most recent examination of the bank; and

8See FRRS 3-1575 for an explanation of the Uniform Interagency Bank Rating System. (For availability, see 12 CFR 261.10(f).)

(B) Is well capitalized and will continue to be well capitalized, in accordance with subpart D of this part, after the investment or loan.

(b) Investments in securities. Member banks are subject to the same limitations and conditions with respect to purchasing, selling, underwriting, and holding investment securities and stocks as are national banks under 12 U.S.C. 24, ¶7th. To determine whether an obligation qualifies as an investment security for the purposes of 12 U.S.C. 24, ¶7th, and to calculate the limits with respect to the purchase of such obligations, a state member bank may look to part 1 of the rules of the Comptroller of the Currency (12 CFR part 1) and interpretations thereunder. A state member bank may consult the Board for a determination with respect to the application of 12 U.S.C. 24, ¶7th, with respect to issues not addressed in 12 CFR part 1. The provisions of 12 CFR part 1 do not provide authority for a state member bank to purchase securities of a type or amount that the bank is not authorized to purchase under applicable state law.

Sec. 208.22 Community development and public welfare investments.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Low- or moderate-income area means:

(i) One or more census tracts in a Metropolitan Statistical Area where the median family income adjusted for family size in each census tract is less than 80 percent of the median family income adjusted for family size of the Metropolitan Statistical Area; or

(ii) If not in a Metropolitan Statistical Area, one or more census tracts or block-numbered areas where the median family income adjusted for family size in each census tract or block-numbered area is less than 80 percent of the median family income adjusted for family size of the State.

(2) Low- and moderate-income persons has the same meaning as low-and moderate-income persons as defined in 42 U.S.C. 5302(a)(20)(A).

(3) Small business means a business that meets the size-eligibility standards of 13 CFR 121.802(a)(2).

(b) Investments not requiring prior Board approval. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 5136 of the Revised Statutes (12 U.S.C. 24, ¶ 7th) made applicable to member banks by paragraph 20 of section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 335), a member bank may make an investment, without prior Board approval, if the following conditions are met:

(1) The investment is in a corporation, limited partnership, or other entity, and:

(i) The Board has determined that an investment in that entity or class of entities is a public welfare investment under paragraph 23 of section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 338a), or a community development investment under Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.25(b)(6)); or

(ii) The Comptroller of the Currency has determined, by order or regulation, that an investment in that entity by a national bank is a public welfare investment under section 5136 of the Revised Statutes (12 U.S.C. 24 (Eleventh)); or

(iii) The entity is a community development financial institution as defined in section 103(5) of the Community Development Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (12 U.S.C. 4702(5)); or

(iv) The entity, directly or indirectly, engages solely in or makes loans solely for the purposes of one or more of the following community development activities:

(A) Investing in, developing, rehabilitating, managing, selling, or renting residential property if a majority of the units will be occupied by low-and moderate-income persons, or if the property is a ‘‘qualified low-income building’’ as defined in section 42(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 42(c)(2));

(B) Investing in, developing, rehabilitating, managing, selling, or renting nonresidential real property or other assets located in a low- or moderate-income area and targeted towards low- and moderate-income persons;

(C) Investing in one or more small businesses located in a low- or moderate-income area to stimulate economic development;

(D) Investing in, developing, or otherwise assisting job training or placement facilities or programs that will be targeted towards low- and moderate-income persons;

(E) Investing in an entity located in a low- or moderate-income area if the entity creates long-term employment opportunities, a majority of which (based on full-time equivalent positions) will be held by low- and moderate-income persons; and

(F) Providing technical assistance, credit counseling, research, and program development assistance to low-and moderate-income persons, small businesses, or nonprofit corporations to help achieve community development;

(2) The investment is permitted by state law;

(3) The investment will not expose the member bank to liability beyond the amount of the investment;

(4) The aggregate of all such investments of the member bank does not exceed the sum of five percent of its capital stock and surplus;

(5) The member bank is well capitalized or adequately capitalized under §§ 208.43(b) (1) and (2);

(6) The member bank received a composite CAMELS rating of ‘‘1’’ or ‘‘2’’ under the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System as of its most recent examination and an overall rating of ‘‘1’’ or ‘‘2’’ as of its most recent consumer compliance examination; and

(7) The member bank is not subject to any written agreement, cease-and-desist order, capital directive, prompt-corrective- action directive, or memorandum of understanding issued by the Board or a Federal Reserve Bank.

(c) Notice to Federal Reserve Bank. Not more than 30 days after making an investment under paragraph (b) of this section, the member bank shall advise its Federal Reserve Bank of the investment, including the amount of the investment and the identity of the entity in which the investment is made.

(d) Investments requiring Board approval.

(1) With prior Board approval, a member bank may make public welfare investments under paragraph 23 of section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 338a), other than those specified in paragraph (b) of this section.

(2) Requests for Board approval under this paragraph (d) shall include, at a minimum:

(i) The amount of the proposed investment;

(ii) A description of the entity in which the investment is to be made;

(iii) An explanation of why the investment is a public welfare investment under paragraph 23 of section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 338a);

(iv) A description of the member bank’s potential liability under the proposed investment;

(v) The amount of the member bank’s aggregate outstanding public welfare investments under paragraph 23 of section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act;

(vi) The amount of the member bank’s capital stock and surplus; and

(vii) If the bank investment is not eligible under paragraph (b) of this section, explain the reason or reasons why it is ineligible.

(3) The Board shall act on a request under this paragraph (d) within 60 calendar days of receipt of a request that meets the requirements of paragraph (d)(2) of this section, unless the Board notifies the requesting member bank that a longer time period will be required.

(e) Divestiture of investments. A member bank shall divest itself of an investment made under paragraph (b) or (d) of this section to the extent that the investment exceeds the scope of, or ceases to meet, the requirements of paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(4) or paragraph (d) of this section. The divestiture shall be made in the manner specified in 12 CFR 225.140, Regulation Y, for interests acquired by a lending subsidiary of a bank holding company or the bank holding company itself in satisfaction of a debt previously contracted.

Sec. 208.23 Agricultural loan loss amortization.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Accepting official means:

(i) The Reserve Bank in whose district the bank is located; or

(ii) The Director of the Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation in cases in which the Reserve Bank cannot determine that the bank qualifies.

(2) Agriculturally related other property means any property, real or personal, that the bank owned on January 1, 1983, and any additional property that it acquired prior to January 1, 1992, in connection with a qualified agricultural loan. For the purposes of paragraph (d) of this section, the value of such property shall include the amount previously charged off as a loss.

(3) Participating bank means an agricultural bank (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 1823(j)(4)(A)) that, as of January 1, 1992, had a proposal for a capital restoration plan accepted by an accepting official and received permission from the accepting official, subject to paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, to amortize losses in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(4) Qualified agricultural loan means:

(i) Loans that finance agricultural production or are secured by farm land for purposes of Schedule RC-C of the FFIEC Consolidated Report of Condition or such other comparable schedule;

(ii) Loans secured by farm machinery;

(iii) Other loans that a bank proves to be sufficiently related to agriculture for classification as an agricultural loan by the Board; and

(iv) The remaining unpaid balance of any loans described in paragraphs (a)(4) (i), (ii) and (iii) of this section that have been charged off since January 1, 1984, and that qualify for deferral under this section.

(b)(1) Provided there is no evidence that the loss resulted from fraud or criminal abuse on the part of the bank, the officers, directors, or principal shareholders, a participating bank may amortize in its Reports of Condition and Income:

(i) Any loss on a qualified agricultural loan that the bank would be required to reflect in its financial statements for any period between and including 1984 and 1991; or

(ii) Any loss that the bank would be required to reflect in its financial statements for any period between and including 1983 and 1991 resulting from a reappraisal or sale of agriculturally-related other property.

(2) Amortization under this section shall be computed over a period not to exceed seven years on a quarterly straight-line basis commencing in the first quarter after the loan was or is charged off so as to be fully amortized not later than December 31, 1998.

(c) Accounting for amortization. Any bank that is permitted to amortize losses in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section may restate its capital and other relevant accounts and account for future authorized deferrals and authorization in accordance with the instructions to the FFIEC Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income. Any resulting increase in the capital account shall be included in capital pursuant to part 217 of this chapter.

(d) Conditions of participation. In order for a bank to maintain its status as a participating bank, it shall:

(1) Adhere to the approved capital plan and obtain the prior approval of the accepting official before making any modifications to the plan;

(2) Maintain accounting records for each asset subject to loss deferral under the program that document the amount and timing of the deferrals, repayments, and authorizations;

(3) Maintain the financial condition of the bank so that it does not deteriorate to the point where it is no longer a viable, fundamentally sound institution;

(4) Make a reasonable effort, consistent with safe and sound banking practices, to maintain in its loan portfolio a percentage of agricultural loans, including agriculturally-related other property, not less than the percentage of such loans in its loan portfolio on January 1, 1986; and

(5) Provide the accepting official, upon request, with any information the accepting official deems necessary to monitor the bank's amortization, its compliance with the conditions of participation, and its continued eligibility.

(e) Revocation of eligibility for loss amortization. The failure to comply with any condition in an acceptance, with the capital restoration plan, or with the conditions stated in paragraph (d) of this section, is grounds for revocation of acceptance for loss amortization and for an administrative action against the bank under 12 U.S.C. 1818(b). In addition, acceptance of a bank for loss amortization shall not foreclose any administrative action against the bank that the Board may deem appropriate.

(f) Expiration date. The terms of this section will no longer be in effect as of January 1, 1999.

Sec. 208.24 Letters of credit and acceptances.

(a) Standby letters of credit. For the purpose of this section, standby letters of credit include every letter of credit (or similar arrangement however named or designated) that represents an obligation to the beneficiary on the part of the issuer:

(1) To repay money borrowed by or advanced to or for the account of the account party; or

(2) To make payment on account of any evidence of indebtedness undertaken by the account party; or

(3) To make payment on account of any default by the party procuring the issuance of the letter of credit in the performance of an obligation.9

9A standby letter of credit does not include: (1) Commercial letters of credit and similar instruments, where the issuing bank expects the beneficiary to draw upon the issuer, and which do not guaranty payment of a money obligation; or (2) a guaranty or similar obligation issued by a foreign branch in accordance with and subject to the limitations of 12 CFR part 211 (Regulation K).

(b) Ineligible acceptance. An ineligible acceptance is a time draft accepted by a bank, which does not meet the requirements for discount with a Federal Reserve Bank.

(c) Bank's lending limits. Standby letters of credit and ineligible acceptances count toward member banks' lending limits imposed by state law.

(d) Exceptions. A standby letter of credit or ineligible acceptance is not subject to the restrictions set forth in paragraph (c) of this section if prior to or at the time of issuance of the credit:

(1) The issuing bank is paid an amount equal to the bank's maximum liability under the standby letter of credit; or

(2) The party procuring the issuance of a letter of credit or ineligible acceptance has set aside sufficient funds in a segregated, clearly earmarked deposit account to cover the bank's maximum liability under the standby letter of credit or ineligible acceptance.

Sec. 208.25 Loans in areas having special flood hazards.

(a) Purpose and scope—(1) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to implement the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001-4129).

(2) Scope. This section, except for paragraphs (f) and (h) of this section, applies to loans secured by buildings or mobile homes located or to be located in areas determined by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to have special flood hazards. Paragraphs (f) and (h) of this section apply to loans secured by buildings or mobile homes, regardless of location.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Act means the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001-4129).

(2) Administrator of FEMA means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(3) Building means a walled and roofed structure, other than a gas or liquid storage tank, that is principally above ground and affixed to a permanent site, and a walled and roofed structure while in the course of construction, alteration, or repair.

(4) Community means a State or a political subdivision of a State that has zoning and building code jurisdiction over a particular area having special flood hazards.

(5) Designated loan means a loan secured by a building or mobile home that is located or to be located in a special flood hazard area in which flood insurance is available under the Act.

(6) Mobile home means a structure, transportable in one or more sections, that is built on a permanent chassis and designed for use with or without a permanent foundation when attached to the required utilities. The term mobile home does not include a recreational vehicle. For purposes of this section, the term mobile home means a mobile home on a permanent foundation. The term mobile home includes a manufactured home as that term is used in the NFIP.

(7) Mutual aid society means an organization–

(i) Whose members share a common religious, charitable, educational, or fraternal bond;

(ii) That covers losses caused by damage to members’ property pursuant to an agreement, including damage caused by flooding, in accordance with this common bond; and

(iii) That has a demonstrated history of fulfilling the terms of agreements to cover losses to members’ property caused by flooding.

(8) NFIP means the National Flood Insurance Program authorized under the Act.

(9) Private flood insurance means an insurance policy that:

(i) Is issued by an insurance company that is:

(A) Licensed, admitted, or otherwise approved to engage in the business of insurance by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction in which the property to be insured is located; or

(B) Recognized, or not disapproved, as a surplus lines insurer by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction in which the property to be insured is located in the case of a policy of difference in conditions, multiple peril, all risk, or other blanket coverage insuring nonresidential commercial property;

(ii) Provides flood insurance coverage that is at least as broad as the coverage provided under an SFIP for the same type of property, including when considering deductibles, exclusions, and conditions offered by the insurer. To be at least as broad as the coverage provided under an SFIP, the policy must, at a minimum:

(A) Define the term “flood” to include the events defined as a “flood” in an SFIP;

(B) Contain the coverage specified in an SFIP, including that relating to building property coverage; personal property coverage, if purchased by the insured mortgagor(s); other coverages; and increased cost of compliance coverage;

(C) Contain deductibles no higher than the specified maximum, and include similar non-applicability provisions, as under an SFIP, for any total policy coverage amount up to the maximum available under the NFIP at the time the policy is provided to the lender;

(D) Provide coverage for direct physical loss caused by a flood and may only exclude other causes of loss that are excluded in an SFIP. Any exclusions other than those in an SFIP may pertain only to coverage that is in addition to the amount and type of coverage that could be provided by an SFIP or have the effect of providing broader coverage to the policyholder; and

(E) Not contain conditions that narrow the coverage provided in an SFIP;

(iii) Includes all of the following:

(A) A requirement for the insurer to give written notice 45 days before cancellation or non-renewal of flood insurance coverage to:

(1) The insured; and

(2) The member bank that made the designated loan secured by the property covered by the flood insurance, or the servicer acting on its behalf;

(B) Information about the availability of flood insurance coverage under the NFIP;

(C) A mortgage interest clause similar to the clause contained in an SFIP; and

(D) A provision requiring an insured to file suit not later than one year after the date of a written denial of all or part of a claim under the policy; and

(iv) Contains cancellation provisions that are as restrictive as the provisions contained in an SFIP.

(10) Residential improved real estate means real estate upon which a home or other residential building is located or to be located.

(11) Servicer means the person responsible for:

(i) Receiving any scheduled, periodic payments from a borrower under the terms of a loan, including amounts for taxes, insurance premiums, and other charges with respect to the property securing the loan; and

(ii) Making payments of principal and interest and any other payments from the amounts received from the borrower as may be required under the terms of the loan.

(12) SFIP means, for purposes of paragraph (b)(9) of this section, a standard flood insurance policy issued under the NFIP in effect as of the date private flood insurance is provided to a member bank.

(13) Special flood hazard area means the land in the flood plain within a community having at least a one percent chance of flooding in any given year, as designated by the Administrator of FEMA.

(14) Table funding means a settlement at which a loan is funded by a contemporaneous advance of loan funds and an assignment of the loan to the person advancing the funds.

(c) Requirement to purchase flood insurance where available—(1) In general. A member bank shall not make, increase, extend, or renew any designated loan unless the building or mobile home and any personal property securing the loan is covered by flood insurance for the term of the loan. The amount of insurance must be at least equal to the lesser of the outstanding principal balance of the designated loan or the maximum limit of coverage available for the particular type of property under the Act. Flood insurance coverage under the Act is limited to the building or mobile home and any personal property that secures a loan and not the land itself.

(2) Table funded loans. A member bank that acquires a loan from a mortgage broker or other entity through table funding shall be considered to be making a loan for the purposes of this section.

(3) Private flood insurance. (i) Mandatory acceptance. A member bank must accept private flood insurance, as defined in paragraph (b)(9) of this section, in satisfaction of the flood insurance purchase requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if the policy meets the requirements for coverage in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(ii) Compliance aid for mandatory acceptance. A member bank may determine that a policy meets the definition of private flood insurance in paragraph (b)(9) of this section, without further review of the policy, if the following statement is included within the policy or as an endorsement to the policy: “This policy meets the definition of private flood insurance contained in 42 U.S.C. 4012a(b)(7) and the corresponding regulation.”

(iii) Discretionary acceptance. A member bank may accept a flood insurance policy issued by a private insurer that is not issued under the NFIP and that does not meet the definition of private flood insurance in paragraph (b)(9) of this section in satisfaction of the flood insurance purchase requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if the policy:

(A) Provides coverage in the amount required by paragraph (c)(1) of this section;

(B) Is issued by an insurer that is licensed, admitted, or otherwise approved to engage in the business of insurance by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction in which the property to be insured is located; or in the case of a policy of difference in conditions, multiple peril, all risk, or other blanket coverage insuring nonresidential commercial property, is issued by a surplus lines insurer recognized, or not disapproved, by the insurance regulator of the State or jurisdiction where the property to be insured is located;

(C) Covers both the mortgagor(s) and the mortgagee(s) as loss payees, except in the case of a policy that is provided by a condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group and for which the premium is paid by the condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group as a common expense; and

(D) Provides sufficient protection of the designated loan, consistent with general safety and soundness principles, and the member bank documents its conclusion regarding sufficiency of the protection of the loan in writing.

(iv) Mutual aid societies. Notwithstanding the requirements of paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this section, a member bank may accept a plan issued by a mutual aid society, as defined in paragraph (b)(7) of this section, in satisfaction of the flood insurance purchase requirement in paragraph (c)(1) of this section if:

(A) The Board has determined that such plans qualify as flood insurance for purposes of the Act.

(B) The plan provides coverage in the amount required by paragraph (c)(1) of this section;

(C) The plan covers both the mortgagor(s) and the mortgagee(s) as loss payees; and

(D) The plan provides sufficient protection of the designated loan, consistent with general safety and soundness principles, and the member bank documents its conclusion regarding sufficiency of the protection of the loan in writing.

(d) Exemptions. The flood insurance requirement prescribed by paragraph (c) of this section does not apply with respect to:

(1) Any State-owned property covered under a policy of self-insurance satisfactory to the Administrator of FEMA, who publishes and periodically revises the list of States falling within this exemption;

(2) Property securing any loan with an original principal balance of $5,000 or less and a repayment term of one year or less; or

(3) Any structure that is a part of any residential property but is detached from the primary residential structure of such property and does not serve as a residence. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(3):

(i) "A structure that is a part of a residential property" is a structure used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, and not used primarily for agricultural, commercial, industrial, or other business purposes;

(ii) A structure is "detached" from the primary residential structure if it is not joined by any structural connection to that structure; and

(iii) "Serve as a residence" shall be based upon the good faith determination of the member bank that the structure is intended for use or actually used as a residence, which generally includes sleeping, bathroom, or kitchen facilities.

(e) Escrow requirement—(1) In general—(i) Applicability. Except as provided in paragraphs (e)(1)(ii) or (e)(3) of this section, a member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall require the escrow of all premiums and fees for any flood insurance required under paragraph (c) of this section for any designated loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is made, increased, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2016, payable with the same frequency as payments on the designated loan are required to be made for the duration of the loan.

(ii) Exceptions. Paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section does not apply if:

(A) The loan is an extension of credit primarily for business, commercial, or agricultural purposes;

(B) The loan is in a subordinate position to a senior lien secured by the same residential improved real estate or mobile home for which the borrower has obtained flood insurance coverage that meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section;

(C) Flood insurance coverage for the residential improved real estate or mobile home is provided by a policy that:

(1) Meets the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section;

(2) Is provided by a condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group; and

(3) The premium for which is paid by the condominium association, cooperative, homeowners association, or other applicable group as a common expense;

(D) The loan is a home equity line of credit;

(E) The loan is a nonperforming loan, which is a loan that is 90 or more days past due and remains nonperforming until it is permanently modified or until the entire amount past due, including principal, accrued interest, and penalty interest incurred as the result of past due status, is collected or otherwise discharged in full; or

(F) The loan has a term of not longer than 12 months.

(iii) Duration of exception. If a member bank, or a servicer acting on behalf of the bank, determines at any time during the term of a designated loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is made, increased, extended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2016, that an exception under paragraph (e)(1)(ii) of this section does not apply, then the bank or its servicer shall require the escrow of all premiums and fees for any flood insurance required under paragraph (c) of this section as soon as reasonably practicable and, if applicable, shall provide any disclosure required under section 10 of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (12 U.S.C. 2609) (RESPA).

(iv) Escrow account. The member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall deposit the flood insurance premiums and fees on behalf of the borrower in an escrow account. This escrow account will be subject to escrow requirements adopted pursuant to section 10 of RESPA, which generally limits the amount that may be maintained in escrow accounts for certain types of loans and requires escrow account statements for those accounts, only if the loan is otherwise subject to RESPA. Following receipt of a notice from the Administrator of FEMA or other provider of flood insurance that premiums are due, the member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall pay the amount owed to the insurance provider from the escrow account by the date when such premiums are due.

(2) Notice. For any loan for which a member bank is required to escrow under paragraphs (e)(1) or (e)(3)(ii) of this section or may be required to escrow under paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section during the term of the loan, the member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall mail or deliver a written notice with the notice provided under paragraph (i) of this section informing the borrower that the member bank is required to escrow all premiums and fees for required flood insurance, using language that is substantially similar to model clauses on the escrow requirement in appendix A to this section.

(3) Small lender exception—(i) Qualification. Except as may be required under applicable State law, paragraphs (e)(1), (2), and (4) of this section do not apply to a member bank:

(A) That has total assets of less than $1 billion as of December 31 of either of the two prior calendar years; and

(B) On or before July 6, 2012:

(1) Was not required under Federal or State law to deposit taxes, insurance premiums, fees, or any other charges in an escrow account for the entire term of any loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home; and

(2) Did not have a policy of consistently and uniformly requiring the deposit of taxes, insurance premiums, fees, or any other charges in an escrow account for any loans secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home.

(ii) Change in status. If a member bank previously qualified for the exception in paragraph (e)(3)(i) of this section, but no longer qualifies for the exception because it had assets of $1 billion or more for two consecutive calendar year ends, the member bank must escrow premiums and fees for flood insurance pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section for any designated loan made, increased, extended, or renewed on or after July 1 of the first calendar year of changed status.

(4) Option to escrow. (i) In general. A member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall offer and make available to the borrower the option to escrow all premiums and fees for any flood insurance required under paragraph (c) of this section for any loan secured by residential improved real estate or a mobile home that is outstanding on January 1, 2016, or July 1 of the first calendar year in which the member bank has had a change in status pursuant to paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, unless:

(A) The loan or the member bank qualifies for an exception from the escrow requirement under paragraphs (e)(1)(ii) or (e)(3) of this section, respectively;

(B) The borrower is already escrowing all premiums and fees for flood insurance for the loan; or

(C) The member bank is required to escrow flood insurance premiums and fees pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(ii) Notice. For any loan subject to paragraph (e)(4)(i) of this section, the member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, shall mail or deliver to the borrower no later than June 30, 2016, or September 30 of the first calendar year in which the member bank has had a change in status pursuant to paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, a notice in writing, or if the borrower agrees, electronically, informing the borrower of the option to escrow all premiums and fees for any required flood insurance and the method(s) by which the borrower may request the escrow, using language similar to the model clause in appendix B to this section.

(iii) Timing. The member bank or servicer must begin escrowing premiums and fees for flood insurance as soon as reasonably practicable after the member bank or servicer receives the borrower's request to escrow.

(f) Required use of standard flood hazard determination form—(1) Use of form. A state member bank shall use the standard flood hazard determination form developed by the Administrator of FEMA when determining whether the building or mobile home offered as collateral security for a loan is or will be located in a special flood hazard area in which flood insurance is available under the Act. The standard flood hazard determination form may be used in a printed, computerized, or electronic manner. A state member bank may obtain the standard flood hazard determination form from FEMA's Web site at www.fema.gov.

(2) Retention of form. A state member bank shall retain a copy of the completed standard flood hazard determination form, in either hard copy or electronic form, for the period of time the state member bank owns the loan.

(g) Force placement of flood insurance— (1) Notice and purchase of coverage. If a member bank, or a servicer acting on behalf of the bank, determines at any time during the term of a designated loan, that the building or mobile home and any personal property securing the designated loan is not covered by flood insurance or is covered by flood insurance in an amount less than the amount required under paragraph (c) of this section, then the member bank or its servicer shall notify the borrower that the borrower should obtain flood insurance, at the borrower's expense, in an amount at least equal to the amount required under paragraph (c) of this section, for the remaining term of the loan. If the borrower fails to obtain flood insurance within 45 days after notification, then the member bank or its servicer shall purchase insurance on the borrower's behalf. The member bank or its servicer may charge the borrower for the cost of premiums and fees incurred in purchasing the insurance, including premiums or fees incurred for coverage beginning on the date on which flood insurance coverage lapsed or did not provide a sufficient coverage amount.

(2) Termination of force-placed insurance—(i) Termination and refund. Within 30 days of receipt by a member bank, or a servicer acting on its behalf, of a confirmation of a borrower's existing flood insurance coverage, the member bank or its servicer shall:

(A) Notify the insurance provider to terminate any insurance purchased by the member bank or its servicer under paragraph (g)(1) of this section; and

(B) Refund to the borrower all premiums paid by the borrower for any insurance purchased by the member bank or its servicer under paragraph (g)(1) of this section during any period during which the borrower's flood insurance coverage and the insurance coverage purchased by the member bank or its servicer were each in effect, and any related fees charged to the borrower with respect to the insurance purchased by the member bank or its servicer during such period.

