75 FR 65812, Oct. 26, 2010, unless otherwise noted.
Refer to § 1010.100 of this Chapter for general definitions not noted herein. To the extent there is a differing definition in § 1010.100 of this chapter, the definition in this Section is what applies to part 1020. Unless otherwise indicated, for purposes of this part:
(a) Account. For purposes of § 1020.220:
(1) Account means a formal banking relationship established to provide or engage in services, dealings, or other financial transactions including a deposit account, a transaction or asset account, a credit account, or other extension of credit. Account also includes a relationship established to provide a safety deposit box or other safekeeping services, or cash management, custodian, and trust services.
(2) Account does not include:
(i) A product or service where a formal banking relationship is not established with a person, such as check-cashing, wire transfer, or sale of a check or money order;
(ii) An account that the bank acquires through an acquisition, merger, purchase of assets, or assumption of liabilities; or
(iii) An account opened for the purpose of participating in an employee benefit plan established under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
(b) Customer. For the purposes of § 1020.220:
(1) Customer means:
(i) A person that opens a new account; and
(ii) An individual who opens a new account for:
(A) An individual who lacks legal capacity, such as a minor; or
(B) An entity that is not a legal person, such as a civic club.
(2) 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 (b)(4); or
(iii) A person that has an existing account with the bank, provided that the bank has a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of the person.
[75 FR 65812, Oct. 26, 2010, as amended at 85 FR 57137, Sept. 16, 2020
Banks are subject to the program requirements set forth and cross referenced in this subpart. Banks should also refer to subpart B of part 1010 of this chapter for program requirements contained in that subpart which apply to banks.
(a) Anti-money laundering program requirements for banks regulated by a Federal functional regulator, including banks, savings associations, and credit unions. A bank regulated by a Federal functional regulator shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(h)(1) if it implements and maintains an anti-money laundering program that:
(1) Complies with the requirements of §§ 1010.610 and 1010.620 of this chapter;
(2) Includes, at a minimum:
(i) A system of internal controls to assure ongoing compliance;
(ii) Independent testing for compliance to be conducted by bank personnel or by an outside party;
(iii) Designation of an individual or individuals responsible for coordinating and monitoring day-to-day compliance;
(iv) Training for appropriate personnel; and
(v) Appropriate risk-based procedures for conducting ongoing customer due diligence, to include, but not be limited to:
(A) Understanding the nature and purpose of customer relationships for the purpose of developing a customer risk profile; and
(B) Conducting ongoing monitoring to identify and report suspicious transactions and, on a risk basis, to maintain and update customer information. For purposes of this paragraph, customer information shall include information regarding the beneficial owners of legal entity customers (as defined in § 1010.230 of this chapter); and
(3) Complies with the regulation of its Federal functional regulator governing such programs.
(b) Anti-money laundering program requirements for banks lacking a Federal functional regulator including, but not limited to, private banks, non-federally insured credit unions, and certain trust companies. A bank lacking a Federal functional regulator shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of 31 U.S.C. 5318(h)(1) if the bank establishes and maintains a written anti-money laundering program that:
(1) Complies with the requirements of §§ 1010.610 and 1010.620 of this chapter; and
(2) Includes, at a minimum:
(i) A system of internal controls to assure ongoing compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the regulations set forth in 31 CFR Chapter X;
(ii) Independent testing for compliance to be conducted by bank personnel or by an outside party;
(iii) Designation of an individual or individuals responsible for coordinating and monitoring day-to-day compliance;
(iv) Training for appropriate personnel; and
(v) Appropriate risk-based procedures for conducting ongoing customer due diligence, to include, but not be limited to:
(A) Understanding the nature and purpose of customer relationships for the purpose of developing a customer risk profile; and
(B) Conducting ongoing monitoring to identify and report suspicious transactions and, on a risk basis, to maintain and update customer information. For purposes of this paragraph, customer information shall include information regarding the beneficial owners of legal entity customers (as defined in § 1010.230); and
(3) Is approved by the board of directors or, if the bank does not have a board of directors, an equivalent governing body within the bank. The bank shall make a copy of its anti-money laundering program available to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or its designee upon request.
