Subpart A -- General Definitions

Sec. 1010.100 General definitions

When used in this chapter and in forms prescribed under this chapter, where not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with the intent thereof, terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this subpart. Terms applicable to a particular type of financial institution or specific part or subpart of this chapter are located in that part or subpart. Terms may have different meanings in different parts or subparts.

(a) Accept. A receiving financial institution, other than the recipient’s financial institution, accepts a transmittal order by executing the transmittal order. A recipient’s financial institution accepts a transmittal order by paying the recipient, by notifying the recipient of the receipt of the order or by otherwise becoming obligated to carry out the order.

(b) At one time. For purposes of Sec. 1010.340 of this part, a person who transports, mails, ships or receives; is about to or attempts to transport, mail or ship; or causes the transportation, mailing, shipment or receipt of monetary instruments, is deemed to do so “at one time” if:

(1) That person either alone, in conjunction with or on behalf of others;

(2) Transports, mails, ships or receives in any manner; is about to transport, mail or ship in any manner; or causes the transportation, mailing, shipment or receipt in any manner of;

(3) Monetary instruments;

(4) Into the United States or out of the United States;

(5) Totaling more than $10,000;

(6)(i) On one calendar day; or

(ii) If for the purpose of evading the reporting requirements of Sec. 1010.340, on one or more days.

(c) Attorney General. The Attorney General of the United States.

(d) Bank. Each agent, agency, branch or office within the United States of any person doing business in one or more of the capacities listed below:

(1) A commercial bank or trust company organized under the laws of any State or of the United States;

(2) A private bank;

(3) A savings and loan association or a building and loan association organized under the laws of any State or of the United States;

(4) An insured institution as defined in section 401 of the National Housing Act;

(5) A savings bank, industrial bank or other thrift institution;

(6) A credit union organized under the law of any State or of the United States;

(7) Any other organization (except a money services business) chartered under the banking laws of any state and subject to the supervision of the bank supervisory authorities of a State;

(8) A bank organized under foreign law;

(9) Any national banking association or corporation acting under the provisions of section 25(a) of the Act of Dec. 23, 1913, as added by the Act of Dec. 24, 1919, ch. 18, 41 Stat. 378, as amended (12 U.S.C. 611-32).

(e) Bank Secrecy Act. The Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, its amendments, and the other statutes relating to the subject matter of that Act, have come to be referred to as the Bank Secrecy Act. These statutes are codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951-1959, 18 U.S.C. 1956, 18 U.S.C. 1957, 18 U.S.C. 1960, and 31 U.S.C. 5311-5314 and 5316-5332 and notes thereto.

(f) Beneficiary. The person to be paid by the beneficiary’s bank.

(g) Beneficiary’s bank. The bank or foreign bank identified in a payment order in which an account of the beneficiary is to be credited pursuant to the order or which otherwise is to make payment to the beneficiary if the order does not provide for payment to an account.

(h) Broker or dealer in securities. A broker or dealer in securities, registered or required to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except persons who register pursuant to section 15(b)(11) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(i) Business day. As used in this chapter with respect to banks, business day means that day, as normally communicated to its depository customers, on which a bank routinely posts a particular transaction to its customer’s account.

(j) Commodity. Any good, article, service, right, or interest described in section 1a(4) of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), 7 U.S.C. 1a(4).

(k) Common carrier. Any person engaged in the business of transporting individuals or goods for a fee who holds himself out as ready to engage in such transportation for hire and who undertakes to do so indiscriminately for all persons who are prepared to pay the fee for the particular service offered.

(l) Contract of sale. Any sale, agreement of sale, or agreement to sell as described in section 1a(7) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 1a(7).

(m) Currency. The coin and paper money of the United States or of any other country that is designated as legal tender and that circulates and is customarily used and accepted as a medium of exchange in the country of issuance. Currency includes U.S. silver certificates, U.S. notes and Federal Reserve notes. Currency also includes official foreign bank notes that are customarily used and accepted as a medium of exchange in a foreign country.

(n) Deposit account. Deposit accounts include transaction accounts described in paragraph (ccc) of this section, savings accounts, and other time deposits.

(o) Domestic. When used herein, refers to the doing of business within the United States, and limits the applicability of the provision where it appears to the performance by such institutions or agencies of functions within the United States.

(p) Established customer. A person with an account with the financial institution, including a loan account or deposit or other asset account, or a person with respect to which the financial institution has obtained and maintains on file the person’s name and address, as well as taxpayer identification number (e.g., social security or employer identification number) or, if none, alien identification number or passport number and country of issuance, and to which the financial institution provides financial services relying on that information.

(q) Execution date. The day on which the receiving financial institution may properly issue a transmittal order in execution of the sender’s order. The execution date may be determined by instruction of the sender but cannot be earlier than the day the order is received, and, unless otherwise determined, is the day the order is received. If the sender’s instruction states a payment date, the execution date is the payment date or an earlier date on which execution is reasonably necessary to allow payment to the recipient on the payment date.

(r) Federal functional regulator.

(1) The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;

(2) The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency;

(3) The Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;

(4) The Office of Thrift Supervision;

(5) The National Credit Union Administration;

(6) The Securities and Exchange Commission; or

(7) The Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

(s) FinCEN. FinCEN means the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury.

(t) Financial institution. Each agent, agency, branch, or office within the United States of any person doing business, whether or not on a regular basis or as an organized business concern, in one or more of the capacities listed below:

(1) A bank (except bank credit card systems);

(2) A broker or dealer in securities;

(3) A money services business as defined in paragraph (ff) of this section;

(4) A telegraph company;

(5)(i) Casino. A casino or gambling casino that: Is duly licensed or authorized to do business as such in the United States, whether under the laws of a State or of a Territory or Insular Possession of the United States, or under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act or other Federal, State, or tribal law or arrangement affecting Indian lands (including, without limitation, a casino operating on the assumption or under the view that no such authorization is required for casino operation on Indian lands); and has gross annual gaming revenue in excess of $1 million. The term includes the principal headquarters and every domestic branch or place of business of the casino.

(ii) For purposes of this paragraph (t)(5), “gross annual gaming revenue” means the gross gaming revenue received by a casino, during either the previous business year or the current business year of the casino. A casino or gambling casino which is a casino for purposes of this chapter solely because its gross annual gaming revenue exceeds $1,000,000 during its current business year, shall not be considered a casino for purposes of this chapter prior to the time in its current business year that its gross annual gaming revenue exceeds $1,000,000.

(iii) Any reference in this chapter, other than in this paragraph (t)(5) and in paragraph (t)(6) of this section, to a casino shall also include a reference to a card club, unless the provision in question contains specific language varying its application to card clubs or excluding card clubs from its application;

(6)(i) Card club. A card club, gaming club, card room, gaming room, or similar gaming establishment that is duly licensed or authorized to do business as such in the United States, whether under the laws of a State, of a Territory or Insular Possession of the United States, or of a political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act or other Federal, State, or tribal law or arrangement affecting Indian lands (including, without limitation, an establishment operating on the assumption or under the view that no such authorization is required for operation on Indian lands for an establishment of such type), and that has gross annual gaming revenue in excess of $1,000,000. The term includes the principal headquarters and every domestic branch or place of business of the establishment. The term “casino,” as used in this chapter shall include a reference to “card club” to the extent provided in paragraph (t)(5)(iii) of this section.

(ii) For purposes of this paragraph (t)(6), “gross annual gaming revenue” means the gross revenue derived from or generated by customer gaming activity (whether in the form of per-game or per-table fees, however computed, rentals, or otherwise) and received by an establishment, during either the establishment’s previous business year or its current business year. A card club that is a financial institution for purposes of this chapter solely because its gross annual revenue exceeds $1,000,000 during its current business year, shall not be considered a financial institution for purposes of this chapter prior to the time in its current business year when its gross annual revenue exceeds $1,000,000;

(7) A person subject to supervision by any state or Federal bank supervisory authority;

(8) A futures commission merchant;

(9) An introducing broker in commodities; or

(10) A mutual fund.

(u) Foreign bank. A bank organized under foreign law, or an agency, branch or office located outside the United States of a bank. The term does not include an agent, agency, branch or office within the United States of a bank organized under foreign law.

(v) Foreign financial agency. A person acting outside the United States for a person (except for a country, a monetary or financial authority acting as a monetary or financial authority, or an international financial institution of which the United States Government is a member) as a financial institution, bailee, depository trustee, or agent, or acting in a similar way related to money, credit, securities, gold, or a transaction in money, credit, securities, or gold.

(w) Funds transfer. The series of transactions, beginning with the originator’s payment order, made for the purpose of making payment to the beneficiary of the order. The term includes any payment order issued by the originator’s bank or an intermediary bank intended to carry out the originator’s payment order. A funds transfer is completed by acceptance by the beneficiary’s bank of a payment order for the benefit of the beneficiary of the originator’s payment order. Electronic fund transfers as defined in section 903(7) of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. 1693a(7)), as well as any other funds transfers that are made through an automated clearinghouse, an automated teller machine, or a point-of-sale system, are excluded from this definition.

(x) Futures commission merchant. Any person registered or required to be registered as a futures commission merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) under the CEA, except persons who register pursuant to section 4f(a)(2) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 6f(a)(2).

(y) Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, codified at 25 U.S.C. 2701-2721 and 18 U.S.C. 1166-68.

(z) Intermediary bank. A receiving bank other than the originator’s bank or the beneficiary’s bank.

(aa) Intermediary financial institution. A receiving financial institution, other than the transmittor’s financial institution or the recipient’s financial institution. The term intermediary financial institution includes an intermediary bank.

(bb) Introducing broker-commodities. Any person registered or required to be registered as an introducing broker with the CFTC under the CEA, except persons who register pursuant to section 4f(a)(2) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 6f(a)(2).

(cc) Investment security. An instrument which:

(1) Is issued in bearer or registered form;

(2) Is of a type commonly dealt in upon securities exchanges or markets or commonly recognized in any area in which it is issued or dealt in as a medium for investment;

(3) Is either one of a class or series or by its terms is divisible into a class or series of instruments; and

(4) Evidences a share, participation or other interest in property or in an enterprise or evidences an obligation of the issuer.

(dd) Monetary instruments. (1) Monetary instruments include:

(i) Currency;

(ii) Traveler’s checks in any form;

(iii) All negotiable instruments (including personal checks, business checks, official bank checks, cashier’s checks, third-party checks, promissory notes (as that term is defined in the Uniform Commercial Code), and money orders) that are either in bearer form, endorsed without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee (for the purposes of Sec. 1010.340), or otherwise in such form that title thereto passes upon delivery;

(iv) Incomplete instruments (including personal checks, business checks, official bank checks, cashier’s checks, third-party checks, promissory notes (as that term is defined in the Uniform Commercial Code), and money orders) signed but with the payee’s name omitted; and

(v) Securities or stock in bearer form or otherwise in such form that title thereto passes upon delivery.

(2) Monetary instruments do not include warehouse receipts or bills of lading.

(ee) [Reserved]

(ff) Money services business. A person wherever located doing business, whether or not on a regular basis or as an organized or licensed business concern, wholly or in substantial part within the United States, in one or more of the capacities listed in paragraphs (ff)(1) through (ff)(7) of this section. This includes but is not limited to maintenance of any agent, agency, branch, or office within the United States.

(1) Dealer in foreign exchange. A person that accepts the currency, or other monetary instruments, funds, or other instruments denominated in the currency, of one or more countries in exchange for the currency, or other monetary instruments, funds, or other instruments denominated in the currency, of one or more other countries in an amount greater than $1,000 for any other person on any day in one or more transactions, whether or not for same-day delivery.

(2) Check casher—(i) In general. A person that accepts checks (as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code), or monetary instruments (as defined at § 1010.100(dd)(1)(ii), (iii), (iv), and (v)) in return for currency or a combination of currency and other monetary instruments or other instruments, in an amount greater than $1,000 for any person on any day in one or more transactions.

(ii) Facts and circumstances; Limitations. Whether a person is a check casher as described in this section is a matter of facts and circumstances. The term “check casher” shall not include:

(A) A person that sells prepaid access in exchange for a check (as defined in the Uniform Commercial Code), monetary instrument or other instrument;

(B) A person that solely accepts monetary instruments as payment for goods or services other than check cashing services;

(C) A person that engages in check cashing for the verified maker of the check who is a customer otherwise buying goods and services;

(D) A person that redeems its own checks; or

(E) A person that only holds a customer's check as collateral for repayment by the customer of a loan.

(3) Issuer or seller of traveler's checks or money orders. A person that

(i) Issues traveler's checks or money orders that are sold in an amount greater than $1,000 to any person on any day in one or more transactions; or

(ii) Sells traveler's checks or money orders in an amount greater than $1,000 to any person on any day in one or more transactions.

(4) Provider of prepaid access. (i) In general. A provider of prepaid access is the participant within a prepaid program that agrees to serve as the principal conduit for access to information from its fellow program participants. The participants in each prepaid access program must determine a single participant within the prepaid program to serve as the provider of prepaid access.

(ii) Considerations for provider determination. In the absence of registration as the provider of prepaid access for a prepaid program by one of the participants in a prepaid access program, the provider of prepaid access is the person with principal oversight and control over the prepaid program. Which person exercises “principal oversight and control” is a matter of facts and circumstances. Activities that indicate “principal oversight and control” include:

(A) Organizing the prepaid program;

(B) Setting the terms and conditions of the prepaid program and determining that the terms have not been exceeded;

(C) Determining the other businesses that will participate in the prepaid program, which may include the issuing bank, the payment processor, or the distributor;

(D) Controlling or directing the appropriate party to initiate, freeze, or terminate prepaid access; and

(E) Engaging in activity that demonstrates oversight and control of the prepaid program.

(iii) Prepaid program. A prepaid program is an arrangement under which one or more persons acting together provide(s) prepaid access. However, an arrangement is not a prepaid program if:

(A) It provides closed loop prepaid access to funds not to exceed $2,000 maximum value that can be associated with a prepaid access device or vehicle on any day;

(B) It provides prepaid access solely to funds provided by a federal, State, local, Territory and Insular Possession, or tribal government agency;

(C) It provides prepaid access solely to funds from pre-tax flexible spending arrangements for health care and dependent care expenses, or from Health Reimbursement Arrangements (as defined in 26 U.S.C. 105(b) and 125) for health care expenses; or

(D) (1) It provides prepaid access solely to:

(i) Employment benefits, incentives, wages or salaries; or

(ii) Funds not to exceed $1,000 maximum value and from which no more than $1,000 maximum value can be initially or subsequently loaded, used, or withdrawn on any day through a device or vehicle; and

(2) It does not permit:

(i) Funds or value to be transmitted internationally;

(ii) Transfers between or among users of prepaid access within a prepaid program; or

(iii) Loading additional funds or the value of funds from non-depository sources.

Click HERE for FinCEN's FAQ on its Prepaid Access Rule.

Click HERE for FinCEN's
Administrative Ruling FIN-2012-003 (May 23, 2012) on
application of the Prepaid Access Rule to bank-controlled programs.

(5) Money transmitter--(i) In general.

(A) A person that provides money transmission services. The term “money transmission services” means the acceptance of currency, funds, or other value that substitutes for currency from one person AND the transmission of currency, funds, or other value that substitutes for currency to another location or person by any means. “Any means” includes, but is not limited to, through a financial agency or institution; a Federal Reserve Bank or other facility of one or more Federal Reserve Banks, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, or both; an electronic funds transfer network; or an informal value transfer system; or

(B) Any other person engaged in the transfer of funds.

(ii) Facts and circumstances; Limitations. Whether a person is a money transmitter as described in this section is a matter of facts and circumstances. The term “money transmitter” shall not include a person that only:

(A) Provides the delivery, communication, or network access services used by a money transmitter to support money transmission services;

(B) Acts as a payment processor to facilitate the purchase of, or payment of a bill for, a good or service through a clearance and settlement system by agreement with the creditor or seller;

(C) Operates a clearance and settlement system or otherwise acts as an intermediary solely between BSA regulated institutions. This includes but is not limited to the Fedwire system, electronic funds transfer networks, certain registered clearing agencies regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and derivatives clearing organizations, or other clearinghouse arrangements established by a financial agency or institution;

(D) Physically transports currency, other monetary instruments, other commercial paper, or other value that substitutes for currency as a person primarily engaged in such business, such as an armored car, from one person to the same person at another location or to an account belonging to the same person at a financial institution, provided that the person engaged in physical transportation has no more than a custodial interest in the currency, other monetary instruments, other commercial paper, or other value at any point during the transportation;

(E) Provides prepaid access; or

(F) Accepts and transmits funds only integral to the sale of goods or the provision of services, other than money transmission services, by the person who is accepting and transmitting the funds.

(6) U.S. Postal Service. The United States Postal Service, except with respect to the sale of postage or philatelic products.

(7) Seller of prepaid access. Any person that receives funds or the value of funds in exchange for an initial loading or subsequent loading of prepaid access if that person:

(i) Sells prepaid access offered under a prepaid program that can be used before verification of customer identification under § 1022.210(d)(1)(iv); or

(ii) Sells prepaid access (including closed loop prepaid access) to funds that exceed $10,000 to any person during any one day, and has not implemented policies and procedures reasonably adapted to prevent such a sale.

(8) Limitation. For the purposes of this section, the term “money services business” shall not include:

(i) A bank or foreign bank;

(ii) A person registered with, and functionally regulated or examined by, the SEC or the CFTC, or a foreign financial agency that engages in financial activities that, if conducted in the United States, would require the foreign financial agency to be registered with the SEC or CFTC; or

(iii) A natural person who engages in an activity identified in paragraphs (ff)(1) through (ff)(5) of this section on an infrequent basis and not for gain or profit.

(gg) Mutual fund. An “investment company” (as the term is defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-3)) that is an “open-end company” (as that term is defined in section 5 of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-5)) that is registered or is required to register with the Commission under section 8 of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).

(hh) Option on a commodity. Any agreement, contract, or transaction described in section 1a(26) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 1a(26).

(ii) Originator. The sender of the first payment order in a funds transfer.

(jj) Originator’s bank. The receiving bank to which the payment order of the originator is issued if the originator is not a bank or foreign bank, or the originator if the originator is a bank or foreign bank.

(kk) Payment date. The day on which the amount of the transmittal order is payable to the recipient by the recipient’s financial institution. The payment date may be determined by instruction of the sender, but cannot be earlier than the day the order is received by the recipient’s financial institution and, unless otherwise prescribed by instruction, is the date the order is received by the recipient’s financial institution.

(ll) Payment order. An instruction of a sender to a receiving bank, transmitted orally, electronically, or in writing, to pay, or to cause another bank or foreign bank to pay, a fixed or determinable amount of money to a beneficiary if:

(1) The instruction does not state a condition to payment to the beneficiary other than time of payment;

(2) The receiving bank is to be reimbursed by debiting an account of, or otherwise receiving payment from, the sender; and

(3) The instruction is transmitted by the sender directly to the receiving bank or to an agent, funds transfer system, or communication system for transmittal to the receiving bank.

(mm) Person. An individual, a corporation, a partnership, a trust or estate, a joint stock company, an association, a syndicate, joint venture, or other unincorporated organization or group, an Indian Tribe (as that term is defined in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act), and all entities cognizable as legal personalities.

(nn) Receiving bank. The bank or foreign bank to which the sender’s instruction is addressed.

(oo) Receiving financial institution. The financial institution or foreign financial agency to which the sender’s instruction is addressed. The term receiving financial institution includes a receiving bank.

(pp) Recipient. The person to be paid by the recipient’s financial institution. The term recipient includes a beneficiary, except where the recipient’s financial institution is a financial institution other than a bank.

(qq) Recipient’s financial institution. The financial institution or foreign financial agency identified in a transmittal order in which an account of the recipient is to be credited pursuant to the transmittal order or which otherwise is to make payment to the recipient if the order does not provide for payment to an account. The term recipient’s financial institution includes a beneficiary’s bank, except where the beneficiary is a recipient’s financial institution.

(rr) Secretary. The Secretary of the Treasury or any person duly authorized by the Secretary to perform the function mentioned.

(ss) Security. Security means any instrument or interest described in section 3(a)(10) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(10).

(tt) Self-regulatory organization:

(1) Shall have the same meaning as provided in section 3(a)(26) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(26)); and

(2) Means a “registered entity” or a “registered futures association” as provided in section 1a(29) or 17, respectively, of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a(29), 21).

(uu) Sender. The person giving the instruction to the receiving financial institution.

(vv) State. The States of the United States and, wherever necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, the District of Columbia.

(ww) Prepaid access. Access to funds or the value of funds that have been paid in advance and can be retrieved or transferred at some point in the future through an electronic device or vehicle, such as a card, code, electronic serial number, mobile identification number, or personal identification number.

(xx) Structure (structuring). For purposes of Sec. 1010.314, a person structures a transaction if that person, acting alone, or in conjunction with, or on behalf of, other persons, conducts or attempts to conduct one or more transactions in currency, in any amount, at one or more financial institutions, on one or more days, in any manner, for the purpose of evading the reporting requirements under §§ 1010.311, 1010.313, 1020.315, 1021.311 and 1021.313 of this chapter. “In any manner” includes, but is not limited to, the breaking down of a single sum of currency exceeding $10,000 into smaller sums, including sums at or below $10,000, or the conduct of a transaction, or series of currency transactions at or below $10,000. The transaction or transactions need not exceed the $10,000 reporting threshold at any single financial institution on any single day in order to constitute structuring within the meaning of this definition.

(yy) Taxpayer Identification Number. Taxpayer Identification Number (“TIN”) is defined by section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 6109) and the Internal Revenue Service regulations implementing that section (e.g., social security number or employer identification number).

(zz) Territories and Insular Possessions. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and all other territories and possessions of the United States other than the Indian lands and the District of Columbia.

(aaa) [Reserved]

(bbb) Transaction. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (bbb)(2) of this section, transaction means a purchase, sale, loan, pledge, gift, transfer, delivery, or other disposition, and with respect to a financial institution includes 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, security, contract of sale of a commodity for future delivery, option on any contract of sale of a commodity for future delivery, option on a commodity, purchase or redemption of any money order, payment or order for any money remittance or transfer, purchase or redemption of casino chips or tokens, or other gaming instruments or any other payment, transfer, or delivery by, through, or to a financial institution, by whatever means effected.

(2) For purposes of §§  1010.311, 1010.313, 1020.315, 1021.311, 1021.313, and other provisions of this chapter relating solely to the report required by those sections, the term “transaction in currency” shall mean a transaction involving the physical transfer of currency from one person to another. A transaction which is a transfer of funds by means of bank check, bank draft, wire transfer, or other written order, and which does not include the physical transfer of currency, is not a transaction in currency for this purpose.

(ccc) Transaction account. Transaction accounts include those accounts described in 12 U.S.C. 461(b)(1)(C), money market accounts and similar accounts that take deposits and are subject to withdrawal by check or other negotiable order.

(ddd) Transmittal of funds. A series of transactions beginning with the transmittor’s transmittal order, made for the purpose of making payment to the recipient of the order. The term includes any transmittal order issued by the transmittor’s financial institution or an intermediary financial institution intended to carry out the transmittor’s transmittal order. The term transmittal of funds includes a funds transfer. A transmittal of funds is completed by acceptance by the recipient’s financial institution of a transmittal order for the benefit of the recipient of the transmittor’s transmittal order. Electronic fund transfers as defined in section 903(7) of the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. 1693a(7)), as well as any other funds transfers that are made through an automated clearinghouse, an automated teller machine, or a point-of-sale system, are excluded from this definition.

(eee) Transmittal order. The term transmittal order includes a payment order and is an instruction of a sender to a receiving financial institution, transmitted orally, electronically, or in writing, to pay, or cause another financial institution or foreign financial agency to pay, a fixed or determinable amount of money to a recipient if:

(1) The instruction does not state a condition to payment to the recipient other than time of payment;

(2) The receiving financial institution is to be reimbursed by debiting an account of, or otherwise receiving payment from, the sender; and

(3) The instruction is transmitted by the sender directly to the receiving financial institution or to an agent or communication system for transmittal to the receiving financial institution.

(fff) Transmittor. The sender of the first transmittal order in a transmittal of funds. The term transmittor includes an originator, except where the transmittor’s financial institution is a financial institution or foreign financial agency other than a bank or foreign bank.

(ggg) Transmittor’s financial institution. The receiving financial institution to which the transmittal order of the transmittor is issued if the transmittor is not a financial institution or foreign financial agency, or the transmittor if the transmittor is a financial institution or foreign financial agency. The term transmittor’s financial institution includes an originator’s bank, except where the originator is a transmittor’s financial institution other than a bank or foreign bank.

(hhh) United States. The States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Indian lands (as that term is defined in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act), and the Territories and Insular Possessions of the United States.

(iii) U.S. person. (1) A United States citizen; or (2) A person other than an individual (such as a corporation, partnership or trust), that is established or organized under the laws of a State or the United States. Non-U.S. person means a person that is not a U.S. person.

(jjj) U.S. Postal Service. The United States Postal Service, except with respect to the sale of postage or philatelic products.

(kkk) Closed loop prepaid access. Prepaid access to funds or the value of funds that can be used only for goods or services in transactions involving a defined merchant or location (or set of locations), such as a specific retailer or retail chain, a college campus, or a subway system.