(ii) Sufficiency of demonstration. For purposes of confirming a borrower's existing flood insurance coverage under paragraph (g)(2) of this section, a member bank or its servicer shall accept from the borrower an insurance policy declarations page that includes the existing flood insurance policy number and the identity of, and contact information for, the insurance company or agent.

(h) Determination fees.—(1) General. Notwithstanding any Federal or State law other than the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001-4129), any member bank, or a servicer acting on behalf of the bank, may charge a reasonable fee for determining whether the building or mobile home securing the loan is located or will be located in a special flood hazard area. A determination fee may also include, but is not limited to, a fee for life-of-loan monitoring.

(2) Borrower fee. The determination fee authorized by paragraph (h)(1) of this section may be charged to the borrower if the determination:

(i) Is made in connection with a making, increasing, extending, or renewing of the loan that is initiated by the borrower;

(ii) Reflects the Administrator of FEMA's revision or updating of flood plain areas or flood-risk zones;

(iii) Reflects the Administrator of FEMA's publication of a notice or compendium that:

(A) Affects the area in which the building or mobile home securing the loan is located; or

(B) By determination of the Administrator of FEMA, may reasonably require a determination whether the building or mobile home securing the loan is located in a special flood hazard area; or

(iv) Results in the purchase of flood insurance coverage by the lender or its servicer on behalf of the borrower under paragraph (g) of this section.

(3) Purchaser or transferee fee. The determination fee authorized by paragraph (h)(1) of this section may be charged to the purchaser or transferee of a loan in the case of the sale or transfer of the loan.

(i) Notice of special flood hazards and availability of Federal disaster relief assistance. When a member bank makes, increases, extends, or renews a loan secured by a building or a mobile home located or to be located in a special flood hazard area, the bank shall mail or deliver a written notice to the borrower and to the servicer in all cases whether or not flood insurance is available under the Act for the collateral securing the loan.

(1) Contents of notice. The written notice must include the following information:

(i) A warning, in a form approved by the Administrator of FEMA, that the building or the mobile home is or will be located in a special flood hazard area;

(ii) A description of the flood insurance purchase requirements set forth in section 102(b) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4012a(b));

(iii) A statement, where applicable, that flood insurance coverage is available from private insurance companies that issue standard flood insurance policies on behalf of the NFIP or directly from the NFIP;

(iv) A statement that flood insurance that provides the same level of coverage as a standard flood insurance policy under the NFIP also may be available from a private insurance company that issues policies on behalf of the company;

(v) A statement that the borrower is encouraged to compare the flood insurance coverage, deductibles, exclusions, conditions, and premiums associated with flood insurance policies issued on behalf of the NFIP and policies issued on behalf of private insurance companies and that the borrower should direct inquiries regarding the availability, cost, and comparisons of flood insurance coverage to an insurance agent; and

(vi) A statement whether Federal disaster relief assistance may be available in the event of damage to the building or mobile home caused by flooding in a Federally declared disaster.

(2) Timing of notice. The member bank shall provide the notice required by paragraph (i)(1) of this section to the borrower within a reasonable time before the completion of the transaction, and to the servicer as promptly as practicable after the bank provides notice to the borrower and in any event no later than the time the bank provides other similar notices to the servicer concerning hazard insurance and taxes. Notice to the servicer may be made electronically or may take the form of a copy of the notice to the borrower.

(3) Record of receipt. The member bank shall retain a record of the receipt of the notices by the borrower and the servicer for the period of time the bank owns the loan.

(4) Alternate method of notice. Instead of providing the notice to the borrower required by paragraph (i)(1) of this section, a member bank may obtain satisfactory written assurance from a seller or lessor that, within a reasonable time before the completion of the sale or lease transaction, the seller or lessor has provided such notice to the purchaser or lessee. The member bank shall retain a record of the written assurance from the seller or lessor for the period of time the bank owns the loan.

(5) Use of sample form of notice. A member bank will be considered to be in compliance with the requirement for notice to the borrower of this paragraph (i) of this section by providing written notice to the borrower containing the language presented in appendix A of this section within a reasonable time before the completion of the transaction. The notice presented in appendix A of this section satisfies the borrower notice requirements of the Act.

(j) Notice of servicer's identity—(1) Notice requirement. When a member bank makes, increases, extends, renews, sells, or transfers a loan secured by a building or mobile home located or to be located in a special flood hazard area, the bank shall notify the Administrator of FEMA (or the Administrator's designee) in writing of the identity of the servicer of the loan. The Administrator of FEMA has designated the insurance provider to receive the member bank's notice of the servicer's identity. This notice may be provided electronically if electronic transmission is satisfactory to the Administrator of FEMA's designee.

(2) Transfer of servicing rights. The member bank shall notify the Administrator of FEMA (or the Administrator's designee) of any change in the servicer of a loan described in paragraph (j)(1) of this section within 60 days after the effective date of the change. This notice may be provided electronically if electronic transmission is satisfactory to the Administrator of FEMA's designee. Upon any change in the servicing of a loan described in paragraph (j)(1) of this section, the duty to provide notice under this paragraph (j)(2) of this section shall transfer to the transferee servicer.

Appendix A to § 208.25—Sample Form of Notice of Special Flood Hazards and Availability of Federal Disaster Relief Assistance

Notice of Special Flood Hazards and Availability of Federal Disaster Relief Assistance

We are giving you this notice to inform you that:

The building or mobile home securing the loan for which you have applied is or will be located in an area with special flood hazards.

The area has been identified by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a special flood hazard area using FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Map or the Flood Hazard Boundary Map for the following community: ___. This area has a one percent (1%) chance of a flood equal to or exceeding the base flood elevation (a 100-year flood) in any given year. During the life of a 30-year mortgage loan, the risk of a 100-year flood in a special flood hazard area is 26 percent (26%).

Federal law allows a lender and borrower jointly to request the Administrator of FEMA to review the determination of whether the property securing the loan is located in a special flood hazard area. If you would like to make such a request, please contact us for further information.

__ The community in which the property securing the loan is located participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Federal law will not allow us to make you the loan that you have applied for if you do not purchase flood insurance. The flood insurance must be maintained for the life of the loan. If you fail to purchase or renew flood insurance on the property, Federal law authorizes and requires us to purchase the flood insurance for you at your expense.

• At a minimum, flood insurance purchased must cover the lesser of:
• (1) the outstanding principal balance of the loan; or
• (2) the maximum amount of coverage allowed for the type of property under the NFIP.

Flood insurance coverage under the NFIP is limited to the building or mobile home and any personal property that secures your loan and not the land itself.

• Federal disaster relief assistance (usually in the form of a low-interest loan) may be available for damages incurred in excess of your flood insurance if your community's participation in the NFIP is in accordance with NFIP requirements.
• Although you may not be required to maintain flood insurance on all structures, you may still wish to do so, and your mortgage lender may still require you to do so to protect the collateral securing the mortgage. If you choose not to maintain flood insurance on a structure and it floods, you are responsible for all flood losses relating to that structure.

Availability of Private Flood Insurance Coverage

Flood insurance coverage under the NFIP may be purchased through an insurance agent who will obtain the policy either directly through the NFIP or through an insurance company that participates in the NFIP. Flood insurance that provides the same level of coverage as a standard flood insurance policy under the NFIP may be available from private insurers that do not participate in the NFIP. You should compare the flood insurance coverage, deductibles, exclusions, conditions, and premiums associated with flood insurance policies issued on behalf of the NFIP and policies issued on behalf of private insurance companies and contact an insurance agent as to the availability, cost, and comparisons of flood insurance coverage.

[Escrow Requirement for Residential Loans

Federal law may require a lender or its servicer to escrow all premiums and fees for flood insurance that covers any residential building or mobile home securing a loan that is located in an area with special flood hazards. If your lender notifies you that an escrow account is required for your loan, then you must pay your flood insurance premiums and fees to the lender or its servicer with the same frequency as you make loan payments for the duration of your loan. These premiums and fees will be deposited in the escrow account, which will be used to pay the flood insurance provider.]

__ Flood insurance coverage under the NFIP is not available for the property securing the loan because the community in which the property is located does not participate in the NFIP. In addition, if the non-participating community has been identified for at least one year as containing a special flood hazard area, properties located in the community will not be eligible for Federal disaster relief assistance in the event of a Federally declared flood disaster.

Appendix B to § 208.25—Sample Clause for Option to Escrow for Outstanding Loans

Escrow Option Clause

You have the option to escrow all premiums and fees for the payment on your flood insurance policy that covers any residential building or mobile home that is located in an area with special flood hazards and that secures your loan. If you choose this option:

• Your payments will be deposited in an escrow account to be paid to the flood insurance provider.
• The escrow amount for flood insurance will be added to the regular mortgage payment that you make to your lender or its servicer.
• The payments you make into the escrow account will accumulate over time and the funds will be used to pay your flood insurance policy when your lender or servicer receives a notice from your flood insurance provider that the flood insurance premium is due.

To choose this option, follow the instructions below. If you have any questions about the option, contact [Insert Name of Lender or Servicer] at [Insert Contact Information].

[Insert Instructions for Selecting to Escrow]

7/23/2015

See also "Interagency Questions and Answers Regarding Flood Insurance," published at 87 FR 32826 on 5/31/2022.

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Subpart C -- Bank Securities and Securities-Related Activities

Sec. 208.30 Authority, purpose, and scope.

(a) Authority. Subpart C of Regulation H (12 CFR part 208, subpart C) is issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under 12 U.S.C. 24, 92a, 93a; sections 1818 and 1831p–1(a)(2) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1818, 1831p– 1(a)(2)); and sections 78b, 78l(b), 78l(g), 78l(i), 78o–4(c)(5), 78o–5, 78q, 78q–1, and 78w of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78b, 78l(b), 78l(g), 78l(i), 78o–4(c)(5), 78o–5, 78q, 78q–1, 78w).

(b) Purpose and scope. This subpart C describes the requirements imposed upon member banks acting as transfer agents, registered clearing agencies, or sellers of securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This subpart C also describes the reporting requirements imposed on member banks whose securities are subject to registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Sec. 208.31 State member banks as transfer agents.

(a) The rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78q–l) prescribing procedures for registration of transfer agents for which the SEC is the appropriate regulatory agency (17 CFR 240.17Ac2–1) apply to member bank transfer agents. References to the ‘‘Commission’’ are deemed to refer to the Board.

(b) The rules adopted by the SEC pursuant to section 17A prescribing operational and reporting requirements for transfer agents (17 CFR 240.17Ac2–2 and 240.17Ad–1 through 240.17Ad–16) apply to member bank transfer agents.

Sec. 208.32 Notice of disciplinary sanctions imposed by registered clearing agency.

(a) Notice requirement. Any member bank or any of its subsidiaries that is a registered clearing agency pursuant to section 17A(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Act), and that:

(1) Imposes any final disciplinary sanction on any participant therein;

(2) Denies participation to any applicant; or

(3) Prohibits or limits any person in respect to access to services offered by the clearing agency, shall file with the Board (and the appropriate regulatory agency, if other than the Board, for a participant or applicant) notice thereof in the manner prescribed in this section.

(b) Notice of final disciplinary actions.

(1) Any registered clearing agency for which the Board is the appropriate regulatory agency that takes any final disciplinary action with respect to any participant shall promptly file a notice thereof with the Board in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section. For the purposes of this paragraph (b), final disciplinary action means the imposition of any disciplinary sanction pursuant to section 17A(b)(3)(G) of the Act, or other action of a registered clearing agency which, after notice and opportunity for hearing, results in final disposition of charges of:

(i) One or more violations of the rules of the registered clearing agency; or (ii) Acts or practices constituting a statutory disqualification of a type defined in paragraph (iv) or (v) (except prior convictions) of section 3(a)(39) of the Act.

(2) However, if a registered clearing agency fee schedule specifies certain charges for errors made by its participants in giving instructions to the registered clearing agency which are de minimis on a per error basis, and whose purpose is, in part, to provide revenues to the clearing agency to compensate it for effort expended in beginning to process an erroneous instruction, such error charges shall not be considered a final disciplinary action for purposes of this paragraph (b).

(c) Contents of final disciplinary action notice. Any notice filed pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section shall consist of the following, as appropriate:

(1) The name of the respondent and the respondent’s last known address, as reflected on the records of the clearing agency, and the name of the person, committee, or other organizational unit that brought the charges. However, identifying information as to any respondent found not to have violated a provision covered by a charge may be deleted insofar as the notice reports the disposition of that charge and, prior to the filing of the notice, the respondent does not request that identifying information be included in the notice;

(2) A statement describing the investigative or other origin of the action;

(3) As charged in the proceeding, the specific provision or provisions of the rules of the clearing agency violated by the respondent, or the statutory disqualification referred to in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, and a statement describing the answer of the respondent to the charges;

(4) A statement setting forth findings of fact with respect to any act or practice in which the respondent was charged with having engaged in or omitted; the conclusion of the clearing agency as to whether the respondent violated any rule or was subject to a statutory disqualification as charged; and a statement of the clearing agency in support of its resolution of the principal issues raised in the proceedings;

(5) A statement describing any sanction imposed, the reasons therefor, and the date upon which the sanction became or will become effective; and

(6) Such other matters as the clearing agency may deem relevant.

(d) Notice of final denial, prohibition, termination or limitation based on qualification or administrative rules.

(1) Any registered clearing agency, for which the Board is the appropriate regulatory agency, that takes any final action that denies or conditions the participation of any person, or prohibits or limits access, to services offered by the clearing agency, shall promptly file notice thereof with the Board (and the appropriate regulatory agency, if other than the Board, for the affected person) in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section; but such action shall not be considered a final disciplinary action for purposes of paragraph (b) of this section where the action is based on an alleged failure of such person to:

(i) Comply with the qualification standards prescribed by the rules of the registered clearing agency pursuant to section 17A(b)(4)(B) of the Act; or

(ii) Comply with any administrative requirements of the registered clearing agency (including failure to pay entry or other dues or fees, or to file prescribed forms or reports) not involving charges of violations that may lead to a disciplinary sanction.

(2) However, no such action shall be considered final pursuant to this paragraph (d) that results merely from a notice of such failure to comply to the person affected, if such person has not sought an adjudication of the matter, including a hearing, or otherwise exhausted the administrative remedies within the registered clearing agency with respect to such a matter.

(e) Contents of notice required by paragraph (d) of this section. Any notice filed pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section shall consist of the following, as appropriate:

(1) The name of each person concerned and each person’s last known address, as reflected in the records of the clearing agency;

(2) The specific grounds upon which the action of the clearing agency was based, and a statement describing the answer of the person concerned;

(3) A statement setting forth findings of fact and conclusions as to each alleged failure of the person to comply with qualification standards or administrative obligations, and a statement of the clearing agency in support of its resolution of the principal issues raised in the proceeding;

(4) The date upon which such action became or will become effective; and

(5) Such other matters as the clearing agency deems relevant.

(f) Notice of final action based on prior adjudicated statutory disqualifications. Any registered clearing agency for which the Board is the appropriate regulatory agency that takes any final action shall promptly file notice thereof with the Board (and the appropriate regulatory agency, if other than the Board, for the affected person) in accordance with paragraph (g) of this section, where the final action:

(1) Denies or conditions participation to any person, or prohibits or limits access to services offered by the clearing agency; and

(2) Is based upon a statutory disqualification of a type defined in paragraph (A), (B) or (C) of section 3(a)(39) of the Act, consisting of a prior conviction, as described in subparagraph (E) of section 3(a)(39) of the Act. However, no such action shall be considered final pursuant to this paragraph (f) that results merely from a notice of such disqualification to the person affected, if such person has not sought an adjudication of the matter, including a hearing, or otherwise exhausted the administrative remedies within the clearing agency with respect to such a matter.

(g) Contents of notice required by paragraph (f) of this section. Any notice filed pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section shall consist of the following, as appropriate:

(1) The name of each person concerned and each person’s last known address, as reflected in the records of the clearing agency;

(2) A statement setting forth the principal issues raised, the answer of any person concerned, and a statement of the clearing agency in support of its resolution of the principal issues raised in the proceeding;

(3) Any description furnished by or on behalf of the person concerned of the activities engaged in by the person since the adjudication upon which the disqualification is based;

(4) A copy of the order or decision of the court, appropriate regulatory agency, or self-regulatory organization that adjudicated the matter giving rise to the statutory disqualification;

(5) The nature of the action taken and the date upon which such action is to be made effective; and

(6) Such other matters as the clearing agency deems relevant.

(h) Notice of summary suspension of participation. Any registered clearing agency for which the Board is the appropriate regulatory agency that summarily suspends or closes the accounts of a participant pursuant to the provisions of section 17A(b)(5)(C) of the Act shall, within one business day after such action becomes effective, file notice thereof with the Board and the appropriate regulatory agency for the participant, if other than the Board, of such action in accordance with paragraph (i) of this section.

(i) Contents of notice of summary suspension. Any notice pursuant to paragraph (h) of this section shall contain at least the following information, as appropriate:

(1) The name of the participant concerned and the participant’s last known address, as reflected in the records of the clearing agency;

(2) The date upon which the summary action became or will become effective;

(3) If the summary action is based upon the provisions of section 17A(b)(5)(C)(i) of the Act, a copy of the relevant order or decision of the self-regulatory organization, if available to the clearing agency;

(4) If the summary action is based upon the provisions of section 17A(b)(5)(C)(ii) of the Act, a statement describing the default of any delivery of funds or securities to the clearing agency;

(5) If the summary action is based upon the provisions of section 17A(b)(5)(C)(iii) of the Act, a statement describing the financial or operating difficulty of the participant based upon which the clearing agency determined that the suspension and closing of accounts was necessary for the protection of the clearing agency, its participants, creditors, or investors;

(6) The nature and effective date of the suspension; and

(7) Such other matters as the clearing agency deems relevant.

Sec. 208.33 Application for stay or review of disciplinary sanctions imposed by registered clearing agency.

(a) Stays. The rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to section 19 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78s) regarding applications by persons for whom the SEC is the appropriate regulatory agency for stays of disciplinary sanctions or summary suspensions imposed by registered clearing agencies (17 CFR 240.19d–2) apply to applications by member banks. References to the ‘‘Commission’’ are deemed to refer to the Board.

(b) Reviews. The regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to section 19 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78s) regarding applications by persons for whom the SEC is the appropriate regulatory agency for reviews of final disciplinary sanctions, denials of participation, or prohibitions or limitations of access to services imposed by registered clearing agencies (17 CFR 240.19d–3(a)–(f)) apply to applications by member banks. References to the ‘‘Commission’’ are deemed to refer to the Board. The Board’s Uniform Rules of Practice and Procedure (12 CFR part 263) apply to review proceedings under this § 208.33 to the extent not inconsistent with this § 208.33.

Sec. 208.34 Recordkeeping and confirmation of certain securities transactions effected by State member banks.

(1) A State member bank may be excepted from one or more of the requirements of this section if it meets one of the following conditions of paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (a)(1)(iv) of this section:

(i) De minimis transactions. The requirements of paragraphs (c)(2) through (c)(4) and paragraphs (e)(1) through (e)(3) of this section shall not apply to banks having an average of less than 200 securities transactions per year for customers over the prior three calendar year period, exclusive of transactions in government securities;

(ii) Government securities. The recordkeeping requirements of paragraph (c) of this section shall not apply to banks effecting fewer than 500 government securities brokerage transactions per year; provided that this exception shall not apply to government securities transactions by a State member bank that has filed a written notice, or is required to file notice, with the Federal Reserve Board that it acts as a government securities broker or a government securities dealer;

(iii) Municipal securities. The municipal securities activities of a State member bank that are subject to regulations promulgated by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board shall not be subject to the requirements of this section; and

(iv) Foreign branches. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the activities of foreign branches of a State member bank.

(2) Every State member bank qualifying for an exemption under paragraph (a)(1) of this section that conducts securities transactions for customers shall, to ensure safe and sound operations, maintain effective systems of records and controls regarding its customer securities transactions that clearly and accurately reflect appropriate information and provide an adequate basis for an audit of the information.

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Asset-backed security shall mean a security that is serviced primarily by the cash flows of a discrete pool of receivables or other financial assets, either fixed or revolving, that by their terms convert into cash within a finite time period plus any rights or other assets designed to assure the servicing or timely distribution of proceeds to the security holders.

(2) Collective investment fund shall mean funds held by a State member bank as fiduciary and, consistent with local law, invested collectively as follows:

(i) In a common trust fund maintained by such bank exclusively for the collective investment and reinvestment of monies contributed thereto by the bank in its capacity as trustee, executor, administrator, guardian, or custodian under the Uniform Gifts to Minors Act; or

(ii) In a fund consisting solely of assets of retirement, pension, profit sharing, stock bonus or similar trusts which are exempt from Federal income taxation under the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C.).

(3) Completion of the transaction effected by or through a state member bank shall mean:

(i) For purchase transactions, the time when the customer pays the bank any part of the purchase price (or the time when the bank makes the book-entry for any part of the purchase price if applicable); however, if the customer pays for the security prior to the time payment is requested or becomes due, then the transaction shall be completed when the bank transfers the security into the account of the customer; and

(ii) For sale transactions, the time when the bank transfers the security out of the account of the customer or, if the security is not in the bank’s custody, then the time when the security is delivered to the bank; however, if the customer delivers the security to the bank prior to the time delivery is requested or becomes due then the ransaction shall be completed when the banks makes payment into the account of the customer.

(4) Crossing of buy and sell orders shall mean a security transaction in which the same bank acts as agent for both the buyer and the seller.

(5) Customer shall mean any person or account, including any agency, trust, estate, guardianship, or other fiduciary account, for which a State member bank effects or participates in effecting the purchase or sale of securities, but shall not include a broker, dealer, bank acting as a broker or dealer, municipal securities broker or dealer, or issuer of the securities which are the subject of the transactions.

(6) Debt security as used in paragraph (c) of this section shall mean any security, such as a bond, debenture, note or any other similar instrument which evidences a liability of the issuer (including any security of this type that is convertible into stock or similar security) and fractional or participation interests in one or more of any of the foregoing; provided, however, that securities issued by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq., shall not be included in this definition.

(7) Government security shall mean:

(i) A security that is a direct obligation of, or obligation guaranteed as to principal and interest by, the United States;

(ii) A security that is issued or guaranteed by a corporation in which the United States has a direct or indirect interest and which is designated by the Secretary of the Treasury for exemption as necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors;

(iii) A security issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by any corporation whose securities are designated, by statute specifically naming the corporation, to constitute exempt securities within the meaning of the laws administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission; or

(iv) Any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on a security as described in paragraphs (b)(7) (i), (ii), or (iii) of this section other than a put, call, straddle, option, or privilege that is traded on one or more national securities exchanges, or for which quotations are disseminated though an automated quotation system operated by a registered securities association.

(8) Investment discretion with respect to an account shall mean if the State member bank, directly or indirectly, is authorized to determine what securities or other property shall be purchased or sold by or for the account, or makes decisions as to what securities or other property shall be purchased or sold by or for the account even though some other person may have responsibility for such investment decisions.

(9) Municipal security shall mean a security which is a direct obligation of, or obligation guaranteed as to principal or interest by, a State or any political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of a State or any political subdivision thereof, or any municipal corporate instrumentality of one or more States, or any security which is an industrial development bond (as defined in 26 U.S.C. 103(c)(2) the interest on which is excludable from gross income under 26 U.S.C. 103(a)(1), by reason of the application of paragraph (4) or (6) of 26 U.S.C. 103(c) (determined as if paragraphs (4)(A), (5) and (7) were not included in 26 U.S.C. 103(c)), paragraph (1) of 26 U.S.C. 103(c) does not apply to such security.

(10) Periodic plan shall mean:

(i) A written authorization for a State member bank to act as agent to purchase or sell for a customer a specific security or securities, in a specific amount (calculated in security units or dollars) or to the extent of dividends and funds available, at specific time intervals, and setting forth the commission or charges to be paid by the customer or the manner of calculating them (including dividend reinvestment plans, automatic investment plans, and employee stock purchase plans); or

(ii) Any prearranged, automatic transfer or sweep of funds from a deposit account to purchase a security, or any prearranged, automatic redemption or sale of a security with the funds being transferred into a deposit account (including cash management sweep services).

(11) Security shall mean:

(i) Any note, stock, treasury stock, bond, debenture, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement or in any oil, gas, or other mineral royalty or lease, any collateral-trust certificate, preorganization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, for a security, any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security, or group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), any instrument commonly known as a ‘‘security’’; or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing.

(ii) But does not include a deposit or share account in a federally or state insured depository institution, a loan participation, a letter of credit or other form of bank indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business, currency, any note, draft, bill of exchange, or bankers acceptance which has a maturity at the time of issuance of not exceeding nine months, exclusive of days of grace, or any renewal thereof the maturity of which is likewise limited, units of a collective investment fund, interests in a variable amount (master) note of a borrower of prime credit, or U.S. Savings Bonds.

(c) Recordkeeping. Except as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, every State member bank effecting securities transactions for customers, including transactions in government securities, and municipal securities transactions by banks not subject to registration as municipal securities dealers, shall maintain the following records with respect to such transactions for at least three years. Nothing contained in this section shall require a bank to maintain the records required by this paragraph in any given manner, provided that the information required to be shown is clearly and accurately reflected and provides an adequate basis for the audit of such information. Records may be maintained in hard copy, automated, or electronic form provided the records are easily retrievable, readily available for inspection, and capable of being reproduced in a hard copy. A bank may contract with third party service providers, including broker/dealers, to maintain records required under this part.