[85 FR 57137, Sept. 15, 2020]
(a) Customer Identification Program: minimum requirements —
(1) In general. A bank required to have an anti-money laundering compliance program under the regulations implementing 31 U.S.C. 5318(h), 12 U.S.C. 1818(s), or 12 U.S.C. 1786(q)(1) must implement a written Customer Identification Program (CIP) appropriate for the bank's size and type of business that, at a minimum, includes each of the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) through (5) of this section. The CIP must be a part of the anti-money laundering compliance program.
(2) Identity verification procedures. The CIP must include risk-based procedures for verifying the identity of each customer to the extent reasonable and practicable. The procedures must enable the bank to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of each customer. These procedures must be based on the bank's assessment of the relevant risks, including those presented by the various types of accounts maintained by the bank, the various methods of opening accounts provided by the bank, the various types of identifying information available, and the bank's size, location, and customer base. At a minimum, these procedures must contain the elements described in this paragraph (a)(2).
(i) Customer information required —
(A) In general. The CIP must contain procedures for opening an account that specify the identifying information that will be obtained from each customer. Except as permitted by paragraphs (a)(2)(i)(B) and (C) of this section, the bank must obtain, at a minimum, the following information from the customer prior to opening an account:
(1) Name;
(2) Date of birth, for an individual;
(3) Address, which shall be:
(i) For an individual, a residential or business street address;
(ii) For an individual who does not have a residential or business street address, an Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) box number, or the residential or business street address of next of kin or of another contact individual; or
(iii) For a person other than an individual (such as a corporation, partnership, or trust), a principal place of business, local office, or other physical location; and
(4) Identification number, which shall be:
(i) For a U.S. person, a taxpayer identification number; or
(ii) For a non-U.S. person, one or more of the following: A taxpayer identification number; passport number and country of issuance; alien identification card number; or number and country of issuance of any other government-issued document evidencing nationality or residence and bearing a photograph or similar safeguard.
When opening an account for a foreign business or enterprise that does not have an identification number, the bank must request alternative government-issued documentation certifying the existence of the business or enterprise.
(B) Exception for persons applying for a taxpayer identification number. Instead of obtaining a taxpayer identification number from a customer prior to opening the account, the CIP may include procedures for opening an account for a customer that has applied for, but has not received, a taxpayer identification number. In this case, the CIP must include procedures to confirm that the application was filed before the customer opens the account and to obtain the taxpayer identification number within a reasonable period of time after the account is opened.
(C) Credit card accounts. In connection with a customer who opens a credit card account, a bank may obtain the identifying information about a customer required under paragraph (a)(2)(i)(A) by acquiring it from a third-party source prior to extending credit to the customer.
(ii) Customer verification. The CIP must contain procedures for verifying the identity of the customer, using information obtained in accordance with paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, within a reasonable time after the account is opened. The procedures must describe when the bank will use documents, non-documentary methods, or a combination of both methods as described in this paragraph (a)(2)(ii).
(A) Verification through documents. For a bank relying on documents, the CIP must contain procedures that set forth the documents that the bank will use. These documents may include:
(1) For an individual, unexpired government-issued identification evidencing nationality or residence and bearing a photograph or similar safeguard, such as a driver's license or passport; and
(2) For a person other than an individual (such as a corporation, partnership, or trust), documents showing the existence of the entity, such as certified articles of incorporation, a government-issued business license, a partnership agreement, or trust instrument.
(B) Verification through non-documentary methods. For a bank relying on non-documentary methods, the CIP must contain procedures that describe the non-documentary methods the bank will use.
(1) These methods may include contacting a customer; independently verifying the customer's identity through the comparison of information provided by the customer with information obtained from a consumer reporting agency, public database, or other source; checking references with other financial institutions; and obtaining a financial statement.