(lll) Loan or finance company. A person engaged in activities that take place wholly or in substantial part within the United States in one or more of the capacities listed below, whether or not on a regular basis or as an organized business concern. This includes but is not limited to maintenance of any agent, agency, branch, or office within the United States. For the purposes of this paragraph (lll), the term “loan or finance company” shall include a sole proprietor acting as a loan or finance company, and shall not include: A bank, a person registered with and functionally regulated or examined by the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, any government sponsored enterprise regulated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, any Federal or state agency or authority administering mortgage or housing assistance, fraud prevention or foreclosure prevention programs, or an individual employed by a loan or finance company or financial institution under this part. A loan or finance company is not a financial institution as defined in the regulations in this part at 1010.100(t).

(1) Residential mortgage lender or originator. A residential mortgage lender or originator includes:

(i) Residential mortgage lender. The person to whom the debt arising from a residential mortgage loan is initially payable on the face of the evidence of indebtedness or, if there is no such evidence of indebtedness, by agreement, or to whom the obligation is initially assigned at or immediately after settlement. The term “residential mortgage lender” shall not include an individual who finances the sale of the individual's own dwelling or real property.

(ii) Residential mortgage originator. A person who accepts a residential mortgage loan application or offers or negotiates terms of a residential mortgage loan.

(iii) Residential mortgage loan. A loan that is secured by a mortgage, deed of trust, or other equivalent consensual security interest on:

(A) A residential structure that contains one to four units, including, if used as a residence, an individual condominium unit, cooperative unit, mobile home or trailer; or

(B) Residential real estate upon which such a structure is constructed or intended to be constructed.

(2) [Reserved]

Subpart B -- Programs

Sec. 1010.200 General.

Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to Subpart B of its Chapter X Part for any additional program requirements. Unless otherwise indicated, the program requirements contained in this Subpart B apply to all financial institutions (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)).

Sec. 1010.205 Exempted anti-money laundering programs for certain financial institutions.

(a) Exempt financial institutions. Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, the following financial institutions (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) are exempt from the requirement in 31 U.S.C. 5318(h)(1) concerning the establishment of anti-money laundering programs:

(1) An agency of the United States Government, or of a State or local government, carrying out a duty or power of a business described in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2); and

(2) [Reserved]

(b) Temporary exemption for certain financial institutions. (1) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, the following financial institutions (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) are exempt from the requirement in 31 U.S.C. 5318(h)(1) concerning the establishment of anti-money laundering programs:

(i) Pawnbroker;

(ii) Travel agency;

(iii) Telegraph company;

(iv) Seller of vehicles, including automobiles, airplanes, and boats;

(v) Person involved in real estate closings and settlements;

(vi) Private banker;

Editor's Note: Effective November 16, 2020, with compliance required March 15, 2021, paragraph (b)(1)(vi) is removed.

(vii) Commodity pool operator;

(viii) Commodity trading advisor; or

(ix) Investment company.

Editor's Note: Effective November 16, 2020, with compliance required March 15, 2021, paragraphs (b)(1)(vii) through (ix) are redesignated as paragraphs (b)(1)((vi) through (viii), to read:

(2) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, a bank (as defined in §1010.100(d)) that is not subject to regulation by a Federal functional regulator (as defined in §1010.100(r)) is exempt from the requirement in 31 U.S.C. 5318(h)(1) concerning the establishment of anti-money laundering programs.

(3) Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, a person described in §1010.100(t)(7) is exempt from the requirement in 31 U.S.C. 5318(h)(1) concerning the establishment of anti-money laundering programs.

Editor's Note: Effective November 16, 2020, with compliance required March 15, 2021, paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) are removed and reserved.

(c) Limitation on exemption. The exemptions described in paragraph (b) of this section shall not apply to any financial institution that is otherwise required to establish an anti-money laundering program by this chapter.

(d) Compliance obligations of deferred financial institutions. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to relieve an exempt financial institution from its responsibility to comply with any other applicable requirement of law or regulation, including title 31 of the U.S.C. and this chapter.

This page includes amendments effective November 16, 2020, and compliance date of March 15, 2021. The amendments are included below in red text.

Sec. 1010.210 Anti-money laundering programs.

Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to Subpart B of its Chapter X Part for any additional anti-money laundering program requirements.

Sec. 1010.220 Customer identification program requirements.

Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to Subpart B of its Chapter X Part for any additional customer identification program requirements.

Sec. 1010.230 Beneficial ownership requirements for legal entity customers.

(a) In general. Covered financial institutions are required to establish and maintain written procedures that are reasonably designed to identify and verify beneficial owners of legal entity customers and to include such procedures in their anti-money laundering compliance program required under 31 U.S.C. 5318(h) and its implementing regulations.

(b) Identification and verification. With respect to legal entity customers, the covered financial institution’s customer due diligence procedures shall enable the institution to:

(1) Identify the beneficial owner(s) of each legal entity customer at the time a new account is opened, unless the customer is otherwise excluded pursuant to paragraph (e) of this section or the account is exempted pursuant to paragraph (h) of this section. A covered financial institution may accomplish this either by obtaining a certification in the form of appendix A of this section from the individual opening the account on behalf of the legal entity customer, or by obtaining from the individual the information required by the form by another means, provided the individual certifies, to the best of the individual’s knowledge, the accuracy of the information; and

(2) Verify the identity of each beneficial owner identified to the covered financial institution, according to risk-based procedures to the extent reasonable and practicable. At a minimum, these procedures must contain the elements required for verifying the identity of customers that are individuals under §1020.220(a)(2) of this chapter (for banks); §1023.220(a)(2) of this chapter (for brokers or dealers in securities); §1024.220(a)(2) of this chapter (for mutual funds); or §1026.220(a)(2) of this chapter (for futures commission merchants or introducing brokers in commodities); provided, that in the case of documentary verification, the financial institution may use photocopies or other reproductions of the documents listed in paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A)(1) of §1020.220 of this chapter (for banks); §1023.220 of this chapter (for brokers or dealers in securities); §1024.220 of this chapter (for mutual funds); or §1026.220 of this chapter (for futures commission merchants or introducing brokers in commodities). A covered financial institution may rely on the information supplied by the legal entity customer regarding the identity of its beneficial owner or owners, provided that it has no knowledge of facts that would reasonably call into question the reliability of such information.

(c) Account. For purposes of this section, account has the meaning set forth in §1020.100(a) of this chapter (for banks); §1023.100(a) of this chapter (for brokers or dealers in securities); §1024.100(a) of this chapter (for mutual funds); and §1026.100(a) of this chapter (for futures commission merchants or introducing brokers in commodities).

(d) Beneficial owner. For purposes of this section, beneficial owner means each of the following:

(1) Each individual, if any, who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, owns 25 percent or more of the equity interests of a legal entity customer; and

(2) A single individual with significant responsibility to control, manage, or direct a legal entity customer, including:

(i) An executive officer or senior manager (e.g., a Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Managing Member, General Partner, President, Vice President, or Treasurer); or

(ii) Any other individual who regularly performs similar functions.

(3) If a trust owns directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, 25 percent or more of the equity interests of a legal entity customer, the beneficial owner for purposes of paragraph (d)(1) of this section shall mean the trustee. If an entity listed in paragraph (e)(2) of this section owns directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, 25 percent or more of the equity interests of a legal entity customer, no individual need be identified for purposes of paragraph (d)(1) of this section with respect to that entity’s interests.

Note to paragraph (d). The number of individuals that satisfy the definition of “beneficial owner,” and therefore must be identified and verified pursuant to this section, may vary. Under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, depending on the factual circumstances, up to four individuals may need to be identified. Under paragraph (d)(2) of this section, only one individual must be identified. It is possible that in some circumstances the same person or persons might be identified pursuant to paragraphs (d)(1) and (2) of this section. A covered financial institution may also identify additional individuals as part of its customer due diligence if it deems appropriate on the basis of risk.

(e) Legal entity customer. For the purposes of this section:

(1) Legal entity customer means a corporation, limited liability company, or other entity that is created by the filing of a public document with a Secretary of State or similar office, a general partnership, and any similar entity formed under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction that opens an account.

(2) Legal entity customer does not include:

(i) A financial institution regulated by a Federal functional regulator or a bank regulated by a State bank regulator;

(ii) A person described in § 1020.315(b)(2) through (5) of this chapter;

(iii) An issuer of a class of securities registered under section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or that is required to file reports under section 15(d) of that Act;

(iv) An investment company, as defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under that Act;

(v) An investment adviser, as defined in section 202(a)(11) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under that Act;

(vi) An exchange or clearing agency, as defined in section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, that is registered under section 6 or 17A of that Act;

(vii) Any other entity registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

(viii) A registered entity, commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor, retail foreign exchange dealer, swap dealer, or major swap participant, each as defined in section 1a of the Commodity Exchange Act, that is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission;

(ix) A public accounting firm registered under section 102 of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act;

(x) A bank holding company, as defined in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841) or savings and loan holding company, as defined in section 10(n) of the Home Owners’ Loan Act (12 U.S.C 1467a(n));

(xi) A pooled investment vehicle that is operated or advised by a financial institution excluded under paragraph (e)(2) of this section;

(xii) An insurance company that is regulated by a State;

(xiii) A financial market utility designated by the Financial Stability Oversight Council under Title VIII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010;

(xiv) A foreign financial institution established in a jurisdiction where the regulator of such institution maintains beneficial ownership information regarding such institution;

(xv) A non-U.S. governmental department, agency or political subdivision that engages only in governmental rather than commercial activities; and

(xvi) Any legal entity only to the extent that it opens a private banking account subject to §1010.620 of this chapter.

(3) The following legal entity customers are subject only to the control prong of the beneficial ownership requirement:

(i) A pooled investment vehicle that is operated or advised by a financial institution not excluded under paragraph (e)(2) of this section; and

(ii) Any legal entity that is established as a nonprofit corporation or similar entity and has filed its organizational documents with the appropriate State authority as necessary.

(f) Covered financial institution. For the purposes of this section, covered financial institution has the meaning set forth in § 1010.605(e)(1) of this chapter.

(g) New account. For the purposes of this section, new account means each account opened at a covered financial institution by a legal entity customer on or after the applicability date.

(h) Exemptions. (1) Covered financial institutions are exempt from the requirements to identify and verify the identity of the beneficial owner(s) set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b)(1) and (2) of this section only to the extent the financial institution opens an account for a legal entity customer that is:

(i) At the point-of-sale to provide credit products, including commercial private label credit cards, solely for the purchase of retail goods and/or services at these retailers, up to a limit of $50,000;

(ii) To finance the purchase of postage and for which payments are remitted directly by the financial institution to the provider of the postage products;

(iii) To finance insurance premiums and for which payments are remitted directly by the financial institution to the insurance provider or broker;

(iv) To finance the purchase or leasing of equipment and for which payments are remitted directly by the financial institution to the vendor or lessor of this equipment.

(2) Limitations on Exemptions. (i) The exemptions identified in paragraphs (h)(1)(ii) through (iv) of this section do not apply to transaction accounts through which a legal entity customer can make payments to, or receive payments from, third parties.

(ii) If there is the possibility of a cash refund on the account activity identified in paragraphs (h)(1)(ii) through (iv) of this section, then beneficial ownership of the legal entity customer must be identified and verified by the financial institution as required by this section, either at the time of initial remittance, or at the time such refund occurs.

(i) Recordkeeping. A covered financial institution must establish procedures for making and maintaining a record of all information obtained under the procedures implementing paragraph (b) of this section.

(1) Required records. At a minimum the record must include:

(i) For identification, any identifying information obtained by the covered financial institution pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, including without limitation the certification (if obtained); and

(ii) For verification, a description of any document relied on (noting the type, any identification number, place of issuance and, if any, date of issuance and expiration), of any non-documentary methods and the results of any measures undertaken, and of the resolution of each substantive discrepancy.

(2) Retention of records. A covered financial institution must retain the records made under paragraph (i)(1)(i) of this section for five years after the date the account is closed, and the records made under paragraph (i)(1)(ii) of this section for five years after the record is made.

(j) Reliance on another financial institution. A covered financial institution may rely on the performance by another financial institution (including an affiliate) of the requirements of this section with respect to any legal entity customer of the covered financial institution that is opening, or has opened, an account or has established a similar business relationship with the other financial institution to provide or engage in services, dealings, or other financial transactions, provided that:

(1) Such reliance is reasonable under the circumstances;

(2) The other financial institution is subject to a rule implementing 31 U.S.C. 5318(h) and is regulated by a Federal functional regulator; and

(3) The other financial institution enters into a contract requiring it to certify annually to the covered financial institution that it has implemented its anti-money laundering program, and that it will perform (or its agent will perform) the specified requirements of the covered financial institution’s procedures to comply with the requirements of this section.

• Four rulings providing exceptive relief
• FFIEC exam procedures
• Links to three sets of FAQs relating to the rule (all three sets of FAQs remain current)

(a) In general
(b) Identification and verification
(c) Account
(d) Beneficial owner
(e) Legal entity customer
(e)(1) Definition
(e)(2) Exclusions
(e)(3) Control prong only
(f) Covered financial institution
(g) New account
(h) Exemptions
(i) Recordkeeping
(j) Reliance on another financial institution
Appendix A -- Form for certification of beneficial ownership

Subpart C--Reports Required To Be Made

Sec. 1010.300 General.

Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to its Chapter X Part for any additional reporting requirements. Unless otherwise indicated, the reporting requirements contained in this Subpart C apply to all financial institutions.

Sec. 1010.301 Determination by the Secretary.

The Secretary hereby determines that the reports required by this chapter have a high degree of usefulness in criminal, tax, or regulatory investigations or proceedings.

Sec. 1010.305 [Reserved]

Sec. 1010.306 Filing of reports

Sec. 1010.310 Reports of transactions in currency.

Sections 1010.310 through 1010.314 set forth the rules for the reporting by financial institutions of transactions in currency. Unless otherwise indicated, the transactions in currency reporting requirements in §§ 1010.310 through 1010.314 apply to all financial institutions. Each financial institution should refer to Subpart C of its Chapter X Part for any additional transactions in currency reporting requirements.

Sec. 1010.311 Filing obligations for reports of transactions in currency.

Each financial institution other than a casino shall file a report of each deposit, withdrawal, exchange of currency or other payment or transfer, by, through, or to such financial institution which involves a transaction in currency of more than $10,000, except as otherwise provided in this section. In the case of the U.S. Postal Service, the obligation contained in the preceding sentence shall not apply to payments or transfers made solely in connection with the purchase of postage or philatelic products.

Sec. 1010.312 Identification required.

Before concluding any transaction with respect to which a report is required under §1010.311, §1010.313, §1020.315, §1021.311 or §1021.313 of this chapter, a financial institution shall verify and record the name and address of the individual presenting a transaction, as well as record the identity, account number, and the social security or taxpayer identification number, if any, of any person or entity on whose behalf such transaction is to be effected. Verification of the identity of an individual who indicates that he or she is an alien or is not a resident of the United States must be made by passport, alien identification card, or other official document evidencing nationality or residence ( e.g., a Provincial driver's license with indication of home address). Verification of identity in any other case shall be made by examination of a document, other than a bank signature card, that is normally acceptable within the banking community as a means of identification when cashing checks for nondepositors ( e.g., a driver's license or credit card). A bank signature card may be relied upon only if it was issued after documents establishing the identity of the individual were examined and notation of the specific information was made on the signature card. In each instance, the specific identifying information ( i.e., the account number of the credit card, the driver's license number, etc. ) used in verifying the identity of the customer shall be recorded on the report, and the mere notation of “known customer” or “bank signature card on file” on the report is prohibited.

Sec. 1010.313 Aggregation.

(a) Multiple branches. A financial institution includes all of its domestic branch offices, and any recordkeeping facility, wherever located, that contains records relating to the transactions of the institution's domestic offices, for purposes of the transactions in currency reporting requirements in this chapter.

(b) Multiple transactions. In the case of financial institutions other than casinos, for purposes of the transactions in currency reporting requirements in this chapter, multiple currency transactions shall be treated as a single transaction if the financial institution has knowledge that they are by or on behalf of any person and result in either cash in or cash out totaling more than $10,000 during any one business day (or in the case of the U.S. Postal Service, any one day). Deposits made at night or over a weekend or holiday shall be treated as if received on the next business day following the deposit.

Sec. 1010.314 Structured transactions.

No person shall for the purpose of evading the transactions in currency reporting requirements of this chapter with respect to such transaction:

(a) Cause or attempt to cause a domestic financial institution to fail to file a report required under the transactions in currency reporting requirements of this chapter;

(b) Cause or attempt to cause a domestic financial institution to file a report required under the transactions in currency reporting requirements of this chapter that contains a material omission or misstatement of fact; or

(c) Structure (as that term is defined in §1010.100(xx)) or assist in structuring, or attempt to structure or assist in structuring, any transaction with one or more domestic financial institutions.

Sec. 1010.315 Exemptions for non-bank financial institutions.

A non-bank financial institution is not required to file a report otherwise required by §1010.311 with respect to a transaction in currency between the institution and a commercial bank.

Sec. 1010.320 Reports of suspicious transactions.

Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to subpart C of its financial institution part in this Chapter for any additional suspicious transaction reporting requirements.

Sec. 1010.330 Reports relating to currency in excess of $10,000 received in a trade or business.

(a) Reporting requirement —(1) Reportable transactions —(i) In general. Any person (solely for purposes of section 5331 of title 31, United States Code and this section, “person” shall have the same meaning as under 26 U.S.C. 7701(a)(1)) who, in the course of a trade or business in which such person is engaged, receives currency in excess of $10,000 in 1 transaction (or 2 or more related transactions) shall, except as otherwise provided, make a report of information with respect to the receipt of currency. This section does not apply to amounts received in a transaction reported under 31 U.S.C. 5313 and §§1010.311, 1010.313, 1020.315, 1021.311 or 1021.313 of this chapter.

(ii) Certain financial transactions. Section 60501 of title 26 of the United States Code requires persons to report information about financial transactions to the IRS, and 31 U.S.C. 5331 requires persons to report the same information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This information shall be reported on the same form as prescribed by the Secretary.

(2) Currency received for the account of another. Currency in excess of $10,000 received by a person for the account of another must be reported under this section. Thus, for example, a person who collects delinquent accounts receivable for an automobile dealer must report with respect to the receipt of currency in excess of $10,000 from the collection of a particular account even though the proceeds of the collection are credited to the account of the automobile dealer ( i.e., where the rights to the proceeds from the account are retained by the automobile dealer and the collection is made on a fee-for-service basis).

(3) Currency received by agents — (i) General rule. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, a person who in the course of a trade or business acts as an agent (or in some other similar capacity) and receives currency in excess of $10,000 from a principal must report the receipt of currency under this section.

(ii) Exception. An agent who receives currency from a principal and uses all of the currency within 15 days in a currency transaction (the “second currency transaction”) which is reportable under section 5312 of title 31, or 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section, and who discloses the name, address, and TIN of the principal to the recipient in the second currency transaction need not report the initial receipt of currency under this section. An agent will be deemed to have met the disclosure requirements of this paragraph (a)(3)(ii) if the agent discloses only the name of the principal and the agent knows that the recipient has the principal's address and taxpayer identification number.

(iii) Example. The following example illustrates the application of the rules in paragraphs (a)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section:

Example.

B, the principal, gives D, an attorney, $75,000 in currency to purchase real property on behalf of B. Within 15 days D purchases real property for currency from E, a real estate developer, and discloses to E, B's name, address, and taxpayer identification number. Because the transaction qualifies for the exception provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, D need not report with respect to the initial receipt of currency under this section. The exception does not apply, however, if D pays E by means other than currency, or effects the purchase more than 15 days following receipt of the currency from B, or fails to disclose B's name, address, and taxpayer identification number (assuming D does not know that E already has B's address and taxpayer identification number), or purchases the property from a person whose sale of the property is not in the course of that person's trade or business. In any such case, D is required to report the receipt of currency from B under this section.

(b) Multiple payments. The receipt of multiple currency deposits or currency installment payments (or other similar payments or prepayments) relating to a single transaction (or two or more related transactions), is reported as set forth in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(3) of this section.

(1) Initial payment in excess of $10,000. If the initial payment exceeds $10,000, the recipient must report the initial payment within 15 days of its receipt.

(2) Initial payment of $10,000 or less. If the initial payment does not exceed $10,000, the recipient must aggregate the initial payment and subsequent payments made within one year of the initial payment until the aggregate amount exceeds $10,000, and report with respect to the aggregate amount within 15 days after receiving the payment that causes the aggregate amount to exceed $10,000.

(3) Subsequent payments. In addition to any other required report, a report must be made each time that previously unreportable payments made within a 12-month period with respect to a single transaction (or two or more related transactions), individually or in the aggregate, exceed $10,000. The report must be made within 15 days after receiving the payment in excess of $10,000 or the payment that causes the aggregate amount received in the 12-month period to exceed $10,000. (If more than one report would otherwise be required for multiple currency payments within a 15-day period that relate to a single transaction (or two or more related transactions), the recipient may make a single combined report with respect to the payments. The combined report must be made no later than the date by which the first of the separate reports would otherwise be required to be made.)

(4) Example. The following example illustrates the application of the rules in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(3) of this section:

Example.

On January 10, Year 1, M receives an initial payment in currency of $11,000 with respect to a transaction. M receives subsequent payments in currency with respect to the same transaction of $4,000 on February 15, Year 1, $6,000 on March 20, Year 1, and $12,000 on May 15, Year 1. M must make a report with respect to the payment received on January 10, Year 1, by January 25, Year 1. M must also make a report with respect to the payments totaling $22,000 received from February 15, Year 1, through May 15, Year 1. This report must be made by May 30, Year 1, that is, within 15 days of the date that the subsequent payments, all of which were received within a 12-month period, exceeded $10,000.

(c) Meaning of terms. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section—

(1) The term currency means—

(i) The coin and currency of the United States or of any other country, which circulate in and are customarily used and accepted as money in the country in which issued; and

(ii) A cashier's check (by whatever name called, including “treasurer's check” and “bank check”), bank draft, traveler's check, or money order having a face amount of not more than $10,000—

(A) Received in a designated reporting transaction as defined in paragraph (c)(2) of this section (except as provided in paragraphs (c)(3), (4), and (5) of this section), or

(B) Received in any transaction in which the recipient knows that such instrument is being used in an attempt to avoid the reporting of the transaction under section 5331 and this section.

(2) Designated reporting transaction. A designated reporting transaction is a retail sale (or the receipt of funds by a broker or other intermediary in connection with a retail sale) of—

(i) A consumer durable,

(ii) A collectible, or

(iii) A travel or entertainment activity.

(3) Exception for certain loans. A cashier's check, bank draft, traveler's check, or money order received in a designated reporting transaction is not treated as currency pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A) of this section if the instrument constitutes the proceeds of a loan from a bank. The recipient may rely on a copy of the loan document, a written statement from the bank, or similar documentation (such as a written lien instruction from the issuer of the instrument) to substantiate that the instrument constitutes loan proceeds.

(4) Exception for certain installment sales. A cashier's check, bank draft, traveler's check, or money order received in a designated reporting transaction is not treated as currency pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A) of this section if the instrument is received in payment on a promissory note or an installment sales contract (including a lease that is considered to be a sale for Federal income tax purposes). However, the preceding sentence applies only if—

(i) Promissory notes or installment sales contracts with the same or substantially similar terms are used in the ordinary course of the recipient's trade or business in connection with sales to ultimate consumers; and

(ii) The total amount of payments with respect to the sale that are received on or before the 60th day after the date of the sale does not exceed 50 percent of the purchase price of the sale.

(5) Exception for certain down payment plans. A cashier's check, bank draft, traveler's check, or money order received in a designated reporting transaction is not treated as currency pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A) of this section if the instrument is received pursuant to a payment plan requiring one or more down payments and the payment of the balance of the purchase price by a date no later than the date of the sale (in the case of an item of travel or entertainment, a date no later than the earliest date that any item of travel or entertainment pertaining to the same trip or event is furnished). However, the preceding sentence applies only if—

(i) The recipient uses payment plans with the same or substantially similar terms in the ordinary course of its trade or business in connection with sales to ultimate consumers; and

(ii) The instrument is received more than 60 days prior to the date of the sale (in the case of an item of travel or entertainment, the date on which the final payment is due).

(6) Examples. The following examples illustrate the definition of “currency” set forth in paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(5) of this section:

Example 1.

D, an individual, purchases gold coins from M, a coin dealer, for $13,200. D tenders to M in payment United States currency in the amount of $6,200 and a cashier's check in the face amount of $7,000 which D had purchased. Because the sale is a designated reporting transaction, the cashier's check is treated as currency for purposes of 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section. Therefore, because M has received more than $10,000 in currency with respect to the transaction, M must make the report required by 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section.

Example 2.

E, an individual, purchases an automobile from Q, an automobile dealer, for $11,500. E tenders to Q in payment United States currency in the amount of $2,000 and a cashier's check payable to E and Q in the amount of $9,500. The cashier's check constitutes the proceeds of a loan from the bank issuing the check. The origin of the proceeds is evident from provisions inserted by the bank on the check that instruct the dealer to cause a lien to be placed on the vehicle as security for the loan. The sale of the automobile is a designated reporting transaction. However, under paragraph (c)(3) of this section, because E has furnished Q documentary information establishing that the cashier's check constitutes the proceeds of a loan from the bank issuing the check, the cashier's check is not treated as currency pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A) of this section.

Example 3.

F, an individual, purchases an item of jewelry from S, a retail jeweler, for $12,000. F gives S traveler's checks totaling $2,400 and pays the balance with a personal check payable to S in the amount of $9,600. Because the sale is a designated reporting transaction, the traveler's checks are treated as currency for purposes of section 5331 and this section. However, because the personal check is not treated as currency for purposes of section 5331 and this section, S has not received more than $10,000 in currency in the transaction and no report is required to be filed under section 5331 and this section.

