Answer:
Section 103.34(a)(1) of Treasury's BSA Recordkeeping regulations (31 CFR 103) reads:
Section 103.34 Additional records to be made and retained by banks.
(a)(1) With respect to each certificate of deposit sold or redeemed after May 31, 1978, or each deposit or share account opened with a bank after June 30, 1972, a bank shall, within 30 days from the date such a transaction occurs or an account is opened, secure and maintain a record of the taxpayer identification number of the customer involved; or where the account or certificate is in the names of two or more persons, the bank shall secure the taxpayer identification number of a person having a financial interest in the certificate or account. In the event that a bank has been unable to secure, within the 30-day period specified, the required identification, it shall nevertheless not be deemed to be in violation of this section if (i) it has made a reasonable effort to secure such identification, and (ii) it maintains a list containing the names, addresses, and account numbers of those persons from whom it has been unable to secure such identification, and makes the names, addresses, and account numbers of those persons available to the Secretary as directed by him. A bank acting as an agent for another person in the purchase or redemption of a certificate of deposit issued by another bank is responsible for obtaining and recording the required taxpayer identification, as well as for maintaining the records referred to in paragraphs(b)(11) and (12) of this section. The issuing bank can satisfy the recordkeeping requirement by recording the name and address of the agent together with a description of the instrument and the date of the transaction.
Where a person is a nonresident alien, the bank shall also record the person's passport number or a description of some other government document used to verify his identity.
(2) The 30-day period provided for in paragraph (a)(1) of this section shall be extended where the person opening the account has applied for a taxpayer identification or social security number on Form SS-4 or SS-5, until such time as the person maintaining the account has had a reasonable opportunity to secure such number and furnish it to the bank.
(3) A taxpayer identification number required under paragraph (a)(1) of this section need not be secured for accounts or transactions with the following: (i) Agencies and instrumentalities of Federal, State, local or foreign governments; (ii) judges, public officials, or clerks of courts of record as custodians of funds in controversy or under the control of the court; (iii) aliens who are (A) ambassadors, ministers, career diplomatic or consular officers, or (B) naval, military or other attaches of foreign embassies and legions, and for the members of their immediate families; (iv) aliens who are accredited representatives of international organizations which are entitled to enjoy privileges, exemptions and immunities as an international organization under the International Organization Immunities Act of December 29, 1945 (22 U.S.C. sec. 288), and the members of their immediate families; (v) aliens temporarily residing in the United States for a period not to exceed 180 days; (vi) aliens not engaged in a trade or business in the United States who are attending a recognized college or university or any training program, supervised or conducted by any agency of the Federal Government; (vii) unincorporated subordinate units of a tax exempt central organization which are covered by a group exemption letter, (viii) a person under 18 years of age with respect to an account opened as a part of a school thrift savings program, provided the annual interest is less than $10; (ix) a person opening a Christmas club, vacation club and similar installment savings programs provided the annual interest is less than $10; and (x) non-resident aliens who are not engaged in a trade or business in the United States. In instances described in paragraphs (a)(3), (viii) and (ix) of this section, the bank shall, within 15 days following the end of any calendar year in which the interest accrued in that year is $10 or more use its best effort to secure and maintain the appropriate taxpayer identification number or application form therefor.
(4) The rules and regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 shall determine what constitutes a taxpayer identification number and whose number shall be obtained in the case of an account maintained by one or more persons.
All of which means you get a W-9 or substitute, and/or a W-8 for each account. And don't skip over the language in the Reg requiring a review of ID documents for foreign nationals.
All this red tape will begin to be more important than ever when Treasury/Fed/FinCEN issue the "due diligence on account opening" rules under the USA PATRIOT Act.
First published on BankersOnline.com 5/20/02
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