(2) The bank's non-documentary procedures must address situations where an individual is unable to present an unexpired government-issued identification document that bears a photograph or similar safeguard; the bank is not familiar with the documents presented; the account is opened without obtaining documents; the customer opens the account without appearing in person at the bank; and where the bank is otherwise presented with circumstances that increase the risk that the bank will be unable to verify the true identity of a customer through documents.
(C) Additional verification for certain customers. The CIP must address situations where, based on the bank's risk assessment of a new account opened by a customer that is not an individual, the bank will obtain information about individuals with authority or control over such account, including signatories, in order to verify the customer's identity. This verification method applies only when the bank cannot verify the customer's true identity using the verification methods described in paragraphs (a)(2)(ii)(A) and (B) of this section.
(iii) Lack of verification. The CIP must include procedures for responding to circumstances in which the bank cannot form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of a customer. These procedures should describe:
(A) When the bank should not open an account;
(B) The terms under which a customer may use an account while the bank attempts to verify the customer's identity;
(C) When the bank should close an account, after attempts to verify a customer's identity have failed; and
(D) When the bank should file a Suspicious Activity Report in accordance with applicable law and regulation.
(3) Recordkeeping. The CIP must include procedures for making and maintaining a record of all information obtained under the procedures implementing paragraph (a) of this section.
(i) Required records. At a minimum, the record must include:
(A) All identifying information about a customer obtained under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section;
(B) A description of any document that was relied on under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(A) of this section noting the type of document, any identification number contained in the document, the place of issuance and, if any, the date of issuance and expiration date;
(C) A description of the methods and the results of any measures undertaken to verify the identity of the customer under paragraph (a)(2)(ii)(B) or (C) of this section; and
(D) A description of the resolution of any substantive discrepancy discovered when verifying the identifying information obtained.
(ii) Retention of records. The bank must retain the information in paragraph (a)(3)(i)(A) of this section for five years after the date the account is closed or, in the case of credit card accounts, five years after the account is closed or becomes dormant. The bank must retain the information in paragraphs (a)(3)(i)(B), (C), and (D) of this section for five years after the record is made.
(4) Comparison with government lists. The CIP must include procedures for determining whether the customer appears on any list of known or suspected terrorists or terrorist organizations issued by any Federal government agency and designated as such by Treasury in consultation with the Federal functional regulators. The procedures must require the bank to make such a determination within a reasonable period of time after the account is opened, or earlier, if required by another Federal law or regulation or Federal directive issued in connection with the applicable list. The procedures must also require the bank to follow all Federal directives issued in connection with such lists.
(5)
(i) Customer notice. The CIP must include procedures for providing bank customers with adequate notice that the bank is requesting information to verify their identities.
(ii) Adequate notice. Notice is adequate if the bank generally describes the identification requirements of this section and provides the notice in a manner reasonably designed to ensure that a customer is able to view the notice, or is otherwise given notice, before opening an account. For example, depending upon the manner in which the account is opened, a bank may post a notice in the lobby or on its Web site, include the notice on its account applications, or use any other form of written or oral notice.
(iii) Sample notice. If appropriate, a bank may use the following sample language to provide notice to its customers:
To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.
What this means for you: When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver's license or other identifying documents.
(6) Reliance on another financial institution. The CIP may include procedures specifying when a bank will rely on the performance by another financial institution (including an affiliate) of any procedures of the bank's CIP, with respect to any customer of the bank that is opening, or has opened, an account or has established a similar formal banking or business relationship with the other financial institution to provide or engage in services, dealings, or other financial transactions, provided that:
(i) Such reliance is reasonable under the circumstances;
(ii) 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
(iii) The other financial institution enters into a contract requiring it to certify annually to the bank that it has implemented its anti-money laundering program, and that it will perform (or its agent will perform) the specified requirements of the bank's CIP.