(1) Chronological records of original entry containing an itemized daily record of all purchases and sales of securities. The records of original entry shall show the account or customer for which each such transaction was effected, the description of the securities, the unit and aggregate purchase or sale price (if any), the trade date and the name or other designation of the broker/dealer or other person from whom purchased or to whom sold;

(2) Account records for each customer which shall reflect all purchases and sales of securities, all receipts and deliveries of securities, and all receipts and disbursements of cash with respect to transactions in securities for such account and all other debits and credits pertaining to transactions in securities;

(3) A separate memorandum (order ticket) of each order to purchase or sell securities (whether executed or canceled), which shall include:

(i) The account(s) for which the transaction was effected;

(ii) Whether the transaction was a market order, limit order, or subject to special instructions;

(iii) The time the order was received by the trader or other bank employee responsible for effecting the transaction;

(iv) The time the order was placed with the broker/dealer, or if there was no broker/dealer, the time the order was executed or canceled;

(v) The price at which the order was executed; and

(vi) The broker/dealer utilized;

(4) A record of all broker/dealers selected by the bank to effect securities transactions and the amount of commissions paid or allocated to each such broker during the calendar year; and

(5) A copy of the written notification required by paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section.

(d) Content and time of notification. Every State member bank effecting a securities transaction for a customer shall give or send to such customer either of the following types of notifications at or before completion of the transaction or; if the bank uses a broker/dealer’s confirmation, within one business day from the bank’s receipt of the broker/dealer’s confirmation:

(1) A copy of the confirmation of a broker/dealer relating to the securities transaction; and if the bank is to receive remuneration from the customer or any other source in connection with the transaction, and the remuneration is not determined pursuant to a prior written agreement between the bank and the customer, a statement of the source and the amount of any remuneration to be received; or

(2) A written notification disclosing:

(i) The name of the bank;

(ii) The name of the customer;

(iii) Whether the bank is acting as agent for such customer, as agent for both such customer and some other person, as principal for its own account, or in any other capacity;

(iv) The date of execution and a statement that the time of execution will be furnished within a reasonable time upon written request of such customer specifying the identity, price and number of shares or units (or principal amount in the case of debt securities) of such security purchased or sold by such customer;

(v) The amount of any remuneration received or to be received, directly or indirectly, by any broker/dealer from such customer in connection with the transaction;

(vi) The amount of any remuneration received or to be received by the bank from the customer and the source and amount of any other remuneration to be received by the bank in connection with the transaction, unless remuneration is determined pursuant to a written agreement between the bank and the customer, provided, however, in the case of Government securities and municipal securities, this paragraph (d)(2)(vi) shall apply only with respect to remuneration received by the bank in an agency transaction. If the bank elects not to disclose the source and amount of remuneration it has or will receive from a party other than the customer pursuant to this paragraph (d)(2)(vi), the written notification must disclose whether the bank has received or will receive remuneration from a party other than the customer, and that the bank will furnish within a reasonable time the source and amount of this remuneration upon written request of the customer. This election is not available, however, if, with respect to a purchase, the bank was participating in a distribution of that security; or with respect to a sale, the bank was participating in a tender offer for that security;

(vii) The name of the broker/dealer utilized; or, where there is no broker/dealer, the name of the person from whom the security was purchased or to whom it was sold, or the fact that such information will be furnished within a reasonable time upon written request;

(viii) In the case of a transaction in a debt security subject to redemption before maturity, a statement to the effect that the debt security may be redeemed in whole or in part before maturity, that the redemption could affect the yield represented and that additional information is available on request;

(ix) In the case of a transaction in a debt security effected exclusively on the basis of a dollar price:

(A) The dollar price at which the transaction was effected;

(B) The yield to maturity calculated from the dollar price; provided, however, that this paragraph (c)(2)(ix)(B) shall not apply to a transaction in a debt security that either has a maturity date that may be extended by the issuer with a variable interest payable thereon, or is an asset-backed security that represents an interest in or is secured by a pool of receivables or other financial assets that are subject to continuous prepayment;

(x) In the case of a transaction in a debt security effected on the basis of yield:

(A) The yield at which the transaction was effected, including the percentage amount and its characterization (e.g., current yield, yield to maturity, or yield to call) and if effected at yield to call, the type of call, the call date, and the call price; and

(B) The dollar price calculated from the yield at which the transaction was effected; and

(C) If effected on a basis other than yield to maturity and the yield to maturity is lower than the represented yield, the yield to maturity as well as the represented yield; provided, however, that this paragraph (c)(2)(x)(C) shall not apply to a transaction in a debt security that either has a maturity date that may be extended by the issuer with a variable interest rate payable thereon, or is an asset-backed security that represents an interest in or is secured by a pool of receivables or other financial assets that are subject to continuous prepayment;

(xi) In the case of a transaction in a debt security that is an asset-backed security which represents an interest in or is secured by a pool of receivables or other financial assets that are subject continuously to prepayment, a statement indicating that the actual yield of such asset-backed security may vary according to the rate at which the underlying receivables or other financial assets are prepaid and a statement of the fact that information concerning the factors that affect yield (including at a minimum, the estimated yield, weighted average life, and the prepayment assumptions underlying yield) will be furnished upon written request of such customer; and

(xii) In the case of a transaction in a debt security, other than a government security, that the security is unrated by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, if that is the case.

(e) Notification by agreement; alternative forms and times of notification. A State member bank may elect to use the following alternative procedures if a transaction is effected for:

(1) Accounts (except periodic plans) where the bank does not exercise investment discretion and the bank and the customer agree in writing to a different arrangement as to the time and content of the notification; provided, however, that such agreement makes clear the customer’s right to receive the written notification pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section at no additional cost to the customer;

(2) Accounts (except collective investment funds) where the bank exercises investment discretion in other than an agency capacity, in which instance the bank shall, upon request of the person having the power to terminate the account or, if there is no such person, upon the request of any person holding a vested beneficial interest in such account, give or send to such person the written notification within a reasonable time. The bank may charge such person a reasonable fee for providing this information;

(3) Accounts, where the bank exercises investment discretion in an agency capacity, in which instance:

(i) The bank shall give or send to each customer not less frequently than once every three months an itemized statement which shall specify the funds and securities in the custody or possession of the bank at the end of such period and all debits, credits and transactions in the customer’s accounts during such period; and

(ii) If requested by the customer, the bank shall give or send to each customer within a reasonable time the written notification described in paragraph (c) of this section. The bank may charge a reasonable fee for providing the information described in paragraph (c) of this section;

(4) A collective investment fund, in which instance the bank shall at least annually furnish a copy of a financial report of the fund, or provide notice that a copy of such report is available and will be furnished upon request, to each person to whom a regular periodic accounting would ordinarily be rendered with respect to each participating account. This report shall be based upon an audit made by independent public accountants or internal auditors responsible only to the board of directors of the bank;

(5) A periodic plan, in which instance the bank:

(i) Shall (except for a cash management sweep service) give or send to the customer a written statement not less than every three months if there are no securities transactions in the account, showing the customer’s funds and securities in the custody or possession of the bank; all service charges and commissions paid by the customer in connection with the transaction; and all other debits and credits of the customer’s account involved in the transaction; or

(ii) Shall for a cash management sweep service or similar periodic plan as defined in § 208.34(b)(10)(ii) give or send its customer a written statement in the same form as prescribed in paragraph (e)(3) above for each month in which a purchase or sale of a security takes place in a deposit account and not less than once every three months if there are no securities transactions in the account subject to any other applicable laws or regulations;

(6) Upon the written request of the customer the bank shall furnish the information described in paragraph (d) of this section, except that any such information relating to remuneration paid in connection with the transaction need not be provided to the customer when paid by a source other than the customer. The bank may charge a reasonable fee for providing the information described in paragraph (d) of this section.

(f) Settlement of securities transactions. All contracts for the purchase or sale of a security shall provide for completion of the transaction within the number of business days in the standard settlement cycle for the security followed by registered broker dealers in the United States unless otherwise agreed to by the parties at the time of the transaction.

(g) Securities trading policies and procedures. Every State member bank effecting securities transactions for customers shall establish written policies and procedures providing:

(1) Assignment of responsibility for supervision of all officers or employees who:

(i) Transmit orders to or place orders with broker/dealers;

(ii) Execute transactions in securities for customers; or

(iii) Process orders for notification and/or settlement purposes, or perform other back office functions with respect to securities transactions effected for customers; provided that procedures established under this paragraph (g)(1)(iii) should provide for supervision and reporting lines that are separate from supervision of personnel under paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (g)(1)(ii) of this section;

(2) For the fair and equitable allocation of securities and prices to accounts when orders for the same security are received at approximately the same time and are placed for execution either individually or in combination;

(3) Where applicable and where permissible under local law, for the crossing of buy and sell orders on a fair and equitable basis to the parties to the transaction; and

(4) That bank officers and employees who make investment recommendations or decisions for the accounts of customers, who participate in the determination of such recommendations or decisions, or who, in connection with their duties, obtain information concerning which securities are being purchased or sold or recommended for such action, must report to the bank, within ten days after the end of the calendar quarter, all transactions in securities made by them or on their behalf, either at the bank or elsewhere in which they have a beneficial interest. The report shall identify the securities purchased or sold and indicate the dates of the transactions and whether the transactions were purchases or sales. Excluded from this requirement are transactions for the benefit of the officer or employee over which the officer or employee has no direct or indirect influence or control, transactions in mutual fund shares, and all transactions involving in the aggregate $10,000 or less during the calendar quarter. For purposes of this paragraph (g)(4), the term securities does not include government securities.

Sec. 208.35 Qualification requirements for transactions in certain securities.

[Reserved]

 

 

Sec. 208.36 Reporting requirements for State member banks subject to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(a) Filing, disclosure and other requirements—

(1) General. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a member bank whose securities are subject to registration pursuant to section 12(b) or section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the 1934 Act) (15 U.S.C. 78l(b) and (g)) shall comply with the rules, regulations and forms adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission) pursuant to—

(i) Sections 10A(m), 12, 13, 14(a), 14(c), 14(d), 14(f) and 16 of the 1934 Act (15 U.S.C. 78f(m), 78l, 78m, 78n(a), (c), (d) and (f), and 78p); and (ii) Sections 302, 303, 304, 306, 401(b), 404, 406 and 407 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (codified at 15 U.S.C. 7241, 7242, 7243, 7244, 7261, 7262, 7264 and 7265).

(2) References to the Commission. Any references to the ‘‘Securities and Exchange Commission’’ or the ‘‘Commission’’ in the rules, regulations and forms described in paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall with respect to securities issued by member banks be deemed to refer to the Board unless the context otherwise requires.

(b) Elections permitted for member banks with total assets of $150 million or less. (1) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section or the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act a member bank that has total assets of $150 million or less as of the end of its most recent fiscal year, and no foreign offices, may elect to substitute for the financial statements required by the Commission’s Form 10–Q, the balance sheet and income statement from the quarterly report of condition required to be filed by the bank with the Board under section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 324) (Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council Form 033 or 034).

(2) A member bank qualifying for and electing to file financial statements from its quarterly report of condition pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section in its form 10–Q shall include earnings per share or net loss per share data prepared in accordance with GAAP and disclose any material contingencies, as required by Article 10 of the Commission’s Regulation S–X (17 CFR 210.10–01), in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations section of Form 10–Q.

(c) Required filings.

(1) Place and timing of filing. All papers required to be filed with the Board, pursuant to the 1934 Act or regulations thereunder, shall be submitted to the Division of Banking Supervision and Regulation, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20551. Material may be filed by delivery to the Board, through the mails, or otherwise. The date on which papers are actually received by the Board shall be the date of filing thereof if all of the requirements with respect to the filing have been complied with.

(2) Filing fees. No filing fees specified by the Commission’s rules shall be paid to the Board.

(3) Public inspection. Copies of the registration statement, definitive proxy solicitation materials, reports, and annual reports to shareholders required by this section (exclusive of exhibits) shall be available for public inspection at the Board’s offices in Washington, DC, as well as at the Federal Reserve Banks of New York, Chicago, and San Francisco and at the Reserve Bank in the district in which the reporting bank is located.

(d) Confidentiality of filing. Any person filing any statement, report, or document under the 1934 Act may make written objection to the public disclosure of any information contained therein in accordance with the following procedure:

(1) The person shall omit from the statement, report, or document, when it is filed, the portion thereof that the person desires to keep undisclosed (hereinafter called the confidential portion). The person shall indicate at the appropriate place in the statement, report, or document that the confidential portion has been omitted and filed separately with the Board.

(2) The person shall file the following with the copies of the statement, report, or document filed with the Board:

(i) As many copies of the confidential portion, each clearly marked ‘‘CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT,’’ as there are copies of the statement, report, or document filed with the Board. Each copy of the confidential portion shall contain the complete text of the item and, notwithstanding that the confidential portion does not constitute the whole of the answer, the entire answer thereto; except that in case the confidential portion is part of a financial statement or schedule, only the particular financial statement or schedule need be included. All copies of the confidential portion shall be in the same form as the remainder of the statement, report, or document; and

(ii) An application making objection to the disclosure of the confidential portion. The application shall be on a sheet or sheets separate from the confidential portion, and shall:

(A) Identify the portion of the statement, report, or document that has been omitted;

(B) Include a statement of the grounds of objection; and

(C) Include the name of each exchange, if any, with which the statement, report, or document is filed.

(3) The copies of the confidential portion and the application filed in accordance with this paragraph shall be enclosed in a separate envelope marked ‘‘CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT,’’ and addressed to Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

(4) Pending determination by the Board on the objection filed in accordance with this paragraph, the confidential portion shall not be disclosed by the Board.

(5) If the Board determines to sustain the objection, a notation to that effect shall be made at the appropriate place in the statement, report, or document.

(6) If the Board determines not to sustain the objection because disclosure of the confidential portion is in the public interest, a finding and determination to that effect shall be entered and notice of the finding and determination sent by registered or certified mail to the person.

(7) If the Board determines not to sustain the objection, pursuant to paragraph (d)(6) of this section, the confidential portion shall be made available to the public:

(i) 15 days after notice of the Board’s determination not to sustain the objection has been given, as required by paragraph (d)(6) of this section, provided that the person filing the objection has not previously filed with the Board a written statement that he intends, in good faith, to seek judicial review of the finding and determination; or

(ii) 60 days after notice of the Board’s determination not to sustain the objection has been given as required by paragraph (d)(6) of this section and the person filing the objection has filed with the Board a written statement of intent to seek judicial review of the finding and determination, but has failed to file a petition for judicial review of the Board’s determination; or

(iii) Upon final judicial determination, if adverse to the party filing the objection.

(8) If the confidential portion is made available to the public, a copy thereof shall be attached to each copy of the statement, report, or document filed with the Board.

Sec. 208.37 Government securities sales practices.

(a) Scope. This subpart is applicable to state member banks that have filed notice as, or are required to file notice as, government securities brokers or dealers pursuant to section 15C of the Securities Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78o-5) and Department of the Treasury rules under section 15C (17 CFR 400.1(d) and part 401).

(b) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Bank that is a government securities broker or dealer means a state member bank that has filed notice, or is required to file notice, as a government securities broker or dealer pursuant to section 15C of the Securities Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78o-5) and Department of the Treasury rules under section 15C (17 CFR 400.1(d) and Part 401).

(2) Customer does not include a broker or dealer or a government securities broker or dealer.

(3) Government security has the same meaning as this term has in section 3(a)(42) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(42)).

(4) Non-institutional customer means any customer other than:

(i) A bank, savings association, insurance company, or registered investment company;

(ii) An investment adviser registered under section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-3); or

(iii) Any entity (whether a natural person, corporation, partnership, trust, or otherwise) with total assets of at least $50 million.

(c) Business conduct. A bank that is a government securities broker or dealer shall observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade in the conduct of its business as a government securities broker or dealer.

(d) Recommendations to customers. In recommending to a customer the purchase, sale or exchange of a government security, a bank that is a government securities broker or dealer shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the recommendation is suitable for the customer upon the basis of the facts, if any, disclosed by the customer as to the customer’s other security holdings and as to the customer’s financial situation and needs.

(e) Customer information. Prior to the execution of a transaction recommended to a non-institutional customer, a bank that is a government securities broker or dealer shall make reasonable efforts to obtain information concerning:

(1) The customer’s financial status;

(2) The customer’s tax status;

(3) The customer’s investment objectives; and

(4) Such other information used or considered to be reasonable by the bank in making recommendations to the customer.

Subpart D -- Prompt Corrective Action

Sec. 208.40 Authority, purpose, scope, other supervisory authority, and disclosure of capital categories.

(a) Authority. Subpart D of Regulation H (12 CFR part 208, Subpart D) is issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) under section 38 (section 38) of the FDI Act as added by section 131 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (Pub. L. 102-242, 105 Stat. 2236 (1991)) (12 U.S.C. 1831o).

(b) Purpose and scope. This subpart D defines the capital measures and capital levels that are used for determining the supervisory actions authorized under section 38 of the FDI Act. (Section 38 of the FDI Act establishes a framework of supervisory actions for insured depository institutions that are not adequately capitalized.) This subpart also establishes procedures for submission and review of capital restoration plans and for issuance and review of directives and orders pursuant to section 38. Certain of the provisions of this subpart apply to officers, directors, and employees of state member banks. Other provisions apply to any company that controls a member bank and to the affiliates of the member bank.

(c) Other supervisory authority. Neither section 38 nor this subpart in any way limits the authority of the Board under any other provision of law to take supervisory actions to address unsafe or unsound practices or conditions, deficient capital levels, violations of law, or other practices. Action under section 38 of the FDI Act and this subpart may be taken independently of, in conjunction with, or in addition to any other enforcement action available to the Board, including issuance of cease and desist orders, capital directives, approval or denial of applications or notices, assessment of civil money penalties, or any other actions authorized by law.

(d) Disclosure of capital categories. The assignment of a bank under this subpart within a particular capital category is for purposes of implementing and applying the provisions of section 38. Unless permitted by the Board or otherwise required by law, no bank may state in any advertisement or promotional material its capital category under this subpart or that the Board or any other Federal banking agency has assigned the bank to a particular capital category.

(e) Transition procedures—(1) Definitions applicable before January 1, 2015, for certain banks. Before January 1, 2015, notwithstanding any other requirement in this subpart and with respect to any bank that is not an advanced approaches bank:

(i) The definitions of leverage ratio, tier 1 capital, tier 1 risk-based capital, and total risk-based capital as calculated or defined under Appendix A to this part or Appendix B to this part, as applicable, remain in effect for purposes of this subpart;

(ii) The definition of total assets means quarterly average total assets as reported in a bank's Report of Condition and Income (Call Report), minus all intangible assets except mortgage servicing assets to the extent that the Federal Reserve determines that mortgage servicing assets may be included in calculating the bank's tier 1 capital. At its discretion the Federal Reserve may calculate total assets using a bank's period-end assets rather than quarterly average assets; and

(iii) The definition of tangible equity of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank is the amount of core capital elements as defined in appendix A to this part, plus the amount of outstanding cumulative perpetual preferred stock (including related surplus) minus all intangible assets except mortgage servicing assets to the extent that the Board determines that mortgage servicing assets may be included in calculating the bank's tier 1 capital, as calculated in accordance with Appendix A to this part.

(2) Timing. The calculation of the definitions of common equity tier 1 capital, the common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, the leverage ratio, the supplementary leverage ratio, tangible equity, tier 1 capital, the tier 1 risk-based capital ratio, total assets, total leverage exposure, the total risk-based capital ratio, and total risk-weighted assets under this subpart is subject to the timing provisions at 12 CFR 217.1(f) and the transitions at 12 CFR part 217, subpart G.

Sec. 208.41 Definitions for purposes of this subpart.

For purposes of this subpart, except as modified in this section or unless the context otherwise requires, the terms used have the same meanings as set forth in section 38 and section 3 of the FDI Act.

(a) Advanced approaches bank means a bank that is described in §217.100(b)(1) of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.100(b)(1)).

(b) Bank means an insured depository institution as defined in section 3 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1813).

(c) Common equity tier 1 capital means the amount of capital as defined in §217.2 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2).

(d) Common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio means the ratio of common equity tier 1 capital to total risk-weighted assets, as calculated in accordance with §217.10(b)(1) or §217.10(c)(1) of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10(b)(1), 12 CFR 217.10(c)(1)), as applicable.

(e) Control—(1) Control has the same meaning assigned to it in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1841), and the term controlled shall be construed consistently with the term control.

(2) Exclusion for fiduciary ownership. No insured depository institution or company controls another insured depository institution or company by virtue of its ownership or control of shares in a fiduciary capacity. Shares shall not be deemed to have been acquired in a fiduciary capacity if the acquiring insured depository institution or company has sole discretionary authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the shares.

(3) Exclusion for debts previously contracted. No insured depository institution or company controls another insured depository institution or company by virtue of its ownership or control of shares acquired in securing or collecting a debt previously contracted in good faith, until two years after the date of acquisition. The two-year period may be extended at the discretion of the appropriate Federal banking agency for up to three one-year periods.

(f) Controlling person means any person having control of an insured depository institution and any company controlled by that person.

(g) Leverage ratio means the ratio of tier 1 capital to average total consolidated assets, as calculated in accordance with §217.10 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10).10

10Before January 1, 2015, the leverage ratio of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank is the ratio of tier 1 capital to average total consolidated assets, as calculated in accordance with Appendix B to this part.

(h) Management fee means any payment of money or provision of any other thing of value to a company or individual for the provision of management services or advice to the bank, or related overhead expenses, including payments related to supervisory, executive, managerial, or policy making functions, other than compensation to an individual in the individual's capacity as an officer or employee of the bank.

(i) Supplementary leverage ratio means the ratio of tier 1 capital to total leverage exposure, as calculated in accordance with §217.10 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10).

(j) Tangible equity means the amount of tier 1 capital, plus the amount of outstanding perpetual preferred stock (including related surplus) not included in tier 1 capital.11

11Before January 1, 2015, the tangible equity of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank is the amount of core capital elements as defined in appendix A to this part, plus the amount of outstanding cumulative perpetual preferred stock (including related surplus) minus all intangible assets except mortgage servicing assets to the extent that the Board determines that mortgage servicing assets may be included in calculating the bank's tier 1 capital, as calculated in accordance with Appendix A to this part.

(k) Tier 1 capital means the amount of capital as defined in §217.20 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.20).12

12Before January 1, 2015, the tier 1 capital of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41) is calculated in accordance with Appendix A to this part.

(l) Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio means the ratio of tier 1 capital to total risk-weighted assets, as calculated in accordance with §217.10(b)(2) or §217.10(c)(2) of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10(b)(2), 12 CFR 217.10(c)(2)), as applicable.13

13Before January 1, 2015, the tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41) is calculated in accordance with Appendix A to this part.

(m) Total assets means quarterly average total assets as reported in a bank's Call Report, minus items deducted from tier 1 capital. At its discretion the Federal Reserve may calculate total assets using a bank's period-end assets rather than quarterly average assets.14

14Before January 1, 2015, total assets means, for a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41), quarterly average total assets as reported in a bank's Call Report, minus all intangible assets except mortgage servicing assets to the extent that the Federal Reserve determines that mortgage servicing assets may be included in calculating the bank's tier 1 capital. At its discretion the Federal Reserve may calculate total assets using a bank's period-end assets rather than quarterly average assets.

(n) Total leverage exposure means the total leverage exposure, as calculated in accordance with §217.11 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.11).

(o) Total risk-based capital ratio means the ratio of total capital to total risk-weighted assets, as calculated in accordance with §217.10(b)(3) or §217.10(c)(3) of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10(b)(3), 12 CFR 217.10(c)(3)), as applicable.15

15Before January 1, 2015, the total risk-based capital ratio of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41) is calculated in accordance with appendix A to this part.

(p) Total risk-weighted assets means standardized total risk-weighted assets, and for an advanced approaches bank also includes advanced approaches total risk-weighted assets, as defined in §217.2 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2).

Editor's Note: Effective January 1, 2018, paragraphs (g) throuhg (p) above are redesignated as paragraphs (h) thourhg (q), and new paragraph (g) is added, as follows:

(g) Global systemically important BHC has the same meaning as in §217.2 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2).

(h) Leverage ratio means the ratio of tier 1 capital to average total consolidated assets, as calculated in accordance with §217.10 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10).10

10Before January 1, 2015, the leverage ratio of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank is the ratio of tier 1 capital to average total consolidated assets, as calculated in accordance with Appendix B to this part.

(i) Management fee means any payment of money or provision of any other thing of value to a company or individual for the provision of management services or advice to the bank, or related overhead expenses, including payments related to supervisory, executive, managerial, or policy making functions, other than compensation to an individual in the individual's capacity as an officer or employee of the bank.

(j) Supplementary leverage ratio means the ratio of tier 1 capital to total leverage exposure, as calculated in accordance with §217.10 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10).

(k) Tangible equity means the amount of tier 1 capital, plus the amount of outstanding perpetual preferred stock (including related surplus) not included in tier 1 capital.11

11Before January 1, 2015, the tangible equity of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank is the amount of core capital elements as defined in appendix A to this part, plus the amount of outstanding cumulative perpetual preferred stock (including related surplus) minus all intangible assets except mortgage servicing assets to the extent that the Board determines that mortgage servicing assets may be included in calculating the bank's tier 1 capital, as calculated in accordance with Appendix A to this part.

(l) Tier 1 capital means the amount of capital as defined in §217.20 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.20).12

12Before January 1, 2015, the tier 1 capital of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41) is calculated in accordance with Appendix A to this part.

(m) Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio means the ratio of tier 1 capital to total risk-weighted assets, as calculated in accordance with §217.10(b)(2) or §217.10(c)(2) of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10(b)(2), 12 CFR 217.10(c)(2)), as applicable.13

13Before January 1, 2015, the tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41) is calculated in accordance with Appendix A to this part.