Example 4.

G, an individual, purchases a boat from T, a boat dealer, for $16,500. G pays T with a cashier's check payable to T in the amount of $16,500. The cashier's check is not treated as currency because the face amount of the check is more than $10,000. Thus, no report is required to be made by T under section 5331 and this section.

Example 5.

H, an individual, arranges with W, a travel agent, for the chartering of a passenger aircraft to transport a group of individuals to a sports event in another city. H also arranges with W for hotel accommodations for the group and for admission tickets to the sports event. In payment, H tenders to W money orders which H had previously purchased. The total amount of the money orders, none of which individually exceeds $10,000 in face amount, exceeds $10,000. Because the transaction is a designated reporting transaction, the money orders are treated as currency for purposes of section 5331 and this section. Therefore, because W has received more than $10,000 in currency with respect to the transaction, W must make the report required by section 5331 and this section.

(7) Consumer durable. The term consumer durable means an item of tangible personal property of a type that is suitable under ordinary usage for personal consumption or use, that can reasonably be expected to be useful for at least 1 year under ordinary usage, and that has a sales price of more than $10,000. Thus, for example, a $20,000 automobile is a consumer durable (whether or not it is sold for business use), but a $20,000 dump truck or a $20,000 factory machine is not.

(8) Collectible. The term collectible means an item described in paragraphs (A) through (D) of section 408 (m)(2) of title 26 of the United States Code (determined without regard to section 408 (m)(3) of title 26 of the United States Code).

(9) Travel or entertainment activity. The term travel or entertainment activity means an item of travel or entertainment (within the meaning of 26 CFR 1.274–2(b)(1)) pertaining to a single trip or event where the aggregate sales price of the item and all other items pertaining to the same trip or event that are sold in the same transaction (or related transactions) exceeds $10,000.

(10) Retail sale. The term retail sale means any sale (whether for resale or for any other purpose) made in the course of a trade or business if that trade or business principally consists of making sales to ultimate consumers.

(11) Trade or business. The term trade or business has the same meaning as under section 162 of title 26, United States Code.

(12) Transaction. (i) Solely for purposes of 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section, the term transaction means the underlying event precipitating the payer's transfer of currency to the recipient. In this context, transactions include (but are not limited to) a sale of goods or services; a sale of r al property; a sale of intangible property; a rental of real or personal property; an exchange of currency for other currency; the establishment or maintenance of or contribution to a custodial, trust, or escrow arrangement; a payment of a preexisting debt; a conversion of currency to a negotiable instrument; a reimbursement for expenses paid; or the making or repayment of a loan. A transaction may not be divided into multiple transactions in order to avoid reporting under this section.

(ii) The term related transactions means any transaction conducted between a payer (or its agent) and a recipient of currency in a 24-hour period. Additionally, transactions conducted between a payer (or its agent) and a currency recipient during a period of more than 24 hours are related if the recipient knows or has reason to know that each transaction is one of a series of connected transactions.

(iii) The following examples illustrate the definition of paragraphs (c)(12)(i) and (ii) of this section:

Example 1.

A person has a tacit agreement with a gold dealer to purchase $36,000 in gold bullion. The $36,000 purchase represents a single transaction under paragraph (c)(12)(i) of this section and the reporting requirements of this section cannot be avoided by recasting the single sales transaction into 4 separate $9,000 sales transactions.

Example 2.

An attorney agrees to represent a client in a criminal case with the attorney's fee to be determined on an hourly basis. In the first month in which the attorney represents the client, the bill for the attorney's services comes to $8,000 which the client pays in currency. In the second month in which the attorney represents the client, the bill for the attorney's services comes to $4,000, which the client again pays in currency. The aggregate amount of currency paid ($12,000) relates to a single transaction as defined in paragraph (c)(12)(i) of this section, the sale of legal services relating to the criminal case, and the receipt of currency must be reported under this section.

Example 3.

A person intends to contribute a total of $45,000 to a trust fund, and the trustee of the fund knows or has reason to know of that intention. The $45,000 contribution is a single transaction under paragraph (c)(12)(i) of this section and the reporting requirement of this section cannot be avoided by the grantor's making five separate $9,000 contributions of currency to a single fund or by making five $9,000 contributions of currency to five separate funds administered by a common trustee.

Example 4.

K, an individual, attends a one day auction and purchases for currency two items, at a cost of $9,240 and $1,732.50 respectively (tax and buyer's premium included). Because the transactions are related transactions as defined in paragraph (c)(12)(ii) of this section, the auction house is required to report the aggregate amount of currency received from the related sales ($10,972.50), even though the auction house accounts separately on its books for each item sold and presents the purchaser with separate bills for each item purchased.

Example 5.

F, a coin dealer, sells for currency $9,000 worth of gold coins to an individual on three successive days. Under paragraph (c)(12)(ii) of this section the three $9,000 transactions are related transactions aggregating $27,000 if F knows, or has reason to know, that each transaction is one of a series of connected transactions.

(13) Recipient. (i) The term recipient means the person receiving the currency. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(13)(ii) of this section, each store, division, branch, department, headquarters, or office (“branch”) (regardless of physical location) comprising a portion of a person's trade or business shall for purposes of this section be deemed a separate recipient.

(ii) A branch that receives currency payments will not be deemed a separate recipient if the branch (or a central unit linking such branch with other branches) would in the ordinary course of business have reason to know the identity of payers making currency payments to other branches of such person.

(iii) Examples. The following examples illustrate the application of the rules in paragraphs (c)(13)(i) and (ii) of this section:

Example 1.

N, an individual, purchases regulated futures contracts at a cost of $7,500 and $5,000, respectively, through two different branches of Commodities Broker X on the same day. N pays for each purchase with currency. Each branch of Commodities Broker X transmits the sales information regarding each of N's purchases to a central unit of Commodities Broker X (which settles the transactions against N's account). Under paragraph (c)(13)(ii) of this section the separate branches of Commodities Broker X are not deemed to be separate recipients; therefore, Commodities Broker X must report with respect to the two related regulated futures contracts sales in accordance with this section.

Example 2.

P, a corporation, owns and operates a racetrack. P's racetrack contains 100 betting windows at which pari-mutuel wagers may be made. R, an individual, places currency wagers of $3,000 each at five separate betting windows. Assuming that in the ordinary course of business each betting window (or a central unit linking windows) does not have reason to know the identity of persons making wagers at other betting windows, each betting window would be deemed to be a separate currency recipient under paragraph (c)(13)(i) of this section. As no individual recipient received currency in excess of $10,000, no report need be made by P under this section.

(d) Exceptions to the reporting requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5331 —(1) Receipt is made with respect to a foreign currency transaction —(i) In general. Generally, there is no requirement to report with respect to a currency transaction if the entire transaction occurs outside the United States (the fifty states and the District of Columbia). An entire transaction consists of both the transaction as defined in paragraph (c)(12)(i) of this section and the receipt of currency by the recipient. If, however, any part of an entire transaction occurs in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a possession or territory of the United States and the recipient of currency in that transaction is subject to the general jurisdiction of the Internal Revenue Service under title 26 of the United States Code, the recipient is required to report the transaction under this section.

(ii) Example. The following example illustrates the application of the rules in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section:

Example.

W, an individual engaged in the trade or business of selling aircraft, reaches an agreement to sell an airplane to a U.S. citizen living in Mexico. The agreement, no portion of which is formulated in the United States, calls for a purchase price of $125,000 and requires delivery of and payment for the airplane to be made in Mexico. Upon delivery of the airplane in Mexico, W receives $125,000 in currency. W is not required to report under 31 U.S.C. 5331 or this section because the exception provided in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section (“foreign transaction exception”) applies. If, however, any part of the agreement to sell had been formulated in the United States, the foreign transaction exception would not apply and W would be required to report the receipt of currency under 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section.

(2) Receipt of currency not in the course of the recipient's trade or business. The receipt of currency in excess of $10,000 by a person other than in the course of the person's trade or business is not reportable under 31 U.S.C. 5331. Thus, for example, F, an individual in the trade or business of selling real estate, sells a motorboat for $12,000, the purchase price of which is paid in currency. F did not use the motorboat in any trade or business in which F was engaged. F is not required to report under 31 U.S.C. 5331 or this section because the exception provided in this paragraph (d)(2) applies.

(e) Time, manner, and form of reporting —(1) In general. The reports required by paragraph (a) of this section must be made by filing a Form 8300, as specified in 26 CFR 1.6050I–1(e)(2). The reports must be filed at the time and in the manner specified in 26 CFR 1.6050I–1(e)(1) and (3) respectively.

(2) Verification. A person making a report of information under this section must verify the identity of the person from whom the reportable currency is received. Verification of the identity of a person who purports to be an alien must be made by examination of such person's passport, alien identification card, or other official document evidencing nationality or residence. Verification of the identity of any other person may be made by examination of a document normally acceptable as a means of identification when cashing or accepting checks (for example, a driver's license or a credit card). In addition, a report will be considered incomplete if the person required to make a report knows (or has reason to know) that an agent is conducting the transaction for a principal, and the return does not identify both the principal and the agent.

(3) Retention of reports. A person required to make a report under this section must keep a copy of each report filed for five years from the date of filing.

Sec. 1010.331 Reports relating to currency in excess of $10,000 received as bail by court clerks.

[Added, effective July 9, 2012]

(a) Reporting requirement.—(1) In general. Any clerk of a Federal or State court who receives more than $10,000 in currency as bail for any individual charged with a specified criminal offense must make a report of information with respect to that receipt of currency. For purposes of this section, a clerk is the clerk’s office or the office, department, division, branch, or unit of the court that is authorized to receive bail. If someone other than a clerk receives bail on behalf of a clerk, the clerk is treated as receiving the bail for purposes of this paragraph (a).

(2) Certain financial transactions. Section 6050I of title 26 of the United States Code requires clerks to report information about financial transactions to the IRS, and 31 U.S.C. 5331 require [sic; should be "requires"] clerks to report the same information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This information shall be reported on the same form as prescribed by the Secretary.

(b) Meaning of terms. The following definitions apply for purposes of this section—

(1) The term currency means—

(i) The coin and currency of the United States, or of any other country, that circulate in and are customarily used and accepted as money in the country in which issued; and

(ii) A cashier’s check (by whatever name called, including treasurer’s check and bank check), bank draft, traveler’s check, or money order having a face amount of not more than $ 10,000.

(2) The term specified criminal offense means—

(i) A Federal criminal offense involving a controlled substance (as defined in section 802 of title 21 of the United States Code), provided the offense is described in Part D of Subchapter I orSubchapter II of title 21 of the United States Code;

(ii) Racketeering (as defined in section 1951, 1952, or 1955 of title 18 of the United States Code);

(iii) Money laundering (as defined in section 1956 or 1957 of title 18 of the United States Code); and

(iv) Any State criminal offense substantially similar to an offense described in this paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(c) Time, form, and manner of reporting.—(1) In general. The reports required by paragraph (a) of this section must be made by filing a Form 8300, as specified in 26 CFR 1.6050I-2(c)(2). The report must be filed at the time and in the manner specified in 26 CFR 1 .6050I-2(c)(1) and (3), respectively.

(2)Verification of identity. A clerk required to make a report under this seciton must, in accordance with 26 CFR 1.6050I-2(c)(3)(ii), verify the identity of each payor of bail listed in the report.

Sec. 1010.340 Reports of transportation of currency or monetary instruments.

(a) Each person who physically transports, mails, or ships, or causes to be physically transported, mailed, or shipped, or attempts to physically transport, mail or ship, or attempts to cause to be physically transported, mailed or shipped, currency or other monetary instruments in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000 at one time from the United States to any place outside the United States, or into the United States from any place outside the United States, shall make a report thereof. A person is deemed to have caused such transportation, mailing or shipping when he aids, abets, counsels, commands, procures, or requests it to be done by a financial institution or any other person.

(b) Each person who receives in the U.S. currency or other monetary instruments in an aggregate amount exceeding $10,000 at one time which have been transported, mailed, or shipped to such person from any place outside the United States with respect to which a report has not been filed under paragraph (a) of this section, whether or not required to be filed thereunder, shall make a report thereof, stating the amount, the date of receipt, the form of monetary instruments, and the person from whom received.

(c) This section shall not require reports by:

(1) A Federal Reserve;

(2) A bank, a foreign bank, or a broker or dealer in securities, in respect to currency or other monetary instruments mailed or shipped through the postal service or by common carrier;

(3) A commercial bank or trust company organized under the laws of any State or of the United States with respect to overland shipments of currency or monetary instruments shipped to or received from an established customer maintaining a deposit relationship with the bank, in amounts which the bank may reasonably conclude do not exceed amounts commensurate with the customary conduct of the business, industry or profession of the customer concerned;

(4) A person who is not a citizen or resident of the United States in respect to currency or other monetary instruments mailed or shipped from abroad to a bank or broker or dealer in securities through the postal service or by common carrier;

(5) A common carrier of passengers in respect to currency or other monetary instruments in the possession of its passengers;

(6) A common carrier of goods in respect to shipments of currency or monetary instruments not declared to be such by the shipper;

(7) A travelers’ check issuer or its agent in respect to the transportation of travelers’ checks prior to their delivery to selling agents for eventual sale to the public;

(8) By a person with respect to a restrictively endorsed traveler’s check that is in the collection and reconciliation process after the traveler’s check has been negotiated;

(9) Nor by a person engaged as a business in the transportation of currency, monetary instruments and other commercial papers with respect to the transportation of currency or other monetary instruments overland between established offices of banks or brokers or dealers in securities and foreign persons.

(d) A transfer of funds through normal banking procedures which does not involve the physical transportation of currency or monetary instruments is not required to be reported by this section. This section does not require that more than one report be filed covering a particular transportation, mailing or shipping of currency or other monetary instruments with respect to which a complete and truthful report has been filed by a person. However, no person required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this section to file a report shall be excused from liability for failure to do so if, in fact, a complete and truthful report has not been filed.

Sec. 1010.350 Reports of foreign financial accounts.

Each person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States (except a foreign subsidiary of a U.S. person) having a financial interest in, or signature or other authority over, a bank, securities or other financial account in a foreign country shall report such relationship to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue for each year in which such relationship exists, and shall provide such information as shall be specified in a reporting form prescribed by the Secretary to be filed by such persons. Persons having a financial interest in 25 or more foreign financial accounts need only note that fact on the form. Such persons will be required to provide detailed information concerning each account when so requested by the Secretary or his delegate.

Effective March 28, 2011, this section is revised to read as follows:

§ 1010.350   Reports of foreign financial accounts.

(a) In general. Each United States person having a financial interest in, or signature or other authority over, a bank, securities, or other financial account in a foreign country shall report such relationship to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for each year in which such relationship exists and shall provide such information as shall be specified in a reporting form prescribed under 31 U.S.C. 5314 to be filed by such persons. The form prescribed under section 5314 is the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (TD–F 90–22.1), or any successor form. See paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2) of this section for a special rule for persons with a financial interest in 25 or more accounts, or signature or other authority over 25 or more accounts.

(b) United States person. For purposes of this section, the term “United States person” means—

(1) A citizen of the United States;

(2) A resident of the United States. A resident of the United States is an individual who is a resident alien under 26 U.S.C. 7701(b) and the regulations thereunder but using the definition of “United States” provided in 31 CFR 1010.100(hhh) rather than the definition of “United States” in 26 CFR 301.7701(b)–1(c)(2)(ii); and

(3) An entity, including but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, trust, or limited liability company created, organized, or formed under the laws of the United States, any State, the District of Columbia, the Territories and Insular Possessions of the United States, or the Indian Tribes.

(c) Types of reportable accounts. For purposes of this section—

(1) Bank account. The term “bank account” means a savings deposit, demand deposit, checking, or any other account maintained with a person engaged in the business of banking.

(2) Securities account. The term “securities account” means an account with a person engaged in the business of buying, selling, holding or trading stock or other securities.

(3) Other financial account. The term “other financial account” means—

(i) An account with a person that is in the business of accepting deposits as a financial agency;

(ii) An account that is an insurance or annuity policy with a cash value;

(iii) An account with a person that acts as a broker or dealer for futures or options transactions in any commodity on or subject to the rules of a commodity exchange or association; or

(iv) An account with—

(A) Mutual fund or similar pooled fund. A mutual fund or similar pooled fund which issues shares available to the general public that have a regular net asset value determination and regular redemptions; or

(B) Other investment fund. [Reserved]

(4) Exceptions for certain accounts.

(i) An account of a department or agency of the United States, an Indian Tribe, or any State or any political subdivision of a State, or a wholly-owned entity, agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing is not required to be reported. In addition, reporting is not required with respect to an account of an entity established under the laws of the United States, of an Indian Tribe, of any State, or of any political subdivision of any State, or under an intergovernmental compact between two or more States or Indian Tribes, that exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States, an Indian Tribe, or any such State or political subdivision. For this purpose, an entity generally exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States, an Indian Tribe, a State, or a political subdivision only if its authorities include one or more of the powers to tax, to exercise the power of eminent domain, or to exercise police powers with respect to matters within its jurisdiction.

(ii) An account of an international financial institution of which the United States government is a member is not required to be reported.

(iii) An account in an institution known as a “United States military banking facility” (or “United States military finance facility”) operated by a United States financial institution designated by the United States Government to serve United States government installations abroad is not required to be reported even though the United States military banking facility is located in a foreign country.

(iv) Correspondent or nostro accounts that are maintained by banks and used solely for bank-to-bank settlements are not required to be reported.

(d) Foreign country. A foreign country includes all geographical areas located outside of the United States as defined in 31 CFR 1010(hhh).

(e) Financial interest. A financial interest in a bank, securities or other financial account in a foreign country means an interest described in this paragraph (e):

(1) Owner of record or holder of legal title. A United States person has a financial interest in each bank, securities or other financial account in a foreign country for which he is the owner of record or has legal title whether the account is maintained for his own benefit or for the benefit of others. If an account is maintained in the name of more than one person, each United States person in whose name the account is maintained has a financial interest in that account.

(2) Other financial interest. A United States person has a financial interest in each bank, securities or other financial account in a foreign country for which the owner of record or holder of legal title is—

(i) A person acting as an agent, nominee, attorney or in some other capacity on behalf of the United States person with respect to the account;

(ii) A corporation in which the United States person owns directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the voting power or the total value of the shares, a partnership in which the United States person owns directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the interest in profits or capital, or any other entity (other than an entity in paragraphs (e)(2)(iii) through (iv) of this section) in which the United States person owns directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the voting power, total value of the equity interest or assets, or interest in profits;

(iii) A trust, if the United States person is the trust grantor and has an ownership interest in the trust for United States Federal tax purposes. See 26 U.S.C. 671–679 and the regulations thereunder to determine if a grantor has an ownership interest in the trust for the year; or

(iv) A trust in which the United States person either has a present beneficial interest in more than 50 percent of the assets or from which such person receives more than 50 percent of the current income.

(3) Anti-avoidance rule. A United States person that causes an entity, including but not limited to a corporation, partnership, or trust, to be created for a purpose of evading this section shall have a financial interest in any bank, securities, or other financial account in a foreign country for which the entity is the owner of record or holder of legal title.

(f) Signature or other authority —(1) In general. Signature or other authority means the authority of an individual (alone or in conjunction with another) to control the disposition of money, funds or other assets held in a financial account by direct communication (whether in writing or otherwise) to the person with whom the financial account is maintained.

(2) Exceptions —(i) An officer or employee of a bank that is examined by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, or the National Credit Union Administration need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account owned or maintained by the bank if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account.

(ii) An officer or employee of a financial institution that is registered with and examined by the Securities and Exchange Commission or Commodity Futures Trading Commission need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account owned or maintained by such financial institution if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account.

(iii) An officer or employee of an Authorized Service Provider need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account owned or maintained by an investment company that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account. “Authorized Service Provider” means an entity that is registered with and examined by the Securities and Exchange Commission and that provides services to an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

(iv) An officer or employee of an entity with a class of equity securities listed (or American depository receipts listed) on any United States national securities exchange need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account of such entity if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account. An officer or employee of a United States subsidiary of a United States entity with a class of equity securities listed on a United States national securities exchange need not file a report concerning signature or other authority over a foreign financial account of the subsidiary if he has no financial interest in the account and the United States subsidiary is included in a consolidated report of the parent filed under this section.

(v) An officer or employee of an entity that has a class of equity securities registered (or American depository receipts in respect of equity securities registered) under section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act need not report that he has signature or other authority over the foreign financial accounts of such entity or if he has no financial interest in the accounts.

(g) Special rules —(1) Financial interest in 25 or more foreign financial accounts. A United States person having a financial interest in 25 or more foreign financial accounts need only provide the number of financial accounts and certain other basic information on the report, but will be required to provide detailed information concerning each account when so requested by the Secretary or his delegate.

(2) Signature or other authority over 25 or more foreign financial accounts. A United States person having signature or other authority over 25 or more foreign financial accounts need only provide the number of financial accounts and certain other basic information on the report, but will be required to provide detailed information concerning each account when so requested by the Secretary or his delegate.

(3) Consolidated reports. An entity that is a United States person and which owns directly or indirectly more than a 50 percent interest in one or more other entities required to report under this section will be permitted to file a consolidated report on behalf of itself and such other entities.

(4) Participants and beneficiaries in certain retirement plans. Participants and beneficiaries in retirement plans under sections 401(a), 403(a) or 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code as well as owners and beneficiaries of individual retirement accounts under section 408 of the Internal Revenue Code or Roth IRAs under section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code are not required to file an FBAR with respect to a foreign financial account held by or on behalf of the retirement plan or IRA.

(5) Certain trust beneficiaries. A beneficiary of a trust described in paragraph (e)(2)(iv) of this section is not required to report the trust's foreign financial accounts if the trust, trustee of the trust, or agent of the trust is a United States person that files a report under this section disclosing the trust's foreign financial accounts.

Sec. 1010.360 Reports of transactions with foreign financial agencies.

(a) Promulgation of reporting requirements. The Secretary, when he deems appropriate, may promulgate regulations requiring specified financial institutions to file reports of certain transactions with designated foreign financial agencies. If any such regulation is issued as a final rule without notice and opportunity for public comment, then a finding of good cause for dispensing with notice and comment in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b) will be included in the regulation. If any such regulation is not published in theFederal Register,then any financial institution subject to the regulation will be named and personally served or otherwise given actual notice in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b). If a financial institution is given notice of a reporting requirement under this section by means other than publication in theFederal Register,the Secretary may prohibit disclosure of the existence or provisions of that reporting requirement to the designated foreign financial agency or agencies and to any other party.

(b) Information subject to reporting requirements. A regulation promulgated pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section shall designate one or more of the following categories of information to be reported:

(1) Checks or drafts, including traveler's checks, received by respondent financial institution for collection or credit to the account of a foreign financial agency, sent by respondent financial institution to a foreign country for collection or payment, drawn by respondent financial institution on a foreign financial agency, drawn by a foreign financial agency on respondent financial institution—including the following information.

(i) Name of maker or drawer;

(ii) Name of drawee or drawee financial institution;

(iii) Name of payee;

(iv) Date and amount of instrument;

(v) Names of all endorsers.

(2) Transmittal orders received by a respondent financial institution from a foreign financial agency or sent by respondent financial institution to a foreign financial agency, including all information maintained by that institution pursuant to §§1010.410 and 1020.410.

(3) Loans made by respondent financial institution to or through a foreign financial agency—including the following information:

(i) Name of borrower;

(ii) Name of person acting for borrower;

(iii) Date and amount of loan;

(iv) Terms of repayment;

(v) Name of guarantor;

(vi) Rate of interest;

(vii) Method of disbursing proceeds;

(viii) Collateral for loan.

(4) Commercial paper received or shipped by the respondent financial institution—including the following information:

(i) Name of maker;

(ii) Date and amount of paper;

(iii) Due date;

(iv) Certificate number;

(v) Amount of transaction.

(5) Stocks received or shipped by respondent financial institution—including the following information:

(i) Name of corporation;

(ii) Type of stock;

(iii) Certificate number;

(iv) Number of shares;

(v) Date of certificate;

(vi) Name of registered holder;

(vii) Amount of transaction.

(6) Bonds received or shipped by respondent financial institution—including the following information:

(i) Name of issuer;

(ii) Bond number;

(iii) Type of bond series;

(iv) Date issued;

(v) Due date;

(vi) Rate of interest;

(vii) Amount of transaction;

(viii) Name of registered holder.

(7) Certificates of deposit received or shipped by respondent financial institution—including the following information:

(i) Name and address of issuer;

(ii) Date issued;

(iii) Dollar amount;

(iv) Name of registered holder;

(v) Due date;

(vi) Rate of interest;

(vii) Certificate number;

(viii) Name and address of issuing agent.

(c) Scope of reports. In issuing regulations as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, the Secretary will prescribe:

(1) A reasonable classification of financial institutions subject to or exempt from a reporting requirement;

(2) A foreign country to which a reporting requirement applies if the Secretary decides that applying the requirement to all foreign countries is unnecessary or undesirable;

(3) The magnitude of transactions subject to a reporting requirement; and

(4) The kind of transaction subject to or exempt from a reporting requirement.

(d) Form of reports. Regulations issued pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section may prescribe the manner in which the information is to be reported. However, the Secretary may authorize a designated financial institution to report in a different manner if the institution demonstrates to the Secretary that the form of the required report is unnecessarily burdensome on the institution as prescribed; that a report in a different form will provide all the information the Secretary deems necessary; and that submission of the information in a different manner will not unduly hinder the effective administration of this chapter.