(b) Exemptions. The appropriate Federal functional regulator, with the concurrence of the Secretary, may, by order or regulation, exempt any bank or type of account from the requirements of this section. The Federal functional regulator and the Secretary shall consider whether the exemption is consistent with the purposes of the Bank Secrecy Act and with safe and sound banking, and may consider other appropriate factors. The Secretary will make these determinations for any bank or type of account that is not subject to the authority of a Federal functional regulator.
(c) Other requirements unaffected. Nothing in this section relieves a bank of its obligation to comply with any other provision in this chapter, including provisions concerning information that must be obtained, verified, or maintained in connection with any account or transaction.
[75 FR 65812, Oct. 26, 2010, as amended at 85 FR 57138, Sept. 16, 2020]
Banks are subject to the reporting requirements set forth and cross referenced in this subpart. Banks should also refer to Subpart C of Part 1010 of this chapter for reporting requirements contained in that subpart which apply to banks.
The reports of transactions in currency requirements for banks are located in subpart C of part 1010 of this chapter and this subpart.
Refer to § 1010.311 of this chapter for reports of transactions in currency filing obligations for banks.
Refer to § 1010.312 of this chapter for identification requirements for reports of transactions in currency filed by banks.
Refer to § 1010.313 of this chapter for reports of transactions in currency aggregation requirements for banks.
Refer to § 1010.314 of this chapter for rules regarding structured transactions for banks.
(a) General. No bank is required to file a report otherwise required by § 1010.311 with respect to any transaction in currency between an exempt person and such bank, or, to the extent provided in paragraph (e)(6) of this section, between such exempt person and other banks affiliated with such bank. (A limitation on the exemption described in this paragraph (a) is set forth in paragraph (f) of this section.)
(b) Exempt person. For purposes of this section, an exempt person is:
(1) A bank, to the extent of such bank's domestic operations;
(2) A department or agency of the United States, of any State, or of any political subdivision of any State;
(3) Any entity established under the laws of the United States, of any State, or of any political subdivision of any State, or under an interstate compact between two or more States, that exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States or any such State or political subdivision;
(4) Any entity, other than a bank, whose common stock or analogous equity interests are listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or whose common stock or analogous equity interests have been designated as a NASDAQ National Market Security listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (except stock or interests listed under the separate “NASDAQ Capital Markets Companies” heading), provided that, for purposes of this paragraph (b)(4), a person that is a financial institution, other than a bank, is an exempt person only to the extent of its domestic operations;
(5) Any subsidiary, other than a bank, of any entity described in paragraph (b)(4) of this section (a “listed entity”) that is organized under the laws of the United States or of any State and at least 51 percent of whose common stock or analogous equity interest is owned by the listed entity, provided that, for purposes of this paragraph (b)(5), a person that is a financial institution, other than a bank, is an exempt person only to the extent of its domestic operations;
(6) To the extent of its domestic operations and only with respect to transactions conducted through its exemptible accounts, any other commercial enterprise (for purposes of this section, a “non-listed business”), other than an enterprise specified in paragraph (e)(8) of this section, that:
(i) Maintains a transaction account, as defined in paragraph (e)(9) of this section, at the bank for at least two months, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section;
(ii) Frequently engages in transactions in currency with the bank in excess of $10,000; and
(iii) Is incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States or a State, or is registered as and eligible to do business within the United States or a State; or
(7) With respect solely to withdrawals for payroll purposes from existing exemptible accounts, any other person (for purposes of this section, a “payroll customer”) that:
(i) Maintains a transaction account, as defined in paragraph (e)(9) of this section, at the bank for at least two months, except as provided in paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section;
(ii) Operates a firm that frequently withdraws more than $10,000 in order to pay its United States employees in currency; and
(iii) Is incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States or a State, or is registered as and eligible to do business within the United States or a State.
(c) Designation of certain exempt persons —
(1) General. Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, a bank must designate an exempt person by filing FinCEN Form 110. Such designation must occur by the close of the 30-calendar day period beginning after the day of the first reportable transaction in currency with that person sought to be exempted from reporting under the terms of this section. The designation must be made separately by each bank that treats the customer as an exempt person, except as provided in paragraph (e)(6) of this section.