(n) Total assets means quarterly average total assets as reported in a bank's Call Report, minus items deducted from tier 1 capital. At its discretion the Federal Reserve may calculate total assets using a bank's period-end assets rather than quarterly average assets.14

14Before January 1, 2015, total assets means, for a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41), quarterly average total assets as reported in a bank's Call Report, minus all intangible assets except mortgage servicing assets to the extent that the Federal Reserve determines that mortgage servicing assets may be included in calculating the bank's tier 1 capital. At its discretion the Federal Reserve may calculate total assets using a bank's period-end assets rather than quarterly average assets.

(o) Total leverage exposure means the total leverage exposure, as calculated in accordance with §217.11 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.11).

(p) Total risk-based capital ratio means the ratio of total capital to total risk-weighted assets, as calculated in accordance with §217.10(b)(3) or §217.10(c)(3) of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.10(b)(3), 12 CFR 217.10(c)(3)), as applicable.15

15Before January 1, 2015, the total risk-based capital ratio of a member bank that is not an advanced approaches bank (as defined in §208.41) is calculated in accordance with appendix A to this part.

(q) Total risk-weighted assets means standardized total risk-weighted assets, and for an advanced approaches bank also includes advanced approaches total risk-weighted assets, as defined in §217.2 of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.2).

Sec. 208.42 Notice of capital category.

(a) Effective date of determination of capital category. A member bank shall be deemed to be within a given capital category for purposes of section 38 of the FDI Act and this subpart as of the date the bank is notified of, or is deemed to have notice of, its capital category, pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Notice of capital category. A member bank shall be deemed to have been notified of its capital levels and its capital category as of the most recent date:

(1) A Report of Condition and Income (Call Report) is required to be filed with the Board;

(2) A final report of examination is delivered to the bank; or

(3) Written notice is provided by the Board to the bank of its capital category for purposes of section 38 of the FDI Act and this subpart or that the bank’s capital category has changed as provided in paragraph (c) of this section or § 208.43(c).

(c) Adjustments to reported capital levels and capital category—

(1) Notice of adjustment by bank. A member bank shall provide the Board with written notice that an adjustment to the bank’s capital category may have occurred no later than 15 calendar days following the date that any material event occurred that would cause the bank to be placed in a lower capital category from the category assigned to the bank for purposes of section 38 and this subpart on the basis of the bank’s most recent Call Report or report of examination.

(2) Determination by Board to change capital category. After receiving notice pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the Board shall determine whether to change the capital category of the bank and shall notify the bank of the Board’s determination.

Sec. 208.43 Capital measures and capital category definitions.

(a) Capital measures. (1) For purposes of section 38 of the FDI Act and this subpart, the relevant capital measures are:

(i) Total Risk-Based Capital Measure: The total risk-based capital ratio;

(ii) Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Measure: The tier 1 risk-based capital ratio;

(iii) Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Measure: The common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio; and

(iv) Leverage Measure:

(A) The leverage ratio; and

(B) With respect to an advanced approaches bank, on January 1, 2018, and thereafter, the supplementary leverage ratio.

(C) With respect to any bank that is a subsidiary (as defined in § 217.2 of this chapter) of a global systemically important BHC, on Jan. 1, 2018, and thereafter, the supplementary leverage ratio.

(2) For a qualifying community banking organization (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter), that has elected to use the community bank leverage ratio framework (as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter), the leverage ratio calculated in accordance with § 217.12(b) of this chapter is used to determine the well capitalized capital category under paragraph (b)(1)(i)(A) through (D) of this section.

(b) Capital categories. For purposes of section 38 of the FDI Act and this subpart, a member bank is deemed to be:

(1)(i) “Well capitalized” if:

(A) Total Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a total risk-based capital ratio of 10.0 percent or greater;

(B) Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 8.0 percent or greater;

(C) Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Measure: the bank has a common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.5 percent or greater; and

(D) Leverage Measure:

(1) The bank has a leverage ratio of 5.0 percent or greater; and

(2) Beginning on Jan. 1, 2018, with respect to any bank that is a subsidiary of a global systemically important BHC under the definition of “subsidiary” in § 217.2 of this chapter, the bank has a supplementary leverage ratio of 6.0 percent or greater; and

(E) The bank is not subject to any written agreement, order, capital directive, or prompt corrective action directive issued by the Board pursuant to section 8 of the FDI Act, the International Lending Supervision Act of 1983 (12 U.S.C. 3907), or section 38 of the FDI Act, or any regulation thereunder, to meet and maintain a specific capital level for any capital measure.

(ii) A qualifying community banking organization, as defined in § 217.12 of this chapter, that has elected to use the community bank leverage ratio framework under § 217.12 of this chapter, shall be considered to have met the capital ratio requirements for the well capitalized capital category in paragraph (b)(1)(i)(A) through (D) of this section.

(2) “Adequately capitalized” if:

(i) Total Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a total risk-based capital ratio of 8.0 percent or greater;

(ii) Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 6.0 percent or greater;

(iii) Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Measure: the bank has a common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of 4.5 percent or greater;

(iv) Leverage Measure:

(A) The bank has a leverage ratio of 4.0 percent or greater; and

(B) With respect to an advanced approaches bank, on January 1, 2018, and thereafter, the bank has a supplementary leverage ratio of 3.0 percent or greater; and

(v) The bank does not meet the definition of a “well capitalized” bank.

(3) “Undercapitalized” if:

(i) Total Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 8.0 percent;

(ii) Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 6.0 percent;

(iii) Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Measure: the bank has a common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 4.5 percent; or

(iv) Leverage Measure:

(A) The bank has a leverage ratio of less than 4.0 percent; or

(B) With respect to an advanced approaches bank, on January 1, 2018, and thereafter, the bank has a supplementary leverage ratio of less than 3.0 percent.

(4) “Significantly undercapitalized” if:

(i) Total Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a total risk-based capital ratio of less than 6.0 percent;

(ii) Tier 1 Risk-Based Capital Measure: the bank has a tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 4.0 percent;

(iii) Common Equity Tier 1 Capital Measure: the bank has a common equity tier 1 risk-based capital ratio of less than 3.0 percent; or

(iv) Leverage Measure: the bank has a leverage ratio of less than 3.0 percent.

(5) “Critically undercapitalized” if the bank has a ratio of tangible equity to total assets that is equal to or less than 2.0 percent.

(c) Reclassification based on supervisory criteria other than capital. The Board may reclassify a well capitalized member bank as adequately capitalized and may require an adequately-capitalized or an undercapitalized member bank to comply with certain mandatory or discretionary supervisory actions as if the bank were in the next lower capital category (except that the Board may not reclassify a significantly undercapitalized bank as critically undercapitalized) (each of these actions are hereinafter referred to generally as “reclassifications”) in the following circumstances:

(1) Unsafe or unsound condition. The Board has determined, after notice and opportunity for hearing pursuant to 12 CFR 263.203, that the bank is in unsafe or unsound condition; or

(2) Unsafe or unsound practice. The Board has determined, after notice and opportunity for hearing pursuant to 12 CFR 263.203, that, in the most recent examination of the bank, the bank received and has not corrected, a less-than-satisfactory rating for any of the categories of asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity, or sensitivity to market risk.

Sec. 208.44 Capital restoration plans.

(a) Schedule for filing plan—(1) In general. A member bank shall file a written capital restoration plan with the appropriate Reserve Bank within 45 days of the date that the bank receives notice or is deemed to have notice that the bank is undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, or critically undercapitalized, unless the Board notifies the bank in writing that the plan is to be filed within a different period. An adequately capitalized bank that has been required, pursuant to §208.43(c), to comply with supervisory actions as if the bank were undercapitalized is not required to submit a capital restoration plan solely by virtue of the reclassification.

(2) Additional capital restoration plans. Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(1) of this section, a bank that has already submitted and is operating under a capital restoration plan approved under section 38 and this subpart is not required to submit an additional capital restoration plan based on a revised calculation of its capital measures or a reclassification of the institution under §208.43(c), unless the Board notifies the bank that it must submit a new or revised capital plan. A bank that is notified that it must submit a new or revised capital restoration plan shall file the plan in writing with the appropriate Reserve Bank within 45 days of receiving such notice, unless the Board notifies the bank in writing that the plan is to be filed within a different period.

(b) Contents of plan. All financial data submitted in connection with a capital restoration plan shall be prepared in accordance with the instructions provided on the Call Report, unless the Board instructs otherwise. The capital restoration plan shall include all of the information required to be filed under section 38(e)(2) of the FDI Act. A bank that is required to submit a capital restoration plan as the result of a reclassification of the bank pursuant to §208.43(c) shall include a description of the steps the bank will take to correct the unsafe or unsound condition or practice. No plan shall be accepted unless it includes any performance guarantee described in section 38(e)(2)(C) of that Act by each company that controls the bank.

(c) Review of capital restoration plans. Within 60 days after receiving a capital restoration plan under this subpart, the Board shall provide written notice to the bank of whether the plan has been approved. The Board may extend the time within which notice regarding approval of a plan shall be provided.

(d) Disapproval of capital plan. If the Board does not approve a capital restoration plan, the bank shall submit a revised capital restoration plan within the time specified by the Board. Upon receiving notice that its capital restoration plan has not been approved, any undercapitalized member bank (as defined in §208.43(b)(3)) shall be subject to all of the provisions of section 38 and this subpart applicable to significantly undercapitalized institutions. These provisions shall be applicable until such time as the Board approves a new or revised capital restoration plan submitted by the bank.

(e) Failure to submit capital restoration plan. A member bank that is undercapitalized (as defined in §208.43(b)(3)) and that fails to submit a written capital restoration plan within the period provided in this section shall, upon the expiration of that period, be subject to all of the provisions of section 38 and this subpart applicable to significantly undercapitalized institutions.

(f) Failure to implement capital restoration plan. Any undercapitalized member bank that fails in any material respect to implement a capital restoration plan shall be subject to all of the provisions of section 38 and this subpart applicable to significantly undercapitalized institutions.

(g) Amendment of capital plan. A bank that has filed an approved capital restoration plan may, after prior written notice to and approval by the Board, amend the plan to reflect a change in circumstance. Until such time as a proposed amendment has been approved, the bank shall implement the capital restoration plan as approved prior to the proposed amendment.

(h) Notice to FDIC. Within 45 days of the effective date of Board approval of a capital restoration plan, or any amendment to a capital restoration plan, the Board shall provide a copy of the plan or amendment to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

(i) Performance guarantee by companies that control a bank—(1) Limitation on Liability. (i) Amount limitation. The aggregate liability under the guarantee provided under section 38 and this subpart for all companies that control a specific member bank that is required to submit a capital restoration plan under this subpart shall be limited to the lesser of:

(A) An amount equal to 5.0 percent of the bank's total assets at the time the bank was notified or deemed to have notice that the bank was undercapitalized; or

(B) The amount necessary to restore the relevant capital measures of the bank to the levels required for the bank to be classified as adequately capitalized, as those capital measures and levels are defined at the time that the bank initially fails to comply with a capital restoration plan under this subpart.

(ii) Limit on duration. The guarantee and limit of liability under section 38 and this subpart shall expire after the Board notifies the bank that it has remained adequately capitalized for each of four consecutive calendar quarters. The expiration or fulfillment by a company of a guarantee of a capital restoration plan shall not limit the liability of the company under any guarantee required or provided in connection with any capital restoration plan filed by the same bank after expiration of the first guarantee.

(iii) Collection on guarantee. Each company that controls a bank shall be jointly and severally liable for the guarantee for such bank as required under section 38 and this subpart, and the Board may require and collect payment of the full amount of that guarantee from any or all of the companies issuing the guarantee.

(2) Failure to provide guarantee. In the event that a bank that is controlled by a company submits a capital restoration plan that does not contain the guarantee required under section 38(e)(2) of the FDI Act, the bank shall, upon submission of the plan, be subject to the provisions of section 38 and this subpart that are applicable to banks that have not submitted an acceptable capital restoration plan.

(3) Failure to perform guarantee. Failure by any company that controls a bank to perform fully its guarantee of any capital plan shall constitute a material failure to implement the plan for purposes of section 38(f) of the FDI Act. Upon such failure, the bank shall be subject to the provisions of section 38 and this subpart that are applicable to banks that have failed in a material respect to implement a capital restoration plan.

Sec. 208.45 Mandatory and discretionary supervisory actions under section 38.

(a) Mandatory supervisory actions—(1) Provisions applicable to all banks. All member banks are subject to the restrictions contained in section 38(d) of the FDI Act on payment of capital distributions and management fees.

(2) Provisions applicable to undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized banks. Immediately upon receiving notice or being deemed to have notice, as provided in §208.42 or §208.44, that the bank is undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, or critically undercapitalized, the bank shall become subject to the provisions of section 38 of the FDI Act:

(i) Restricting payment of capital distributions and management fees (section 38(d));

(ii) Requiring that the Board monitor the condition of the bank (section 38(e)(1));

(iii) Requiring submission of a capital restoration plan within the schedule established in this subpart (section 38(e)(2));

(iv) Restricting the growth of the bank's assets (section 38(e)(3)); and

(v) Requiring prior approval of certain expansion proposals (section 3(e)(4)).

(3) Additional provisions applicable to significantly undercapitalized, and critically undercapitalized banks. In addition to the provisions of section 38 of the FDI Act described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, immediately upon receiving notice or being deemed to have notice, as provided in §208.42 or §208.44, that the bank is significantly undercapitalized, or critically undercapitalized, or that the bank is subject to the provisions applicable to institutions that are significantly undercapitalized because the bank failed to submit or implement in any material respect an acceptable capital restoration plan, the bank shall become subject to the provisions of section 38 of the FDI Act that restrict compensation paid to senior executive officers of the institution (section 38(f)(4)).

(4) Additional provisions applicable to critically undercapitalized banks. In addition to the provisions of section 38 of the FDI Act described in paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section, immediately upon receiving notice or being deemed to have notice, as provided in §208.32, that the bank is critically undercapitalized, the bank shall become subject to the provisions of section 38 of the FDI Act:

(i) Restricting the activities of the bank (section 38(h)(1)); and

(ii) Restricting payments on subordinated debt of the bank (section 38(h)(2)).

(b) Discretionary supervisory actions. In taking any action under section 38 that is within the Board's discretion to take in connection with: A member bank that is deemed to be undercapitalized, significantly undercapitalized, or critically undercapitalized, or has been reclassified as undercapitalized, or significantly undercapitalized; an officer or director of such bank; or a company that controls such bank, the Board shall follow the procedures for issuing directives under 12 CFR 263.202 and 263.204, unless otherwise provided in section 38 or this subpart.

Subpart E -- Real Estate Lending and Appraisal Standards

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Sec. 208.50 Authority, purpose, and scope.

(a) Authority. Subpart E of Regulation H (12 CFR part 208, subpart E) is issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System pursuant to section 304 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, (12 U.S.C 1828(o)), Title XI of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act, (12 U.S.C 3331-3351), and section 1473 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (12 U.S.C. 3353).

(b) Purpose and scope. This subpart prescribes standards for real estate lending to be used by state member banks in adopting internal real estate lending policies. The standards applicable to appraisals rendered in connection with Federally related transactions entered into by member banks and the minimum requirements for appraisal management companies are set forth in 12 CFR part 225, subparts G and M respectively (Regulation Y).

Sec. 208.51 Real estate lending standards.

(a) Adoption of written policies. Each state bank that is a member of the Federal Reserve System shall adopt and maintain written policies that establish appropriate limits and standards for extensions of credit that are secured by liens on or interests in real estate, or that are made for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to real estate.

(b) Requirements of lending policies.

(1) Real estate lending policies adopted pursuant to this section shall be:

(i) Consistent with safe and sound banking practices;

(ii) Appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature and scope of its operations; and

(iii) Reviewed and approved by the bank’s board of directors at least annually.

(2) The lending policies shall establish:

(i) Loan portfolio diversification standards;

(ii) Prudent underwriting standards, including loan-to-value limits, that are clear and measurable;

(iii) Loan administration procedures for the bank’s real estate portfolio; and

(iv) Documentation, approval, and reporting requirements to monitor compliance with the bank’s real estate lending policies.

(c) Monitoring conditions. Each member bank shall monitor conditions in the real estate market in its lending area to ensure that its real estate lending policies continue to be appropriate for current market conditions.

(d) Interagency guidelines. The real estate lending policies adopted pursuant to this section should reflect consideration of the Interagency Guidelines for Real Estate Lending Policies (contained in appendix C of this part) established by the Federal bank and thrift supervisory agencies.

Subpart F -- Miscellaneous Requirements

Sec. 208.60 Authority, purpose, and scope.

(a) Authority. Subpart F of Regulation H (12 CFR part 208, subpart F) is issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System under sections 9, 11, 21, 25 and 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 321–338a, 248(a), 248(c), 481–486, 601 and 611), section 7 of the International Banking Act (12 U.S.C. 3105), section 3 of the Bank Protection Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1882), sections 1814, 1816, 1818, 1831o, 1831p–1 and 1831r–1 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1814, 1816, 1818, 1831o, 1831p–1 and 1831r–1), and the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. 5318).

(b) Purpose and scope. This subpart F describes a member bank’s obligation to implement security procedures to discourage certain crimes, to file suspicious activity reports, and to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act’s requirements for reporting and recordkeeping of currency and foreign transactions. It also describes the examination schedule for certain small insured member banks.

Sec. 208.61 Bank security procedures.

(a) Authority, purpose, and scope. Pursuant to section 3 of the Bank Protection Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1882), member banks are required to adopt appropriate security procedures to discourage robberies, burglaries, and larcenies, and to assist in the identification and prosecution of persons who commit such acts. It is the responsibility of the member bank’s board of directors to comply with the provisions of this section and ensure that a written security program for the bank’s main office and branches is developed and implemented.

(b) Designation of security officer. Upon becoming a member of the Federal Reserve System, a member bank’s board of directors shall designate a security officer who shall have the authority, subject to the approval of the board of directors, to develop, within a reasonable time, but no later than 180 days, and to administer a written security program for each banking office.

(c) Security program.

(1) The security program shall:

(i) Establish procedures for opening and closing for business and for the safekeeping of all currency, negotiable securities, and similar valuables at all times;

(ii) Establish procedures that will assist in identifying persons committing crimes against the institution and that will preserve evidence that may aid in their identification and prosecution. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to: maintaining a camera that records activity in the banking office; using identification devices, such as prerecorded serial-numbered bills, or chemical and electronic devices; and retaining a record of any robbery, burglary, or larceny committed against the bank;

(iii) Provide for initial and periodic training of officers and employees in their responsibilities under the security program and in proper employee conduct during and after a burglary, robbery, or larceny; and

(iv) Provide for selecting, testing, operating, and maintaining appropriate security devices, as specified in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

(2) Security devices. Each member bank shall have, at a minimum, the following security devices:

(i) A means of protecting cash and other liquid assets, such as a vault, safe, or other secure space;

(ii) A lighting system for illuminating, during the hours of darkness, the area around the vault, if the vault is visible from outside the banking office;

(iii) Tamper-resistant locks on exterior doors and exterior windows that may be opened;

(iv) An alarm system or other appropriate device for promptly notifying the nearest responsible law enforcement officers of an attempted or perpetrated robbery or burglary; and

(v) Such other devices as the security officer determines to be appropriate, taking into consideration: the incidence of crimes against financial institutions in the area; the amount of currency and other valuables exposed to robbery, burglary, or larceny; the distance of the banking office from the nearest responsible law enforcement officers; the cost of the security devices; other security measures in effect at the banking office; and the physical characteristics of the structure of the banking office and its surroundings.

(d) Annual reports. The security officer for each member bank shall report at least annually to the bank’s board of directors on the implementation, administration, and effectiveness of the security program.

(e) Reserve Banks. Each Reserve Bank shall develop and maintain a written security program for its main office and branches subject to review and approval of the Board.

Sec. 208.62 Suspicious activity reports.

(a) Purpose. This section ensures that a member bank files a Suspicious Activity Report when it detects a known or suspected violation of Federal law, or a suspicious transaction related to a money laundering activity or a violation of the Bank Secrecy Act. This section applies to all member banks.

(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:

(1) FinCEN means the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the Department of the Treasury.

(2) Institution-affiliated party means any institution-affiliated party as that term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 1786(r), or 1813(u) and 1818(b) (3), (4) or (5).

(3) SAR means a Suspicious Activity Report on the form prescribed by the Board.

(c) SARs required. A member bank shall file a SAR with the appropriate Federal law enforcement agencies and the Department of the Treasury in accordance with the form’s instructions by sending a completed SAR to FinCEN in the following circumstances:

(1) Insider abuse involving any amount. Whenever the member bank detects any known or suspected Federal criminal violation, or pattern of criminal violations, committed or attempted against the bank or involving a transaction or transactions conducted through the bank, where the bank believes that it was either an actual or potential victim of a criminal violation, or series of criminal violations, or that the bank was used to facilitate a criminal transaction, and the bank has a substantial basis for identifying one of its directors, officers, employees, agents or other institution-affiliated parties as having committed or aided in the commission of a criminal act regardless of the amount involved in the violation.

(2) Violations aggregating $5,000 or more where a suspect can be identified. Whenever the member bank detects any known or suspected Federal criminal violation, or pattern of criminal violations, committed or attempted against the bank or involving a transaction or transactions conducted through the bank and involving or aggregating $5,000 or more in funds or other assets, where the bank believes that it was either an actual or potential victim of a criminal violation, or series of criminal violations, or that the bank was used to facilitate a criminal transaction, and the bank has a substantial basis for identifying a possible suspect or group of suspects. If it is determined prior to filing this report that the identified suspect or group of suspects has used an ‘‘alias,’’ then information regarding the true identity of the suspect or group of suspects, as well as alias identifiers, such as drivers’ licenses or social security numbers, addresses and telephone numbers, must be reported.

(3) Violations aggregating $25,000 or more regardless of a potential suspect. Whenever the member bank detects any known or suspected Federal criminal violation, or pattern of criminal violations, committed or attempted against the bank or involving a transaction or transactions conducted through the bank and involving or aggregating $25,000 or more in funds or other assets, where the bank believes that it was either an actual or potential victim of a criminal violation, or series of criminal violations, or that the bank was used to facilitate a criminal transaction, even though there is no substantial basis for identifying a possible suspect or group of suspects.

(4) Transactions aggregating $5,000 or more that involve potential money laundering or violations of the Bank Secrecy Act. Any transaction (which for purposes of this paragraph (c)(4) means a deposit, withdrawal, transfer between accounts, exchange of currency, loan, extension of credit, purchase or sale of any stock, bond, certificate of deposit, or other monetary instrument or investment security, or any other payment, transfer, or delivery by, through, or to a financial institution, by whatever means effected) conducted or attempted by, at or through the member bank and involving or aggregating $5,000 or more in funds or other assets, if the bank knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that:

(i) The transaction involves funds derived from illegal activities or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activities (including, without limitation, the ownership, nature, source, location, or control of such funds or assets) as part of a plan to violate or evade any law or regulation or to avoid any transaction reporting requirement under federal law;

(ii) The transaction is designed to evade any regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act; or

(iii) The transaction has no business or apparent lawful purpose or is not the sort in which the particular customer would normally be expected to engage, and the bank knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction.

(d) Time for reporting. A member bank is required to file a SAR no later than 30 calendar days after the date of initial detection of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a SAR. If no suspect was identified on the date of detection of the incident requiring the filing, a member bank may delay filing a SAR for an additional 30 calendar days to identify a suspect. In no case shall reporting be delayed more than 60 calendar days after the date of initial detection of a reportable transaction. In situations involving violations requiring immediate attention, such as when a reportable violation is on-going, the financial institution shall immediately notify, by telephone, an appropriate law enforcement authority and the Board in addition to filing a timely SAR.

(e) Reports to state and local authorities. Member banks are encouraged to file a copy of the SAR with state and local law enforcement agencies where appropriate.

(f) Exceptions.

(1) A member bank need not file a SAR for a robbery or burglary committed or attempted that is reported to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

(2) A member bank need not file a SAR for lost, missing, counterfeit, or stolen securities if it files a report pursuant to the reporting requirements of 17 CFR 240.17f–1.

(g) Retention of records. A member bank shall maintain a copy of any SAR filed and the original or business record equivalent of any supporting documentation for a period of five years from the date of the filing of the SAR. Supporting documentation shall be identified and maintained by the bank as such, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the SAR. A member bank must make all supporting documentation available to appropriate law enforcement agencies upon request.

(h) Notification to board of directors. The management of a member bank shall promptly notify its board of directors, or a committee thereof, of any report filed pursuant to this section.

(i) Compliance. Failure to file a SAR in accordance with this section and the instructions may subject the member bank, its directors, officers, employees, agents, or other institution affiliated parties to supervisory action.

(j) Confidentiality of SARs. SARs are confidential. Any member bank subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SAR or the information contained in a SAR shall decline to produce the SAR or to provide any information that would disclose that a SAR has been prepared or filed citing this section, applicable law (e.g., 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)), or both, and notify the Board.

(k) Safe harbor. The safe harbor provisions of 31 U.S.C. 5318(g), which exempts any member bank that makes a disclosure of any possible violation of law or regulation from liability under any law or regulation of the United States, or any constitution, law or regulation of any state or political subdivision, covers all reports of suspected or known criminal violations and suspicious activities to law enforcement and financial institution supervisory authorities, including supporting documentation, regardless of whether such reports are filed pursuant to this section or are filed on a voluntary basis.

Sec. 208.63 Procedures for monitoring Bank Secrecy Act compliance.

(a) Purpose. This section is issued to assure that all state member banks establish and maintain procedures reasonably designed to assure and monitor their compliance with the provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. 5311, et seq.) and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder by the Department of Treasury at 31 CFR part 103, requiring recordkeeping and reporting of currency transactions.

(b) Establishment of BSA compliance program—(1) Program requirement. Each bank shall develop and provide for the continued administration of a program reasonably designed to ensure and monitor compliance with the recordkeeping and reporting requirements set forth in subchapter II of chapter 53 of title 31, United States Code, the Bank Secrecy Act, and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder by the Department of the Treasury at 31 CFR part 103. The compliance program shall be reduced to writing, approved by the board of directors, and noted in the minutes.

