From the FRB's Consumer Compliance Outlook issued today on page 12.
The Dodd-Frank Act amended the ECOA’s notice requirements
for appraisals effective January 18, 2014.
Under the amendment, a creditor must notify an applicant
for a first-lien mortgage loan that the creditor
may order an appraisal or other written valuation to
determine the value of the property securing the loan
and will promptly provide the applicant with a copy,
even if the loan is not consummated.13 The appraisal
or valuation may be provided electronically subject to
compliance with the E-Sign Act’s consent provisions,
while the notice may be provided without regard to the consent requirements.
Careful with the context of this quotation - I believe this refers to situations in which the application is accessed electronically by the applicant, and required disclosures are provided electronically at the time the application is accessed:
"For
applications submitted online,...The Dodd-Frank Act amended the ECOA’s notice requirements
for appraisals effective January 18, 2014.
Under the amendment, a creditor must notify an applicant
for a first-lien mortgage loan that the creditor
may order an appraisal or other written valuation to
determine the value of the property securing the loan
and will promptly provide the applicant with a copy,
even if the loan is not consummated.13 The appraisal
or valuation may be provided electronically subject to
compliance with the E-Sign Act’s consent provisions,14
while the notice may be provided without regard to
the consent requirements.15"
Where the disclosures under §§1002.5(b)(1), 1002.5(b)(2), 1002.5(d)(1), 1002.5(d)(2), 1002.13, and 1002.14(a)(2) accompany an application accessed by the applicant in electronic form, these disclosures may be provided to the applicant in electronic form on or with the application form, without regard to the consumer consent or other provisions of the E-Sign Act.