(2) Special rules.
(i) A bank is not required to file a FinCEN Form 110 with respect to the transfer of currency to or from:
(A) Any of the twelve Federal Reserve Banks; or
(B) Any exempt person as described in paragraphs (b)(1) to (3) of this section.
(ii) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (b)(6)(i) and (b)(7)(i) of this section, and if the requirements under this section are otherwise satisfied, a bank may designate a non-listed business or a payroll customer, as described in paragraphs (b)(6) and (7) of this section, as an exempt person before the customer has maintained a transaction account at the bank for at least two months if the bank conducts and documents a risk-based assessment of the customer and forms a reasonable belief that the customer has a legitimate business purpose for conducting frequent transactions in currency.
(d) Annual review. At least once each year, a bank must review the eligibility of an exempt person described in paragraphs (b)(4) to (7) of this section to determine whether such person remains eligible for an exemption. As part of its annual review, a bank must review the application of the monitoring system required to be maintained by paragraph (h)(2) of this section to each existing account of an exempt person described in paragraphs (b)(6) or (b)(7) of this section.
(e) Operating rules —
(1) General rule. Subject to the specific rules of this section, a bank must take such steps to assure itself that a person is an exempt person (within the meaning of the applicable provision of paragraph (b) of this section), to document the basis for its conclusions, and document its compliance, with the terms of this section, that a reasonable and prudent bank would take and document to protect itself from loan or other fraud or loss based on misidentification of a person's status, and in the case of the monitoring system requirement set forth in paragraph (h)(2) of this section, such steps that a reasonable and prudent bank would take and document to identify suspicious transactions as required by paragraph (h)(2) of this section.
(2) Governmental departments and agencies. A bank may treat a person as a governmental department, agency, or entity if the name of such person reasonably indicates that it is described in paragraph (b)(2) or (b)(3) of this section, or if such person is known generally in the community to be a State, the District of Columbia, a tribal government, a Territory or Insular Possession of the United States, or a political subdivision or a wholly-owned agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing. An entity generally exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States, a State, or a political subdivision, for purposes of paragraph (b)(3) of this section, only if its authorities include one or more of the powers to tax, to exercise the authority of eminent domain, or to exercise police powers with respect to matters within its jurisdiction. Examples of entities that exercise governmental authority include, but are not limited to, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
(3) Stock exchange listings. In determining whether a person is described in paragraph (b)(4) of this section, a bank may rely on any New York, American, or NASDAQ Stock Market listing published in a newspaper of general circulation, on any commonly accepted or published stock symbol guide, on any information contained in the Securities and Exchange Commission “EDGAR” System, or on any information contained on an Internet site or sites maintained by the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or the NASDAQ.
(4) Listed company subsidiaries. In determining whether a person is described in paragraph (b)(5) of this section, a bank may rely upon:
(i) Any reasonably authenticated corporate officer's certificate;
(ii) Any reasonably authenticated photocopy of Internal Revenue Service Form 851 (Affiliation Schedule) or the equivalent thereof for the appropriate tax year; or
(iii) A person's Annual Report or Form 10-K, as filed in each case with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(5) Aggregated accounts. In determining the qualification of a customer as a non-listed business or a payroll customer, a bank may treat all exemptible accounts of the customer as a single account. If a bank elects to treat all exemptible accounts of a customer as a single account, the bank must continue to treat such accounts consistently as a single account for purposes of determining the qualification of the customer as a non-listed business or payroll customer.
(6) Affiliated banks. The designation required by paragraph (c) of this section may be made by a parent bank holding company or one of its bank subsidiaries on behalf of all bank subsidiaries of the holding company, so long as the designation lists each bank subsidiary to which the designation shall apply.