(2) Customer identification program. Each bank is subject to the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(l) and the implementing regulation jointly promulgated by the Board and the Department of the Treasury at 31 CFR 103.121, which require a customer identification program to be implemented as part of the BSA compliance program required under this section.

(c) Contents of compliance program. The compliance program shall, at a minimum:

(1) Provide for a system of internal controls to assure ongoing compliance;

(2) Provide for independent testing for compliance to be conducted by bank personnel or by an outside party;

(3) Designate an individual or individuals responsible for coordinating and monitoring day-to-day compliance; and

(4) Provide training for appropriate personnel.

Editor's Note: The reference above to 31 CFR Part 103 should be read to refer to 31 CFR Chapter X. The reference to 31 CFR 103.121 should be read as 31 CFR 1020.220.

Sec. 208.64 Frequency of examination.

(a) General. The Federal Reserve examines insured member banks pursuant to authority conferred by 12 U.S.C. 325 and the requirements of 12 U.S.C. 1820(d). The Federal Reserve is required to conduct a full-scope, on-site examination of every insured member bank at least once during each 12-month period.

(b) 18-month rule for certain small institutions. The Federal Reserve may conduct a full-scope, on-site examination of an insured member bank at least once during each 18-month period, rather than each 12-month period as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, if the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The bank has total assets of less than $1 billion;

(2) The bank is well capitalized as defined in subpart D of this part (§208.43);

(3) At the most recent examination conducted by either the Federal Reserve or applicable State banking agency, the Federal Reserve—

(i) Assigned the bank a rating of 1 or 2 for management as part of the bank's rating under the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (commonly referred to as CAMELS); and

(ii) Assigned the bank a composite CAMELS rating of 1 or 2 under the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System;

(4) The bank currently is not subject to a formal enforcement proceeding or order by the Federal Reserve or the FDIC; and

(5) No person acquired control of the bank during the preceding 12-month period in which a full-scope examination would have been required but for this paragraph (b).

(c) Authority to conduct more frequent examinations. This section does not limit the authority of the Federal Reserve to examine any member bank as frequently as the agency deems necessary.

2016-02-29

Subpart G -- Financial Subsidiaries of State Member Banks

Sec. 208.71 What are the requirements to invest in or control a financial subsidiary?

(a) In general. A state member bank may control, or hold an interest in, a financial subsidiary only if:

(1) The state member bank and each depository institution affiliate of the state member bank are well capitalized and well managed;

(2) The aggregate consolidated total assets of all financial subsidiaries of the state member bank do not exceed the lesser of:

(i) 45 percent of the consolidated total assets of the parent bank; or

(ii) $50,000,000,000, which dollar amount shall be adjusted according to an indexing mechanism jointly established by the Board and the Secretary of the Treasury;

(3) The state member bank, if it is one of the largest 100 insured banks (based on consolidated total assets of the bank as of the end of each calendar year), meets the debt rating or alternative requirement of paragraph (b) of this section, if applicable; and

(4) The Board or the appropriate Reserve Bank has approved the bank to acquire the interest in or control the financial subsidiary under § 208.76.

(b) Debt rating or alternative requirement for 100 largest insured banks—

(1) General. A state member bank meets the debt rating or alternative requirement of this paragraph (b) if:

(i) The bank has at least one issue of outstanding eligible debt that is currently rated in one of the three highest investment grade rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; or

(ii) If the bank is one of the second 50 largest insured banks (based on consolidated total assets of the bank as of the end of each calendar year), the bank satisfies any alternative criteria jointly established by the Board and the Secretary of the Treasury.

(2) Financial subsidiaries engaged only in financial agency activities.

This paragraph (b) does not apply to a state member bank if the financial subsidiaries of the bank engage in financial activities described in § 208.72(a)(1) and (2) only in an agency capacity.

(c) Alternative requirement. A state member bank satisfies the alternative criteria referenced in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section if the bank has a current long-term issuer credit rating from at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization that is within the three highest investment grade rating categories used by the organization.

Sec. 208.72 What activities may a financial subsidiary conduct?

(a) Authorized activities. A financial subsidiary may engage in only the following activities:

(1) Any activity listed in § 225.86 of the Board’s Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.86);

(2) Any activity that has been determined to be financial in nature or incidental to a financial activity by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Board, pursuant to Section 5136A(b) of the Revised Statutes of the United States (12 U.S.C. 24a(b)); and

(3) Any activity that the state member bank is permitted to engage in directly (subject to the same terms and conditions that govern the conduct of the activity by the state member bank).

(b) Impermissible activities. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, a financial subsidiary may not engage as principal in the following activities:

(1) Insuring, guaranteeing, or indemnifying against loss, harm, damage, illness, disability or death (except to the extent permitted under applicable state law and sections 302 or 303(c) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (Pub. L. 106–102, 113 Stat. 1407–1409, 15 U.S.C. 6712 or 6713(c)), or providing or issuing annuities the income of which is subject to tax treatment under section 72 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 72);

(2) Real estate development or real estate investment, unless otherwise expressly authorized by applicable state and Federal law; and

(3) Any activity permitted for financial holding companies by section 4(k)(4)(H) or (I) of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1843(k)(4)(H) and (I)).

Sec. 208.73 What additional provisions are applicable to state member banks with financial subsidiaries?

(a) Capital deduction required prior to January 1, 2015, for state member banks that are not advanced approaches banks (as defined in §208.41). A state member bank that controls or holds an interest in a financial subsidiary must comply with the following rules in determining its compliance with applicable regulatory capital standards (including the well capitalized standard of §208.71(a)(1)):

(1) The bank must not consolidate the assets and liabilities of any financial subsidiary with those of the bank.

(2) For purposes of determining the bank's risk-based capital ratios under appendix A of this part, the bank must—

(i) Deduct 50 percent of the aggregate amount of its outstanding equity investment (including retained earnings) in all financial subsidiaries from both the bank's Tier 1 capital and Tier 2 capital; and

(ii) Deduct the entire amount of the bank's outstanding equity investment (including retained earnings) in all financial subsidiaries from the bank's risk-weighted assets.

(3) For purposes of determining the bank's leverage capital ratio under appendix B of this part, the bank must—

(i) Deduct 50 percent of the aggregate amount of its outstanding equity investment (including retained earnings) in all financial subsidiaries from the bank's Tier 1 capital; and

(ii) Deduct the entire amount of the bank's outstanding equity investment (including retained earnings) in all financial subsidiaries from the bank's average total assets.

(4) For purposes of determining the bank's ratio of tangible equity to total assets under §208.43(b)(5), the bank must deduct the entire amount of the bank's outstanding equity investment (including retained earnings) in all financial subsidiaries from the bank's tangible equity and total assets.

(5) If the deduction from Tier 2 capital required by paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section exceeds the bank's Tier 2 capital, any excess must be deducted from the bank's Tier 1 capital.

(b) Capital requirements for advanced approaches banks (as defined in §208.41) and, after January 1, 2015, all state member banks. Beginning on January 1, 2014, for a state member bank that is an advanced approaches bank, and beginning on January 1, 2015 for all state member banks, a state member bank that controls or holds an interest in a financial subsidiary must comply with the rules set forth in §217.22(a)(7) of Regulation Q (12 CFR 217.22(a)(7)) in determining its compliance with applicable regulatory capital standards (including the well capitalized standard of §208.71(a)(1)).

(c) Financial statement disclosure of capital deduction. Any published financial statement of a state member bank that controls or holds an interest in a financial subsidiary must, in addition to providing information prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, separately present financial information for the bank reflecting the capital deduction and adjustments required by paragraph (a) of this section.

(d) Safeguards for the bank. A state member bank that establishes, controls or holds an interest in a financial subsidiary must:

(1) Establish and maintain procedures for identifying and managing financial and operational risks within the state member bank and the financial subsidiary that adequately protect the state member bank from such risks; and

(2) Establish and maintain reasonable policies and procedures to preserve the separate corporate identity and limited liability of the state member bank and the financial subsidiary.

(e) Application of Sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act. For purposes of sections 23A and 23B of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 371c, 371c-1):

(1) A financial subsidiary of a state member bank shall be deemed an affiliate, and not a subsidiary, of the bank;

(2) The restrictions contained in section 23A(a)(1)(A) of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 371c(a)(1)(A)) shall not apply with respect to covered transactions between the bank and any individual financial subsidiary of the bank;

(3) The bank's investment in a financial subsidiary shall not include retained earnings of the financial subsidiary;

(4) Any purchase of, or investment in, the securities of a financial subsidiary by an affiliate of the bank will be considered to be a purchase of, or investment in, such securities by the bank; and

(5) Any extension of credit by an affiliate of the bank to a financial subsidiary of the bank will be considered to be an extension of credit by the bank to the financial subsidiary if the Board determines that such treatment is necessary or appropriate to prevent evasions of the Federal Reserve Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

(f) Application of anti-tying prohibitions. A financial subsidiary of a state member bank shall be deemed a subsidiary of a bank holding company and not a subsidiary of the bank for purposes of the anti-tying prohibitions of section 106 of the Bank Holding Company Act Amendments of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1971 et seq.).

Sec. 208.74 What happens if the state member bank fails to continue to meet certain requirements?

(a) Qualifications and safeguards. The following procedures apply to a state member bank that controls or holds an interest in a financial subsidiary.

(1) Notice by Board. If the Board finds that a state member bank or any of its depository institution affiliates fails to continue to be well capitalized and well managed or comply with the asset limitation set forth in § 208.71(a)(2) or the safeguards set forth in § 208.73(b), the Board will notify the state member bank in writing and identify the areas of noncompliance.

(2) Notification by state member bank. A state member bank must promptly notify the Board if the bank becomes aware that any depository institution affiliate of the bank has ceased to be well capitalized and well managed.

(3) Execution of agreement. Within 45 days after receiving a notice under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, or such additional period of time as the Board may permit, the:

(i) State member bank must execute an agreement acceptable to the Board to comply with all applicable capital, management, asset and safeguard requirements; and

(ii) Any relevant depository institution affiliate of the state member bank must execute an agreement acceptable to its appropriate Federal banking agency to comply with all applicable capital and management requirements.

(4) Imposition of limits. Until the Board determines that the conditions described in the notice under paragraph (a)(1) of this section are corrected:

(i) The Board may impose any limitations on the conduct or activities of the state member bank or any subsidiary of the bank as the Board determines to be appropriate under the circumstances and consistent with the purposes of section 121 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (12 U.S.C. 24a, 335, 371c, and 1971), including requiring the Board’s prior approval for any financial subsidiary of the bank to acquire any company or engage in any additional activity; and

(ii) The appropriate Federal banking agency for any relevant depository institution affiliate may impose any limitations on the conduct or activities of the depository institution or any subsidiary of that institution as the agency determines to be appropriate under the circumstances and consistent with the purposes of section 121 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (12 U.S.C. 24a, 335, 371c, and 1971).

(5) Divestiture. The Board may require a state member bank to divest control of any financial subsidiary if the conditions described in a notice under paragraph (a)(1) of this section are not corrected within 180 days of receipt of the notice or such additional period of time as the Board may permit. Any divestiture must be completed in accordance with any terms and conditions established by the Board.

(6) Consultation. The Board will consult with all relevant Federal and state regulatory authorities in taking any action under this subsection.

(b) Debt rating or alternative requirement. If a state member bank does not continue to meet any applicable debt rating or alternative requirement of § 208.71(b), the bank may not, directly or through a subsidiary, purchase or acquire any additional equity capital of any financial subsidiary until the bank restores its compliance with the requirements of that section. For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘‘equity capital’’ includes, in addition to any equity investment, any debt instrument issued by the financial subsidiary if the instrument qualifies as capital of the subsidiary under federal or state law, regulation or interpretation applicable to the subsidiary.

Sec. 208.75 What happens if the state member bank or any of its insured depository institution affiliates has received a less than a ‘‘satisfactory’’ CRA rating?

(a) Limits on establishment of financial subsidiaries and expansion of existing financial subsidiaries. If a state member bank, or any of its insured depository institution affiliates, has received less than a ‘‘satisfactory’’ rating in meeting community credit needs in its most recent examination under the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (12 U.S.C. 2901 et seq.):

(1) The state member bank may not, directly or indirectly, acquire control of any financial subsidiary; and

(2) Any financial subsidiary controlled by the state member bank may not commence any additional activity or acquire control, including all or substantially all of the assets, of any company.

(b) Exception for certain activities. The prohibition in paragraph (a)(2) of this section does not apply to any activity, or to the acquisition of control of any company that is engaged only in activities, that the state member bank is permitted to conduct directly and that are conducted on the same terms and conditions that govern the conduct of the activity by the state member bank.

(c) Duration of prohibitions. The prohibitions described in paragraph (a) of this section shall continue in effect until such time as the state member bank and each insured depository institution affiliate of the state member bank has achieved at least a ‘‘satisfactory’’ rating in meeting community credit needs in its most recent examination under the Community Reinvestment Act.

Sec. 208.76 What Federal Reserve approvals are necessary for financial subsidiaries?

(a) Notice requirements.

(1) A state member bank may not acquire control of, or an interest in, a financial subsidiary unless it files a notice (in letter form, with enclosures) with the appropriate Reserve Bank.

(2) A state member bank may not engage in any additional activity pursuant to § 208.72(a)(1) or (2) through an existing financial subsidiary unless the state member bank files a notice (in letter form, with enclosures) with the appropriate Reserve Bank.

(b) Contents of notice. Any notice required by paragraph (a) of this section must:

(1) In the case of a notice filed under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, describe the transaction(s) through which the bank proposes to acquire control of or an interest in the financial subsidiary;

(2) Provide the name and head office address of the subsidiary;

(3) Provide a description of the current and proposed activities of the financial subsidiary and the specific authority permitting each activity;

(4) Certify that the bank and each of its depository institution affiliates, was well capitalized at the close of the previous calendar quarter, and remains well capitalized as of the date the bank files its notice;

(5) Certify that the bank and each of its depository institution affiliates is well managed as of the date the bank files its notice;

(6) Certify that the bank meets the debt rating or alternative requirement of § 208.71(b), if applicable; and

(7) Certify that the bank and its financial subsidiaries are in compliance with the asset limit set forth in § 208.71(a)(3) both before the proposal and on a pro forma basis.

(c) Insurance activities.

(1) If a notice filed under paragraph (a) of this section relates to the initial affiliation of the bank with a company engaged in insurance activities, the notice must describe the type of insurance activity that the company is engaged in or plans to conduct and identify each state where the company holds an insurance license and the state insurance regulatory authority that issued the license.

(2) The appropriate Reserve Bank will send a copy of any notice described in this subsection to the appropriate state insurance regulatory authorities and provide such authorities with an opportunity to comment on the proposal.

(d) Approval procedures. A notice filed with the appropriate Reserve Bank will be deemed approved on the fifteenth day after receipt of a complete notice by the appropriate Reserve Bank, unless prior to that date the Board or the appropriate Reserve Bank notifies the bank that the notice is approved, that the notice will require additional review, or that the bank does not meet the requirements of this subpart.

Sec. 208.77 Definitions.

The following definitions shall apply for purposes of this subpart:

(a) Affiliate, Company, Control, and Subsidiary. The terms “affiliate”, “company”, “control”, and “subsidiary” have the meanings given those terms in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841).

(b) Appropriate Federal Banking Agency, Depository Institution, Insured Bank and Insured Depository Institution. The terms “appropriate Federal banking agency”, “depository institution”, “insured bank” and “insured depository institution” have the meanings given those terms in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813).

(c) [Reserved]

(d) Eligible Debt. The term “eligible debt” means unsecured debt with an initial maturity of more than 360 days that:

(1) Is not supported by any form of credit enhancement, including a guarantee or standby letter of credit; and

(2) Is not held in whole or in any significant part by any affiliate, officer, director, principal shareholder, or employee of the bank or any other person acting on behalf of or with funds from the bank or an affiliate of the bank.

(e) Financial Subsidiary—(1) In general. The term “financial subsidiary” means any company that is controlled by one or more insured depository institutions other than:

(i) A subsidiary that engages only in activities that the state member bank is permitted to engage in directly and that are conducted on the same terms and conditions that govern the conduct of the activities by the state member bank; or

(ii) A subsidiary that the state member bank is specifically authorized by the express terms of a Federal statute (other than section 9 of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 335)), and not by implication or interpretation, to control, such as by section 25 or 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 601-604a, 611-631) or the Bank Service Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.).

(2) Subsidiaries of financial subsidiaries. A financial subsidiary includes any company that is directly or indirectly controlled by the financial subsidiary.

(f) Long-term Issuer Credit Rating. The term “long-term issuer credit rating” means a written opinion issued by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization of the bank's overall capacity and willingness to pay on a timely basis its unsecured, dollar-denominated financial obligations maturing in not less than one year.

(g) Well Capitalized—(1) Insured depository institutions. An insured depository institution is “well capitalized” if it has and maintains at least the capital levels required to be well capitalized under the capital adequacy regulations or guidelines adopted by the institution's appropriate Federal banking agency under section 38 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1831o).

(2) Uninsured depository institutions. A depository institution the deposits of which are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is “well capitalized” if the institution has and maintains at least the capital levels required for an insured depository institution to be well capitalized.

(h) Well Managed—(1) In general. The term “well managed” means:

(i) Unless otherwise determined in writing by the appropriate Federal banking agency, the institution has received a composite rating of 1 or 2 under the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (or an equivalent rating under an equivalent rating system) and at least a rating of 2 for management (if such rating is given) in connection with its most recent examination or subsequent review by the institution's appropriate Federal banking agency (or the appropriate state banking agency in an examination described in section 10(d) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1820(d)); or

(ii) In the case of any depository institution that has not been examined by its appropriate Federal banking agency or been subject to an examination by its appropriate state banking agency that meets the requirements of section 10(d) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (18 U.S.C. 1820(d)), the existence and use of managerial resources that the appropriate Federal banking agency determines are satisfactory.

(2) Merged depository institutions—(i) Merger involving well managed institutions. A depository institution that results from the merger of two or more depository institutions that are well managed will be considered to be well managed unless the appropriate Federal banking agency for the resulting depository institution determines otherwise.

(ii) Merger involving a poorly rated institution. A depository institution that results from the merger of a well managed depository institution with one or more depository institutions that are not well managed or that have not been examined shall be considered to be well managed if the appropriate Federal banking agency for the resulting depository institution determines that the institution is well managed.

Subpart H -- Consumer Protection in Sales of Insurance

Sec. 208.81 Purpose and scope.

This subpart establishes consumer protections in connection with retail sales practices, solicitations, advertising, or offers of any insurance product or annuity to a consumer by:

(a) Any state member bank; or

(b) Any other person that is engaged in such activities at an office of the bank or on behalf of the bank.

Sec. 208.82 Definitions for purposes of this subpart.

(a) Affiliate means a company that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another company.

(b) Bank means a state member bank.

(c) Company means any corporation, partnership, business trust, association or similar organization, or any other trust (unless by its terms the trust must terminate within twenty-five years or not later than twenty-one years and ten months after the death of individuals living on the effective date of the trust). It does not include any corporation the majority of the shares of which are owned by the United States or by any State, or a qualified family partnership, as defined in section 2(o)(10) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1841(o)(10)).

(d) Consumer means an individual who purchases, applies to purchase, or is solicited to purchase from you insurance products or annuities primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.

(e) Control of a company has the same meaning as in section 3(w)(5) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(w)(5)).

(f) Domestic violence means the occurrence of one or more of the following acts by a current or former family member, household member, intimate partner, or caretaker:

(1) Attempting to cause or causing or threatening another person physical harm, severe emotional distress, psychological trauma, rape, or sexual assault;

(2) Engaging in a course of conduct or repeatedly committing acts toward another person, including following the person without proper authority, under circumstances that place the person in reasonable fear of bodily injury or physical harm;

(3) Subjecting another person to false imprisonment; or

(4) Attempting to cause or causing damage to property so as to intimidate or attempt to control the behavior of another person.

(g) Electronic media includes any means for transmitting messages electronically between you and a consumer in a format that allows visual text to be displayed on equipment, for example, a personal computer monitor.

(h) Office means the premises of a bank where retail deposits are accepted from the public.

(i) Subsidiary has the same meaning as in section 3(w)(4) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(w)(4)).

(j)

(1) You means:

(i) A bank; or

(ii) Any other person only when the person sells, solicits, advertises, or offers an insurance product or annuity to a consumer at an office of the bank or on behalf of a bank.

(2) For purposes of this definition, activities on behalf of a bank include activities where a person, whether at an office of the bank or at another location sells, solicits, advertises, or offers an insurance product or annuity and at least one of the following applies:

(i) The person represents to a consumer that the sale, solicitation, advertisement, or offer of any insurance product or annuity is by or on behalf of the bank;

(ii) If the bank refers a consumer to a seller of insurance products or annuities and the bank has a contractual arrangement to receive commissions or fees derived from the sale of an insurance product or annuity resulting from that referral; or

(iii) Documents evidencing the sale, solicitation, advertising, or offer of an insurance product or annuity identify or refer to the bank.

Sec. 208.83 Prohibited practices.

(a) Anticoercion and antitying rules. You may not engage in any practice that would lead a consumer to believe that an extension of credit, in violation of section 106(b) of the Bank Holding Company Act Amendments of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1972), is conditional upon either:

(1) The purchase of an insurance product or annuity from the bank or any of its affiliates; or

(2) An agreement by the consumer not to obtain, or a prohibition on the consumer from obtaining, an insurance product or annuity from an unaffiliated entity.

(b) Prohibition on misrepresentations generally. You may not engage in any practice or use any advertisement at any office of, or on behalf of, the bank or a subsidiary of the bank that could mislead any person or otherwise cause a reasonable person to reach an erroneous belief with respect to:

(1) The fact that an insurance product or annuity sold or offered for sale by you or any subsidiary of the bank is not backed by the Federal government or the bank or the fact that the insurance product or annuity is not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;

(2) In the case of an insurance product or annuity that involves investment risk, the fact that there is an investment risk, including the potential that principal may be lost and that the product may decline in value; or

(3) In the case of a bank or subsidiary of the bank at which insurance products or annuities are sold or offered for sale, the fact that:

(i) The approval of an extension of credit to a consumer by the bank or subsidiary may not be conditioned on the purchase of an insurance product or annuity by the consumer from the bank or a subsidiary of the bank; and

(ii) The consumer is free to purchase the insurance product or annuity from another source.

(c) Prohibition on domestic violence discrimination. You may not sell or offer for sale, as principal, agent, or broker, any life or health insurance product if the status of the applicant or insured as a victim of domestic violence or as a provider of services to victims of domestic violence is considered as a criterion in any decision with regard to insurance underwriting, pricing, renewal, or scope of coverage of such product, or with regard to the payment of insurance claims on such product, except as required or expressly permitted under State law.

Sec. 208.84 What you must disclose.

(a) Insurance disclosures. In connection with the initial purchase of an insurance product or annuity by a consumer from you, you must disclose to the consumer, except to the extent the disclosure would not be accurate, that:

(1) The insurance product or annuity is not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by, the bank or an affiliate of the bank;

(2) The insurance product or annuity is not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other agency of the United States, the bank, or (if applicable) an affiliate of the bank; and

(3) In the case of an insurance product or annuity that involves an investment risk, there is investment risk associated with the product, including the possible loss of value.

(b) Credit disclosure. In the case of an application for credit in connection with which an insurance product or annuity is solicited, offered, or sold, you must disclose that the bank may not condition an extension of credit on either:

(1) The consumer's purchase of an insurance product or annuity from the bank or any of its affiliates; or

(2) The consumer's agreement not to obtain, or a prohibition on the consumer from obtaining, an insurance product or annuity from an unaffiliated entity.

(c) Timing and method of disclosures.

(1) In general. The disclosures required by paragraph (a) of this section must be provided orally and in writing before the completion of the initial sale of an insurance product or annuity to a consumer. The disclosure required by paragraph (b) of this section must be made orally and in writing at the time the consumer applies for an extension of credit in connection with which insurance is solicited, offered, or sold.

(2) Exceptions for transactions by mail. If a sale of an insurance product or annuity is conducted by mail, you are not required to make the oral disclosures required by paragraph (a) of this section. If you take an application for credit by mail, you are not required to make the oral disclosure required by paragraph (b) of this section.

(3) Exception for transactions by telephone. If a sale of an insurance product or annuity is conducted by telephone, you may provide the written disclosures required by paragraph (a) of this section by mail within 3 business days beginning on the first business day after the sale, excluding Sundays and the legal public holidays specified in 5 U.S.C 6103(a). If you take an application for such credit by telephone, you may provide the written disclosure required by paragraph (b) of this section by mail, provided you mail it to the consumer within three days beginning the first business day after the application is taken, excluding Sundays and the legal public holidays specified in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a).

(4) Electronic form of disclosures.

(i) Subject to the requirements of section 101(c) of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (12 U.S.C. 7001(c)), you may provide the written disclosures required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section through electronic media instead of on paper, if the consumer affirmatively consents to receiving the disclosures electronically and if the disclosures are provided in a format that the consumer may retain or obtain later, for example, by printing or storing electronically (such as by downloading).

(ii) Any disclosures required by paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section that are provided by electronic media are not required to be provided orally.

(5) Disclosures must be readily understandable. The disclosures provided shall be conspicuous, simple, direct, readily understandable, and designed to call attention to the nature and significance of the information provided. For instance, you may use the following disclosures, in visual media, such as television broadcasting, ATM screens, billboards, signs, posters and written advertisements and promotional materials, as appropriate and consistent with paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section:

NOT A DEPOSIT

NOT FDIC-INSURED

NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY

NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK

MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE

(6) Disclosures must be meaningful.