(e) Limitations. (1) In issuing regulations under paragraph (a) of this section, the Secretary shall consider the need to avoid impeding or controlling the export or import of monetary instruments and the need to avoid burdening unreasonably a person making a transaction with a foreign financial agency.

(2) The Secretary shall not issue a regulation under paragraph (a) of this section for the purpose of obtaining individually identifiable account information concerning a customer, as defined by the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq. ), where that customer is already the subject of an ongoing investigation for possible violation of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, or is known by the Secretary to be the subject of an investigation for possible violation of any other Federal law.

(3) The Secretary may issue a regulation pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section requiring a financial institution to report transactions completed prior to the date it received notice of the reporting requirement. However, with respect to completed transactions, a financial institution may be required to provide information only from records required to be maintained pursuant to the requirements of this chapter, or any other provision of state or Federal law, or otherwise maintained in the regular course of business.

Sec. 1010.370 Reports of certain domestic coin and currency transactions.

(a)(1) If the Secretary of the Treasury finds, upon the Secretary's own initiative or at the request of an appropriate Federal or State law enforcement official, that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that additional recordkeeping and/or reporting requirements are necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter or to prevent persons from evading the reporting/recordkeeping requirements of this chapter, the Secretary may issue an order requiring any domestic financial institution or group of domestic financial institutions, or any domestic nonfinancial trade or business or group of domestic nonfinancial trades or businesses, in a geographic area, and any other person participating in the type of transaction, to file a report in the manner and to the extent specified in such order. The order shall contain such information as the Secretary may describe concerning any transaction in which such financial institution or group of domestic financial institutions, or domestic nonfinancial trade or business or group of domestic nonfinancial trades or businesses is involved for the payment, receipt, or transfer of funds (as the Secretary may describe in such order) the total amounts or denominations of which are equal to or greater than an amount which the Secretary may prescribe.

(2) The Secretary may, by regulation or order, require any depository institution (as defined in section 3(c) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act)—

(i) To request any financial institution or nonfinancial trade or business (other than a depository institution) which engages in any reportable transaction with the depository institution to provide the depository institution with a copy of any report filed by the financial institution or nonfinancial trade or business under the Title 31 provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act with respect to any prior transaction (between such financial institution or nonfinancial trade or business and any other person) which involved any portion of the funds which are involved in the reportable transaction with the depository institution; and

(ii) If no copy of any report described in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section is received by the depository institution in connection with any reportable transaction to which paragraph (a)(2)(i) applies, to submit (in addition to any report required under this subchapter with respect to the reportable transaction) a written notice to the Secretary that the financial institution or nonfinancial trade or business failed to provide any copy of such report.

(3) For purposes of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the term reportable transaction means any transaction involving funds (as the Secretary may describe in the regulation or order) the total amounts or denominations of which are equal to or greater than an amount which the Secretary may prescribe.

(b) An order issued under paragraph (a) of this section shall be directed to the Chief Executive Officer of the financial institution or nonfinancial trade or business and shall designate one or more of the following categories of information to be reported: Each deposit, withdrawal, exchange of funds or other payment or transfer, by, through or to such financial institution specified in the order, which involves all or any class of transactions in funds equal to or exceeding an amount specified in the order.

(c) In issuing an order under paragraph (a) of this section, the Secretary will prescribe:

(1) The dollar amount of transactions subject to the reporting requirement in the order;

(2) The type of transaction or transactions subject to or exempt from a reporting requirement in the order;

(3) The appropriate form for reporting the transactions required in the order;

(4) The address to which reports required in the order are to be sent or from which they will be picked up;

(5) The starting and ending dates by which such transactions specified in the order are to be reported;

(6) The name of a Treasury official to be contacted for any additional information or questions;

(7) The amount of time the reports and records of reports generated in response to the order will have to be retained by the financial institution; and

(8) Any other information deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of the order.

(d)(1) No order issued pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section shall prescribe a reporting period of more than 180 days unless renewed pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (a).

(2) Any revisions to an order issued under this section will not be effective until made in writing by the Secretary.

(3) Unless otherwise specified in the order, a bank receiving an order under this section may continue to use the exemptions granted under §1020.315 of this chapter prior to the receipt of the order, but may not grant additional exemptions.

(4) For purposes of this section, the term geographic area means any area in one or more States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the territories and possessions of the United States, and/or political subdivision or subdivisions thereof, as specified in an order issued pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section.

(e) No financial institution or nonfinancial trade or business or officer, director, employee, or agent of a financial institution or nonfinancial trade or business subject to an order under this section may disclose the existence of, or terms of, the order to any person except as prescribed by the Secretary.

Sec. 1010.380 Reports of beneficial ownership information

(a) Reports required; timing of reports—

(1) Initial report. Each reporting company shall file an initial report in the form and manner specified in paragraph (b) of this section as follows:

(i)(A) Any domestic reporting company created on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2025, shall file a report within 90 calendar days of the earlier of the date on which it receives actual notice that its creation has become effective or the date on which a secretary of state or similar office first provides public notice, such as through a publicly accessible registry, that the domestic reporting company has been created.

(B) Any domestic reporting company created on or after January 1, 2025, shall file a report within 30 calendar days of the earlier of the date on which it receives actual notice that its creation has become effective or the date on which a secretary of state or similar office first provides public notice, such as through a publicly accessible registry, that the domestic reporting company has been created.

(ii) (A) Any entity that becomes a foreign reporting company on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2025, shall file a report within 90 calendar days of the earlier of the date on which it receives actual notice that it has been registered to do business or the date on which a secretary of state or similar office first provides public notice, such as through a publicly accessible registry, that the foreign reporting company has been registered to do business.

(B) Any entity that becomes a foreign reporting company on or after January 1, 2025, shall file a report within 30 calendar days of the earlier of the date on which it receives actual notice that it has been registered to do business or the date on which a secretary of state or similar office first provides public notice, such as through a publicly accessible registry, that the foreign reporting company has been registered to do business.

(iii) Any domestic reporting company created before January 1, 2024 and any entity that became a foreign reporting company before January 1, 2024 shall file a report not later than January 1, 2025.

(iv) Any entity that no longer meets the criteria for any exemption under paragraph (c)(2) of this section shall file a report within 30 calendar days after the date that it no longer meets the criteria for any exemption.

(2) Updated report.

(i) If there is any change with respect to required information previously submitted to FinCEN concerning a reporting company or its beneficial owners, including any change with respect to who is a beneficial owner or information reported for any particular beneficial owner, the reporting company shall file an updated report in the form and manner specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section within 30 calendar days after the date on which such change occurs.

(ii) If a reporting company meets the criteria for any exemption under paragraph (c)(2) of this section subsequent to the filing of an initial report, this change will be deemed a change with respect to information previously submitted to FinCEN, and the entity shall file an updated report.

(iii) If an individual is a beneficial owner of a reporting company by virtue of property interests or other rights subject to transfer upon death, and such individual dies, a change with respect to required information will be deemed to occur when the estate of the deceased beneficial owner is settled, either through the operation of the intestacy laws of a jurisdiction within the United States or through a testamentary deposition. The updated report shall, to the extent appropriate, identify any new beneficial owners.

(iv) If a reporting company has reported information with respect to a parent or legal guardian of a minor child pursuant to paragraphs (b)(2)(ii) and (d)(3)(i) of this section, a change with respect to required information will be deemed to occur when the minor child attains the age of majority.

(v) With respect to an image of an identifying document required to be reported pursuant to paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(E) of this section, a change with respect to required information will be deemed to occur when the name, date of birth, address, or unique identifying number on such document changes.

(3) Corrected report. If any report under this section was inaccurate when filed and remains inaccurate, the reporting company shall file a corrected report in the form and manner specified in paragraph (b) of this section within 30 calendar days after the date on which such reporting company becomes aware or has reason to know of the inaccuracy. A corrected report filed under this paragraph (a)(3) within this 30-day period shall be deemed to satisfy 31 U.S.C. 5336(h)(3)(C)(i)(I)(bb) if filed within 90 calendar days after the date on which the inaccurate report was filed.

(b) Content, form, and manner of reports. Each report or application submitted under this section shall be filed with FinCEN in the form and manner that FinCEN shall prescribe in the forms and instructions for such report or application, and each person filing such report or application shall certify that the report or application is true, correct, and complete.

(1) Initial report. An initial report of a reporting company shall include the following information:

(i) For the reporting company:

(A) The full legal name of the reporting company;

(B) Any trade name or “doing business as” name of the reporting company;

(C) A complete current address consisting of:

(1) In the case of a reporting company with a principal place of business in the United States, the street address of such principal place of business; and

(2) In all other cases, the street address of the primary location in the United States where the reporting company conducts business;

(D) The State, Tribal, or foreign jurisdiction of formation of the reporting company;

(E) For a foreign reporting company, the State or Tribal jurisdiction where such company first registers; and

(F) The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) (including an Employer Identification Number (EIN)) of the reporting company, or where a foreign reporting company has not been issued a TIN, a tax identification number issued by a foreign jurisdiction and the name of such jurisdiction;

(ii) For every individual who is a beneficial owner of such reporting company, and every individual who is a company applicant with respect to such reporting company:

(A) The full legal name of the individual;

(B) The date of birth of the individual;

(C) A complete current address consisting of:

(1) In the case of a company applicant who forms or registers an entity in the course of such company applicant's business, the street address of such business; or

(2) In any other case, the individual's residential street address;

(D) A unique identifying number and the issuing jurisdiction from one of the following documents:

(1) A non-expired passport issued to the individual by the United States government;

(2) A non-expired identification document issued to the individual by a State, local government, or Indian tribe for the purpose of identifying the individual;

(3) A non-expired driver's license issued to the individual by a State; or

(4) A non-expired passport issued by a foreign government to the individual, if the individual does not possess any of the documents described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(D)(1), (b)(1)(ii)(D)(2), or (b)(1)(ii)(D)(3) of this section; and

(E) An image of the document from which the unique identifying number in paragraph (b)(1)(ii)(D) of this section was obtained.

(2) Special rules—(i) Reporting company owned by exempt entity. If one or more exempt entities under paragraph (c)(2) of this section has or will have a direct or indirect ownership interest in a reporting company and an individual is a beneficial owner of the reporting company exclusively by virtue of the individual's ownership interest in such exempt entities, the report may include the names of the exempt entities in lieu of the information required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section with respect to such beneficial owner.

(ii) Minor child. If a reporting company reports the information required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section with respect to a parent or legal guardian of a minor child consistent with paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section, then the report shall indicate that such information relates to a parent or legal guardian.

(iii) Foreign pooled investment vehicle. If an entity would be a reporting company but for paragraph (c)(2)(xviii) of this section, and is formed under the laws of a foreign country, such entity shall be deemed a reporting company for purposes of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, except the report shall include the information required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section solely with respect to an individual who exercises substantial control over the entity. If more than one individual exercises substantial control over the entity, the entity shall report information with respect to the individual who has the greatest authority over the strategic management of the entity.

(iv) Company applicant for existing companies. Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section, if a reporting company was created or registered before January 1, 2024, the reporting company shall report that fact, but is not required to report information with respect to any company applicant.

(3) Contents of updated or corrected reports—(i) Updated reports—in general. An updated report required to be filed pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of this section shall reflect any change with respect to required information previously submitted to FinCEN concerning a reporting company or its beneficial owners.

(ii) Updated reports—newly exempt entities. An updated report required to be filed pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section shall indicate that the filing entity is no longer a reporting company.

(iii) Corrected reports. A corrected report required to be filed pursuant to paragraph (a)(3) of this section shall correct all inaccuracies in the information previously reported to FinCEN.

(4) FinCEN identifier—(i) Application. (A) An individual may obtain a FinCEN identifier by submitting to FinCEN an application containing the information about the individual described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(B) A reporting company may obtain a FinCEN identifier by submitting to FinCEN an application at or after the time that the entity submits an initial report required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(C) Each FinCEN identifier shall be specific to each such individual or reporting company, and each such individual or reporting company (including any successor reporting company) may obtain only one FinCEN identifier.

(ii) Use of the FinCEN identifier. (A) If an individual has obtained a FinCEN identifier and provided such FinCEN identifier to a reporting company, the reporting company may include such FinCEN identifier in its report in lieu of the information required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section with respect to such individual.

(B) A reporting company may report another entity’s FinCEN identifier and full legal name in lieu of the information required under paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section with respect to the beneficial owners of the reporting company only if:

(1) The other entity has obtained a FinCEN identifier and provided that FinCEN identifier to the reporting company;

(2) An individual is or may be a beneficial owner of the reporting company by virtue of an interest in the reporting company that the individual holds through an ownership interest in the other entity; and

(3) The beneficial owners of the other entity and of the reporting company are the same individuals.

(iii) Updates and corrections. (A) Any individual that has obtained a FinCEN identifier shall update or correct any information previously submitted to FinCEN in an application for such FinCEN identifier.

(1) If there is any change with respect to required information previously submitted to FinCEN in such application, the individual shall file an updated application reflecting such change within 30 calendar days after the date on which such change occurs.

(2) If any such application was inaccurate when filed and remains inaccurate, the individual shall file a corrected application correcting all inaccuracies within 30 calendar days after the date on which the individual becomes aware or has reason to know of the inaccuracy. A corrected application filed under this paragraph within this 30-day period will be deemed to satisfy 31 U.S.C. 5336(h)(3)(C)(i)(I)(bb) if filed within 90 calendar days after the date on which the inaccurate application was submitted.

(B) Any reporting company that has obtained a FinCEN identifier shall file an updated or corrected report to update or correct any information previously submitted to FinCEN. Such updated or corrected report shall be filed at the same time and in the same manner as updated or corrected reports filed under paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Reporting company— (1) Definition of reporting company. For purposes of this section, the term “reporting company” means either a domestic reporting company or a foreign reporting company.

(i) The term “domestic reporting company” means any entity that is:

(A) A corporation;

(B) A limited liability company; or

(C) Created by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or any similar office under the law of a State or Indian tribe.

(ii) The term “foreign reporting company” means any entity that is:

(A) A corporation, limited liability company, or other entity;

(B) Formed under the law of a foreign country; and

(C) Registered to do business in any State or tribal jurisdiction by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or any similar office under the law of a State or Indian tribe.

(2) Exemptions. Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the term “reporting company” does not include:

(i) Securities reporting issuer. Any issuer of securities that is:

(A) An issuer of a class of securities registered under section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78l); or

(B) Required to file supplementary and periodic information under section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o(d)).

(ii) Governmental authority. Any entity that:

(A) Is established under the laws of the United States, an Indian tribe, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or under an interstate compact between two or more States; and

(B) Exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States or any such Indian tribe, State, or political subdivision.

(iii) Bank. Any bank, as defined in:

(A) Section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

(B) Section 2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)); or

(C) Section 202(a) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-2(a)).

(iv) Credit union. Any Federal credit union or State credit union, as those terms are defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752).

(v) Depository institution holding company. Any bank holding company as defined in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841), or any savings and loan holding company as defined in section 10(a) of the Home Owners' Loan Act (12 U.S.C. 1467a(a)).

(vi) Money services business. Any money transmitting business registered with FinCEN under 31 U.S.C. 5330, and any money services business registered with FinCEN under 31 CFR 1022.380.

(vii) Broker or dealer in securities. Any broker or dealer, as those terms are defined in section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c), that is registered under section 15 of that Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).

(viii) Securities exchange or clearing agency. Any exchange or clearing agency, as those terms are defined in section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c), that is registered under sections 6 or 17A of that Act (15 U.S.C. 78f, 78q-1).

(ix) Other Exchange Act registered entity. Any other entity not described in paragraph (c)(2)(i), (vii), or (viii) of this section that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).

(x) Investment company or investment adviser. Any entity that is:

(A) An investment company as defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3), or is an investment adviser as defined in section 202 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-2); and

(B) Registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.) or the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.).

(xi) Venture capital fund adviser. Any investment adviser that:

(A) Is described in section 203(l) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-3(l)); and

(B) Has filed Item 10, Schedule A, and Schedule B of Part 1A of Form ADV, or any successor thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(xii) Insurance company. Any insurance company as defined in section 2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-2).

(xiii) State-licensed insurance producer. Any entity that:

(A) Is an insurance producer that is authorized by a State and subject to supervision by the insurance commissioner or a similar official or agency of a State; and

(B) Has an operating presence at a physical office within the United States.

(xiv) Commodity Exchange Act registered entity. Any entity that:

(A) Is a registered entity as defined in section 1a of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a); or

(B) Is:

(1) A futures commission merchant, introducing broker, swap dealer, major swap participant, commodity pool operator, or commodity trading advisor, each as defined in section 1a of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a), or a retail foreign exchange dealer as described in section 2(c)(2)(B) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 2(c)(2)(B); and

(2) Registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act.

(xv) Accounting firm. Any public accounting firm registered in accordance with section 102 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (15 U.S.C. 7212).

(xvi) Public utility. Any entity that is a regulated public utility as defined in 26 U.S.C. 7701(a)(33)(A) that provides telecommunications services, electrical power, natural gas, or water and sewer services within the United States.

(xvii) Financial market utility. Any financial market utility designated by the Financial Stability Oversight Council under section 804 of the Payment, Clearing, and Settlement Supervision Act of 2010 (12 U.S.C. 5463).

(xviii) Pooled investment vehicle. Any pooled investment vehicle that is operated or advised by a person described in paragraph (c)(2)(iii), (iv), (vii), (x), or (xi) of this section.

(xix) Tax-exempt entity. Any entity that is:

(A) An organization that is described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Code) (determined without regard to section 508(a) of the Code) and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of the Code, except that in the case of any such organization that ceases to be described in section 501(c) and exempt from tax under section 501(a), such organization shall be considered to continue to be described in this paragraph (c)(1)(xix)(A) for the 180-day period beginning on the date of the loss of such tax-exempt status;

(B) A political organization, as defined in section 527(e)(1) of the Code, that is exempt from tax under section 527(a) of the Code; or

(C) A trust described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 4947(a) of the Code.

(xx) Entity assisting a tax-exempt entity. Any entity that:

(A) Operates exclusively to provide financial assistance to, or hold governance rights over, any entity described in paragraph (c)(2)(xix) of this section;

(B) Is a United States person;

(C) Is beneficially owned or controlled exclusively by one or more United States persons that are United States citizens or lawfully admitted for permanent residence; and

(D) Derives at least a majority of its funding or revenue from one or more United States persons that are United States citizens or lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

(xxi) Large operating company. Any entity that:

(A) Employs more than 20 full time employees in the United States, with “full time employee in the United States” having the meaning provided in 26 CFR 54.4980H-1(a) and 54.4980H-3, except that the term “United States” as used in 26 CFR 54.4980H-1(a) and 54.4980H-3 has the meaning provided in § 1010.100(hhh);

(B) Has an operating presence at a physical office within the United States; and

(C) Filed a Federal income tax or information return in the United States for the previous year demonstrating more than $5,000,000 in gross receipts or sales, as reported as gross receipts or sales (net of returns and allowances) on the entity's IRS Form 1120, consolidated IRS Form 1120, IRS Form 1120-S, IRS Form 1065, or other applicable IRS form, excluding gross receipts or sales from sources outside the United States, as determined under Federal income tax principles. For an entity that is part of an affiliated group of corporations within the meaning of 26 U.S.C. 1504 that filed a consolidated return, the applicable amount shall be the amount reported on the consolidated return for such group.

(xxii) Subsidiary of certain exempt entities. Any entity whose ownership interests are controlled or wholly owned, directly or indirectly, by one or more entities described in paragraphs (c)(2)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi), (xvii), (xix), or (xxi) of this section.

(xxiii) Inactive entity. Any entity that:

(A) Was in existence on or before January 1, 2020;

(B) Is not engaged in active business;

(C) Is not owned by a foreign person, whether directly or indirectly, wholly or partially;

(D) Has not experienced any change in ownership in the preceding twelve month period;

(E) Has not sent or received any funds in an amount greater than $1,000, either directly or through any financial account in which the entity or any affiliate of the entity had an interest, in the preceding twelve month period; and

(F) Does not otherwise hold any kind or type of assets, whether in the United States or abroad, including any ownership interest in any corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity.

(d) Beneficial owner. For purposes of this section, the term “beneficial owner,” with respect to a reporting company, means any individual who, directly or indirectly, either exercises substantial control over such reporting company or owns or controls at least 25 percent of the ownership interests of such reporting company.

(1) Substantial control—(i) Definition of substantial control. An individual exercises substantial control over a reporting company if the individual:

(A) Serves as a senior officer of the reporting company;

(B) Has authority over the appointment or removal of any senior officer or a majority of the board of directors (or similar body);

(C) Directs, determines, or has substantial influence over important decisions made by the reporting company, including decisions regarding:

(1) The nature, scope, and attributes of the business of the reporting company, including the sale, lease, mortgage, or other transfer of any principal assets of the reporting company;

(2) The reorganization, dissolution, or merger of the reporting company;

(3) Major expenditures or investments, issuances of any equity, incurrence of any significant debt, or approval of the operating budget of the reporting company;

(4) The selection or termination of business lines or ventures, or geographic focus, of the reporting company;

(5) Compensation schemes and incentive programs for senior officers;

(6) The entry into or termination, or the fulfillment or non-fulfillment, of significant contracts;

(7) Amendments of any substantial governance documents of the reporting company, including the articles of incorporation or similar formation documents, bylaws, and significant policies or procedures; or

(D) Has any other form of substantial control over the reporting company.

(ii) Direct or indirect exercise of substantial control. An individual may directly or indirectly, including as a trustee of a trust or similar arrangement, exercise substantial control over a reporting company through:

(A) Board representation;

(B) Ownership or control of a majority of the voting power or voting rights of the reporting company;

(C) Rights associated with any financing arrangement or interest in a company;

(D) Control over one or more intermediary entities that separately or collectively exercise substantial control over a reporting company;

(E) Arrangements or financial or business relationships, whether formal or informal, with other individuals or entities acting as nominees; or

(F) any other contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise.

(2) Ownership Interests—(i) Definition of ownership interest. The term “ownership interest” means:

(A) Any equity, stock, or similar instrument; preorganization certificate or subscription; or transferable share of, or voting trust certificate or certificate of deposit for, an equity security, interest in a joint venture, or certificate of interest in a business trust; in each such case, without regard to whether any such instrument is transferable, is classified as stock or anything similar, or confers voting power or voting rights;

(B) Any capital or profit interest in an entity;

(C) Any instrument convertible, with or without consideration, into any share or instrument described in paragraph (d)(2)(i)(A), or (B) of this section, any future on any such instrument, or any warrant or right to purchase, sell, or subscribe to a share or interest described in paragraph (d)(2)(i)(A), or (B) of this section, regardless of whether characterized as debt;

(D) Any put, call, straddle, or other option or privilege of buying or selling any of the items described in paragraph (d)(2)(i)(A), (B), or (C) of this section without being bound to do so, except to the extent that such option or privilege is created and held by a third party or third parties without the knowledge or involvement of the reporting company; or

(E) Any other instrument, contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or mechanism used to establish ownership.

(ii) Ownership or control of ownership interest. An individual may directly or indirectly own or control an ownership interest of a reporting company through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise, including:

(A) Joint ownership with one or more other persons of an undivided interest in such ownership interest;

(B) Through another individual acting as a nominee, intermediary, custodian, or agent on behalf of such individual;

(C) With regard to a trust or similar arrangement that holds such ownership interest:

(1) As a trustee of the trust or other individual (if any) with the authority to dispose of trust assets;

(2) As a beneficiary who:

(i) Is the sole permissible recipient of income and principal from the trust; or

(ii) Has the right to demand a distribution of or withdraw substantially all of the assets from the trust; or

(3) As a grantor or settlor who has the right to revoke the trust or otherwise withdraw the assets of the trust; or

(D) Through ownership or control of one or more intermediary entities, or ownership or control of the ownership interests of any such entities, that separately or collectively own or control ownership interests of the reporting company.

(iii) Calculation of the total ownership interests of a reporting company. In determining whether an individual owns or controls at least 25 percent of the ownership interests of a reporting company, the total ownership interests that an individual owns or controls, directly or indirectly, shall be calculated as a percentage of the total outstanding ownership interests of the reporting company as follows:

(A) Ownership interests of the individual shall be calculated at the present time, and any options or similar interests of the individual shall be treated as exercised;

(B) For reporting companies that issue capital or profit interests (including entities treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes), the individual's ownership interests are the individual's capital and profit interests in the entity, calculated as a percentage of the total outstanding capital and profit interests of the entity;

(C) For corporations, entities treated as corporations for federal income tax purposes, and other reporting companies that issue shares of stock, the applicable percentage shall be the greater of:

(1) the total combined voting power of all classes of ownership interests of the individual as a percentage of total outstanding voting power of all classes of ownership interests entitled to vote, or

(2) the total combined value of the ownership interests of the individual as a percentage of the total outstanding value of all classes of ownership interests; and

(D) If the facts and circumstances do not permit the calculations described in either paragraph (d)(2)(iii)(B) or (C) to be performed with reasonable certainty, any individual who owns or controls 25 percent or more of any class or type of ownership interest of a reporting company shall be deemed to own or control 25 percent or more of the ownership interests of the reporting company.