(7) Sole proprietorships. A sole proprietorship may be treated as a non-listed business if it otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (b)(6) of this section, as applicable. In addition, a sole proprietorship may be treated as a payroll customer if it otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (b)(7) of this section, as applicable.
(8) Ineligible businesses. A business engaged primarily in one or more of the following activities may not be treated as a non-listed business for purposes of this section: Serving as financial institutions or agents of financial institutions of any type; purchase or sale to customers of motor vehicles of any kind, vessels, aircraft, farm equipment or mobile homes; the practice of law, accountancy, or medicine; auctioning of goods; chartering or operation of ships, buses, or aircraft; gaming of any kind (other than licensed parimutuel betting at race tracks); investment advisory services or investment banking services; real estate brokerage; pawn brokerage; title insurance and real estate closing; trade union activities; and any other activities that may be specified by FinCEN. A business that engages in multiple business activities may be treated as a non-listed business so long as no more than 50% of its gross revenues are derived from one or more of the ineligible business activities listed in this paragraph (e)(8).
(9) Exemptible accounts of a non-listed business or payroll customer. The exemptible accounts of a non-listed business or payroll customer include transaction accounts and money market deposit accounts. However, money market deposit accounts maintained other than in connection with a commercial enterprise are not exemptible accounts. A transaction account, for purposes of this section, is any account described in section 19(b)(1)(C) of the Federal Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. 461(b)(1)(C), and its implementing regulations (12 CFR part 204). A money market deposit account, for purposes of this section, is any interest-bearing account that is described as a money market deposit account in 12 CFR 204.2(d)(2).
(10) Documentation. The records maintained by a bank to document its compliance with and administration of the rules of this section shall be maintained in accordance with the provisions of § 1010.430.
(f) Limitation on exemption. A transaction carried out by an exempt person as an agent for another person who is the beneficial owner of the funds that are the subject of a transaction in currency is not subject to the exemption from reporting contained in paragraph (a) of this section.
(g) Limitation on liability.
(1) No bank shall be subject to penalty under this chapter for failure to file a report required by § 1010.311 with respect to a transaction in currency by an exempt person with respect to which the requirements of this section have been satisfied, unless the bank:
(i) Knowingly files false or incomplete information with respect to the transaction or the customer engaging in the transaction; or
(ii) Has reason to believe that the customer does not meet the criteria established by this section for treatment of the transactor as an exempt person or that the transaction is not a transaction of the exempt person.
(2) Subject to the specific terms of this section, and absent any specific knowledge of information indicating that a customer no longer meets the requirements of an exempt person, a bank satisfies the requirements of this section to the extent it continues to treat that customer as an exempt person until the completion of that customer's next required periodic review, which as required by paragraph (d) of this section for an exempt person described in paragraph (b)(4) to (7) of this section, shall occur no less than once each year.
(3) A bank that files a report with respect to a currency transaction by an exempt person rather than treating such person as exempt shall remain subject, with respect to each such report, to the rules for filing reports, and the penalties for filing false or incomplete reports that are applicable to reporting of transactions in currency by persons other than exempt persons.
(h) Obligations to file suspicious activity reports and maintain system for monitoring transactions in currency.
(1) Nothing in this section relieves a bank of the obligation, or reduces in any way such bank's obligation, to file a report required by § 1020.320 with respect to any transaction, including any transaction in currency that a bank knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect is a transaction or attempted transaction that is described in § 1020.320(a)(2)(i), (ii), or (iii), or relieves a bank of any reporting or recordkeeping obligation imposed by this chapter (except the obligation to report transactions in currency pursuant to this chapter to the extent provided in this section). Thus, for example, a sharp increase from one year to the next in the gross total of currency transactions made by an exempt customer, or similarly anomalous transactions trends or patterns, may trigger the obligation of a bank under § 1020.320.