(i) You must provide the disclosures required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section in a meaningful form. Examples of the types of methods that could call attention to the nature and significance of the information provided include:

(A) A plain-language heading to call attention to the disclosures;

(B) A typeface and type size that are easy to read;

(C) Wide margins and ample line spacing;

(D) Boldface or italics for key words; and

(E) Distinctive type size, style, and graphic devices, such as shading or sidebars, when the disclosures are combined with other information.

(ii) You have not provided the disclosures in a meaningful form if you merely state to the consumer that the required disclosures are available in printed material, but you do not provide the printed material when required and do not orally disclose the information to the consumer when required.

(iii) With respect to those disclosures made through electronic media for which paper or oral disclosures are not required, the disclosures are not meaningfully provided if the consumer may bypass the visual text of the disclosures before purchasing an insurance product or annuity.

(7) Consumer acknowledgment. You must obtain from the consumer, at the time a consumer receives the disclosures required under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section, or at the time of the initial purchase by the consumer of an insurance product or annuity, a written acknowledgment by the consumer that the consumer received the disclosures. You may permit a consumer to acknowledge receipt of the disclosures electronically or in paper form. If the disclosures required under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section are provided in connection with a transaction that is conducted by telephone, you must:

(i) Obtain an oral acknowledgment of receipt of the disclosures and maintain sufficient documentation to show that the acknowledgment was given; and

(ii) Make reasonable efforts to obtain a written acknowledgment from the consumer.

(d) Advertisements and other promotional material for insurance products or annuities. The disclosures described in paragraph (a) of this section are required in advertisements and promotional material for insurance products or annuities unless the advertisements and promotional materials are of a general nature describing or listing the services or products offered by the bank.

Sec. 208.85 Where insurance activities may take place.

(a) General rule. A bank must, to the extent practicable, keep the area where the bank conducts transactions involving insurance products or annuities physically segregated from areas where retail deposits are routinely accepted from the general public, identify the areas where insurance product or annuity sales activities occur, and clearly delineate and distinguish those areas from the areas where the bank's retail deposit-taking activities occur.

(b) Referrals. Any person who accepts deposits from the public in an area where such transactions are routinely conducted in the bank may refer a consumer who seeks to purchase an insurance product or annuity to a qualified person who sells that product only if the person making the referral receives no more than a one-time, nominal fee of a fixed dollar amount for each referral that does not depend on whether the referral results in a transaction.

Sec. 208.86 Qualification and licensing requirements for insurance sales personnel.

A bank may not permit any person to sell or offer for sale any insurance product or annuity in any part of its office or on its behalf, unless the person is at all times appropriately qualified and licensed under applicable State insurance licensing standards with regard to the specific products being sold or recommended.

Appendix A to Subpart H of Part 208—Consumer Grievance Process

Any consumer who believes that any bank or any other person selling, soliciting, advertising, or offering insurance products or annuities to the consumer at an office of the bank or on behalf of the bank has violated the requirements of this subpart should contact the Consumer Complaints Section, Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System at the following address: 20th & C Streets, NW, Washington, D.C. 20551.

Subpart I -- Registration of Residential Mortgage Loan Originators

[NOTE: This subpart was republished by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau effective 12/30/2011 at 12 CFR Part 1007.]

Sec. 208.101 Authority, purpose, and scope.

(a) Authority. This subpart is issued pursuant to the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008, title V of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (S.A.F.E. Act) (Pub. L. 110- 289, 122 Stat. 2654, 12 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.), 12 U.S.C. 248(a), 3106a(1), and 3108(a).

(b) Purpose. This subpart implements the S.A.F.E. Act's Federal registration requirement for mortgage loan originators. The S.A.F.E. Act provides that the objectives of this registration include aggregating and improving the flow of information to and between regulators; providing increased accountability and tracking of mortgage loan originators; enhancing consumer protections; supporting anti-fraud measures; and providing consumers with easily accessible information at no charge regarding the employment history of, and publicly adjudicated disciplinary and enforcement actions against, mortgage loan originators.

(c) Scope.

(1) In general. This subpart applies to member banks of the Federal Reserve System (other than national banks); their respective subsidiaries that are not functionally regulated within the meaning of section 5(c)(5) of the Bank Holding Company Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1844(c)(5)); branches and agencies of foreign banks (other than Federal branches, Federal agencies and insured State branches of foreign banks); commercial lending companies owned or controlled by foreign banks (collectively referred to in this subpart as banks); and their employees who act as mortgage loan originators.

(2) De minimis exception.

(i) This subpart and the requirements of 12 U.S.C. 5103(a)(1)(A) and (2) of the S.A.F.E. Act do not apply to any employee of a bank who has never been registered or licensed through the Registry as a mortgage loan originator if during the past 12 months the employee acted as a mortgage loan originator for 5 or fewer residential mortgage loans.

(ii) Prior to engaging in mortgage loan origination activity that exceeds the exception limit in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section, a bank employee must register with the Registry pursuant to this subpart.

(iii) Evasion. Banks are prohibited from engaging in any act or practice to evade the limits of the de minimis exception set forth in paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section.

Sec. 208.102 Definitions.

For purposes of this subpart I, the following definitions apply:

(a) Annual renewal period means November 1 through December 31 of each year.

(b)

(1) Mortgage loan originator7 means an individual who:

7Appendix A of this subpart provides examples of activities that would, and would not, cause an employee to fall within this definition of mortgage loan originator.

(i) Takes a residential mortgage loan application; and

(ii) Offers or negotiates terms of a residential mortgage loan for compensation or gain.

(2) The term mortgage loan originator does not include:

(i) An individual who performs purely administrative or clerical tasks on behalf of an individual who is described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section;

(ii) An individual who only performs real estate brokerage activities (as defined in 12 U.S.C. 5102(3)(D)) and is licensed or registered as a real estate broker in accordance with applicable State law, unless the individual is compensated by a lender, a mortgage broker, or other mortgage loan originator or by any agent of such lender, mortgage broker, or other mortgage loan originator, and meets the definition of mortgage loan originator in paragraph (b)(1) of this section; or

(iii) An individual or entity solely involved in extensions of credit related to timeshare plans, as that term is defined in 11 U.S.C. 101(53D).

(3) Administrative or clerical tasks means the receipt, collection, and distribution of information common for the processing or underwriting of a loan in the residential mortgage industry and communication with a consumer to obtain information necessary for the processing or underwriting of a residential mortgage loan.

(c) Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry or Registry means the system developed and maintained by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators for the State licensing and registration of State-licensed mortgage loan originators and the registration of mortgage loan originators pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 5107.

(d) Registered mortgage loan originator or registrant means any individual who:

(1) Meets the definition of mortgage loan originator and is an employee of a bank; and

(2) Is registered pursuant to this subpart with, and maintains a unique identifier through, the Registry.

(e) Residential mortgage loan means any loan primarily for personal, family, or household use that is secured by a mortgage, deed of trust, or other equivalent consensual security interest on a dwelling (as defined in section 103(v) of the Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. 1602(v)) or residential real estate upon which is constructed or intended to be constructed a dwelling, and includes refinancings, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit and other first and additional lien loans that meet the qualifications listed in this definition.

(f) Unique identifier means a number or other identifier that:

(1) Permanently identifies a registered mortgage loan originator;

(2) Is assigned by protocols established by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry, the Federal banking agencies, and the Farm Credit Administration to facilitate:

(i) Electronic tracking of mortgage loan originators; and

(ii) Uniform identification of, and public access to, the employment history of and the publicly adjudicated disciplinary and enforcement actions against mortgage loan originators; and

(3) Must not be used for purposes other than those set forth under the S.A.F.E. Act.

Sec. 208.103 Registration of mortgage loan originators.

(a) Registration requirement--

(1) Employee registration. Each employee of a bank who acts as a mortgage loan originator must register with the Registry, obtain a unique identifier, and maintain this registration in accordance with the requirements of this subpart. Any such employee who is not in compliance with the registration and unique identifier requirements set forth in this subpart is in violation of the S.A.F.E. Act and this subpart.

(2) Bank requirement--

(i) In general. A bank that employs one or more individuals who act as a residential mortgage loan originator must require each such employee to register with the Registry, maintain this registration, and obtain a unique identifier in accordance with the requirements of this subpart.

(ii) Prohibition. A bank must not permit an employee of the bank who is subject to the registration requirements of this subpart to act as a mortgage loan originator for the bank unless such employee is registered with the Registry pursuant to this subpart.

(3) Implementation period for initial registration. An employee of a bank who is a mortgage loan originator must complete an initial registration with the Registry pursuant to this subpart within 180 days from the date that the Board provides in a public notice that the Registry is accepting registrations.

(4) Employees previously registered or licensed through the Registry--

(i) In general. If an employee of a bank was registered or licensed through, and obtained a unique identifier from, the Registry and has maintained this registration or license before the employee becomes subject to this subpart at this bank, then the registration requirements of the S.A.F.E. Act and this subpart are deemed to be met, provided that:

(A) The employment information in paragraphs (d)(1)(i)(C) and (d)(1)(ii) of this section is updated and the requirements of paragraph (d)(2) of this section are met;

(B) New fingerprints of the employee are submitted to the Registry for a background check, as required by paragraph (d)(1)(ix) of this section, unless the employee has fingerprints on file with the Registry that are less than 3 years old;

(C) The bank information required in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) (to the extent the bank has not previously met these requirements) and (e)(2)(i) of this section is submitted to the Registry; and

(D) The registration is maintained pursuant to paragraphs (b) and (e)(1)(ii) of this section, as of the date that the employee becomes subject to this subpart.

(ii) Rule for certain acquisitions, mergers, or reorganizations. When registered or licensed mortgage loan originators become bank employees as a result of an acquisition, merger, or reorganization, only the requirements of paragraphs (a)(4)(i)(A), (C), and (D) of this section must be met, and these requirements must be met within 60 days from the effective date of the acquisition, merger, or reorganization.

(b) Maintaining registration.

(1) A mortgage loan originator who is registered with the Registry pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section must:

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, renew the registration during the annual renewal period, confirming the responses set forth in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) through (viii) of this section remain accurate and complete, and updating this information, as appropriate; and

(ii) Update the registration within 30 days of any of the following events:

(A) A change in the name of the registrant;

(B) The registrant ceases to be an employee of the bank; or

(C) The information required under paragraphs (d)(1)(iii) through (viii) of this section becomes inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date.

(2) A registered mortgage loan originator must maintain his or her registration, unless the individual is no longer engaged in the activity of a mortgage loan originator.

(3) The annual registration renewal requirement set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section does not apply to a registered mortgage loan originator who has completed his or her registration with the Registry pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section less than 6 months prior to the end of the annual renewal period.

(c) Effective dates--

(1) Registration. A registration pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of this section is effective on the date the Registry transmits notification to the registrant that the registrant is registered.

(2) Renewals or updates. A renewal or update pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section is effective on the date the Registry transmits notification to the registrant that the registration has been renewed or updated.

(d) Required employee information--

(1) In general. For purposes of the registration required by this section, a bank must require each employee who is a mortgage loan originator to submit to the Registry, or must submit on behalf of the employee, the following categories of information, to the extent this information is collected by the Registry:

(i) Identifying information, including the employee's:

(A) Name and any other names used;

(B) Home address and contact information;

(C) Principal business location address and business contact information;

(D) Social security number;

(E) Gender; and

(F) Date and place of birth;

(ii) Financial services-related employment history for the 10 years prior to the date of registration or renewal, including the date the employee became an employee of the bank;

(iii) Convictions of any criminal offense involving dishonesty, breach of trust, or money laundering against the employee or organizations controlled by the employee, or agreements to enter into a pretrial diversion or similar program in connection with the prosecution for such offense(s);

(iv) Civil judicial actions against the employee in connection with financial services-related activities, dismissals with settlements, or judicial findings that the employee violated financial services-related statutes or regulations, except for actions dismissed without a settlement agreement;

(v) Actions or orders by a State or Federal regulatory agency or foreign financial regulatory authority that:

(A) Found the employee to have made a false statement or omission or been dishonest, unfair or unethical; to have been involved in a violation of a financial services-related regulation or statute; or to have been a cause of a financial services-related business having its authorization to do business denied, suspended, revoked, or restricted;

(B) Are entered against the employee in connection with a financial services-related activity;

(C) Denied, suspended, or revoked the employee's registration or license to engage in a financial services-related activity; disciplined the employee or otherwise by order prevented the employee from associating with a financial services-related business or restricted the employee's activities; or

(D) Barred the employee from association with an entity or its officers regulated by the agency or authority or from engaging in a financial services-related business;

(vi) Final orders issued by a State or Federal regulatory agency or foreign financial regulatory authority based on violations of any law or regulation that prohibits fraudulent, manipulative, or deceptive conduct;

(vii) Revocation or suspension of the employee's authorization to act as an attorney, accountant, or State or Federal contractor;

(viii) Customer-initiated financial services-related arbitration or civil action against the employee that required action, including settlements, or which resulted in a judgment; and

(ix) Fingerprints of the employee, in digital form if practicable, and any appropriate identifying information for submission to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and any governmental agency or entity authorized to receive such information in connection with a State and national criminal history background check; however, fingerprints provided to the Registry that are less than 3 years old may be used to satisfy this requirement.

(2) Employee authorizations and attestation. An employee registering as a mortgage loan originator or renewing or updating his or her registration under this subpart, and not the employing bank or other employees of the bank, must:

(i) Authorize the Registry and the employing institution to obtain information related to sanctions or findings in any administrative, civil, or criminal action, to which the employee is a party, made by any governmental jurisdiction;

(ii) Attest to the correctness of all information required by paragraph (d) of this section, whether submitted by the employee or on behalf of the employee by the employing bank; and

(iii) Authorize the Registry to make available to the public information required by paragraphs (d)(1)(i)(A) and (C), and (d)(1)(ii) through (viii) of this section.

(3) Submission of information. A bank may identify one or more employees of the bank who may submit the information required by paragraph (d)(1) of this section to the Registry on behalf of the bank's employees provided that this individual, and any employee delegated such authority, does not act as a mortgage loan originator, consistent with paragraph (e)(1)(i)(F) of this section. In addition, a bank may submit to the Registry some or all of the information required by paragraphs (d)(1) and (e)(2) of this section for multiple employees in bulk through batch processing in a format to be specified by the Registry, to the extent such batch processing is made available by the Registry.

(e) Required bank information. A bank must submit the following categories of information to the Registry:

(1) Bank record.

(i) In connection with the registration of one or more mortgage loan originators:

(A) Name, main office address, and business contact information;

(B) Internal Revenue Service Employer Tax Identification Number (EIN);

(C) Research Statistics Supervision and Discount (RSSD) number, as issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

(D) Identification of its primary Federal regulator;

(E) Name(s) and contact information of the individual(s) with authority to act as the bank's primary point of contact for the Registry;

(F) Name(s) and contact information of the individual(s) with authority to enter the information required by paragraphs (d)(1) and (e) of this section to the Registry and who may delegate this authority to other individuals. For the purpose of providing information required by paragraph (e) of this section, this individual and their delegates must not act as mortgage loan originators unless the bank has 10 or fewer full time or equivalent employees and is not a subsidiary; and

(G) If a subsidiary of a bank, indication that it is a subsidiary and the RSSD number of the parent bank.

(ii) Attestation. The individual(s) identified in paragraphs (e)(1)(i)(E) and (F) of this section must comply with Registry protocols to verify their identity and must attest that they have the authority to enter data on behalf of the bank, that the information provided to the Registry pursuant to this paragraph (e) is correct, and that the bank will keep the information required by this paragraph (e) current and will file accurate supplementary information on a timely basis.

(iii) A bank must update the information required by this paragraph (e) of this section within 30 days of the date that this information becomes inaccurate.

(iv) A bank must renew the information required by paragraph (e) of this section on an annual basis.

(2) Employee information. In connection with the registration of each employee who acts as a mortgage loan originator:

(i) After the information required by paragraph (d) of this section has been submitted to the Registry, confirmation that it employs the registrant; and

(ii) Within 30 days of the date the registrant ceases to be an employee of the bank, notification that it no longer employs the registrant and the date the registrant ceased being an employee.

Sec. 208.104 Policies and procedures.

A bank that employs one or more mortgage loan originators must adopt and follow written policies and procedures designed to assure compliance with this subpart. These policies and procedures must be appropriate to the nature, size, complexity, and scope of the mortgage lending activities of the bank, and apply only to those employees acting within the scope of their employment at the bank. At a minimum, these policies and procedures must:

(a) Establish a process for identifying which employees of the bank are required to be registered mortgage loan originators;

(b) Require that all employees of the bank who are mortgage loan originators be informed of the registration requirements of the S.A.F.E. Act and this subpart and be instructed on how to comply with such requirements and procedures;

(c) Establish procedures to comply with the unique identifier requirements in Sec. 208.105;

(d) Establish reasonable procedures for confirming the adequacy and accuracy of employee registrations, including updates and renewals, by comparisons with its own records;

(e) Establish reasonable procedures and tracking systems for monitoring compliance with registration and renewal requirements and procedures;

(f) Provide for independent testing for compliance with this subpart to be conducted at least annually by bank personnel or by an outside party;

(g) Provide for appropriate action in the case of any employee who fails to comply with the registration requirements of the S.A.F.E. Act, this subpart, or the bank's related policies and procedures, including prohibiting such employees from acting as mortgage loan originators or other appropriate disciplinary actions;

(h) Establish a process for reviewing employee criminal history background reports received pursuant to this subpart, taking appropriate action consistent with applicable Federal law, including section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1829) and implementing regulations with respect to these reports, and maintaining records of these reports and actions taken with respect to applicable employees; and

(i) Establish procedures designed to ensure that any third party with which the bank has arrangements related to mortgage loan origination has policies and procedures to comply with the S.A.F.E. Act, including appropriate licensing and/or registration of individuals acting as mortgage loan originators.

Sec. 208.105 Use of unique identifier.

(a) The bank shall make the unique identifier(s) of its registered mortgage loan originator(s) available to consumers in a manner and method practicable to the institution.

(b) A registered mortgage loan originator shall provide his or her unique identifier to a consumer:

(1) Upon request;

(2) Before acting as a mortgage loan originator; and

(3) Through the originator's initial written communication with a consumer, if any, whether on paper or electronically.

Appendix A to Subpart I of Part 208—Examples of Mortgage Loan Originator Activities

This Appendix provides examples to aid in the understanding of activities that would cause an employee of a bank to fall within or outside the definition of mortgage loan originator. The examples in this Appendix are not all inclusive. They illustrate only the issue described and do not illustrate any other issues that may arise under this subpart. For purposes of the examples below, the term “loan” refers to a residential mortgage loan.

(a) Taking a loan application. The following examples illustrate when an employee takes, or does not take, a loan application.

(1) Taking an application includes: receiving information provided in connection with a request for a loan to be used to determine whether the consumer qualifies for a loan, even if the employee:

(i) Has received the consumer's information indirectly in order to make an offer or negotiate a loan;

(ii) Is not responsible for verifying information;

(iii) Is inputting information into an online application or other automated system on behalf of the consumer; or

(iv) Is not engaged in approval of the loan, including determining whether the consumer qualifies for the loan.

(2) Taking an application does not include any of the following activities performed solely or in combination:

(i) Contacting a consumer to verify the information in the loan application by obtaining documentation, such as tax returns or payroll receipts;

(ii) Receiving a loan application through the mail and forwarding it, without review, to loan approval personnel;

(iii) Assisting a consumer who is filling out an application by clarifying what type of information is necessary for the application or otherwise explaining the qualifications or criteria necessary to obtain a loan product;

(iv) Describing the steps that a consumer would need to take to provide information to be used to determine whether the consumer qualifies for a loan or otherwise explaining the loan application process;

(v) In response to an inquiry regarding a prequalified offer that a consumer has received from a bank, collecting only basic identifying information about the consumer and forwarding the consumer to a mortgage loan originator; or

(vi) Receiving information in connection with a modification to the terms of an existing loan to a borrower as part of the bank's loss mitigation efforts when the borrower is reasonably likely to default.

(b) Offering or negotiating terms of a loan. The following examples are designed to illustrate when an employee offers or negotiates terms of a loan, and conversely, what does not constitute offering or negotiating terms of a loan.

(1) Offering or negotiating the terms of a loan includes:

(i) Presenting a loan offer to a consumer for acceptance, either verbally or in writing, including, but not limited to, providing a disclosure of the loan terms after application under the Truth in Lending Act, even if:

(A) Further verification of information is necessary;

(B) The offer is conditional;

(C) Other individuals must complete the loan process; or

(D) Only the rate approved by the bank's loan approval mechanism function for a specific loan product is communicated without authority to negotiate the rate.

(ii) Responding to a consumer's request for a lower rate or lower points on a pending loan application by presenting to the consumer a revised loan offer, either verbally or in writing, that includes a lower interest rate or lower points than the original offer.

(2) Offering or negotiating terms of a loan does not include solely or in combination:

(i) Providing general explanations or descriptions in response to consumer queries regarding qualification for a specific loan product, such as explaining loan terminology (i.e., debt-to-income ratio); lending policies (i.e., the loan-to-value ratio policy of the bank); or product-related services;

(ii) In response to a consumer's request, informing a consumer of the loan rates that are publicly available, such as on the bank's Web site, for specific types of loan products without communicating to the consumer whether qualifications are met for that loan product;

(iii) Collecting information about a consumer in order to provide the consumer with information on loan products for which the consumer generally may qualify, without presenting a specific loan offer to the consumer for acceptance, either verbally or in writing;

(iv) Arranging the loan closing or other aspects of the loan process, including communicating with a consumer about those arrangements, provided that communication with the consumer only verifies loan terms already offered or negotiated;

(v) Providing a consumer with information unrelated to loan terms, such as the best days of the month for scheduling loan closings at the bank;

(vi) Making an underwriting decision about whether the consumer qualifies for a loan;

(vii) Explaining or describing the steps or process that a consumer would need to take in order to obtain a loan offer, including qualifications or criteria that would need to be met without providing guidance specific to that consumer's circumstances; or

(viii) Communicating on behalf of a mortgage loan originator that a written offer, including disclosures provided pursuant to the Truth in Lending Act, has been sent to a consumer without providing any details of that offer.

(c) Offering or negotiating a loan for compensation or gain. The following examples illustrate when an employee does or does not offer or negotiate terms of a loan “for compensation or gain.”

(1) Offering or negotiating terms of a loan for compensation or gain includes engaging in any of the activities in paragraph (b)(1) of this Appendix in the course of carrying out employment duties, even if the employee does not receive a referral fee or commission or other special compensation for the loan.

(2) Offering or negotiating terms of a loan for compensation or gain does not include engaging in a seller-financed transaction for the employee's personal property that does not involve the bank.

Subpart J -- Interpretations

Sec. 208.110 Sale of bank’s money orders off premises as establishment of branch office.

Editor's Note: Until October 1, 2010, this section was Subpart I, Sec. 208.100]

(a) The Board of Governors has been asked to consider whether the appointment by a member bank of an agent to sell the bank’s money orders, at a location other than the premises of the bank, constitutes the establishment of a branch office.

(b) Section 5155 of the Revised Statutes (12 U.S.C. 36), which is also applicable to member banks, defines the term branch as including ‘‘any branch bank, branch office, branch agency, additional office, or any branch place of business * * * at which deposits are received, or checks paid, or money lent.’’ The basic question is whether the sale of a bank’s money orders by an agent amounts to the receipt of deposits at a branch place of business within the meaning of this statute.

(c) Money orders are classified as deposits for certain purposes. However, they bear a strong resemblance to traveler’s checks that are issued by banks and sold off premises. In both cases, the purchaser does not intend to establish a deposit account in the bank, although a liability on the bank’s part is created. Even though they result in a deposit liability, the Board is of the opinion that the issuance of a bank’s money orders by an authorized agent does not involve the receipt of deposits at a ‘‘branch place of business’’ and accordingly does not require the Board’s permission to establish a branch.

Sec. 208.111 Obligations concerning institutional customers.

Editor's Note: Until October 1, 2010, this section was Subpart I, Sec. 208.101

(a) As a result of broadened authority provided by the Government Securities Act Amendments of 1993 (15 U.S.C. 78o-3 and 78o-5), the Board is adopting sales practice rules for the government securities market, a market with a particularly broad institutional component. Accordingly, the Board believes it is appropriate to provide further guidance to banks on their suitability obligations when making recommendations to institutional customers.

(b) The Board's Suitability Rule, §208.37(d), is fundamental to fair dealing and is intended to promote ethical sales practices and high standards of professional conduct. Banks' responsibilities include having a reasonable basis for recommending a particular security or strategy, as well as having reasonable grounds for believing the recommendation is suitable for the customer to whom it is made. Banks are expected to meet the same high standards of competence, professionalism, and good faith regardless of the financial circumstances of the customer.

(c) In recommending to a customer the purchase, sale, or exchange of any government security, the bank shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the recommendation is suitable for the customer upon the basis of the facts, if any, disclosed by the customer as to the customer's other security holdings and financial situation and needs.

(d) The interpretation in this section concerns only the manner in which a bank determines that a recommendation is suitable for a particular institutional customer. The manner in which a bank fulfills this suitability obligation will vary, depending on the nature of the customer and the specific transaction. Accordingly, the interpretation in this section deals only with guidance regarding how a bank may fulfill customer-specific suitability obligations under §208.37(d).17

17The interpretation in this section does not address the obligation related to suitability that requires that a bank have”*  *  * a ‘reasonable basis’ to believe that the recommendation could be suitable for at least some customers.” In the Matter of the Application of F.J. Kaufman and Company of Virginia and Frederick J. Kaufman, Jr., 50 SEC 164 (1989).