(3) Exceptions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph (d), the term “beneficial owner” does not include:

(i) A minor child, as defined under the law of the State or Indian tribe in which a domestic reporting company is created or a foreign reporting company is first registered, provided the reporting company reports the required information of a parent or legal guardian of the minor child as specified in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section;

(ii) An individual acting as a nominee, intermediary, custodian, or agent on behalf of another individual;

(iii) An employee of a reporting company, acting solely as an employee, whose substantial control over or economic benefits from such entity are derived solely from the employment status of the employee, provided that such person is not a senior officer as defined in paragraph (f)(8) of this section;

(iv) An individual whose only interest in a reporting company is a future interest through a right of inheritance;

(v) A creditor of a reporting company. For purposes of this paragraph (d)(3)(v), a creditor is an individual who meets the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section solely through rights or interests for the payment of a predetermined sum of money, such as a debt incurred by the reporting company, or a loan covenant or other similar right associated with such right to receive payment that is intended to secure the right to receive payment or enhance the likelihood of repayment.

(e) Company applicant. For purposes of this section, the term “company applicant” means:

(1) For a domestic reporting company, the individual who directly files the document that creates the domestic reporting company as described in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section;

(2) For a foreign reporting company, the individual who directly files the document that first registers the foreign reporting company as described in paragraph (c)(1)(ii) of this section; and

(3) Whether for a domestic or a foreign reporting company, the individual who is primarily responsible for directing or controlling such filing if more than one individual is involved in the filing of the document.

(f) Definitions. For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings.

(1) Employee. The term “employee” has the meaning given the term in 26 CFR 54.4980H-1(a)(15).

(2) FinCEN identifier. The term “FinCEN identifier” means the unique identifying number assigned by FinCEN to an individual or reporting company under this section.

(3) Foreign person. The term “foreign person” means a person who is not a United States person.

(4) Indian tribe. The term “Indian tribe” has the meaning given the term “Indian tribe” in section 102 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5130).

(5) Lawfully admitted for permanent residence. The term “lawfully admitted for permanent residence” has the meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).

(6) Operating presence at a physical office within the United States. The term “has an operating presence at a physical office within the United States” means that an entity regularly conducts its business at a physical location in the United States that the entity owns or leases and that is physically distinct from the place of business of any other unaffiliated entity.

(7) Pooled investment vehicle. The term “pooled investment vehicle” means:

(i) Any investment company, as defined in section 3(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3(a)); or

(ii) Any company that:

(A) Would be an investment company under that section but for the exclusion provided from that definition by paragraph (1) or (7) of section 3(c) of that Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-3(c)); and

(B) Is identified by its legal name by the applicable investment adviser in its Form ADV (or successor form) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or will be so identified in the next annual updating amendment to Form ADV required to be filed by the applicable investment adviser pursuant to rule 204-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (17 CFR 275.204-1).

(8) Senior officer. The term “senior officer” means any individual holding the position or exercising the authority of a president, chief financial officer, general counsel, chief executive officer, chief operating officer, or any other officer, regardless of official title, who performs a similar function.

(9) State. The term “State” means any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

(10) United States person. The term “United States person” has the meaning given the term in section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(g) Reporting violations. It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully provide, or attempt to provide, false or fraudulent beneficial ownership information, including a false or fraudulent identifying photograph or document, to FinCEN in accordance with this section, or to willfully fail to report complete or updated beneficial ownership information to FinCEN in accordance with this section. For purposes of this paragraph (g):

(1) The term “person” includes any individual, reporting company, or other entity.

(2) The term “beneficial ownership information” includes any information provided to FinCEN under this section.

(3) A person provides or attempts to provide beneficial ownership information to FinCEN if such person does so directly or indirectly, including by providing such information to another person for purposes of a report or application under this section.

(4) A person fails to report complete or updated beneficial ownership information to FinCEN if, with respect to an entity:

(i) such entity is required, pursuant to title 31, United States Code, section 5336, or its implementing regulations, to report information to FinCEN;

(ii) the reporting company fails to report such information to FinCEN; and

(iii) such person either causes the failure, or is a senior officer of the entity at the time of the failure.

This section added, effective January 1, 2024, by a final rule published by FinCEN on September 30, 2022, at 87 FR 59498, and amended by rules published on November 8, 2023, at 87 FR 76995 and on November 30, 2023, at 88 FR 83499.

Subpart D--Records Required To Be Maintained

Sec. 1010.400 General

Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to its Chapter X Part for any additional recordkeeping requirements. Unless otherwise indicated, the recordkeeping requirements contained in this Subpart D apply to all financial institutions.

Sec. 1010.401 Determination by the Secretary.

The Secretary hereby determines that the records required to be kept by this chapter have a high degree of usefulness in criminal, tax, or regulatory investigations or proceedings.

Sec. 1010.405 [Reserved]

Sec. 1010.410 Records to be made and retained by financial institutions.

Each financial institution shall retain either the original or a copy or reproduction of each of the following:

(a) A record of each extension of credit in an amount in excess of $10,000, except an extension of credit secured by an interest in real property, which record shall contain the name and address of the person to whom the extension of credit is made, the amount thereof, the nature or purpose thereof, and the date thereof;

(b) A record of each advice, request, or instruction received or given regarding any transaction resulting (or intended to result and later canceled if such a record is normally made) in the transfer of currency or other monetary instruments, funds, checks, investment securities, or credit, of more than $10,000 to or from any person, account, or place outside the United States.

(c) A record of each advice, request, or instruction given to another financial institution or other person located within or without the United States, regarding a transaction intended to result in the transfer of funds, or of currency, other monetary instruments, checks, investment securities, or credit, of more than $10,000 to a person, account or place outside the United States.

(d) A record of such information for such period of time as the Secretary may require in an order issued under §1010.370(a), not to exceed five years.

(e) Nonbank financial institutions. Each agent, agency, branch, or office located within the United States of a financial institution other than a bank is subject to the requirements of this paragraph (e) with respect to a transmittal of funds in the amount of $3,000 or more:

(1) Recordkeeping requirements. (i) For each transmittal order that it accepts as a transmittor's financial institution, a financial institution shall obtain and retain either the original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the following information relating to the transmittal order:

(A) The name and address of the transmittor;

(B) The amount of the transmittal order;

(C) The execution date of the transmittal order;

(D) Any payment instructions received from the transmittor with the transmittal order;

(E) The identity of the recipient's financial institution;

(F) As many of the following items as are received with the transmittal order:¹

¹ For transmittals of funds effected through the Federal Reserve's Fedwire funds transfer system by a domestic broker or dealers in securities, only one of the items is required to be retained, if received with the transmittal order, until such time as the bank that sends the order to the Federal Reserve Bank completes its conversion to the expanded Fedwire message format.

(1) The name and address of the recipient;

(2) The account number of the recipient; and

(3) Any other specific identifier of the recipient; and

(G) Any form relating to the transmittal of funds that is completed or signed by the person placing the transmittal order.

(ii) For each transmittal order that it accepts as an intermediary financial institution, a financial institution shall retain either the original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the transmittal order.

(iii) For each transmittal order that it accepts as a recipient's financial institution, a financial institution shall retain either the original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the transmittal order.

(2) Transmittors other than established customers. In the case of a transmittal order from a transmittor that is not an established customer, in addition to obtaining and retaining the information required in paragraph (e)(1)(i) of this section:

(i) If the transmittal order is made in person, prior to acceptance the transmittor's financial institution shall verify the identity of the person placing the transmittal order. If it accepts the transmittal order, the transmittor's financial institution shall obtain and retain a record of the name and address, the type of identification reviewed, and the number of the identification document ( e.g., driver's license), as well as a record of the person's taxpayer identification number ( e.g., social security or employer identification number) or, if none, alien identification number or passport number and country of issuance, or a notation in the record of the lack thereof. If the transmittor's financial institution has knowledge that the person placing the transmittal order is not the transmittor, the transmittor's financial institution shall obtain and retain a record of the transmittor's taxpayer identification number ( e.g., social security or employer identification number) or, if none, alien identification number or passport number and country of issuance, if known by the person placing the order, or a notation in the record of the lack thereof.

(ii) If the transmittal order accepted by the transmittor's financial institution is not made in person, the transmittor's financial institution shall obtain and retain a record of the name and address of the person placing the transmittal order, as well as the person's taxpayer identification number ( e.g., social security or employer identification number) or, if none, alien identification number or passport number and country of issuance, or a notation in the record of the lack thereof, and a copy or record of the method of payment ( e.g., check or credit card transaction) for the transmittal of funds. If the transmittor's financial institution has knowledge that the person placing the transmittal order is not the transmittor, the transmittor's financial institution shall obtain and retain a record of the transmittor's taxpayer identification number ( e.g., social security or employer identification number) or, if none, alien identification number or passport number and country of issuance, if known by the person placing the order, or a notation in the record of the lack thereof.

(3) Recipients other than established customers. For each transmittal order that it accepts as a recipient's financial institution for a recipient that is not an established customer, in addition to obtaining and retaining the information required in paragraph (e)(1)(iii) of this section:

(i) If the proceeds are delivered in person to the recipient or its representative or agent, the recipient's financial institution shall verify the identity of the person receiving the proceeds and shall obtain and retain a record of the name and address, the type of identification reviewed, and the number of the identification document ( e.g., driver's license), as well as a record of the person's taxpayer identification number ( e.g., social security or employer identification number) or, if none, alien identification number or passport number and country of issuance, or a notation in the record of the lack thereof. If the recipient's financial institution has knowledge that the person receiving the proceeds is not the recipient, the recipient's financial institution shall obtain and retain a record of the recipient's name and address, as well as the recipient's taxpayer identification number ( e.g., social security or employer identification number) or, if none, alien identification number or passport number and country of issuance, if known by the person receiving the proceeds, or a notation in the record of the lack thereof.

(ii) If the proceeds are delivered other than in person, the recipient's financial institution shall retain a copy of the check or other instrument used to effect payment, or the information contained thereon, as well as the name and address of the person to which it was sent.

(4) Retrievability. The information that a transmittor's financial institution must retain under paragraphs (e)(1)(i) and (e)(2) of this section shall be retrievable by the transmittor's financial institution by reference to the name of the transmittor. If the transmittor is an established customer of the transmittor's financial institution and has an account used for transmittals of funds, then the information also shall be retrievable by account number. The information that a recipient's financial institution must retain under paragraphs (e)(1)(iii) and (e)(3) of this section shall be retrievable by the recipient's financial institution by reference to the name of the recipient. If the recipient is an established customer of the recipient's financial institution and has an account used for transmittals of funds, then the information also shall be retrievable by account number. This information need not be retained in any particular manner, so long as the financial institution is able to retrieve the information required by this paragraph, either by accessing transmittal of funds records directly or through reference to some other record maintained by the financial institution.

(5) Verification. Where verification is required under paragraphs (e)(2) and (e)(3) of this section, a financial institution shall verify a person's identity by examination of a document (other than a customer signature card), preferably one that contains the person's name, address, and photograph, that is normally acceptable by financial institutions as a means of identification when cashing checks for persons other than established customers. Verification of the identity of an individual who indicates that he or she is an alien or is not a resident of the United States may be made by passport, alien identification card, or other official document evidencing nationality or residence ( e.g., a foreign driver's license with indication of home address).

(6) Exceptions. The following transmittals of funds are not subject to the requirements of this section:

(i) Transmittals of funds where the transmittor and the recipient are any of the following:

(A) A bank;

(B) A wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of a bank chartered in the United States;

(C) A broker or dealer in securities;

(D) A wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of a broker or dealer in securities;

(E) A futures commission merchant or an introducing broker in commodities;

(F) A wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of a futures commission merchant or an introducing broker in commodities;

(G) The United States;

(H) A state or local government; or

(I) A Federal, State or local government agency or instrumentality; or

(J) A mutual fund; and

(ii) Transmittals of funds where both the transmittor and the recipient are the same person and the transmittor's financial institution and the recipient's financial institution are the same broker or dealer in securities.

(f) Any transmittor's financial institution or intermediary financial institution located within the United States shall include in any transmittal order for a transmittal of funds in the amount of $3,000 or more, information as required in this paragraph (f):

(1) A transmittor's financial institution shall include in a transmittal order, at the time it is sent to a receiving financial institution, the following information:

(i) The name and, if the payment is ordered from an account, the account number of the transmittor;

(ii) The address of the transmittor, except for a transmittal order through Fedwire until such time as the bank that sends the order to the Federal Reserve Bank completes its conversion to the expanded Fedwire format;

(iii) The amount of the transmittal order;

(iv) The execution date of the transmittal order;

(v) The identity of the recipient's financial institution;

(vi) As many of the following items as are received with the transmittal order:²

² For transmittals of funds effected through the Federal Reserve's Fedwire funds transfer system by a financial institution, only one of the items is required to be included in the transmittal order, if received with the sender's transmittal order, until such time as the bank that sends the order to the Federal Reserve Bank completes its conversion to the expanded Fedwire message format.

(A) The name and address of the recipient;

(B) The account number of the recipient;

(C) Any other specific identifier of the recipient; and

(vii) Either the name and address or numerical identifier of the transmittor's financial institution.

(2) A receiving financial institution that acts as an intermediary financial institution, if it accepts a transmittal order, shall include in a corresponding transmittal order at the time it is sent to the next receiving financial institution, the following information, if received from the sender:

(i) The name and the account number of the transmittor;

(ii) The address of the transmittor, except for a transmittal order through Fedwire until such time as the bank that sends the order to the Federal Reserve Bank completes its conversion to the expanded Fedwire format;

(iii) The amount of the transmittal order;

(iv) The execution date of the transmittal order;

(v) The identity of the recipient's financial institution;

(vi) As many of the following items as are received with the transmittal order:³

³ For transmittals of funds effected through the Federal Reserve's Fedwire funds transfer system by a financial institution, only one of the items is required to be included in the transmittal order, if received with the sender's transmittal order, until such time as the bank that sends the order to the Federal Reserve Bank completes its conversion to the expanded Fedwire message format.

(A) The name and address of the recipient;

(B) The account number of the recipient;

(C) Any other specific identifier of the recipient; and

(vii) Either the name and address or numerical identifier of the transmittor's financial institution.

(3) Safe harbor for transmittals of funds prior to conversion to the expanded Fedwire message format. The following provisions apply to transmittals of funds effected through the Federal Reserve's Fedwire funds transfer system or otherwise by a financial institution before the bank that sends the order to the Federal Reserve Bank or otherwise completes its conversion to the expanded Fedwire message format.

(i) Transmittor's financial institution. A transmittor's financial institution will be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (f)(1) of this section if it:

(A) Includes in the transmittal order, at the time it is sent to the receiving financial institution, the information specified in paragraphs (f)(1)(iii) through (v), and the information specified in paragraph (f)(1)(vi) of this section to the extent that such information has been received by the financial institution, and

(B) Provides the information specified in paragraphs (f)(1)(i), (ii) and (vii) of this section to a financial institution that acted as an intermediary financial institution or recipient's financial institution in connection with the transmittal order, within a reasonable time afte any such financial institution makes a request therefor in connection with the requesting financial institution's receipt of a lawful request for such information from a Federal, State, or local law enforcement or financial regulatory agency, or in connection with the requesting financial institution's own Bank Secrecy Act compliance program.

(ii) Intermediary financial institution. An intermediary financial institution will be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (f)(2) of this section if it:

(A) Includes in the transmittal order, at the time it is sent to the receiving financial institution, the information specified in paragraphs (f)(2)(iii) through (f)(2)(vi) of this section, to the extent that such information has been received by the intermediary financial institution; and

(B) Provides the information specified in paragraphs (f)(2)(i), (ii) and (vii) of this section, to the extent that such information has been received by the intermediary financial institution, to a financial institution that acted as an intermediary financial institution or recipient's financial institution in connection with the transmittal order, within a reasonable time after any such financial institution makes a request therefor in connection with the requesting financial institution's receipt of a lawful request for such information from a Federal, State, or local law enforcement or regulatory agency, or in connection with the requesting financial institution's own Bank Secrecy Act compliance program.

(iii) Obligation of requesting financial institution. Any information requested under paragraph (f)(3)(i)(B) or (f)(3)(ii)(B) of this section shall be treated by the requesting institution, once received, as if it had been included in the transmittal order to which such information relates.

(4) Exceptions. The requirements of this paragraph (f) shall not apply to transmittals of funds that are listed in paragraph (e)(6) of this section or §1020.410(a)(6) of this chapter.

Sec. 1010.415 Purchases of bank checks and drafts, cashier's checks, money orders and traveler's checks

a) No financial institution may issue or sell a bank check or draft, cashier's check, money order or traveler's check for $3,000 or more in currency unless it maintains records of the following information, which must be obtained for each issuance or sale of one or more of these instruments to any individual purchaser which involves currency in amounts of $3,000–$10,000 inclusive:

(1) If the purchaser has a deposit account with the financial institution:

(i)(A) The name of the purchaser;

(B) The date of purchase;

(C) The type(s) of instrument(s) purchased;

(D) The serial number(s) of each of the instrument(s) purchased; and

(E) The amount in dollars of each of the instrument(s) purchased.

(ii) In addition, the financial institution must verify that the individual is a deposit accountholder or must verify the individual's identity. Verification may be either through a signature card or other file or record at the financial institution provided the deposit accountholder's name and address were verified previously and that information was recorded on the signature card or other file or record; or by examination of a document which is normally acceptable within the banking community as a means of identification when cashing checks for nondepositors and which contains the name and address of the purchaser. If the deposit accountholder's identity has not been verified previously, the financial institution shall verify the deposit accountholder's identity by examination of a document which is normally acceptable within the banking community as a means of identification when cashing checks for nondepositors and which contains the name and address of the purchaser, and shall record the specific identifying information ( e.g., State of issuance and number of driver's license).

(2) If the purchaser does not have a deposit account with the financial institution:

(i)(A) The name and address of the purchaser;

(B) The social security number of the purchaser, or if the purchaser is an alien and does not have a social security number, the alien identification number;

(C) The date of birth of the purchaser;

(D) The date of purchase;

(E) The type(s) of instrument(s) purchased;

(F) The serial number(s) of the instrument(s) purchased; and

(G) The amount in dollars of each of the instrument(s) purchased.

(ii) In addition, the financial institution shall verify the purchaser's name and address by examination of a document which is normally acceptable within the banking community as a means of identification when cashing checks for nondepositors and which contains the name and address of the purchaser, and shall record the specific identifying information ( e.g., State of issuance and number of driver's license).

(b) Contemporaneous purchases of the same or different types of instruments totaling $3,000 or more shall be treated as one purchase. Multiple purchases during one business day totaling $3,000 or more shall be treated as one purchase if an individual employee, director, officer, or partner of the financial institution has knowledge that these purchases have occurred.

(c) Records required to be kept shall be retained by the financial institution for a period of five years and shall be made available to the Secretary upon request at any time.

Sec. 1010.420 Records to be made and retained by persons having financial interests in foreign financial accounts.

Records of accounts required by §1010.350 to be reported to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue shall be retained by each person having a financial interest in or signature or other authority over any such account. Such records shall contain the name in which each such account is maintained, the number or other designation of such account, the name and address of the foreign bank or other person with whom such account is maintained, the type of such account, and the maximum value of each such account during the reporting period. Such records shall be retained for a period of 5 years and shall be kept at all times available for inspection as authorized by law. In the computation of the period of 5 years, there shall be disregarded any period beginning with a date on which the taxpayer is indicted or information instituted on account of the filing of a false or fraudulent Federal income tax return or failing to file a Federal income tax return, and ending with the date on which final disposition is made of the criminal proceeding.

Sec. 1010.430 Nature of records and retention period.

(a) Wherever it is required that there be retained either the original or a copy or reproduction of a check, draft, monetary instrument, investment security, or other similar instrument, there shall be retained a copy of both front and back of each such instrument or document, except that no copy need be retained of the back of any instrument or document which is entirely blank or which contains only standardized printed information, a copy of which is on file.

(b) Records required by this chapter to be retained by financial institutions may be those made in the ordinary course of business by a financial institution. If no record is made in the ordinary course of business of any transaction with respect to which records are required to be retained by this chapter, then such a record shall be prepared in writing by the financial institution.

(c) The rules and regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service under 26 U.S.C. 6109 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.

(d) All records that are required to be retained by this chapter shall be retained for a period of five years. Records or reports required to be kept pursuant to an order issued under §1010.370 of this chapter shall be retained for the period of time specified in such order, not to exceed five years. All such records shall be filed or stored in such a way as to be accessible within a reasonable period of time, taking into consideration the nature of the record, and the amount of time expired since the record was made.

Sec. 1010.440 Person outside the United States.

For the purposes of this chapter, a remittance or transfer of funds, or of currency, other monetary instruments, checks, investment securities, or credit to the domestic account of a person whose address is known by the person making the remittance or transfer, to be outside the United States, shall be deemed to be a remittance or transfer to a person outside the United States, except that, unless otherwise directed by the Secretary, this section shall not apply to a transaction on the books of a domestic financial institution involving the account of a customer of such institution whose address is within approximately 50 miles of the location of the institution, or who is known to be temporarily outside the United States.

Subpart E--Special Information Sharing Procedures To Deter Money Laundering and Terrorist Activity

Sec. 1010.500 General.

Sections 1010.505 through 1010.540 of this Subpart E were issued pursuant to the requirements of section 314 of the USA PATRIOT Act. Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to its Chapter X Part for any additional special information sharing procedures.

Sec. 1010.505 Definitions.

For purposes of this Subpart E, the following definitions apply:

(a) Account means a formal banking or business relationship established to provide regular services, dealings, and other financial transactions, and includes, but is not limited to, a demand deposit, savings deposit, or other transaction or asset account and a credit account or other extension of credit.

(b) Money laundering means an activity criminalized by 18 U.S.C. 1956 or 1957, or an activity that would be criminalized by 18 U.S.C. 1956 or 1957 if it occurred in the United States.

(c) Terrorist activity means an act of domestic terrorism or international terrorism as those terms are defined in 18 U.S.C. 2331.

(d) Transaction. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the term “transaction” shall have the same meaning as provided in §1010.100(bbb).

(2) For purposes of §1010.520, a transaction shall not mean any transaction conducted through an account.

Sec. 1010.520 Information sharing between government agencies and financial institutions.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Financial institution means any financial institution described in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2).

(2) Law enforcement agency means a Federal, State, local, or foreign law enforcement agency with criminal investigative authority, provided that in the case of a foreign law enforcement agency, such agency is from a jurisdiction that is a party to a treaty that provides, or in the determination of FinCEN is from a jurisdiction that otherwise allows, law enforcement agencies in the United States reciprocal access to information comparable to that obtained under this section.

(b) Information requests based on credible evidence concerning terrorist activity or money laundering —(1) In general. A law enforcement agency investigating terrorist activity or money laundering may request that FinCEN solicit, on the investigating agency's behalf, certain information from a financial institution or a group of financial institutions. When submitting such a request to FinCEN, the law enforcement agency shall provide FinCEN with a written certification, in such form and manner as FinCEN may prescribe. At a minimum, such certification must: State that each individual, entity, or organization about which the law enforcement agency is seeking information is engaged in, or is reasonably suspected based on credible evidence of engaging in, terrorist activity or money laundering; include enough specific identifiers, such as date of birth, address, and social security number, that would permit a financial institution to differentiate between common or similar names; and identify one person at the agency who can be contacted with any questions relating to its request. Upon receiving the requisite certification from the requesting law enforcement agency, FinCEN may require any financial institution to search its records to determine whether the financial institution maintains or has maintained accounts for, or has engaged in transactions with, any specified individual, entity, or organization.

(2) Requests from FinCEN. FinCEN may solicit, on its own behalf and on behalf of appropriate components of the Department of the Treasury, whether a financial institution or a group of financial institutions maintains or has maintained accounts for, or has engaged in transactions with, any specified individual, entity, or organization. Before an information request under this section is made to a financial institution, FinCEN or the appropriate Treasury component shall certify in writing in the same manner as a requesting law enforcement agency that each individual, entity or organization about which FinCEN or the appropriate Treasury component is seeking information is engaged in, or is reasonably suspected based on credible evidence of engaging in, terrorist activity or money laundering. The certification also must include enough specific identifiers, such as date of birth, address, and social security number, that would permit a financial institution to differentiate between common or similar names, and identify one person at FinCEN or the appropriate Treasury component who can be contacted with any questions relating to its request.

(3) Obligations of a financial institution receiving an information request —(i) Record search. Upon receiving an information request from FinCEN under this section, a financial institution shall expeditiously search its records to determine whether it maintains or has maintained any account for, or has engaged in any transaction with, each individual, entity, or organization named in FinCEN's request. A financial institution may contact the law enforcement agency, FinCEN or requesting Treasury component representative, or U.S. law enforcement attaché in the case of a request by a foreign law enforcement agency, which has been named in the information request provided to the institution by FinCEN with any questions relating to the scope or terms of the request. Except as otherwise provided in the information request, a financial institution shall only be required to search its records for:

(A) Any current account maintained for a named suspect;

(B) Any account maintained for a named suspect during the preceding twelve months; and

(C) Any transaction, as defined by §1010.505(d), conducted by or on behalf of a named suspect, or any transmittal of funds conducted in which a named suspect was either the transmittor or the recipient, during the preceding six months that is required under law or regulation to be recorded by the financial institution or is recorded and maintained electronically by the institution.

(ii) Report to FinCEN. If a financial institution identifies an account or transaction identified with any individual, entity, or organization named in a request from FinCEN, it shall report to FinCEN, in the manner and in the time frame specified in FinCEN's request, the following information:

(A) The name of such individual, entity, or organization;

(B) The number of each such account, or in the case of a transaction, the date and type of each such transaction; and

(C) Any Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, passport number, date of birth, address, or other similar identifying information provided by the individual, entity, or organization when each such account was opened or each such transaction was conducted.