(e) While it is difficult to define in advance the scope of a bank's suitability obligation with respect to a specific institutional customer transaction recommended by a bank, the Board has identified certain factors that may be relevant when considering compliance with §208.37(d). These factors are not intended to be requirements or the only factors to be considered but are offered merely as guidance in determining the scope of a bank's suitability obligations.

(f) The two most important considerations in determining the scope of a bank's suitability obligations in making recommendations to an institutional customer are the customer's capability to evaluate investment risk independently and the extent to which the customer is exercising independent judgement in evaluating a bank's recommendation. A bank must determine, based on the information available to it, the customer's capability to evaluate investment risk. In some cases, the bank may conclude that the customer is not capable of making independent investment decisions in general. In other cases, the institutional customer may have general capability, but may not be able to understand a particular type of instrument or its risk. This is more likely to arise with relatively new types of instruments, or those with significantly different risk or volatility characteristics than other investments generally made by the institution. If a customer is either generally not capable of evaluating investment risk or lacks sufficient capability to evaluate the particular product, the scope of a bank's customer-specific obligations under §208.37(d) would not be diminished by the fact that the bank was dealing with an institutional customer. On the other hand, the fact that a customer initially needed help understanding a potential investment need not necessarily imply that the customer did not ultimately develop an understanding and make an independent investment decision.

(g) A bank may conclude that a customer is exercising independent judgement if the customer's investment decision will be based on its own independent assessment of the opportunities and risks presented by a potential investment, market factors and other investment considerations. Where the bank has reasonable grounds for concluding that the institutional customer is making independent investment decisions and is capable of independently evaluating investment risk, then a bank's obligations under §208.25(d) for a particular customer are fulfilled.18 Where a customer has delegated decision-making authority to an agent, such as an investment advisor or a bank trust department, the interpretation in this section shall be applied to the agent.

18See footnote 8 in paragraph (d) of this section.

Editor's Note: Sic, The reference should be to Footnote 17.

(h) A determination of capability to evaluate investment risk independently will depend on an examination of the customer's capability to make its own investment decisions, including the resources available to the customer to make informed decisions. Relevant considerations could include:

(1) The use of one or more consultants, investment advisers, or bank trust departments;

(2) The general level of experience of the institutional customer in financial markets and specific experience with the type of instruments under consideration;

(3) The customer's ability to understand the economic features of the security involved;

(4) The customer's ability to independently evaluate how market developments would affect the security; and

(5) The complexity of the security or securities involved.

(i) A determination that a customer is making independent investment decisions will depend on the nature of the relationship that exists between the bank and the customer. Relevant considerations could include:

(1) Any written or oral understanding that exists between the bank and the customer regarding the nature of the relationship between the bank and the customer and the services to be rendered by the bank;

(2) The presence or absence of a pattern of acceptance of the bank's recommendations;

(3) The use by the customer of ideas, suggestions, market views and information obtained from other government securities brokers or dealers or market professionals, particularly those relating to the same type of securities; and

(4) The extent to which the bank has received from the customer current comprehensive portfolio information in connection with discussing recommended transactions or has not been provided important information regarding its portfolio or investment objectives.

(j) Banks are reminded that these factors are merely guidelines that will be utilized to determine whether a bank has fulfilled its suitability obligation with respect to a specific institutional customer transaction and that the inclusion or absence of any of these factors is not dispositive of the determination of suitability. Such a determination can only be made on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration all the facts and circumstances of a particular bank/customer relationship, assessed in the context of a particular transaction.

(k) For purposes of the interpretation in this section, an institutional customer shall be any entity other than a natural person. In determining the applicability of the interpretation in this section to an institutional customer, the Board will consider the dollar value of the securities that the institutional customer has in its portfolio and/or under management. While the interpretation in this section is potentially applicable to any institutional customer, the guidance contained in this section is more appropriately applied to an institutional customer with at least $10 million invested in securities in the aggregate in its portfolio and/or under management.

APPENDICES

Appendix A to Part 208—[Reserved]

Appendix B to Part 208--[Reserved]

Appendix C to Part 208--Interagency Guidelines for Real Estate Lending Policies

The agencies' regulations require that each insured depository institution adopt and maintain a written policy that establishes appropriate limits and standards for all extensions of credit that are secured by liens on or interests in real estate or made for the purpose of financing the construction of a building or other improvements.5 These guidelines are intended to assist institutions in the formulation and maintenance of a real estate lending policy that is appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature and scope of its individual operations, as well as satisfies the requirements of the regulation.

5 The agencies have adopted a uniform rule on real estate lending. See 12 CFR part 365 (FDIC); 12 CFR part 208, subpart C (FRB); 12 CFR part 34, subpart D (OCC); and 12 CFR 563.100-101 (OTS).

Each institution's policies must be comprehensive, and consistent with safe and sound lending practices, and must ensure that the institution operates within limits and according to standards that are reviewed and approved at least annually by the board of directors. Real estate lending is an integral part of many institutions' business plans and, when undertaken in a prudent manner, will not be subject to examiner criticism.

Loan Portfolio Management Considerations

The lending policy should contain a general outline of the scope and distribution of the institution's credit facilities and the manner in which real estate loans are made, serviced, and collected. In particular, the institution's policies on real estate lending should:

• Identify the geographic areas in which the institution will consider lending.

• Establish a loan portfolio diversification policy and set limits for real estate loans by type and geographic market (e.g., limits on higher risk loans).

• Identify appropriate terms and conditions by type of real estate loan.

• Establish loan origination and approval procedures, both generally and by size and type of loan.

• Establish prudent underwriting standards that are clear and measurable, including loan-to-value limits, that are consistent with these supervisory guidelines.

• Establish review and approval procedures for exception loans, including loans with loan-to-value percentages in excess of supervisory limits.

• Establish loan administration procedures, including documentation, disbursement, collateral inspection, collection, and loan review.

• Establish real estate appraisal and evaluation programs.

• Require that management monitor the loan portfolio and provide timely and adequate reports to the board of directors.

The institution should consider both internal and external factors in the formulation of its loan policies and strategic plan. Factors that should be considered include:

• The size and financial condition of the institution.

• The expertise and size of the lending staff.

• The need to avoid undue concentrations of risk.

• Compliance with all real estate related laws and regulations, including the Community Reinvestment Act, anti- discrimination laws, and for savings associations, the Qualified Thrift Lender test.

• Market conditions.

The institution should monitor conditions in the real estate markets in its lending area so that it can react quickly to changes in market conditions that are relevant to its lending decisions. Market supply and demand factors that should be considered include:

• Demographic indicators, including population and employment trends.

• Zoning requirements.

• Current and projected vacancy, construction, and absorption rates.

• Current and projected lease terms, rental rates, and sales prices, including concessions.

• Current and projected operating expenses for different types of projects.

• Economic indicators, including trends and diversification of the lending area.

• Valuation trends, including discount and direct capitalization rates.

Underwriting Standards

Prudently underwritten real estate loans should reflect all relevant credit factors, including:

• The capacity of the borrower, or income from the underlying property, to adequately service the debt.

• The value of the mortgaged property.

• The overall creditworthiness of the borrower.

• The level of equity invested in the property.

• Any secondary sources of repayment.

• Any additional collateral or credit enhancements (such as guarantees, mortgage insurance or takeout commitments).

The lending policies should reflect the level of risk that is acceptable to the board of directors and provide clear and measurable underwriting standards that enable the institution's lending staff to evaluate these credit factors. The underwriting standards should address:

• The maximum loan amount by type of property.

• Maximum loan maturities by type of property.

• Amortization schedules.

• Pricing structure for different types of real estate loans.

• Loan-to-value limits by type of property.

For development and construction projects, and completed commercial properties, the policy should also establish, commensurate with the size and type of the project or property:

• Requirements for feasibility studies and sensitivity and risk analyses (e.g., sensitivity of income projections to changes in economic variables such as interest rates, vacancy rates, or operating expenses).

• Minimum requirements for initial investment and maintenance of hard equity by the borrower (e.g., cash or unencumbered investment in the underlying property).

• Minimum standards for net worth, cash flow, and debt service coverage of the borrower or underlying property.

• Standards for the acceptability of and limits on non- amortizing loans.

• Standards for the acceptability of and limits on the use of interest reserves.

• Pre-leasing and pre-sale requirements for income-producing property.

• Pre-sale and minimum unit release requirements for non- income-producing property loans.

• Limits on partial recourse or nonrecourse loans and requirements for guarantor support.

• Requirements for takeout commitments.

• Minimum covenants for loan agreements.

Loan Administration

The institution should also establish loan administration procedures for its real estate portfolio that address:

• Documentation, including:

    Type and frequency of financial statements, including requirements for verification of information provided by the borrower;
    Type and frequency of collateral evaluations (appraisals and other estimates of value).

• Loan closing and disbursement.

• Payment processing.

• Escrow administration.

• Collateral administration.

• Loan payoffs.

• Collections and foreclosure, including:

Delinquency follow-up procedures;
Foreclosure timing;
Extensions and other forms of forbearance;
Acceptance of deeds in lieu of foreclosure.

• Claims processing (e.g., seeking recovery on a defaulted loan covered by a government guaranty or insurance program).

• Servicing and participation agreements.

Supervisory Loan-to-Value Limits

Institutions should establish their own internal loan-to-value limits for real estate loans. These internal limits should not exceed the following supervisory limits:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

		Loan-to-Value Limit
	Loan Category
		(percent)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Raw land...........................................................................    65
Land development....................................................................    75
Construction:
    Commercial, multifamily,\1\ and other nonresidential....    80
    1- to 4-family residential...............................................    85
Improved property.............................................................   85
Owner-occupied 1- to 4-family and home equity...............
        (\2\)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Multifamily construction includes condominiums and cooperatives.

\2\ A loan-to-value limit has not been established for permanent mortgage or home equity loans on owner-occupied, 1- to 4-family residential property. However, for any such loan with a loan-to-value ratio that equals or exceeds 90 percent at origination, an institution should require appropriate credit enhancement in the form of either mortgage insurance or readily marketable collateral.

       The supervisory loan-to-value limits should be applied to the underlying property that collateralizes the loan. For loans that fund multiple phases of the same real estate project (e.g., a loan for both land development and construction of an office building), the appropriate loan-to-value limit is the limit applicable to the final phase of the project funded by the loan; however, loan disbursements should not exceed actual development or construction outlays. In situations where a loan is fully cross-collateralized by two or more properties or is secured by a collateral pool of two or more properties, the appropriate maximum loan amount under supervisory loan-to-value limits is the sum of the value of each property, less senior liens, multiplied by the appropriate loan-to-value limit for each property. To ensure that collateral margins remain within the supervisory limits, lenders should redetermine conformity whenever collateral substitutions are made to the collateral pool.

      In establishing internal loan-to-value limits, each lender is expected to carefully consider the institution-specific and market factors listed under ``Loan Portfolio Management Considerations,'' as well as any other relevant factors, such as the particular subcategory or type of loan. For any subcategory of loans that exhibits greater credit risk than the overall category, a lender should consider the establishment of an internal loan-to-value limit for that subcategory that is lower than the limit for the overall category.

      The loan-to-value ratio is only one of several pertinent credit factors to be considered when underwriting a real estate loan. Other credit factors to be taken into account are highlighted in the ``Underwriting Standards'' section above. Because of these other factors, the establishment of these supervisory limits should not be interpreted to mean that loans at these levels will automatically be considered sound.

Loans in Excess of the Supervisory Loan-to-Value Limits

      The agencies recognize that appropriate loan-to-value limits vary not only among categories of real estate loans but also among individual loans. Therefore, it may be appropriate in individual cases to originate or purchase loans with loan-to-value ratios in excess of the supervisory loan-to-value limits, based on the support provided by other credit factors. Such loans should be identified in the institutions's records, and their aggregate amount reported at least quarterly to the institution's board of directors. (See additional reporting requirements described under ``Exceptions to the General Policy.'')

      The aggregate amount of all loans in excess of the supervisory loan- to-value limits should not exceed 100 percent of total capital.2 Moreover, within the aggregate limit, total loans for all commercial, agricultural, multifamily or other non-1-to-4 family residential properties should not exceed 30 percent of total capital. An institution will come under increased supervisory scrutiny as the total of such loans approaches these levels.

      2For advanced approaches banks (as defined in 12 CFR 208.41) and, after January 1, 2015, for all state member banks, the term “total capital” refers to that term as defined in subpart A of 12 CFR part 217. For insured state nonmember banks and state savings associations, “total capital” refers to that term defined in subpart A of 12 CFR part 324. For national banks and Federal savings associations, the term “total capital” refers to that term as defined in subpart A of 12 CFR part 3. Prior to January 1, 2015, for state member banks that are not advanced approaches banks (as defined in 12 CFR 208.41), the term “total capital” means “total risk-based capital” as defined in appendix A to 12 CFR part 208. For insured state non-member banks, “total capital” refers to that term described in table I of appendix A to 12 CFR part 325. For national banks, the term “total capital” is defined at 12 CFR 3.2(e). For savings associations, the term “total capital” is defined at 12 CFR 567.5(c). .

      In determining the aggregate amount of such loans, institutions should: (a) Include all loans secured by the same property if any one of those loans exceeds the supervisory loan-to-value limits; and (b) include the recourse obligation of any such loan sold with recourse. Conversely, a loan should no longer be reported to the directors as part of aggregate totals when reduction in principal or senior liens, or additional contribution of collateral or equity (e.g., improvements to the real property securing the loan), bring the loan-to-value ratio into compliance with supervisory limits.

Excluded Transactions

       The agencies also recognize that there are a number of lending situations in which other factors significantly outweigh the need to apply the supervisory loan-to-value limits. These include:

• Loans guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government or its agencies, provided that the amount of the guaranty or insurance is at least equal to the portion of the loan that exceeds the supervisory loan-to-value limit.

• Loans backed by the full faith and credit of a state government, provided that the amount of the assurance is at least equal to the portion of the loan that exceeds the supervisory loan-to-value limit.

• Loans guaranteed or insured by a state, municipal or local government, or an agency thereof, provided that the amount of the guaranty or insurance is at least equal to the portion of the loan that exceeds the supervisory loan-to-value limit, and provided that the lender has determined that the guarantor or insurer has the financial capacity and willingness to perform under the terms of the guaranty or insurance agreement.

• Loans that are to be sold promptly after origination, without recourse, to a financially responsible third party.

• Loans that are renewed, refinanced, or restructured without the advancement of new funds or an increase in the line of credit (except for reasonable closing costs), or loans that are renewed, refinanced, or restructured in connection with a workout situation, either with or without the advancement of new funds, where consistent with safe and sound banking practices and part of a clearly defined and well-documented program to achieve orderly liquidation of the debt, reduce risk of loss, or maximize recovery on the loan.

• Loans that facilitate the sale of real estate acquired by the lender in the ordinary course of collecting a debt previously contracted in good faith.

• Loans for which a lien on or interest in real property is taken as additional collateral through an abundance of caution by the lender (e.g., the institution takes a blanket lien on all or substantially all of the assets of the borrower, and the value of the real property is low relative to the aggregate value of all other collateral).

• Loans, such as working capital loans, where the lender does not rely principally on real estate as security and the extension of credit is not used to acquire, develop, or construct permanent improvements on real property.

• Loans for the purpose of financing permanent improvements to real property, but not secured by the property, if such security interest is not required by prudent underwriting practice.

Exceptions to the General Lending Policy

      Some provision should be made for the consideration of loan requests from creditworthy borrowers whose credit needs do not fit within the institution's general lending policy. An institution may provide for prudently underwritten exceptions to its lending policies, including loan-to-value limits, on a loan-by-loan basis. However, any exceptions from the supervisory loan-to-value limits should conform to the aggregate limits on such loans discussed above.

      The board of directors is responsible for establishing standards for the review and approval of exception loans. Each institution should establish an appropriate internal process for the review and approval of loans that do not conform to its own internal policy standards. The approval of any such loan should be supported by a written justification that clearly sets forth all of the relevant credit factors that support the underwriting decision. The justification and approval documents for such loans should be maintained as a part of the permanent loan file. Each institution should monitor compliance with its real estate lending policy and individually report exception loans of a significant size to its board of directors.

Supervisory Review of Real Estate Lending Policies and Practices

      The real estate lending policies of institutions will be evaluated by examiners during the course of their examinations to determine if the policies are consistent with safe and sound lending practices, these guidelines, and the requirements of the regulation. In evaluating the adequacy of the institution's real estate lending policies and practices, examiners will take into consideration the following factors:

• The nature and scope of the institution's real estate lending activities.

• The size and financial condition of the institution.

• The quality of the institution's management and internal controls.

• The expertise and size of the lending and loan administration staff.

• Market conditions.

      Lending policy exception reports will also be reviewed by examiners during the course of their examinations to determine whether the institutions' exceptions are adequately documented and appropriate in light of all of the relevant credit considerations. An excessive volume of exceptions to an institution's real estate lending policy may signal a weakening of its underwriting practices, or may suggest a need to revise the loan policy.

Definitions

For the purposes of these Guidelines:

      Construction loan means an extension of credit for the purpose of erecting or rehabilitating buildings or other structures, including any infrastructure necessary for development.

Extension of credit or loan means:

 

(1) The total amount of any loan, line of credit, or other legally binding lending commitment with respect to real property; and

(2) The total amount, based on the amount of consideration paid, of any loan, line of credit, or other legally binding lending commitment acquired by a lender by purchase, assignment, or otherwise.

Improved property loan means an extension of credit secured by one of the following types of real property:

(1) Farmland, ranchland or timberland committed to ongoing management and agricultural production;

(2) 1- to 4-family residential property that is not owner-occupied;

(3) Residential property containing five or more individual dwelling units;

(4) Completed commercial property; or

(5) Other income-producing property that has been completed and is available for occupancy and use, except income-producing owner-occupied 1- to 4-family residential property.

      Land development loan means an extension of credit for the purpose of improving unimproved real property prior to the erection of structures. The improvement of unimproved real property may include the laying or placement of sewers, water pipes, utility cables, streets, and other infrastructure necessary for future development.

      Loan origination means the time of inception of the obligation to extend credit (i.e., when the last event or prerequisite, controllable by the lender, occurs causing the lender to become legally bound to fund an extension of credit).

      Loan-to-value or loan-to-value ratio means the percentage or ratio that is derived at the time of loan origination by dividing an extension of credit by the total value of the property(ies) securing or being improved by the extension of credit plus the amount of any readily marketable collateral and other acceptable collateral that secures the extension of credit. The total amount of all senior liens on or interests in such property(ies) should be included in determining the loan-to-value ratio. When mortgage insurance or collateral is used in the calculation of the loan-to-value ratio, and such credit enhancement is later released or replaced, the loan-to-value ratio should be recalculated.

      Other acceptable collateral means any collateral in which the lender has a perfected security interest, that has a quantifiable value, and is accepted by the lender in accordance with safe and sound lending practices. Other acceptable collateral should be appropriately discounted by the lender consistent with the lender's usual practices for making loans secured by such collateral. Other acceptable collateral includes, among other items, unconditional irrevocable standby letters of credit for the benefit of the lender.

      Owner-occupied, when used in conjunction with the term 1- to 4- family residential property means that the owner of the underlying real property occupies at least one unit of the real property as a principal residence of the owner.

      Readily marketable collateral means insured deposits, financial instruments, and bullion in which the lender has a perfected interest. Financial instruments and bullion must be salable under ordinary circumstances with reasonable promptness at a fair market value determined by quotations based on actual transactions, on an auction or similarly available daily bid and ask price market. Readily marketable collateral should be appropriately discounted by the lender consistent with the lender's usual practices for making loans secured by such collateral.

      Value means an opinion or estimate, set forth in an appraisal or evaluation, whichever may be appropriate, of the market value of real property, prepared in accordance with the agency's appraisal regulations and guidance. For loans to purchase an existing property, the term ``value'' means the lesser of the actual acquisition cost or the estimate of value.

      1- to 4-family residential property means property containing fewer than five individual dwelling units, including manufactured homes permanently affixed to the underlying property (when deemed to be real property under state law).

Appendix D-1 to Part 208--Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards For Safety and Soundness

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

A. Preservation of existing authority.

B. Definitions.

II. Operational and Managerial Standards

A. Internal controls and information systems.

B. Internal audit system.

C. Loan documentation.

D. Credit underwriting.

E. Interest rate exposure.

F. Asset growth.

G. Asset quality.

H. Earnings.

I. Compensation, fees and benefits.

III. Prohibition on Compensation That Constitutes an Unsafe and Unsound Practice

A. Excessive compensation.

B. Compensation leading to material financial loss.

I. Introduction

i. Section 39 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act 1 (FDI Act) requires each Federal banking agency (collectively, the agencies) to establish certain safety and soundness standards by regulation or by guideline for all insured depository institutions. Under section 39, the agencies must establish three types of standards: (1) Operational and managerial standards; (2) compensation standards; and (3) such standards relating to asset quality, earnings, and stock valuation as they determine to be appropriate.

1 Section 39 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1831p–1) was added by section 132 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (FDICIA), Pub. L. 102–242, 105 Stat. 2236 (1991), and amended by section 956 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, Pub. L. 102–550, 106 Stat. 3895 (1992) and section 318 of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103–325, 108 Stat. 2160 (1994).

ii. Section 39(a) requires the agencies to establish operational and managerial standards relating to: (1) Internal controls, information systems and internal audit systems, in accordance with section 36 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1831m); (2) loan documentation; (3) credit underwriting; (4) interest rate exposure; (5) asset growth; and (6) compensation, fees, and benefits, in accordance with subsection (c) of section 39. Section 39(b) requires the agencies to establish standards relating to asset quality, earnings, and stock valuation that the agencies determine to be appropriate.

iii. Section 39(c) requires the agencies to establish standards prohibiting as an unsafe and unsound practice any compensatory arrangement that would provide any executive officer, employee, director, or principal shareholder of the institution with excessive compensation, fees or benefits and any compensatory arrangement that could lead to material financial loss to an institution. Section 39(c) also requires that the agencies establish standards that specify when compensation is excessive.

iv. If an agency determines that an institution fails to meet any standard established by guideline under subsection (a) or (b) of section 39, the agency may require the institution to submit to the agency an acceptable plan to achieve compliance with the standard. In the event that an institution fails to submit an acceptable plan within the time allowed by the agency or fails in any material respect to implement an accepted plan, the agency must, by order, require the institution to correct the deficiency. The agency may, and in some cases must, take other supervisory actions until the deficiency has been corrected.

v. The agencies have adopted amendments to their rules and regulations to establish deadlines for submission and review of compliance plans. 2

2 For the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, these regulations appear at 12 CFR Part 30; for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, these regulations appear at 12 CFR Part 263; for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, these regulations appear at 12 CFR Part 308, subpart R, and for the Office of Thrift Supervision, these regulations appear at 12 CFR Part 570.

vi. The following Guidelines set out the safety and soundness standards that the agencies use to identify and address problems at insured depository institutions before capital becomes impaired. The agencies believe that the standards adopted in these Guidelines serve this end without dictating how institutions must be managed and operated. These standards are designed to identify potential safety and soundness concerns and ensure that action is taken to address those concerns before they pose a risk to the deposit insurance funds.

A. Preservation of Existing Authority

Neither section 39 nor these Guidelines in any way limits the authority of the agencies to address unsafe or unsound practices, violations of law, unsafe or unsound conditions, or other practices. Action under section 39 and these Guidelines may be taken independently of, in conjunction with, or in addition to any other enforcement action available to the agencies. Nothing in these Guidelines limits the authority of the FDIC pursuant to section 38(i)(2)(F) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1831(o)) and Part 325 of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

B. Definitions

1. In general. For purposes of these Guidelines, except as modified in the Guidelines or unless the context otherwise requires, the terms used have the same meanings as set forth in sections 3 and 39 of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 and 1831p–1).

2. Board of directors, in the case of a state-licensed insured branch of a foreign bank and in the case of a federal branch of a foreign bank, means the managing official in charge of the insured foreign branch.

3. Compensation means all direct and indirect payments or benefits, both cash and non-cash, granted to or for the benefit of any executive officer, employee, director, or principal shareholder, including but not limited to payments or benefits derived from an employment contract, compensation or benefit agreement, fee arrangement, perquisite, stock option plan, postemployment benefit, or other compensatory arrangement.

4. Director shall have the meaning described in 12 CFR 215.2(c). 3

3 In applying these definitions for savings associations, pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 1464, savings associations shall use the terms “savings association” and “insured savings association” in place of the terms “member bank” and “insured bank”.

5. Executive officer shall have the meaning described in 12 CFR 215.2(d). 4

4 See footnote 3 in section I.B.4. of this appendix.

6. Principal shareholder shall have the meaning described in 12 CFR 215.2(l). 5

5 See footnote 3 in section I.B.4. of this appendix.

II. Operational and Managerial Standards

A. Internal controls and information systems. An institution should have internal controls and information systems that are appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature, scope and risk of its activities and that provide for:

1. An organizational structure that establishes clear lines of authority and responsibility for monitoring adherence to established policies;

2. Effective risk assessment;

3. Timely and accurate financial, operational and regulatory reports;

4. Adequate procedures to safeguard and manage assets; and

5. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

B. Internal audit system. An institution should have an internal audit system that is appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature and scope of its activities and that provides for:

1. Adequate monitoring of the system of internal controls through an internal audit function. For an institution whose size, complexity or scope of operations does not warrant a full scale internal audit function, a system of independent reviews of key internal controls may be used;

2. Independence and objectivity;

3. Qualified persons;

4. Adequate testing and review of information systems;

5. Adequate documentation of tests and findings and any corrective actions;

6. Verification and review of management actions to address material weaknesses; and

7. Review by the institution's audit committee or board of directors of the effectiveness of the internal audit systems.

C. Loan documentation. An institution should establish and maintain loan documentation practices that:

1. Enable the institution to make an informed lending decision and to assess risk, as necessary, on an ongoing basis;

2. Identify the purpose of a loan and the source of repayment, and assess the ability of the borrower to repay the indebtedness in a timely manner;

3. Ensure that any claim against a borrower is legally enforceable;

4. Demonstrate appropriate administration and monitoring of a loan; and

5. Take account of the size and complexity of a loan.

D. Credit underwriting. An institution should establish and maintain prudent credit underwriting practices that:

1. Are commensurate with the types of loans the institution will make and consider the terms and conditions under which they will be made;

2. Consider the nature of the markets in which loans will be made;

3. Provide for consideration, prior to credit commitment, of the borrower's overall financial condition and resources, the financial responsibility of any guarantor, the nature and value of any underlying collateral, and the borrower's character and willingness to repay as agreed;

4. Establish a system of independent, ongoing credit review and appropriate communication to management and to the board of directors;

5. Take adequate account of concentration of credit risk; and

6. Are appropriate to the size of the institution and the nature and scope of its activities.

E. Interest rate exposure. An institution should:

1. Manage interest rate risk in a manner that is appropriate to the size of the institution and the complexity of its assets and liabilities; and

2. Provide for periodic reporting to management and the board of directors regarding interest rate risk with adequate information for management and the board of directors to assess the level of risk.