(iii) Designation of contact person. Upon receiving an information request under this section, a financial institution shall designate one person to be the point of contact at the institution regarding the request and to receive similar requests for information from FinCEN in the future. When requested by FinCEN, a financial institution shall provide FinCEN with the name, title, mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number, and facsimile number of such person, in such manner as FinCEN may prescribe. A financial institution that has provided FinCEN with contact information must promptly notify FinCEN of any changes to such information.

(iv) Use and security of information request. (A) A financial institution shall not use information provided by FinCEN pursuant to this section for any purpose other than:

( 1 ) Reporting to FinCEN as provided in this section;

( 2 ) Determining whether to establish or maintain an account, or to engage in a transaction; or

( 3 ) Assisting the financial institution in complying with any requirement of this chapter.

(B)( 1 ) A financial institution shall not disclose to any person, other than FinCEN or the requesting Treasury component, the law enforcement agency on whose behalf FinCEN is requesting information, or U.S. law enforcement attaché in the case of a request by a foreign law enforcement agency, which has been named in the information request, the fact that FinCEN has requested or has obtained information under this section, except to the extent necessary to comply with such an information request.

( 2 ) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(3)(iv)(B)( 1 ) of this section, a financial institution authorized to share information under §1010.540 may share information concerning an individual, entity, or organization named in a request from FinCEN in accordance with the requirements of such section. However, such sharing shall not disclose the fact that FinCEN has requested information concerning such individual, entity, or organization.

(C) Each financial institution shall maintain adequate procedures to protect the security and confidentiality of requests from FinCEN for information under this section. The requirements of this paragraph (b)(3)(iv)(C) shall be deemed satisfied to the extent that a financial institution applies to such information procedures that the institution has established to satisfy the requirements of section 501 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6801), and applicable regulations issued thereunder, with regard to the protection of its customers' nonpublic personal information.

(v) No other action required. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a financial institution to take any action, or to decline to take any action, with respect to an account established for, or a transaction engaged in with, an individual, entity, or organization named in a request from FinCEN, or to decline to establish an account for, or to engage in a transaction with, any such individual, entity, or organization. Except as otherwise provided in an information request under this section, such a request shall not require a financial institution to report on future account opening activity or transactions or to treat a suspect list received under this section as a government list for purposes of section 326 of Public Law 107–56.

(4) Relation to the Right to Financial Privacy Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. The information that a financial institution is required to report pursuant to paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of this section is information required to be reported in accordance with a Federal statute or rule promulgated thereunder, for purposes of subsection 3413(d) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3413(d)) and subsection 502(e)(8) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6802(e)(8)).

(5) No effect on law enforcement or regulatory investigations. Nothing in this subpart affects the authority of a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency or officer, or FinCEN or another component of the Department of the Treasury, to obtain information directly from a financial institution.

Sec. 1010.530 [Reserved]

Sec. 1010.540 Voluntary information sharing among financial institutions.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Financial institution. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, the term “financial institution” means any financial institution described in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) that is required under this chapter to establish and maintain an anti-money laundering program, or is treated under this chapter as having satisfied the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(h)(1).

(ii) For purposes of this section, a financial institution shall not mean any institution included within a class of financial institutions that FinCEN has designated as ineligible to share information under this section.

(2) Association of financial institutions means a group or organization the membership of which is comprised entirely of financial institutions as defined in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) Voluntary information sharing among financial institutions —(1) In general. Subject to paragraphs (b)(2), (b)(3), and (b)(4) of this section, a financial institution or an association of financial institutions may, under the protection of the safe harbor from liability described in paragraph (b)(5) of this section, transmit, receive, or otherwise share information with any other financial institution or association of financial institutions regarding individuals, entities, organizations, and countries for purposes of identifying and, where appropriate, reporting activities that the financial institution or association suspects may involve possible terrorist activity or money laundering.

(2) Notice requirement. A financial institution or association of financial institutions that intends to share information as described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section shall submit to FinCEN a notice described on FinCEN's Internet Web site, http://www.fincen.gov. Each notice provided pursuant to this paragraph (b)(2) shall be effective for the one year period beginning on the date of the notice. In order to continue to engage in the sharing of information after the end of the one year period, a financial institution or association of financial institutions must submit a new notice. Completed notices may be submitted to FinCEN by accessing FinCEN's Internet Web site, http://www.fincen.gov, and entering the appropriate information as directed, or, if a financial institution does not have Internet access, by mail to: FinCEN, P.O. Box 39, Vienna, VA 22183.

(3) Verification requirement. Prior to sharing information as described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, a financial institution or an association of financial institutions must take reasonable steps to verify that the other financial institution or association of financial institutions with which it intends to share information has submitted to FinCEN the notice required by paragraph (b)(2) of this section. A financial institution or an association of financial institutions may satisfy this paragraph (b)(3) by confirming that the other financial institution or association of financial institutions appears on a list that FinCEN will periodically make available to financial institutions or associations of financial institutions that have filed a notice with it, or by confirming directly with the other financial institution or association of financial institutions that the requisite notice has been filed.

(4) Use and security of information. (i) Information received by a financial institution or an association of financial institutions pursuant to this section shall not be used for any purpose other than:

(A) Identifying and, where appropriate, reporting on money laundering or terrorist activities;

(B) Determining whether to establish or maintain an account, or to engage in a transaction; or

(C) Assisting the financial institution in complying with any requirement of this chapter.

(ii) Each financial institution or association of financial institutions that engages in the sharing of information pursuant to this section shall maintain adequate procedures to protect the security and confidentiality of such information. The requirements of this paragraph (b)(4)(ii) shall be deemed satisfied to the extent that a financial institution applies to such information procedures that the institution has established to satisfy the requirements of section 501 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. 6801), and applicable regulations issued thereunder, with regard to the protection of its customers' nonpublic personal information.

(5) Safe harbor from certain liability —(i) In general. A financial institution or association of financial institutions that shares information pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section shall be protected from liability for such sharing, or for any failure to provide notice of such sharing, to an individual, entity, or organization that is identified in such sharing, to the full extent provided in subsection 314(b) of Public Law 107–56.

(ii) Limitation. Paragraph (b)(5)(i) of this section shall not apply to a financial institution or association of financial institutions to the extent such institution or association fails to comply with paragraphs (b)(2), (b)(3), or (b)(4) of this section.

(c) Information sharing between financial institutions and the Federal Government. If, as a result of information shared pursuant to this section, a financial institution knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that an individual, entity, or organization is involved in, or may be involved in terrorist activity or money laundering, and such institution is subject to a suspicious activity reporting requirement under this chapter or other applicable regulations, the institution shall file a Suspicious Activity Report in accordance with those regulations. In situations involving violations requiring immediate attention, such as when a reportable violation involves terrorist activity or is ongoing, the financial institution shall immediately notify, by telephone, an appropriate law enforcement authority and financial institution supervisory authorities in addition to filing timely a Suspicious Activity Report. A financial institution that is not subject to a suspicious activity reporting requirement is not required to file a Suspicious Activity Report or otherwise to notify law enforcement of suspicious activity that is detected as a result of information shared pursuant to this section. Such a financial institution is encouraged, however, to voluntarily report such activity to FinCEN.

(d) No effect on financial institution reporting obligations. Nothing in this subpart affects the obligation of a financial institution to file a Suspicious Activity Report pursuant to this chapter or any other applicable regulations, or to otherwise contact directly a Federal agency concerning individuals or entities suspected of engaging in terrorist activity or money laundering.

Subpart F--Special Standards of Diligence; Prohibitions; and Special Measures

Sec. 1010.600 General.

Each financial institution (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1)) should refer to its Chapter X Part for any additional special standards of diligence; prohibitions; and special measures requirements.

Special Due Diligence for Correspondent Accounts and Private Banking Accounts

Sec. 1010.605 Definitions.

Except as otherwise provided, the following definitions apply for purposes of §§1010.610 through 1010.630 and §1010.670:

(a) Beneficial owner of an account means an individual who has a level of control over, or entitlement to, the funds or assets in the account that, as a practical matter, enables the individual, directly or indirectly, to control, manage or direct the account. The ability to fund the account or the entitlement to the funds of the account alone, however, without any corresponding authority to control, manage or direct the account (such as in the case of a minor child beneficiary), does not cause the individual to be a beneficial owner.

(b) Certification and recertification mean the certification and recertification forms regarding correspondent accounts for foreign banks located on FinCEN's Internet Web site, http://www.fincen.gov.

(c) Correspondent account. (1) The term correspondent account means:

(i) For purposes of §1010.610(a), (d) and (e), an account established for a foreign financial institution to receive deposits from, or to make payments or other disbursements on behalf of, the foreign financial institution, or to handle other financial transactions related to such foreign financial institution; and

(ii) For purposes of §§1010.610(b) and (c), 1010.630 and 1010.670, an account established for a foreign bank to receive deposits from, or to make payments or other disbursements on behalf of, the foreign bank, or to handle other financial transactions related to such foreign bank.

(2) For purposes of this definition, the term account:

(i) As applied to banks (as set forth in paragraphs (e)(1)(i) through (vii) of this section):

(A) Means any formal banking or business relationship established by a bank to provide regular services, dealings, and other financial transactions; and

(B) Includes a demand deposit, savings deposit, or other transaction or asset account and a credit account or other extension of credit;

(ii) As applied to brokers or dealers in securities (as set forth in paragraph (e)(1)(viii) of this section) means any formal relationship established with a broker or dealer in securities to provide regular services to effect transactions in securities, including, but not limited to, the purchase or sale of securities and securities loaned and borrowed activity, and to hold securities or other assets for safekeeping or as collateral;

(iii) As applied to futures commission merchants and introducing brokers (as set forth in paragraph (e)(1)(ix) of this section) means any formal relationship established by a futures commission merchant to provide regular services, including, but not limited to, those established to effect transactions in contracts of sale of a commodity for future delivery, options on any contract of sale of a commodity for future delivery, or options on a commodity; and

(iv) As applied to mutual funds (as set forth in paragraph (e)(1)(x) of this section) means any contractual or other business relationship established between a person and a mutual fund to provide regular services to effect transactions in securities issued by the mutual fund, including the purchase or sale of securities.

(d) Correspondent relationship has the same meaning as correspondent account for purposes of §§1010.630 and 1010.670.

(e) Covered financial institution means: (1) For purposes of §1010.610 and 1010.620:

(i) An insured bank (as defined in section 3(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(h);

Editor's Note: Effective November 16, 2020, with compliance required March 15, 2021, paragraph (e)(1)(i) is revised to read:

(ii) A commercial bank;

(iii) An agency or branch of a foreign bank in the United States;

(iv) A federally insured credit union;

(v) A savings association;

(vi) A corporation acting under section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 611 et seq. );

(vii) A trust bank or trust company that is federally regulated and is subject to an anti-money laundering program requirement;

Editor's Note: Effective November 16, 2020, with compliance required March 15, 2021, paragraphs (e)(1)(ii) through (vii) are removed.

(viii) A broker or dealer in securities registered, or required to be registered, with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq. ), except persons who register pursuant to section 15(b)(11) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

(ix) A futures commission merchant or an introducing broker registered, or required to be registered, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq. ), except persons who register pursuant to section 4(f)(a)(2) of the Commodity Exchange Act; and

(x) A mutual fund;

Editor's Note: Effective November 16, 2020, with compliance required March 15, 2021, paragraphs (e)(1)(viii) through (x) are redesignated as paragraphs (e)(i)(ii) through (iv):

(2) For purposes of §§1010.630 and 1010.670:

(i) An insured bank (as defined in section 3(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(h)));

(ii) A commercial bank or trust company;

(iii) A private banker;

(iv) An agency or branch of a foreign bank in the United States;

(v) A credit union;

(vi) A savings association;

(vii) A corporation acting under section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 611 et seq. ); and

(viii) A broker or dealer in securities registered, or required to be registered, with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq. ), except persons who register pursuant to section 15(b)(11) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(f) Foreign financial institution. (1) The term foreign financial institution means:

(i) A foreign bank;

(ii) Any branch or office located outside the United States of any covered financial institution described in paragraphs (e)(1)(viii) through (x) of this section;

(iii) Any other person organized under foreign law (other than a branch or office of such person in the United States) that, if it were located in the United States, would be a covered financial institution described in paragraphs (e)(1)(viii) through (x) of this section; and

(iv) Any person organized under foreign law (other than a branch or office of such person in the United States) that is engaged in the business of, and is readily identifiable as:

(A) A dealer in foreign exchange; or

(B) A money transmitter.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (f)(1)(iv) of this section, a person is not "engaged in the business" of a dealer in foreign exchange or a money transmitter if such transactions are merely incidental to the person's business.

(g) Foreign shell bank means a foreign bank without a physical presence in any country.

(h) Non-United States person or non-U.S. person means a natural person who is neither a United States citizen nor is accorded the privilege of residing permanently in the United States pursuant to title 8 of the United States Code. For purposes of this paragraph (h), the definition of person in §1010.100(mm) does not apply, notwithstanding paragraph (k) of this section.

(i) Offshore banking license means a license to conduct banking activities that prohibits the licensed entity from conducting banking activities with the citizens of, or in the local currency of, the jurisdiction that issued the license.

(j) Owner. (1) The term owner means any person who, directly or indirectly:

(i) Owns, controls, or has the power to vote 25 percent or more of any class of voting securities or other voting interests of a foreign bank; or

(ii) Controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors (or individuals exercising similar functions) of a foreign bank.

(2) For purposes of this definition:

(i) Members of the same family shall be considered to be one person.

(ii) The term same family means parents, spouses, children, siblings, uncles, aunts, grandparents, grandchildren, first cousins, stepchildren, stepsiblings, parents-in-law, and spouses of any of the foregoing.

(iii) Each member of the same family who has an ownership interest in a foreign bank must be identified if the family is an owner as a result of aggregating the ownership interests of the members of the family. In determining the ownership interests of the same family, any voting interest of any family member shall be taken into account.

(iv) Voting securities or other voting interests means securities or other interests that entitle the holder to vote for or to select directors (or individuals exercising similar functions).

(k) Person has the meaning provided in §1010.100(mm).

(l) Physical presence means a place of business that:

(1) Is maintained by a foreign bank;

(2) Is located at a fixed address (other than solely an electronic address or a post-office box) in a country in which the foreign bank is authorized to conduct banking activities, at which location the foreign bank:

(i) Employs one or more individuals on a full-time basis; and

(ii) Maintains operating records related to its banking activities; and

(3) Is subject to inspection by the banking authority that licensed the foreign bank to conduct banking activities.

(m) Private banking account means an account (or any combination of accounts) maintained at a covered financial institution that:

(1) Requires a minimum aggregate deposit of funds or other assets of not less than $1,000,000;

(2) Is established on behalf of or for the benefit of one or more non-U.S. persons who are direct or beneficial owners of the account; and

(3) Is assigned to, or is administered or managed by, in whole or in part, an officer, employee, or agent of a covered financial institution acting as a liaison between the covered financial institution and the direct or beneficial owner of the account.

(n) Regulated affiliate. (1) The term regulated affiliate means a foreign shell bank that:

(i) Is an affiliate of a depository institution, credit union, or foreign bank that maintains a physical presence in the United States or a foreign country, as applicable; and

(ii) Is subject to supervision by a banking authority in the country regulating such affiliated depository institution, credit union, or foreign bank.

(2) For purposes of this definition:

(i) Affiliate means a foreign bank that is controlled by, or is under common control with, a depository institution, credit union, or foreign bank.

(ii) Control means:

(A) Ownership, control, or power to vote 50 percent or more of any class of voting securities or other voting interests of another company; or

(B) Control in any manner the election of a majority of the directors (or individuals exercising similar functions) of another company.

(o) Secretary means the Secretary of the Treasury.

(p) Senior foreign political figure. (1) The term senior foreign political figure means:

(i) A current or former:

(A) Senior official in the executive, legislative, administrative, military, or judicial branches of a foreign government (whether elected or not);

(B) Senior official of a major foreign political party; or

(C) Senior executive of a foreign government-owned commercial enterprise;

(ii) A corporation, business, or other entity that has been formed by, or for the benefit of, any such individual;

(iii) An immediate family member of any such individual; and

(iv) A person who is widely and publicly known (or is actually known by the relevant covered financial institution) to be a close associate of such individual.

(2) For purposes of this definition:

(i) Senior official or executive means an individual with substantial authority over policy, operations, or the use of government-owned resources; and

(ii) Immediate family member means spouses, parents, siblings, children and a spouse's parents and siblings.

This page includes amendments effective November 16, 2020, with compliance required March 15, 2021. They are shown in red text.

Sec. 1010.610 Due diligence programs for correspondent accounts for foreign financial institutions.

(a) In general. A covered financial institution shall establish a due diligence program that includes appropriate, specific, risk-based, and, where necessary, enhanced policies, procedures, and controls that are reasonably designed to enable the covered financial institution to detect and report, on an ongoing basis, any known or suspected money laundering activity conducted through or involving any correspondent account established, maintained, administered, or managed by such covered financial institution in the United States for a foreign financial institution. The due diligence program required by this section shall be a part of the anti-money laundering program otherwise required by this chapter. Such policies, procedures, and controls shall include:

(1) Determining whether any such correspondent account is subject to paragraph (b) of this section;

(2) Assessing the money laundering risk presented by such correspondent account, based on a consideration of all relevant factors, which shall include, as appropriate:

(i) The nature of the foreign financial institution's business and the markets it serves;

(ii) The type, purpose, and anticipated activity of such correspondent account;

(iii) The nature and duration of the covered financial institution's relationship with the foreign financial institution (and any of its affiliates);

(iv) The anti-money laundering and supervisory regime of the jurisdiction that issued the charter or license to the foreign financial institution, and, to the extent that information regarding such jurisdiction is reasonably available, of the jurisdiction in which any company that is an owner of the foreign financial institution is incorporated or chartered; and

(v) Information known or reasonably available to the covered financial institution about the foreign financial institution's anti-money laundering record; and

(3) Applying risk-based procedures and controls to each such correspondent account reasonably designed to detect and report known or suspected money laundering activity, including a periodic review of the correspondent account activity sufficient to determine consistency with information obtained about the type, purpose, and anticipated activity of the account.

(b) Enhanced due diligence for certain foreign banks. In the case of a correspondent account established, maintained, administered, or managed in the United States for a foreign bank described in paragraph (c) of this section, the due diligence program required by paragraph (a) of this section shall include enhanced due diligence procedures designed to ensure that the covered financial institution, at a minimum, takes reasonable steps to:

(1) Conduct enhanced scrutiny of such correspondent account to guard against money laundering and to identify and report any suspicious transactions in accordance with applicable law and regulation. This enhanced scrutiny shall reflect the risk assessment of the account and shall include, as appropriate:

(i) Obtaining and considering information relating to the foreign bank's anti-money laundering program to assess the risk of money laundering presented by the foreign bank's correspondent account;

(ii) Monitoring transactions to, from, or through the correspondent account in a manner reasonably designed to detect money laundering and suspicious activity; and

(iii)(A) Obtaining information from the foreign bank about the identity of any person with authority to direct transactions through any correspondent account that is a payable-through account, and the sources and beneficial owner of funds or other assets in the payable-through account.

(B) For purposes of paragraph (b)(1)(iii)(A) of this section, a payable-through account means a correspondent account maintained by a covered financial institution for a foreign bank by means of which the foreign bank permits its customers to engage, either directly or through a subaccount, in banking activities usual in connection with the business of banking in the United States.

(2) Determine whether the foreign bank for which the correspondent account is established or maintained in turn maintains correspondent accounts for other foreign banks that use the foreign correspondent account established or maintained by the covered financial institution and, if so, take reasonable steps to obtain information relevant to assess and mitigate money laundering risks associated with the foreign bank's correspondent accounts for other foreign banks, including, as appropriate, the identity of those foreign banks.

(3)(i) Determine, for any correspondent account established or maintained for a foreign bank whose shares are not publicly traded, the identity of each owner of the foreign bank and the nature and extent of each owner's ownership interest.

(ii) For purposes of paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section:

(A) Owner means any person who directly or indirectly owns, controls, or has the power to vote 10 percent or more of any class of securities of a foreign bank. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3)(ii)(A):

(1) Members of the same family shall be considered to be one person; and

(2) Same family has the meaning provided in §1010.605(j)(2)(ii).

(B) Publicly traded means shares that are traded on an exchange or an organized over-the-counter market that is regulated by a foreign securities authority as defined in section 3(a)(50) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(50)).

(c) Foreign banks to be accorded enhanced due diligence. The due diligence procedures described in paragraph (b) of this section are required for any correspondent account maintained for a foreign bank that operates under:

(1) An offshore banking license;

(2) A banking license issued by a foreign country that has been designated as non-cooperative with international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization of which the United States is a member and with which designation the U.S. representative to the group or organization concurs; or

(3) A banking license issued by a foreign country that has been designated by the Secretary as warranting special measures due to money laundering concerns.

(d) Special procedures when due diligence or enhanced due diligence cannot be performed. The due diligence program required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall include procedures to be followed in circumstances in which a covered financial institution cannot perform appropriate due diligence or enhanced due diligence with respect to a correspondent account, including when the covered financial institution should refuse to open the account, suspend transaction activity, file a suspicious activity report, or close the account.

(e) Applicability rules for general due diligence. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section apply to covered financial institutions as follows:

(1) General rules —(i) Correspondent accounts established on or after July 5, 2006. Effective July 5, 2006, the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section shall apply to each correspondent account established on or after that date.

(ii) Correspondent accounts established before July 5, 2006. Effective October 2, 2006, the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section shall apply to each correspondent account established before July 5, 2006.

(2) Special rules for certain banks. Until the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section become applicable as set forth in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the due diligence requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(1) shall continue to apply to any covered financial institution listed in §1010.605(e)(1)(i) through (vi).

(3) Special rules for all other covered financial institutions. The due diligence requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(1) shall not apply to a covered financial institution listed in §1010.605(e)(1)(vii) through (x) until the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section become applicable as set forth in paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(f) Applicability rules for enhanced due diligence. The provisions of paragraph (b) of this section apply to covered financial institutions as follows:

(1) General rules —(i) Correspondent accounts established on or after February 5, 2008. Effective February 5, 2008, the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section shall apply to each correspondent account established on or after such date.

(ii) Correspondent accounts established before February 5, 2008. Effective May 5, 2008, the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section shall apply to each correspondent account established before February 5, 2008.

(2) Special rules for certain banks. Until the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section become applicable as set forth in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, the enhanced due diligence requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(2) shall continue to apply to any covered financial institutions listed in §1010.605(e)(1)(i) through (vi).

(3) Special rules for all other covered financial institutions. The enhanced due diligence requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(2) shall not apply to a covered financial institution listed in §1010.605(e)(1)(vii) through (x) until the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section become applicable, as set forth in paragraph (f)(1) of this section.

(g) Exemptions —(1) Exempt financial institutions. Except as provided in this section, a financial institution defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1), or §1010.100(t) is exempt from the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(1) and (i)(2) pertaining to correspondent accounts.

(2) Other compliance obligations of financial institutions unaffected. Nothing in paragraph (g) of this section shall be construed to relieve a financial institution from its responsibility to comply with any other applicable requirement of law or regulation, including title 31, United States Code, and this chapter.

Sec. 1010.620 Due diligence programs for private banking accounts.

(a) In general. A covered financial institution shall maintain a due diligence program that includes policies, procedures, and controls that are reasonably designed to detect and report any known or suspected money laundering or suspicious activity conducted through or involving any private banking account that is established, maintained, administered, or managed in the United States by such financial institution. The due diligence program required by this section shall be a part of the anti-money laundering program otherwise required by this chapter.

(b) Minimum requirements. The due diligence program required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be designed to ensure, at a minimum, that the financial institution takes reasonable steps to:

(1) Ascertain the identity of all nominal and beneficial owners of a private banking account;

(2) Ascertain whether any person identified under paragraph (b)(1) of this section is a senior foreign political figure;

(3) Ascertain the source(s) of funds deposited into a private banking account and the purpose and expected use of the account; and

(4) Review the activity of the account to ensure that it is consistent with the information obtained about the client's source of funds, and with the stated purpose and expected use of the account, as needed to guard against money laundering, and to report, in accordance with applicable law and regulation, any known or suspected money laundering or suspicious activity conducted to, from, or through a private banking account.

(c) Special requirements for senior foreign political figures. (1) In the case of a private banking account for which a senior foreign political figure is a nominal or beneficial owner, the due diligence program required by paragraph (a) of this section shall include enhanced scrutiny of such account that is reasonably designed to detect and report transactions that may involve the proceeds of foreign corruption.

(2) For purposes of this paragraph (c), the term proceeds of foreign corruption means any asset or property that is acquired by, through, or on behalf of a senior foreign political figure through misappropriation, theft, or embezzlement of public funds, the unlawful conversion of property of a foreign government, or through acts of bribery or extortion, and shall include any other property into which any such assets have been transformed or converted.

(d) Special procedures when due diligence cannot be performed. The due diligence program required by paragraph (a) of this section shall include procedures to be followed in circumstances in which a covered financial institution cannot perform appropriate due diligence with respect to a private banking account, including when the covered financial institution should refuse to open the account, suspend transaction activity, file a suspicious activity report, or close the account.

(e) Applicability rules. The provisions of this section apply to covered financial institutions as follows:

(1) General rules —(i) Private banking accounts established on or after July 5, 2006. Effective July 5, 2006, the requirements of this section shall apply to each private banking account established on or after such date.

(ii) Private banking accounts established before July 5, 2006. Effective October 2, 2006, the requirements of this section shall apply to each private banking account established before July 5, 2006.