F. Asset growth. An institution's asset growth should be prudent and consider:

1. The source, volatility and use of the funds that support asset growth;

2. Any increase in credit risk or interest rate risk as a result of growth; and

3. The effect of growth on the institution's capital.

G. Asset quality. An insured depository institution should establish and maintain a system that is commensurate with the institution's size and the nature and scope of its operations to identify problem assets and prevent deterioration in those assets. The institution should:

1. Conduct periodic asset quality reviews to identify problem assets;

2. Estimate the inherent losses in those assets and establish reserves that are sufficient to absorb estimated losses;

3. Compare problem asset totals to capital;

4. Take appropriate corrective action to resolve problem assets;

5. Consider the size and potential risks of material asset concentrations; and

6. Provide periodic asset reports with adequate information for management and the board of directors to assess the level of asset risk.

H. Earnings. An insured depository institution should establish and maintain a system that is commensurate with the institution's size and the nature and scope of its operations to evaluate and monitor earnings and ensure that earnings are sufficient to maintain adequate capital and reserves. The institution should:

1. Compare recent earnings trends relative to equity, assets, or other commonly used benchmarks to the institution's historical results and those of its peers;

2. Evaluate the adequacy of earnings given the size, complexity, and risk profile of the institution's assets and operations;

3. Assess the source, volatility, and sustainability of earnings, including the effect of nonrecurring or extraordinary income or expense;

4. Take steps to ensure that earnings are sufficient to maintain adequate capital and reserves after considering the institution's asset quality and growth rate; and

5. Provide periodic earnings reports with adequate information for management and the board of directors to assess earnings performance.

I. Compensation, fees and benefits. An institution should maintain safeguards to prevent the payment of compensation, fees, and benefits that are excessive or that could lead to material financial loss to the institution.

III. Prohibition on Compensation That Constitutes an Unsafe and Unsound Practice

A. Excessive Compensation

Excessive compensation is prohibited as an unsafe and unsound practice. Compensation shall be considered excessive when amounts paid are unreasonable or disproportionate to the services performed by an executive officer, employee, director, or principal shareholder, considering the following:

1. The combined value of all cash and non-cash benefits provided to the individual;

2. The compensation history of the individual and other individuals with comparable expertise at the institution;

3. The financial condition of the institution;

4. Comparable compensation practices at comparable institutions, based upon such factors as asset size, geographic location, and the complexity of the loan portfolio or other assets;

5. For postemployment benefits, the projected total cost and benefit to the institution;

6. Any connection between the individual and any fraudulent act or omission, breach of trust or fiduciary duty, or insider abuse with regard to the institution; and

7. Any other factors the agencies determines to be relevant.

B. Compensation Leading to Material Financial Loss

Compensation that could lead to material financial loss to an institution is prohibited as an unsafe and unsound practice.

[60 FR 35678, 35682, July 10, 1995, as amended by Reg. H, 61 FR 43951, Aug. 27, 1996]

Appendix D-2 to Part 208--Interagency Guidelines Establishing Information Security Standards

Table of Contents

I. Introduction

A. Scope

B. Preservation of Existing Authority

C. Definitions

II. Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information

A. Information Security Program

B. Objectives

III. Development and Implementation of Customer Information Security Program

A. Involve the Board of Directors

B. Assess Risk

C. Manage and Control Risk

D. Oversee Service Provider Arrangements

E. Adjust the Program

F. Report to the Board

G. Implement the Standards

I. Introduction

These Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information (Guidelines) set forth standards pursuant to sections 501 and 505 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6801 and 6805), in the same manner, to the extent practicable, as standards prescribed pursuant to section 39 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1831p–1). These Guidelines address standards for developing and implementing administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of customer information. These Guidelines also address standards with respect to the proper disposal of consumer information, pursuant to sections 621 and 628 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681s and 1681w).

A. Scope. The Guidelines apply to customer information maintained by or on behalf of state member banks (banks) and their nonbank subsidiaries, except for brokers, dealers, persons providing insurance, investment companies, and investment advisors. Pursuant to §§211.9 and 211.24 of this chapter, these guidelines also apply to customer information maintained by or on behalf of Edge corporations, agreement corporations, and uninsured state-licensed branches or agencies of a foreign bank. These Guidelines also apply to the proper disposal of consumer information by or on behalf of such entities.

B. Preservation of Existing Authority. Neither section 39 nor these Guidelines in any way limit the authority of the Board to address unsafe or unsound practices, violations of law, unsafe or unsound conditions, or other practices. The Board may take action under section 39 and these Guidelines independently of, in conjunction with, or in addition to, any other enforcement action available to the Board.

C. Definitions.

1. Except as modified in the Guidelines, or unless the context otherwise requires, the terms used in these Guidelines have the same meanings as set forth in sections 3 and 39 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813 and 1831p–1).

2. For purposes of the Guidelines, the following definitions apply:

a. Board of directors, in the case of a branch or agency of a foreign bank, means the managing official in charge of the branch or agency.

b. Consumer information means any record about an individual, whether in paper, electronic, or other form, that is a consumer report or is derived from a consumer report and that is maintained or otherwise possessed by or on behalf of the bank for a business purpose. Consumer information also means a compilation of such records. The term does not include any record that does not identify an individual.

i. Examples. (1) Consumer information includes:

(A) A consumer report that a bank obtains;

(B) Information from a consumer report that the bank obtains from its affiliate after the consumer has been given a notice and has elected not to opt out of that sharing;

(C) Information from a consumer report that the bank obtains about an individual who applies for but does not receive a loan, including any loan sought by an individual for a business purpose;

(D) Information from a consumer report that the bank obtains about an individual who guarantees a loan (including a loan to a business entity); or

(E) Information from a consumer report that the bank obtains about an employee or prospective employee.

(2) Consumer information does not include:

(A) Aggregate information, such as the mean credit score, derived from a group of consumer reports; or

(B) Blind data, such as payment history on accounts that are not personally identifiable, that may be used for developing credit scoring models or for other purposes.

c. Consumer report has the same meaning as set forth in the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681a(d).

d. Customer means any customer of the bank as defined in §1016.3(i) of this chapter.

e. Customer information means any record containing nonpublic personal information, as defined in §1016.3(p) of this chapter, about a customer, whether in paper, electronic, or other form, that is maintained by or on behalf of the bank.

f. Customer information systems means any methods used to access, collect, store, use, transmit, protect, or dispose of customer information.

g. Service provider means any person or entity that maintains, processes, or otherwise is permitted access to customer information or consumer information through its provision of services directly to the bank.

h. Subsidiary means any company controlled by a bank, except a broker, dealer, person providing insurance, investment company, investment advisor, insured depository institution, or subsidiary of an insured depository institution.

II. Standards for Information Security

A. Information Security Program. Each bank shall implement a comprehensive written information security program that includes administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the size and complexity of the bank and the nature and scope of its activities. While all parts of the bank are not required to implement a uniform set of policies, all elements of the information security program must be coordinated. A bank also shall ensure that each of its subsidiaries is subject to a comprehensive information security program. The bank may fulfill this requirement either by including a subsidiary within the scope of the bank's comprehensive information security program or by causing the subsidiary to implement a separate comprehensive information security program in accordance with the standards and procedures in sections II and III of this appendix that apply to banks.

B. Objectives. A bank's information security program shall be designed to:

1. Ensure the security and confidentiality of customer information;

2. Protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information;

3. Protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer; and

4. Ensure the proper disposal of customer information and consumer information.

III. Development and Implementation of Information Security Program

A. Involve the Board of Directors. The board of directors or an appropriate committee of the board of each bank shall:

1. Approve the bank's written information security program; and

2. Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the bank's information security program, including assigning specific responsibility for its implementation and reviewing reports from management.

B. Assess Risk. Each bank shall:

1. Identify reasonably foreseeable internal and external threats that could result in unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction of customer information or customer information systems.

2. Assess the likelihood and potential damage of these threats, taking into consideration the sensitivity of customer information.

3. Assess the sufficiency of policies, procedures, customer information systems, and other arrangements in place to control risks.

C. Manage and Control Risk. Each bank shall:

1. Design its information security program to control the identified risks, commensurate with the sensitivity of the information as well as the complexity and scope of the bank's activities. Each bank must consider whether the following security measures are appropriate for the bank and, if so, adopt those measures the bank concludes are appropriate:

a. Access controls on customer information systems, including controls to authenticate and permit access only to authorized individuals and controls to prevent employees from providing customer information to unauthorized individuals who may seek to obtain this information through fraudulent means.

b. Access restrictions at physical locations containing customer information, such as buildings, computer facilities, and records storage facilities to permit access only to authorized individuals;

c. Encryption of electronic customer information, including while in transit or in storage on networks or systems to which unauthorized individuals may have access;

d. Procedures designed to ensure that customer information system modifications are consistent with the bank's information security program;

e. Dual control procedures, segregation of duties, and employee background checks for employees with responsibilities for or access to customer information;

f. Monitoring systems and procedures to detect actual and attempted attacks on or intrusions into customer information systems;

g. Response programs that specify actions to be taken when the bank suspects or detects that unauthorized individuals have gained access to customer information systems, including appropriate reports to regulatory and law enforcement agencies; and

h. Measures to protect against destruction, loss, or damage of customer information due to potential environmental hazards, such as fire and water damage or technological failures.

2. Train staff to implement the bank's information security program.

3. Regularly test the key controls, systems and procedures of the information security program. The frequency and nature of such tests should be determined by the bank's risk assessment. Tests should be conducted or reviewed by independent third parties or staff independent of those that develop or maintain the security programs.

4. Develop, implement, and maintain, as part of its information security program, appropriate measures to properly dispose of customer information and consumer information in accordance with each of the requirements in this paragraph III.

D. Oversee Service Provider Arrangements. Each bank shall:

1. Exercise appropriate due diligence in selecting its service providers;

2. Require its service providers by contract to implement appropriate measures designed to meet the objectives of these Guidelines; and

3. Where indicated by the bank's risk assessment, monitor its service providers to confirm that they have satisfied their obligations as required by paragraph D.2. As part of this monitoring, a bank should review audits, summaries of test results, or other equivalent evaluations of its service providers.

E. Adjust the Program. Each bank shall monitor, evaluate, and adjust, as appropriate, the information security program in light of any relevant changes in technology, the sensitivity of its customer information, internal or external threats to information, and the bank's own changing business arrangements, such as mergers and acquisitions, alliances and joint ventures, outsourcing arrangements, and changes to customer information systems.

F. Report to the Board. Each bank shall report to its board or an appropriate committee of the board at least annually. This report should describe the overall status of the information security program and the bank's compliance with these Guidelines. The reports should discuss material matters related to its program, addressing issues such as: risk assessment; risk management and control decisions; service provider arrangements; results of testing; security breaches or violations and management's responses; and recommendations for changes in the information security program.

G. Implement the Standards.

1. Effective date. Each bank must implement an information security program pursuant to these Guidelines by July 1, 2001.

2. Two-year grandfathering of agreements with service providers. Until July 1, 2003, a contract that a bank has entered into with a service provider to perform services for it or functions on its behalf satisfies the provisions of section III.D., even if the contract does not include a requirement that the servicer maintain the security and confidentiality of customer information, as long as the bank entered into the contract on or before March 5, 2001.

3. Effective date for measures relating to the disposal of consumer information. Each bank must satisfy these Guidelines with respect to the proper disposal of consumer information by July 1, 2005.

4. Exception for existing agreements with service providers relating to the disposal of consumer information. Notwithstanding the requirement in paragraph III.G.3., a bank's contracts with its service providers that have access to consumer information and that may dispose of consumer information, entered into before July 1, 2005, must comply with the provisions of the Guidelines relating to the proper disposal of consumer information by July 1, 2006.

Supplement A to Appendix D–2 to Part 208—Interagency Guidance on Response Programs for Unauthorized Access to Customer Information and Customer Notice

I. Background

This Guidance 1 interprets section 501(b) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (“GLBA”) and the Interagency Guidelines Establishing Information Security Standards (the “Security Guidelines”) 2 and describes response programs, including customer notification procedures, that a financial institution should develop and implement to address unauthorized access to or use of customer information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to a customer. The scope of, and definitions of terms used in, this Guidance are identical to those of the Security Guidelines. For example, the term “customer information” is the same term used in the Security Guidelines, and means any record containing nonpublic personal information about a customer, whether in paper, electronic, or other form, maintained by or on behalf of the institution.

1 This Guidance is being jointly issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS).

2 12 CFR part 30, app. B (OCC); 12 CFR part 208, app. D–2 and part 225, app. F (Board); 12 CFR part 364, app. B (FDIC); and 12 CFR part 570, app. B (OTS). The “Interagency Guidelines Establishing Information Security Standards” were formerly known as “The Interagency Guidelines Establishing Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information.”

A. Interagency Security Guidelines

Section 501(b) of the GLBA required the Agencies to establish appropriate standards for financial institutions subject to their jurisdiction that include administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, to protect the security and confidentiality of customer information. Accordingly, the Agencies issued Security Guidelines requiring every financial institution to have an information security program designed to:

1. Ensure the security and confidentiality of customer information;

2. Protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information; and

3. Protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer.

B. Risk Assessment and Controls

 

1. The Security Guidelines direct every financial institution to assess the following risks, among others, when developing its information security program:

a. Reasonably foreseeable internal and external threats that could result in unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction of customer information or customer information systems;

b. The likelihood and potential damage of threats, taking into consideration the sensitivity of customer information; and

c. The sufficiency of policies, procedures, customer information systems, and other arrangements in place to control risks. 3

3 See Security Guidelines, III.B.

2. Following the assessment of these risks, the Security Guidelines require a financial institution to design a program to address the identified risks. The particular security measures an institution should adopt will depend upon the risks presented by the complexity and scope of its business. At a minimum, the financial institution is required to consider the specific security measures enumerated in the Security Guidelines, 4 and adopt those that are appropriate for the institution, including:

4 See Security Guidelines, III.C.

a. Access controls on customer information systems, including controls to authenticate and permit access only to authorized individuals and controls to prevent employees from providing customer information to unauthorized individuals who may seek to obtain this information through fraudulent means;

b. Background checks for employees with responsibilities for access to customer information; and

c. Response programs that specify actions to be taken when the financial institution suspects or detects that unauthorized individuals have gained access to customer information systems, including appropriate reports to regulatory and law enforcement agencies. 5

5 See Security Guidelines, III.C.

C. Service Providers

The Security Guidelines direct every financial institution to require its service providers by contract to implement appropriate measures designed to protect against unauthorized access to or use of customer information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer. 6

6 See Security Guidelines, II.B. and III.D. Further, the Agencies note that, in addition to contractual obligations to a financial institution, a service provider may be required to implement its own comprehensive information security program in accordance with the Safeguards Rule promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), 16 CFR part 314.

II. Response Program

Millions of Americans, throughout the country, have been victims of identity theft. 7 Identity thieves misuse personal information they obtain from a number of sources, including financial institutions, to perpetrate identity theft. Therefore, financial institutions should take preventative measures to safeguard customer information against attempts to gain unauthorized access to the information. For example, financial institutions should place access controls on customer information systems and conduct background checks for employees who are authorized to access customer information. 8 However, every financial institution should also develop and implement a risk-based response program to address incidents of unauthorized access to customer information in customer information systems 9 that occur nonetheless. A response program should be a key part of an institution's information security program. 10 The program should be appropriate to the size and complexity of the institution and the nature and scope of its activities.

7 The FTC estimates that nearly 10 million Americans discovered they were victims of some form of identity theft in 2002. See The Federal Trade Commission, Identity Theft Survey Report, (September 2003), available at http://www.ftc.gov/os/2003/09/synovatereport.pdf.

8 Institutions should also conduct background checks of employees to ensure that the institution does not violate 12 U.S.C. 1829, which prohibits an institution from hiring an individual convicted of certain criminal offenses or who is subject to a prohibition order under 12 U.S.C. 1818(e)(6).

9 Under the Guidelines, an institution's customer information systems consist of all of the methods used to access, collect, store, use, transmit, protect, or dispose of customer information, including the systems maintained by its service providers. See Security Guidelines, I.C.2.d (I.C.2.c for OTS).

10 See FFIEC Information Technology Examination Handbook, Information Security Booklet, Dec. 2002 available at http://www.ffiec.gov/ffiecinfobase/html_pages/infosec_book_frame.htm. Federal Reserve SR 97–32, Sound Practice Guidance for Information Security for Networks, Dec. 4, 1997; OCC Bulletin 2000–14, “Infrastructure Threats—Intrusion Risks” (May 15, 2000), for additional guidance on preventing, detecting, and responding to intrusions into financial institution computer systems.

In addition, each institution should be able to address incidents of unauthorized access to customer information in customer information systems maintained by its domestic and foreign service providers. Therefore, consistent with the obligations in the Guidelines that relate to these arrangements, and with existing guidance on this topic issued by the Agencies, 11 an institution's contract with its service provider should require the service provider to take appropriate actions to address incidents of unauthorized access to the financial institution's customer information, including notification to the institution as soon as possible of any such incident, to enable the institution to expeditiously implement its response program.

11 See Federal Reserve SR Ltr. 00–04, Outsourcing of Information and Transaction Processing, Feb. 9, 2000; OCC Bulletin 2001–47, “Third-Party Relationships Risk Management Principles,” Nov. 1, 2001; FDIC FIL 68–99, Risk Assessment Tools and Practices for Information System Security, July 7, 1999; OTS Thrift Bulletin 82a, Third Party Arrangements, Sept. 1, 2004.

A. Components of a Response Program

1. At a minimum, an institution's response program should contain procedures for the following:

a. Assessing the nature and scope of an incident, and identifying what customer information systems and types of customer information have been accessed or misused;

b. Notifying its primary Federal regulator as soon as possible when the institution becomes aware of an incident involving unauthorized access to or use of sensitive customer information, as defined below;

c. Consistent with the Agencies' Suspicious Activity Report (“SAR”) regulations, 12 notifying appropriate law enforcement authorities, in addition to filing a timely SAR in situations involving Federal criminal violations requiring immediate attention, such as when a reportable violation is ongoing;

12 An institution's obligation to file a SAR is set out in the Agencies' SAR regulations and Agency guidance. See 12 CFR 21.11 (national banks, Federal branches and agencies); 12 CFR 208.62 (State member banks); 12 CFR 211.5(k) (Edge and agreement corporations); 12 CFR 211.24(f) (uninsured State branches and agencies of foreign banks); 12 CFR 225.4(f) (bank holding companies and their nonbank subsidiaries); 12 CFR part 353 (State non-member banks); and 12 CFR 563.180 (savings associations). National banks must file SARs in connection with computer intrusions and other computer crimes. See OCC Bulletin 2000–14, “Infrastructure Threats—Intrusion Risks” (May 15, 2000); Advisory Letter 97–9, “Reporting Computer Related Crimes” (November 19, 1997) (general guidance still applicable though instructions for new SAR form published in 65 FR 1229, 1230 (January 7, 2000)). See also Federal Reserve SR 01–11, Identity Theft and Pretext Calling, Apr. 26, 2001; SR 97–28, Guidance Concerning Reporting of Computer Related Crimes by Financial Institutions, Nov. 6, 1997; FDIC FIL 48–2000, Suspicious Activity Reports, July 14, 2000; FIL 47–97, Preparation of Suspicious Activity Reports, May 6, 1997; OTS CEO Memorandum 139, Identity Theft and Pretext Calling, May 4, 2001; CEO Memorandum 126, New Suspicious Activity Report Form, July 5, 2000; http://www.ots.treas.gov/BSA (for the latest SAR form and filing instructions required by OTS as of July 1, 2003).

d. Taking appropriate steps to contain and control the incident to prevent further unauthorized access to or use of customer information, for example, by monitoring, freezing, or closing affected accounts, while preserving records and other evidence; 13 and

13 See FFIEC Information Technology Examination Handbook, Information Security Booklet, Dec. 2002, pp. 68–74.

e. Notifying customers when warranted.

2. Where an incident of unauthorized access to customer information involves customer information systems maintained by an institution's service providers, it is the responsibility of the financial institution to notify the institution's customers and regulator. However, an institution may authorize or contract with its service provider to notify the institution's customers or regulator on its behalf.

III. Customer Notice

Financial institutions have an affirmative duty to protect their customers' information against unauthorized access or use. Notifying customers of a security incident involving the unauthorized access or use of the customer's information in accordance with the standard set forth below is a key part of that duty. Timely notification of customers is important to manage an institution's reputation risk. Effective notice also may reduce an institution's legal risk, assist in maintaining good customer relations, and enable the institution's customers to take steps to protect themselves against the consequences of identity theft. When customer notification is warranted, an institution may not forgo notifying its customers of an incident because the institution believes that it may be potentially embarrassed or inconvenienced by doing so.

A. Standard for Providing Notice

When a financial institution becomes aware of an incident of unauthorized access to sensitive customer information, the institution should conduct a reasonable investigation to promptly determine the likelihood that the information has been or will be misused. If the institution determines that misuse of its information about a customer has occurred or is reasonably possible, it should notify the affected customer as soon as possible. Customer notice may be delayed if an appropriate law enforcement agency determines that notification will interfere with a criminal investigation and provides the institution with a written request for the delay. However, the institution should notify its customers as soon as notification will no longer interfere with the investigation.

1. Sensitive Customer Information

Under the Guidelines, an institution must protect against unauthorized access to or use of customer information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer. Substantial harm or inconvenience is most likely to result from improper access to sensitive customer information because this type of information is most likely to be misused, as in the commission of identity theft. For purposes of this Guidance, sensitive customer information means a customer's name, address, or telephone number, in conjunction with the customer's social security number, driver's license number, account number, credit or debit card number, or a personal identification number or password that would permit access to the customer's account. Sensitive customer information also includes any combination of components of customer information that would allow someone to log onto or access the customer's account, such as user name and password or password and account number.

2. Affected Customers

If a financial institution, based upon its investigation, can determine from its logs or other data precisely which customers' information has been improperly accessed, it may limit notification to those customers with regard to whom the institution determines that misuse of their information has occurred or is reasonably possible. However, there may be situations where the institution determines that a group of files has been accessed improperly, but is unable to identify which specific customers' information has been accessed. If the circumstances of the unauthorized access lead the institution to determine that misuse of the information is reasonably possible, it should notify all customers in the group.

B. Content of Customer Notice

1. Customer notice should be given in a clear and conspicuous manner. The notice should describe the incident in general terms and the type of customer information that was the subject of unauthorized access or use. It also should generally describe what the institution has done to protect the customers' information from further unauthorized access. In addition, it should include a telephone number that customers can call for further information and assistance. 14 The notice also should remind customers of the need to remain vigilant over the next twelve to twenty-four months, and to promptly report incidents of suspected identity theft to the institution. The notice should include the following additional items, when appropriate:

14 The institution should, therefore, ensure that it has reasonable policies and procedures in place, including trained personnel, to respond appropriately to customer inquiries and requests for assistance.

a. A recommendation that the customer review account statements and immediately report any suspicious activity to the institution;

b. A description of fraud alerts and an explanation of how the customer may place a fraud alert in the customer's consumer reports to put the customer's creditors on notice that the customer may be a victim of fraud;

c. A recommendation that the customer periodically obtain credit reports from each nationwide credit reporting agency and have information relating to fraudulent transactions deleted;

d. An explanation of how the customer may obtain a credit report free of charge; and

e. Information about the availability of the FTC's online guidance regarding steps a consumer can take to protect against identity theft. The notice should encourage the customer to report any incidents of identity theft to the FTC, and should provide the FTC's Web site address and toll-free telephone number that customers may use to obtain the identity theft guidance and report suspected incidents of identity theft. 15

15 Currently, the FTC Web site for the ID Theft brochure and the FTC Hotline phone number are http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft and 1–877–IDTHEFT. The institution may also refer customers to any materials developed pursuant to section 151(b) of the FACT Act (educational materials developed by the FTC to teach the public how to prevent identity theft).

2. The Agencies encourage financial institutions to notify the nationwide consumer reporting agencies prior to sending notices to a large number of customers that include contact information for the reporting agencies.

C. Delivery of Customer Notice

Customer notice should be delivered in any manner designed to ensure that a customer can reasonably be expected to receive it. For example, the institution may choose to contact all customers affected by telephone or by mail, or by electronic mail for those customers for whom it has a valid e-mail address and who have agreed to receive communications electronically.

[Reg. H, 66 FR 8634, Feb. 1, 2001, as amended at 69 FR 77617, Dec. 28, 2004; 70 FR 15753, Mar. 29, 2005; 71 FR 5780, Feb. 3, 2006]

Appendix E to Part 208--[Removed and Reserved]

Appendix F to part 208 -- [Removed and Reserved]

Recent Federal Register documents affecting this regulation.