(2) Special rules for certain banks and for brokers or dealers in securities, futures commission merchants, and introducing brokers. Until the requirements of this section become applicable as set forth in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(3) shall continue to apply to a covered financial institution listed in §1010.605(e)(1)(i) through (vi), (viii), or (ix).

(3) Special rules for federally regulated trust banks or trust companies, and mutual funds. Until the requirements of this section become applicable as set forth in paragraph (e)(1) of this section, the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(3) shall not apply to a covered financial institution listed in §1010.605(e)(1)(vii) or (x).

(4) Exemptions —(i) Exempt financial institutions. Except as provided in this section, a financial institution defined in 31 U.S.C. 5312(a)(2) or (c)(1) or §1010.100(t) is exempt from the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(i)(3) pertaining to private banking accounts.

(ii) Other compliance obligations of financial institutions unaffected. Nothing in paragraph (e)(4) of this section shall be construed to relieve a financial institution from its responsibility to comply with any other applicable requirement of law or regulation, including title 31, United States Code, and this chapter.

Sec.1010.630 Prohibition on correspondent accounts for foreign shell banks; records concerning owners of foreign banks and agents for service of legal process.

(a) Requirements for covered financial institutions —(1) Prohibition on correspondent accounts for foreign shell banks. (i) A covered financial institution shall not establish, maintain, administer, or manage a correspondent account in the United States for, or on behalf of, a foreign shell bank.

(ii) A covered financial institution shall take reasonable steps to ensure that any correspondent account established, maintained, administered, or managed by that covered financial institution in the United States for a foreign bank is not being used by that foreign bank to indirectly provide banking services to a foreign shell bank.

(iii) Nothing in paragraph (a)(1) of this section prohibits a covered financial institution from providing a correspondent account or banking services to a regulated affiliate.

(2) Records of owners and agents. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, a covered financial institution that maintains a correspondent account in the United States for a foreign bank shall maintain records in the United States identifying the owners of each such foreign bank whose shares are not publicly traded and the name and street address of a person who resides in the United States and is authorized, and has agreed to be an agent to accept service of legal process for records regarding each such account.

(ii) A covered financial institution need not maintain records of the owners of any foreign bank that is required to have on file with the Federal Reserve Board a Form FR Y–7 that identifies the current owners of the foreign bank as required by such form.

(iii) For purposes of paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, publicly traded refers to shares that are traded on an exchange or on an organized over-the-counter market that is regulated by a foreign securities authority as defined in section 3(a)(50) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(50)).

(b) Safe harbor. Subject to paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, a covered financial institution will be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section with respect to a foreign bank if the covered financial institution obtains, at least once every three years, a certification or recertification from the foreign bank.

(c) Interim verification. If at any time a covered financial institution knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect, that any information contained in a certification or recertification provided by a foreign bank, or otherwise relied upon by the covered financial institution for purposes of this section, is no longer correct, the covered financial institution shall request that the foreign bank verify or correct such information, or shall take other appropriate measures to ascertain the accuracy of the information or to obtain correct information, as appropriate. See paragraph (d)(3) of this section for additional requirements if a foreign bank fails to verify or correct the information or if a covered financial institution cannot ascertain the accuracy of the information or obtain correct information.

(d) Closure of correspondent accounts —(1) Accounts existing on October 28, 2002. In the case of any correspondent account that was in existence on October 28, 2002, if the covered financial institution has not obtained a certification (or recertification) from the foreign bank, or has not otherwise obtained documentation of the information required by such certification (or recertification), on or before March 31, 2003, and at least once every three years thereafter, the covered financial institution shall close all correspondent accounts with such foreign bank within a commercially reasonable time, and shall not permit the foreign bank to establish any new positions or execute any transaction through any such account, other than transactions necessary to close the account.

(2) Accounts established after October 28, 2002. In the case of any correspondent account established after October 28, 2002, if the covered financial institution has not obtained a certification (or recertification), or has not otherwise obtained documentation of the information required by such certification (or recertification) within 30 calendar days after the date the account is established, and at least once every three years thereafter, the covered financial institution shall close all correspondent accounts with such foreign bank within a commercially reasonable time, and shall not permit the foreign bank to establish any new positions or execute any transaction through any such account, other than transactions necessary to close the account.

(3) Verification of previously provided information. In the case of a foreign bank with respect to which the covered financial institution undertakes to verify information pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section, if the covered financial institution has not obtained, from the foreign bank or otherwise, verification of the information or corrected information within 90 calendar days after the date of undertaking the verification, the covered financial institution shall close all correspondent accounts with such foreign bank within a commercially reasonable time, and shall not permit the foreign bank to establish any new positions or execute any transaction through any such account, other than transactions necessary to close the account.

(4) Reestablishment of closed accounts and establishment of new accounts. A covered financial institution shall not reestablish any account closed pursuant to this paragraph (d), and shall not establish any other correspondent account with the concerned foreign bank, until it obtains from the foreign bank the certification or the recertification, as appropriate.

(5) Limitation on liability. A covered financial institution shall not be liable to any person in any court or arbitration proceeding for terminating a correspondent account in accordance with this paragraph (d).

(e) Recordkeeping requirement. A covered financial institution shall retain the original of any document provided by a foreign bank, and the original or a copy of any document otherwise relied upon by the covered financial institution, for purposes of this section, for at least 5 years after the date that the covered financial institution no longer maintains any correspondent account for such foreign bank. A covered financial institution shall retain such records with respect to any foreign bank for such longer period as the Secretary may direct.

(f) Special rules concerning information requested prior to October 28, 2002 —(1) Definition. For purposes of this paragraph (f) the term “Interim Guidance” means:

(i) The Interim Guidance of the Department of the Treasury dated November 20, 2001 and published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2001; or

(ii) The guidance issued in a document published in the Federal Register on December 28, 2001.

(2) Use of Interim Guidance certification. In the case of a correspondent account in existence on October 28, 2002, the term “certification” as used in paragraphs (b), (c), (d)(1), and (d)(3) of this section shall also include the certification appended to the Interim Guidance, provided that such certification was requested prior to October 28, 2002 and obtained by the covered financial institution on or before December 26, 2002.

(3) Recordkeeping requirement. Paragraph (e) of this section shall apply to any document provided by a foreign bank, or otherwise relied upon by a covered financial institution, for purposes of the Interim Guidance.

Sec.1010.640 [Reserved]

Special Measures Under Section 311 of the USA Patriot Act and Law Enforcement Access to Foreign Bank Records

Sec. 1010.651 Special measures against Burma.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Burmese banking institution means any foreign bank, as that term is defined in §1010.100(u), chartered or licensed by Burma, including branches and offices located outside Burma.

(2) Correspondent account has the same meaning as provided in §1010.605(c).

(3) Covered financial institution has the same meaning as provided in §1010.605(e)(2) and also includes the following:

(i) A futures commission merchant or an introducing broker registered, or required to register, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq. ); and

(ii) An investment company (as defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–5)) that is an open-end company (as defined in section 5 of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a–5)) and that is registered, or required to register, with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to that Act.

(b) Requirements for covered financial institutions —(1) Prohibition on correspondent accounts. A covered financial institution shall terminate any correspondent account that is established, maintained, administered, or managed in the United States for, or on behalf of, a Burmese banking institution.

(2) Prohibition on indirect correspondent accounts. (i) If a covered financial institution has or obtains knowledge that a correspondent account established, maintained, administered, or managed by that covered financial institution in the United States for a foreign bank is being used by the foreign bank to provide banking services indirectly to a Burmese banking institution, the covered financial institution shall ensure that the correspondent account is no longer used to provide such services, including, where necessary, terminating the correspondent account; and

(ii) A covered financial institution required to terminate an account pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section:

(A) Shall do so within a commercially reasonable time, and shall not permit the foreign bank to establish any new positions or execute any transactions through such account, other than those necessary to close the account; and

(B) May reestablish an account closed pursuant to this paragraph if it determines that the account will not be used to provide banking services indirectly to a Burmese banking institution.

(3) Exception. The provisions of paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section shall not apply to a correspondent account provided that the operation of such account is not prohibited by Executive Order 13310 and the transactions involving Burmese banking institutions that are conducted through the correspondent account are limited solely to transactions that are exempted from, or otherwise authorized by regulation, order, directive, or license pursuant to, Executive Order 13310.

(4) Reporting and recordkeeping not required. Nothing in this section shall require a covered financial institution to maintain any records, obtain any certification, or report any information not otherwise required by law or regulation.

Sec. 1010.653 Special measures against Commercial Bank of Syria.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Commercial Bank of Syria means any branch, office, or subsidiary of Commercial Bank of Syria operating in Syria or in any other jurisdiction, including Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank.

(2) Correspondent account has the same meaning as provided in §1010.605(c)(1)(ii).

(3) Covered financial institution includes:

(i) An insured bank (as defined in section 3(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(h)));

(ii) A commercial bank;

(iii) An agency or branch of a foreign bank in the United States;

(iv) A federally insured credit union;

(v) A savings association;

(vi) A corporation acting under section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 611 et seq. );

(vii) A trust bank or trust company that is federally regulated and is subject to an anti-money laundering program requirement;

(viii) A broker or dealer in securities registered, or required to be registered, with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq. ), except persons who register pursuant to section 15(b)(11) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

(ix) A futures commission merchant or an introducing broker registered, or required to be registered, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq. ), except persons who register pursuant to section 4(f)(a)(2) of the Commodity Exchange Act; and

(x) A mutual fund, which means an investment company (as defined in section 3(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 ((“Investment Company Act”) (15 U.S.C. 80a–3(a)(1))) that is an open-end company (as defined in section 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a–5(a)(1))) and that is registered, or is required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Investment Company Act.

(4) Subsidiary means a company of which more than 50 percent of the voting stock or analogous equity interest is owned by another company.

(b) Requirements for covered financial institutions —(1) Prohibition on direct use of correspondent accounts. A covered financial institution shall terminate any correspondent account that is open or maintained in the United States for, or on behalf of, Commercial Bank of Syria.

(2) Due diligence of correspondent accounts to prohibit indirect use. (i) A covered financial institution shall apply due diligence to its correspondent accounts that is reasonably designed to guard against their indirect use by Commercial Bank of Syria. At a minimum, that due diligence must include:

(A) Notifying correspondent account holders that the correspondent account may not be used to provide Commercial Bank of Syria with access to the covered financial institution; and

(B) Taking reasonable steps to identify any indirect use of its correspondent accounts by Commercial Bank of Syria, to the extent that such indirect use can be determined from transactional records maintained in the covered financial institution's normal course of business.

(ii) A covered financial institution shall take a risk-based approach when deciding what, if any, additional due diligence measures it should adopt to guard against the indirect use of its correspondent accounts by Commercial Bank of Syria.

(iii) A covered financial institution that obtains knowledge that a correspondent account is being used by the foreign bank to provide indirect access to Commercial Bank of Syria shall take all appropriate steps to prevent such indirect access, including, where necessary, terminating the correspondent account.

(iv) A covered financial institution required to terminate a correspondent account pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section:

(A) Should do so within a commercially reasonable time, and should not permit the foreign bank to establish any new positions or execute any transaction through such correspondent account, other than those necessary to close the correspondent account; and

(B) May reestablish a correspondent account closed pursuant to this paragraph if it determines that the correspondent account will not be used to provide banking services indirectly to Commercial Bank of Syria.

(3) Recordkeeping and reporting. (i) A covered financial institution is required to document its compliance with the notice requirement set forth in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section.

(ii) Nothing in this section shall require a covered financial institution to report any information not otherwise required to be reported by law or regulation.

Sec. 1010.655 [Removed].

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Banco Delta Asia means all branches, offices, and subsidiaries of Banco Delta Asia operating in any jurisdiction, including its subsidiaries Delta Asia Credit Limited and Delta Asia Insurance Limited.

(2) Correspondent account has the same meaning as provided in §1010.605(c)(1)(ii).

(3) Covered financial institution includes:

(i) An insured bank (as defined in section 3(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(h)));

(ii) A commercial bank;

(iii) An agency or branch of a foreign bank in the United States;

(iv) A federally insured credit union;

(v) A savings association;

(vi) A corporation acting under section 25A of the Federal Reserve Act (12 U.S.C. 611 et seq. );

(vii) A trust bank or trust company that is federally regulated and is subject to an anti-money laundering program requirement;

(viii) A broker or dealer in securities registered, or required to be registered, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq. ), except persons who register pursuant to section 15(b)(11) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

(ix) A futures commission merchant or an introducing broker registered, or required to register, with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq. ), except persons who register pursuant to section 4(f)(a)(2) of the Commodity Exchange Act; and

(x) A mutual fund, which means an investment company (as defined in section 3(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 ((“Investment Company Act”) (15 U.S.C. 80a–3(a)(1))) that is an open-end company (as defined in section 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a–5(a)(1))) and that is registered, or is required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Investment Company Act.

(4) Subsidiary means a company of which more than 50 percent of the voting stock or analogous equity interest is owned by another company.

(b) Requirements for covered financial institutions —(1) Prohibition on direct use of correspondent accounts. A covered financial institution shall terminate any correspondent account that is established, maintained, administered, or managed in the United States for, or on behalf of, Banco Delta Asia.

(2) Due diligence of correspondent accounts to prohibit indirect use.

(i) A covered financial institution shall apply due diligence to its correspondent accounts that is reasonably designed to guard against their indirect use by Banco Delta Asia. At a minimum, that due diligence must include:

(A) Notifying correspondent accountholders the correspondent account may not be used to provide Banco Delta Asia with access to the covered financial institution; and

(B) Taking reasonable steps to identify any indirect use of its correspondent accounts by Banco Delta Asia, to the extent that such indirect use can be determined from transactional records maintained in the covered financial institution's normal course of business.

(ii) A covered financial institution shall take a risk-based approach when deciding what, if any, additional due diligence measures it should adopt to guard against the indirect use of its correspondent accounts by Banco Delta Asia.

(iii) A covered financial institution that obtains knowledge that a correspondent account is being used by the foreign bank to provide indirect access to Banco Delta Asia shall take all appropriate steps to prevent such indirect access, including, where necessary, terminating the correspondent account.

(iv) A covered financial institution required to terminate a correspondent account pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section:

(A) Should do so within a commercially reasonable time, and should not permit the foreign bank to establish any new positions or execute any transaction through such correspondent account, other than those necessary to close the correspondent account; and

(B) May reestablish a correspondent account closed pursuant to this paragraph if it determines that the correspondent account will not be used to provide banking services indirectly to Banco Delta Asia.

(3) Recordkeeping and reporting. (i) A covered financial institution is required to document its compliance with the notice requirement set forth in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section.

(ii) Nothing in this section shall require a covered financial institution to report any information not otherwise required to be reported by law or regulation.

This section was removed by a final rule at 85 FR 48105, dated and effective 8/10/2020.

Sec. 1010.658 Special measures against FBME Bank, Ltd.

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) FBME Bank, Ltd. means all branches, offices, and subsidiaries of FBME Bank, Ltd. operating in any jurisdiction.

(2) Correspondent account has the same meaning as provided in §?1010.605(c)(1)(ii).

(3) Covered financial institution has the same meaning as provided in §?1010.605(e)(1).

(4) Subsidiary means a company of which more than 50 percent of the voting stock or analogous equity interest is owned by another company.

(b) Prohibition on accounts and due diligence requirements for covered financial institutions—(1) Prohibition on use of correspondent accounts. A covered financial institution shall not open or maintain a correspondent account in the United States for, or on behalf of, FBME Bank, Ltd.

(2) Special due diligence of correspondent accounts to prohibit use—(i) A covered financial institution shall apply special due diligence to its foreign correspondent accounts that is reasonably designed to guard against their use to process transactions involving FBME Bank, Ltd. At a minimum, that special due diligence must include:

(A) Notifying those correspondent account holders that the covered financial institution knows or has reason to know provide services to FBME Bank, Ltd., that such correspondents may not provide FBME Bank, Ltd. with access to the correspondent account maintained at the covered financial institution; and

(B) Taking reasonable steps to identify any use of its foreign correspondent accounts by FBME Bank, Ltd., to the extent that such use can be determined from transactional records maintained in the covered financial institution's normal course of business.

(ii) A covered financial institution shall take a risk-based approach when deciding what, if any, other due diligence measures it reasonably must adopt to guard against the use of its foreign correspondent accounts to process transactions involving FBME Bank, Ltd.

(iii) A covered financial institution that obtains knowledge that a foreign correspondent account may be being used to process transactions involving FBME Bank, Ltd. shall take all appropriate steps to further investigate and prevent such access, including the notification of its correspondent account holder under paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section and, where necessary, termination of the correspondent account.

(iv) A covered financial institution required to terminate a correspondent account pursuant to paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this section:

(A) Should do so within a commercially reasonable time, and should not permit the foreign bank to establish any new positions or execute any transaction through such correspondent account, other than those necessary to close the correspondent account; and

(B) May reestablish a correspondent account closed pursuant to this paragraph if it determines that the correspondent account will not be used to provide banking services indirectly to FBME Bank Ltd.

(3) Recordkeeping and reporting. (i) A covered financial institution is required to document its compliance with the notice requirement set forth in paragraph (b)(2)(i)(A) of this section.

(ii) Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall require a covered financial institution to report any information not otherwise required to be reported by law or regulation.

This section was added effective August 28, 2015. It was blocked by court order from taking effect. FinCEN republished the rule for further public comment, and published a new final rule on March 31, 2016, with an effective date of July 29, 2016. On July 22, 2016, the Court ordered that implementation of the Final Rule be stayed until further notice from the Court, noting that the Court required additional time beyond the Final Rule’s effective date to complete its review of the parties’ motions in the litigation. In its April 14, 2017, order granting FinCEN's motion for summary judgment, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia lifted the stay blocking the implementation of the March 31, 2016 Final Rule imposing a prohibition on opening or maintaining correspondent accounts for, or on behalf of, FBME Bank, Ltd. pursuant to Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act. On April 28, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied FBME's motion for a stay pending an appeal of the district court's decision. Accordingly, the Final Rule is in effect.

Sec. 1010.659 Special Measures against North Korea

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) North Korean banking institution means any bank organized under North Korean law, or any agency, branch, or office located outside the United States of such a bank.

(2) North Korean financial institution means all branches, offices, or subsidiaries of any foreign financial institution, as defined at 31 CFR 1010.605(f), chartered or licensed by North Korea, wherever located, including any branches, offices, or subsidiaries of such a financial institution operating in any jurisdiction, and any branch or office within North Korea of any foreign financial institution.

(3) Foreign bank has the same meaning as provided in 31 CFR 1010.100(u).

(4) Correspondent account has the same meaning as provided in 31 CFR 1010.605(c)(1)(i).

(5) Covered financial institution has the same meaning as provided in 31 CFR 1010.605(e)(1).

(6) Subsidiary means a company of which more than 50 percent of the voting stock or analogous equity interest is owned by another company.

(b) Prohibition on accounts and due diligence requirements for covered financial institutions—(1) Opening or maintenance of correspondent accounts for a North Korean banking institution. A covered financial institution shall not open or maintain in the United States a correspondent account for, or on behalf of, a North Korean banking institution.

(2) Prohibition on use of correspondent accounts involving North Korean financial institutions. A covered financial institution shall take reasonable steps to not process a transaction for the correspondent account of a foreign bank in the United States if such a transaction involves a North Korean financial institution.

(3) Special due diligence of correspondent accounts to prohibit use. (i) A covered financial institution shall apply special due diligence to its foreign correspondent accounts that is reasonably designed to guard against their use to process transactions involving North Korean financial institutions. At a minimum, that special due diligence must include:

(A) Notifying those foreign correspondent account holders that the covered financial institution knows or has reason to believe provide services to a North Korean financial institution that such correspondents may not provide a North Korean financial institution with access to the correspondent account maintained at the covered financial institution; and

(B) Taking reasonable steps to identify any use of its foreign correspondent accounts by a North Korean financial institution, to the extent that such use can be determined from transactional records maintained in the covered financial institution’s normal course of business.

(ii) A covered financial institution shall take a risk-based approach when deciding what, if any, other due diligence measures it reasonably must adopt to guard against the use of its foreign correspondent accounts to process transactions involving North Korean financial institutions.

(iii) A covered financial institution that knows or has reason to believe that a foreign bank’s correspondent account has been or is being used to process transactions involving a North Korean financial institution shall take all appropriate steps to further investigate and prevent such access, including the notification of its correspondent account holder under paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of this section and, where necessary, termination of the correspondent account.

(4) Recordkeeping and reporting. (i) A covered financial institution is required to document its compliance with the notice requirement set forth in paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of this section.

(ii) Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall require a covered financial institution to report any information not otherwise required to be reported by law or regulation.

This section is added effective December 9, 2016.

Sec. 1010.660 Special measures against Bank of Dandong

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Bank of Dandong means all subsidiaries, branches, and offices of Bank of Dandong Co., Ltd. operating in any jurisdiction.

(2) Correspondent account has the same meaning as provided in § 1010.605(c)(1)(ii).

(3) Covered financial institution has the same meaning as provided in § 1010.605(e)(1).

(4) Foreign banking institution means a bank organized under foreign law, or an agency, branch, or office located outside the United States of a bank. The term does not include an agent, agency, branch, or office within the United States of a bank organized under foreign law.

(5) Subsidiary means a company of which more than 50 percent of the voting stock or analogous equity interest is owned by another company.

(b) Prohibition on accounts and due diligence requirements for covered financial institutions—(1) Opening or maintaining correspondent accounts for Bank of Dandong. A covered financial institution shall not open or maintain in the United States a correspondent account for, or on behalf of, Bank of Dandong.

(2) Prohibition on use of correspondent accounts involving Bank of Dandong. A covered financial institution shall take reasonable steps not to process a transaction for the correspondent account of a foreign banking institution in the United States if such a transaction involves Bank of Dandong.

(3) Special due diligence of correspondent accounts to prohibit use. (i) A covered financial institution shall apply special due diligence to its foreign correspondent accounts that is reasonably designed to guard against their use to process transactions involving Bank of Dandong. At a minimum, that special due diligence must include:

(A) Notifying those foreign correspondent account holders that the covered financial institution knows or has reason to believe provide services to Bank of Dandong that such correspondents may not provide Bank of Dandong with access to the correspondent account maintained at the covered financial institution; and

(B) Taking reasonable steps to identify any use of its foreign correspondent accounts by Bank of Dandong, to the extent that such use can be determined from transactional records maintained in the covered financial institution’s normal course of business.

(ii) A covered financial institution shall take a risk-based approach when deciding what, if any, other due diligence measures it reasonably must adopt to guard against the use of its foreign correspondent accounts to process transactions involving Bank of Dandong.

(iii) A covered financial institution that knows or has reason to believe that a foreign bank’s correspondent account has been or is being used to process transactions involving Bank of Dandong shall take all appropriate steps to further investigate and prevent such access, including the notification of its correspondent account holder under paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of this section and, where necessary, termination of the correspondent account.

(4) Recordkeeping and reporting. (i) A covered financial institution is required to document its compliance with the notice requirement set forth in paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of this section.

(ii) Nothing in this paragraph (b) shall require a covered financial institution to report any information not otherwise required to be reported by law or regulation.

Added effective December 8, 2017. 82 FR 51758, November 8, 2017.

Sec. 1010.661 Special measures against Iran

(a) Definitions. For purposes of this section:

(1) Iranian financial institution means any foreign financial institution, as defined at § 1010.605(f), organized under Iranian law wherever located, including any agency, branch, office, or subsidiary of such a financial institution operating in any jurisdiction, and any branch or office within Iran of any foreign financial institution.

(2) Correspondent account has the same meaning as provided in § 1010.605(c).

(3) Covered financial institution has the same meaning as provided in § 1010.605(e)(1).

(4) Foreign bank has the same meaning as provided in 31 CFR 1010.100.

(5) Subsidiary means a company of which more than 50 percent of the voting stock or analogous equity interest is owned by another company.

(b) Prohibition on accounts and due diligence requirements for covered financial institutions:

(1) Opening or maintaining correspondent accounts for Iranian financial institutions. A covered financial institution shall not open or maintain in the United States a correspondent account for, or on behalf of, an Iranian financial institution, unless such account is authorized by United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

Note to paragraph (b)(1) of § 1010.661: Note that covered financial institutions should block and report to OFAC any accounts that are blocked pursuant to any OFAC sanctions authority and therefore should continue to maintain such accounts in accordance with the Reporting Procedures and Penalties Regulations, 31 CFR part 501.

(2) Prohibition on use of correspondent accounts. A covered financial institution shall take reasonable steps to not process a transaction for the correspondent account of a foreign bank in the United States if such a transaction involves an Iranian financial institution, unless the transaction is authorized by, exempt from, or not prohibited under IEEPA, any regulation, order, directive, or license issued pursuant thereto, or any other sanctions program administered by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.

(3) Special due diligence of correspondent accounts to prohibit use.

(i) A covered financial institution shall apply special due diligence to the correspondent accounts of a foreign bank that is reasonably designed to guard against their use to process transactions involving Iranian financial institutions that are prohibited, and not authorized or exempt, pursuant to the IEEPA, any regulation, order, directive, or license issued pursuant thereto, or any other sanctions program administered by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (“prohibited transactions”). At a minimum, that special due diligence must include:

(A) Notifying those foreign correspondent account holders that the covered financial institution knows or has reason to believe the correspondent account is being used to process transactions involving Iranian financial institutions that such prohibited transactions may not take place; and

(B) Taking reasonable steps to identify any use of its foreign correspondent accounts for prohibited transactions involving Iranian financial institutions, to the extent that such use can be determined from transactional records maintained in the covered financial institution’s normal course of business.

(ii) A covered financial institution shall take a risk-based approach when deciding what, if any, other due diligence measures it reasonably must adopt to guard against the use of its foreign correspondent accounts to process prohibited transactions involving Iranian financial institutions.

(iii) A covered financial institution that knows or has reason to believe that a foreign bank’s correspondent account has been or is being used to process prohibited transactions involving Iranian financial institutions shall take all appropriate steps to further investigate and prevent such access, including the notification of its correspondent account holder under paragraph (b)(3)(i)(A) of this section and, where necessary, termination of the correspondent account.

(4) Recordkeeping and reporting.

(i) A covered financial institution is required to document its compliance with the notice requirement set forth in this section.

(ii) Nothing in this section shall require a covered financial institution to report any information not otherwise required to be reported by law or regulation.

This section added effective 11/14/2019 (84 FR 59302, 11/4/2019)

Sec. 1010.670 Summons or subpoena of foreign bank records; Termination of correspondent relationship.

(b) Issuance to foreign banks. The Secretary or the Attorney General may issue a summons or subpoena to any foreign bank that maintains a correspondent account in the United States and may request records related to such correspondent account, including records maintained outside of the United States relating to the deposit of funds into the foreign bank. The summons or subpoena may be served on the foreign bank in the United States if the foreign bank has a representative in the United States, or in a foreign country pursuant to any mutual legal assistance treaty, multilateral agreement, or other request for international law enforcement assistance.

(c) Issuance to covered financial institutions. Upon receipt of a written request from a Federal law enforcement officer for information required to be maintained by a covered financial institution under paragraph (a)(2) of §1010.630, the covered financial institution shall provide the information to the requesting officer not later than 7 days after receipt of the request.

(d) Termination upon receipt of notice. A covered financial institution shall terminate any correspondent relationship with a foreign bank not later than 10 business days after receipt of written notice from the Secretary or the Attorney General (in each case, after consultation with the other) that the foreign bank has failed:

(1) To comply with a summons or subpoena issued under paragraph (b) of this section; or

(2) To initiate proceedings in a United States court contesting such summons or subpoena.

(e) Limitation on liability. A covered financial institution shall not be liable to any person in any court or arbitration proceeding for terminating a correspondent relationship in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section.

(f) Failure to terminate relationship. Failure to terminate a correspondent relationship in accordance with this section shall render the covered financial institution liable for a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per day until the correspondent relationship is so terminated.

Subpart G--Administrative Rulings

Sec. 1010.710 Scope.

This subpart provides that the Director, FinCEN, or his designee, either unilaterally or upon request, may issue administrative rulings interpreting the application of this chapter.

Sec. 1010.711 Submitting requests.

(a) Each request for an administrative ruling must be in writing and contain the following information:

(1) A complete description of the situation for which the ruling is requested,

(2) A complete statement of all material facts related to the subject transaction,

(3) A concise and unambiguous question to be answered,

(4) A statement certifying, to the best of the requestor's knowledge and belief, that the question to be answered is not applicable to any ongoing state or Federal investigation, litigation, grand jury proceeding, or proceeding before any other governmental body involving either the requestor, any other party to the subject transaction, or any other party with whom the requestor has an agency relationship,

(5) A statement identifying any information in the request that the requestor considers to be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, and the reason therefor,

(6) If the subject situation is hypothetical, a statement justifying why the particular situation described warrants the issuance of a ruling,

(7) The signature of the person making the request, or

(8) If an agent makes the request, the signature of the agent and a statement certifying the authority under which the request is made.

(b) A request filed by a corporation shall be signed by a corporate officer and a request filed by a partnership shall be signed by a partner.

(c) A request may advocate a particular proposed interpretation and may set forth the legal and factual basis for that interpretation.

(d) Requests shall be addressed to: Director, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, P.O. Box 39, Vienna, VA 22183.

(e) The requester shall advise the Director, FinCEN, immediately in writing of any subsequent change in any material fact or statement submitted with a ruling request in conformity with paragraph (a) of this section.

Sec. 1010.712 Nonconforming requests.

Sec. 1010.713 Oral communications.

(a) The Director of FinCEN or his designee will not issue administrative rulings in response to oral requests. Oral opinions or advice by Treasury, Customs and Border Protection, the Internal Revenue Service, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or any other bank supervisory agency personnel, regarding the interpretation and application of this chapter, do not bind FinCEN and carry no precedential value.

(b) A person who has made a ruling request in conformity with §1010.711 may request an opportunity for oral discussion of the issues presented in the request. The request should be made to the Director, FinCEN, and any decision to grant such a conference is wholly within the discretion of the Director. Personal conferences or telephone conferences may be scheduled only for the purpose of affording the requester an opportunity to discuss freely and openly the matters set forth in the administrative ruling request. Accordingly, the conferees will not be bound by any argument or position advocated or agreed to, expressly or impliedly, during the conference. Any new arguments or facts put forth by the requester at the meeting must be reduced to writing by the requester and submitted in conformity with §1010.711 before they may be considered in connection with the request.

Sec. 1010.714 Withdrawing requests.

A person may withdraw a request for an administrative ruling at any time before the ruling has been issued.

Sec. 1010.715 Issuing rulings.

The Director, FinCEN, or his designee may issue a written ruling interpreting the relationship between this chapter and each situation for which such a ruling has been requested in conformity with §1010.711. A ruling issued under this section shall bind FinCEN only in the event that the request describes a specifically identified actual situation. A ruling issued under this section shall have precedential value, and hence may be relied upon by others similarly situated, only if FinCEN makes it available to the public through publication on the FinCEN Web site under the heading “Administrative rulings” or other appropriate forum. All rulings with precedential value will be available by mail to any person upon written request specifically identifying the ruling sought. FinCEN will make every effort to respond to each requestor within 90 days of receiving a request.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1506–0050)

Sec. 1010.717 Disclosing information.

(a) Any part of any administrative ruling, including names, addresses, or information related to the business transactions of private parties, may be disclosed pursuant to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552. If the request for an administrative ruling contains information which the requestor wishes to be considered for exemption from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, the requestor should clearly identify such portions of the request and the reasons why such information should be exempt from disclosure.

(b) A requestor claiming an exemption from disclosure will be notified, at least 10 days before the administrative ruling is issued, of a decision not to exempt any of such information from disclosure so that the underlying request for an administrative ruling can be withdrawn if the requestor so chooses.

Subpart H -- Enforcement; Penalties; and Forfeiture

Sec. 1010.810 Enforcement.

(a) Overall authority for enforcement and compliance, including coordination and direction of procedures and activities of all other agencies exercising delegated authority under this chapter, is delegated to the Director, FinCEN.

(b) Authority to examine institutions to determine compliance with the requirements of this chapter is delegated as follows:

(1) To the Comptroller of the Currency with respect to those financial institutions regularly examined for safety and soundness by national bank examiners;

(2) To the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System with respect to those financial institutions regularly examined for safety and soundness by Federal Reserve bank examiners;

(3) To the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation with respect to those financial institutions regularly examined for safety and soundness by FDIC bank examiners;

(4) To the Federal Home Loan Bank Board with respect to those financial institutions regularly examined for safety and soundness by FHLBB bank examiners;

(5) To the Chairman of the Board of the National Credit Union Administration with respect to those financial institutions regularly examined for safety and soundness by NCUA examiners.

(6) To the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to brokers and dealers in securities and investment companies as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80–1 et seq. );

(7) To the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection with respect to §§1010.340 and 1010.830;

(8) To the Commissioner of Internal Revenue with respect to all financial institutions, except brokers or dealers in securities, mutual funds, futures commission merchants, introducing brokers in commodities, and commodity trading advisors, not currently examined by Federal bank supervisory agencies for soundness and safety; and

(9) To the Commodity Futures Trading Commission with respect to futures commission merchants, introducing brokers in commodities, and commodity trading advisors.

(c) Authority for investigating criminal violations of this chapter is delegated as follows:

(1) To the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection with respect to §1010.340;

(2) To the Commissioner of Internal Revenue except with respect to §1010.340.

(d) Authority for the imposition of civil penalties for violations of this chapter lies with the Director of FinCEN.

(e) Periodic reports shall be made to the Director, FinCEN by each agency to which compliance authority has been delegated under paragraph (b) of this section. These reports shall be in such a form and submitted at such intervals as the Director, FinCEN may direct. Evidence of specific violations of any of the requirements of this chapter may be submitted to the Director, FinCEN at any time.

(f) The Director, FinCEN or his delegate, and any agency to which compliance has been delegated under paragraph (b) of this section, may examine any books, papers, records, or other data of domestic financial institutions relevant to the recordkeeping or reporting requirements of this chapter.

(g) The authority to enforce the provisions of 31 U.S.C. 5314 and §§1010.350 and 1010.420 of this chapter has been redelegated from FinCEN to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue by means of a Memorandum of Agreement between FinCEN and IRS. Such authority includes, with respect to 31 U.S.C. 5314 and [§§] 1010.350 and 1010.420 of this chapter, the authority to: assess and collect civil penalties under 31 U.S.C. 5321 and 31 CFR 1010.820; investigate possible civil violations of these provisions (in addition to the authority already provided at paragraph (c)(2)) of this section); employ the summons power of subpart I of this part 1010; issue administrative rulings under subpart G of this part 1010; and take any other action reasonably necessary for the enforcement of these and related provisions, including pursuit of injunctions.

Sec. 1010.820 Civil penalty.*

(a) For any willful violation, committed on or before October 12, 1984, of any reporting requirement for financial institutions under this chapter or of any recordkeeping requirements of §§1010.311, 1010.313, 1020.315, 1021.311 or 1021.313, the Secretary may assess upon any domestic financial institution, and upon any partner, director, officer, or employee thereof who willfully participates in the violation, a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000.

(b) For any willful violation committed after October 12, 1984 and before October 28, 1986, of any reporting requirement for financial institutions under this chapter or of the recordkeeping requirements of §1010.420, the Secretary may assess upon any domestic financial institution, and upon any partner, director, officer, or employee thereof who willfully participates in the violation, a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000.

(c) For any willful violation of any recordkeeping requirement for financial institutions, except violations of §1010.420, under this chapter, the Secretary may assess upon any domestic financial institution, and upon any partner, director, officer, or employee thereof who willfully participates in the violation, a civil penalty not to exceed $1,000.

(d) For any failure to file a report required under §1010.340 or for filing such a report containing any material omission or misstatement, the Secretary may assess a civil penalty up to the amount of the currency or monetary instruments transported, mailed or shipped, less any amount forfeited under §1010.830.

(e) For any willful violation of §1010.314 committed after January 26, 1987, the Secretary may assess upon any person a civil penalty not to exceed the amount of coins and currency involved in the transaction with respect to which such penalty is imposed. The amount of any civil penalty assessed under this paragraph shall be reduced by the amount of any forfeiture to the United States in connection with the transaction for which the penalty was imposed.

(f) For any willful violation committed after October 27, 1986, of any reporting requirement for financial institutions under this chapter (except §1010.350, §1010.360 or §1010.420), the Secretary may assess upon any domestic financial institution, and upon any partner, director, officer, or employee thereof who willfully participates in the violation, a civil penalty not to exceed the greater of the amount (not to exceed $100,000) involved in the transaction or $25,000.

(g) For any willful violation committed after October 27, 1986, of any requirement of §1010.350, §1010.360 or §1010.420, the Secretary may assess upon any person, a civil penalty:

(1) In the case of a violation of §1010.360 involving a transaction, a civil penalty not to exceed the greater of the amount (not to exceed $100,000) of the transaction, or $25,000; and

(2) In the case of a violation of §1010.350 or §1010.420 involving a failure to report the existence of an account or any identifying information required to be provided with respect to such account, a civil penalty not to exceed the greater of the amount (not to exceed $100,000) equal to the balance in the account at the time of the violation, or $25,000.

(h)(g) For each negligent violation of any requirement of this chapter, committed after October 27, 1986, the Secretary may assess upon any financial institution a civil penalty not to exceed $500.

(i)(h) For penalties that are assessed after August 1, 2016, see § 1010.821 for rules relating to the maximum amount of the penalty.

Amended, effective 12/23/2021, to remove paragraph (g) and redesignate paragraphs (h) and (i) as paragraphs (g) and (h).

Sec. 1010.821 Penalty adjustment and table.

(a) Inflation adjustments. In accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, 28 U.S.C. 2461 note, (“FCPIA Act”), as further amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, FinCEN has set forth in paragraph (b) of this section adjusted maximum penalty amounts for each civil monetary penalty provided by law within its jurisdiction that is subject to the FCPIA Act. The adjusted civil monetary penalty amounts replace the amounts published in the statutes authorizing the assessment of penalties.

(b) Maximum civil monetary penalties. The statutory penalty provisions and their adjusted maximum amounts or range of minimum and maximum amounts are set out in Table 1. The last column in the table provides the newly effective maximum penalty amounts or range of minimum and maximum amounts. These maximum penalty amounts do not, however, limit the total amount of a penalty in the case of a penalty that may be imposed for each day a violation continues.

Revised January 19, 2023.

Sec. 1010.830 Forfeiture of currency or monetary instruments.

Any currency or other monetary instruments which are in the process of any transportation with respect to which a report is required under §1010.340 are subject to seizure and forfeiture to the United States if such report has not been filed as required in §1010.360, or contains material omissions or misstatements. The Secretary may, in his sole discretion, remit or mitigate any such forfeiture in whole or in part upon such terms and conditions as he deems reasonable.

Sec. 1010.840 Criminal penalty.

(a) Any person who willfully violates any provision of Title I of Public Law 91–508, or of this chapter authorized thereby may, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $1,000 or be imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. Such person may in addition, if the violation is of any provision authorized by Title I of Public Law 91–508 and if the violation is committed in furtherance of the commission of any violation of Federal law punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year, be fined not more than $10,000 or be imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b) Any person who willfully violates any provision of Title II of Public Law 91–508, or of this chapter authorized thereby, may, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $250,000 or be imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(c) Any person who willfully violates any provision of Title II of Public Law 91–508, or of this chapter authorized thereby, where the violation is either

(1) Committed while violating another law of the United States, or

(2) Committed as part of a pattern of any illegal activity involving more than $100,000 in any 12-month period, may, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $500,000 or be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

(d) Any person who knowingly makes any false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation in any report required by this chapter may, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more than $10,000 or be imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

Sec. 1010.850 Enforcement authority with respect to transportation of currency or monetary instruments.

(a) If a customs officer has reasonable cause to believe that there is a monetary instrument being transported without the filing of the report required by §§1010.340 and 1010.360 of this chapter, he may stop and search, without a search warrant, a vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other conveyance, envelope or other container, or person entering or departing from the United States with respect to which or whom the officer reasonably believes is transporting such instrument.

(b) If the Secretary has reason to believe that currency or monetary instruments are in the process of transportation and with respect to which a report required under §1010.340 has not been filed or contains material omissions or misstatements, he may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for a search warrant. Upon a showing of probable cause, the court may issue a warrant authorizing the search of any or all of the following:

(1) One or more designated persons.

(2) One or more designated or described places or premises.

(3) One or more designated or described letters, parcels, packages, or other physical objects.

(4) One or more designated or described vehicles. Any application for a search warrant pursuant to this section shall be accompanied by allegations of fact supporting the application.

(c) This section is not in derogation of the authority of the Secretary under any other law or regulation.

Subpart I--Summons

Sec. 1010.911 General.

For any investigation for the purpose of civil enforcement of violations of the Bank Secrecy Act, or any regulation issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, the Secretary or delegate of the Secretary may summon a financial institution or an officer or employee of a financial institution (including a former officer or employee), or any person having possession, custody, or care of any of the records and reports required under the Bank Secrecy Act or this chapter to appear before the Secretary or his delegate, at a time and place named in the summons, and to give testimony, under oath, and be examined, and to produce such books, papers, records, or other data as may be relevant or material to such investigation.

Sec. 1010.912 Persons who may issue summons.

For purposes of this chapter, the following officials are hereby designated as delegates of the Secretary who are authorized to issue a summons under §1010.911, solely for the purposes of civil enforcement of this chapter: (a) FinCEN. The Director, FinCEN. (b) Internal Revenue Service. Except with respect to §1010.340 of this chapter, the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, or a delegate of either official, and, for the purposes of perfecting seizures and forfeitures related to civil enforcement of this chapter, the Chief (Criminal Investigation) or a delegate. (c) Customs and Border Protection. With respect to §1010.340 of this chapter, the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioner (Enforcement), Regional Commissioners, Assistant Regional Commissioners (Enforcement), and Special Agents in Charge.

Sec. 1010.913 Contents of summons.

(a) Summons for testimony. Any summons issued under §1010.911 of this chapter to compel the appearance and testimony of a person shall state:

(1) The name, title, address, and telephone number of the person before whom the appearance shall take place (who may be a person other than the persons who are authorized to issue such a summons under §1010.912 of this chapter);

(2) The address to which the person summoned shall report for the appearance;

(3) The date and time of the appearance; and

(4) The name, title, address, and telephone number of the person who has issued the summons.

(b) Summons of books, papers, records, or data. Any summons issued under §1010.911 of this chapter to require the production of books, papers, records, or other data shall describe the materials to be produced with reasonable specificity, and shall state:

(1) The name, title, address, and telephone number of the person to whom the materials shall be produced (who may be a person other than the persons who are authorized to issue such a summons under §1010.912 of this chapter);

(2) The address at which the person summoned shall produce the materials, not to exceed 500 miles from any place where the financial institution operates or conducts business in the United States;

(3) The specific manner of production, whether by personal delivery, by mail, or by messenger service;

(4) The date and time for production; and

(5) The name, title, address, and telephone number of the person who has issued the summons.

Sec. 1010.914 Service of summons.

Sec. 1010.915 Examination of witnesses and records.

(a) General. Any delegate of the Secretary authorized under §1010.912 of this chapter to issue a summons, or any officer or employee of the Treasury Department or any component thereof who is designated by that person (whether in the summons or otherwise), is hereby authorized to receive evidence and to examine witnesses pursuant to the summons. Any person authorized by law may administer any oaths and affirmations that may be required under this subpart.

(b) Testimony taken under oath. Testimony of any person under this chapter may be taken under oath, and shall be taken down in writing by the person examining the person summoned or shall be otherwise transcribed. After the testimony of a witness has been transcribed, a copy of that transcript shall be made available to the witness upon request, unless for good cause the person issuing the summons determines, under 5 U.S.C. 555, that a copy should not be provided. If such a determination has been made, the witness shall be limited to inspection of the official transcript of the testimony.

(c) Disclosure of summons, testimony, or records. Unless the Secretary or a delegate of the Secretary listed under §1010.912(a) of this chapter so authorizes in writing, or it is otherwise required by law, no delegate of the Secretary listed under §1010.912 (b) or (c) of this chapter or other officer or employee of the Treasury Department or any component thereof shall—

(1) Make public the name of any person to whom a summons has been issued under this chapter, or release any information to the public concerning that person or the issuance of a summons to that person prior to the time and date set for that person's appearance or production of records; or

(2) Disclose any testimony taken (including the name of the witness) or material presented pursuant to the summons, to any person other than an officer or employee of the Treasury Department or of any component thereof. Nothing in the preceding sentence shall preclude a delegate of the Secretary, or other officer or employee of the Treasury Department or any component thereof, from disclosing testimony taken, or material presented pursuant to a summons issued under this chapter, to any person in order to obtain necessary information for investigative purposes relating to the performance of official duties, or to any officer or employee of the Department of Justice in connection with a possible violation of Federal law.

Sec. 1010.916 Enforcement of summons.

In the case of contumacy by, or refusal to obey a summons issued to, any person under this chapter, the Secretary or any delegate of the Secretary listed under §1010.912 of this chapter shall refer the matter to the Attorney General or delegate of the Attorney General (including any United States Attorney or Assistant United States Attorney, as appropriate), who may bring an action to compel compliance with the summons in any court of the United States within the jurisdiction of which the investigation which gave rise to the summons being or has been carried on, the jurisdiction in which the person summoned is a resident, or the jurisdiction in which the person summoned carries on business or may be found. When a referral is made by a delegate of the Secretary other than a delegate named in §1010.912(a) of this chapter, prompt notification of the referral must be made to the Director, FinCEN. The court may issue an order requiring the person summoned to appear before the Secretary or delegate of the Secretary to produce books, papers, records, or other data, to give testimony as may be necessary in order to explain how such material was compiled and maintained, and to pay the costs of the proceeding. Any failure to obey the order of the court may be punished by the court as a contempt thereof. All process in any case under this section may be served in any judicial district in which such person may be found.

Sec. 1010.917 Payment of expenses.

Subpart J--Miscellaneous

Sec. 1010.920 Access to records.

Except as provided in §§1020.410(b)(1), 1021.410(a), and 1023.410(a)(1), and except for the purpose of assuring compliance with the recordkeeping and reporting requirements of this chapter, this chapter does not authorize the Secretary or any other person to inspect or review the records required to be maintained by this chapter. Other inspection, review or access to such records is governed by other applicable law.

Sec. 1010.930 Rewards for informants.

a) If an individual provides original information which leads to a recovery of a criminal fine, civil penalty, or forfeiture, which exceeds $50,000, for a violation of the provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act or of this chapter, the Secretary may pay a reward to that individual.

(b) The Secretary shall determine the amount of the reward to be paid under this section; however, any reward paid may not be more than 25 percent of the net amount of the fine, penalty or forfeiture collected, or $150,000, whichever is less.

(c) An officer or employee of the United States, a State, or a local government who provides original information described in paragraph (a) in the performance of official duties is not eligible for a reward under this section.

Sec. 1010.940 Photographic or other reproductions of Government obligations.

Nothing herein contained shall require or authorize the reproduction of:

(a) Currency or other obligation or security of the United States as defined in 18 U.S.C. 8, or

(b) Any obligation or other security of any foreign government, the reproduction of which is prohibited by law.

Sec. 1010.950 Availability of information.

(a) The Secretary may within his discretion disclose information reported under this chapter for any reason consistent with the purposes of the Bank Secrecy Act, including those set forth in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section.

(b) The Secretary may make any information set forth in any report received pursuant to this chapter available to another agency of the United States, to an agency of a state or local government or to an agency of a foreign government, upon the request of the head of such department or agency made in writing and stating the particular information desired, the criminal, tax or regulatory purpose for which the information is sought, and the official need for the information.

(c) The Secretary may make any information set forth in any report received pursuant to this chapter available to the Congress, or any committee or subcommittee thereof, upon a written request stating the particular information desired, the criminal, tax or regulatory purpose for which the information is sought, and the official need for the information.

(d) The Secretary may make any information set forth in any report received pursuant to this chapter available to any other department or agency of the United States that is a member of the Intelligence Community, as defined by Executive Order 12333 or any succeeding executive order, upon the request of the head of such department or agency made in writing and stating the particular information desired, the national security matter with which the information is sought and the official need therefor.

(e) Any information made available under this section to other department or agencies of the United States, any state or local government, or any foreign government shall be received by them in confidence, and shall not be disclosed to any person except for official purposes relating to the investigation, proceeding or matter in connection with which the information is sought.

(f) The Secretary may require that a State or local government department or agency requesting information under paragraph (b) of this section pay fees to reimburse the Department of the Treasury for costs incidental to such disclosure. The amount of such fees will be set in accordance with the statute on fees for government services, 31 U.S.C. 9701.

Sec. 1010.960 Disclosure.

All reports required under this chapter and all records of such reports are specifically exempted from disclosure under section 552 of Title 5, United States Code.

Sec. 1010.970 Exceptions, exemptions, and reports.

(a) The Secretary, in his sole discretion, may by written order or authorization make exceptions to or grant exemptions from the requirements of this chapter. Such exceptions or exemptions may be conditional or unconditional, may apply to particular persons or to classes of persons, and may apply to particular transactions or classes of transactions. They shall, however, be applicable only as expressly Stated in the order of authorization, and they shall be revocable in the sole discretion of the Secretary.

(b) The Secretary shall have authority to further define all terms used herein.

(c)(1) The Secretary may, as an alternative to the reporting and recordkeeping requirements for casinos in §§1010.306(a), 1021.311, and 1021.410, grant exemptions to the casinos in any State whose regulatory system substantially meets the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of this chapter.

(2) In order for a State regulatory system to qualify for an exemption on behalf of its casinos, the State must provide:

(i) That the Treasury Department be allowed to evaluate the effectiveness of the State's regulatory system by periodic oversight review of that system;

(ii) That the reports required under the State's regulatory system be submitted to the Treasury Department within 15 days of receipt by the State;

(iii) That any records required to be maintained by the casinos relevant to any matter under this chapter and to which the State has access or maintains under its regulatory system be made available to the Treasury Department within 30 days of request;

(iv) That the Treasury Department be provided with periodic status reports on the State's compliance efforts and findings;

(v) That all but minor violations of the State requirements be reported to Treasury within 15 days of discovery; and

(vi) That the State will initiate compliance examinations of specific institutions at the request of Treasury within a reasonable time, not to exceed 90 days where appropriate, and will provide reports of these examinations to Treasury within 15 days of completion or periodically during the course of the examination upon the request of the Secretary. If for any reason the State were not able to conduct an investigation within a reasonable time, the State will permit Treasury to conduct the investigation.

(3) Revocation of any exemption under this subsection shall be in the sole discretion of the Secretary.

Sec. 1010.980 Dollars as including foreign currency.

Wherever in this chapter an amount is Stated in dollars, it shall be deemed to mean also the equivalent amount in any foreign currency.