(2) Consistent with its annual review obligations under paragraph (d) of this section, a bank shall establish and maintain a monitoring system that is reasonably designed to detect, for each account of a non-listed business or payroll customer, those transactions in currency involving such account that would require a bank to file a suspicious transaction report. The statement in the preceding sentence with respect to accounts of non-listed business and payroll customers does not limit the obligation of banks generally to take the steps necessary to satisfy the terms of paragraph (h)(1) of this section and § 1020.320 with respect to all exempt persons.
(i) Revocation. Without any action on the part of the Department of the Treasury and subject to the limitation on liability contained in paragraph (g)(2) of this section:
(1) The status of an entity as an exempt person under paragraph (b)(4) of this section ceases once such entity ceases to be listed on the applicable stock exchange; and
(2) The status of a subsidiary as an exempt person under paragraph (b)(5) of this section ceases once such subsidiary ceases to have at least 51 per cent of its common stock or analogous equity interest owned by a listed entity.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1506-0012)
[75 FR 65812, Oct. 26, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 33640, June 7, 2012]
(a) General.
(1) Every bank shall file with the Treasury Department, to the extent and in the manner required by this section, a report of any suspicious transaction relevant to a possible violation of law or regulation. A bank may also file with the Treasury Department by using the Suspicious Activity Report specified in paragraph (b)(1) of this section or otherwise, a report of any suspicious transaction that it believes is relevant to the possible violation of any law or regulation but whose reporting is not required by this section.
(2) A transaction requires reporting under the terms of this section if it is conducted or attempted by, at, or through the bank, it involves or aggregates at least $5,000 in funds or other assets, and the bank knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that:
(i) The transaction involves funds derived from illegal activities or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activities (including, without limitation, the ownership, nature, source, location, or control of such funds or assets) as part of a plan to violate or evade any Federal law or regulation or to avoid any transaction reporting requirement under Federal law or regulation;
(ii) The transaction is designed to evade any requirements of this chapter or of any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act; or
(iii) The transaction has no business or apparent lawful purpose or is not the sort in which the particular customer would normally be expected to engage, and the bank knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction.
(b) Filing procedures —
(1) What to file. A suspicious transaction shall be reported by completing a Suspicious Activity Report (“SAR”), and collecting and maintaining supporting documentation as required by paragraph (d) of this section.
(2) Where to file. The SAR shall be filed with FinCEN in a central location, to be determined by FinCEN, as indicated in the instructions to the SAR.
(3) When to file. A bank is required to file a SAR no later than 30 calendar days after the date of initial detection by the bank of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a SAR. If no suspect was identified on the date of the detection of the incident requiring the filing, a bank may delay filing a SAR for an additional 30 calendar days to identify a suspect. In no case shall reporting be delayed more than 60 calendar days after the date of initial detection of a reportable transaction. In situations involving violations that require immediate attention, such as, for example, ongoing money laundering schemes, the bank shall immediately notify, by telephone, an appropriate law enforcement authority in addition to filing timely a SAR.
(c) Exceptions. A bank is not required to file a SAR for a robbery or burglary committed or attempted that is reported to appropriate law enforcement authorities, or for lost, missing, counterfeit, or stolen securities with respect to which the bank files a report pursuant to the reporting requirements of 17 CFR 240.17f-1.
(d) Retention of records. A bank shall maintain a copy of any SAR filed and the original or business record equivalent of any supporting documentation for a period of five years from the date of filing the SAR. Supporting documentation shall be identified, and maintained by the bank as such, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the SAR. A bank shall make all supporting documentation available to FinCEN or any Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, or any Federal regulatory authority that examines the bank for compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, or any State regulatory authority administering a State law that requires the bank to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act or otherwise authorizes the State authority to ensure that the institution complies with the Bank Secrecy Act, upon request.
(e) Confidentiality of SARs. A SAR, and any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, are confidential and shall not be disclosed except as authorized in this paragraph (e). For purposes of this paragraph (e) only, a SAR shall include any suspicious activity report filed with FinCEN pursuant to any regulation in this chapter.
(1) Prohibition on disclosures by banks —
(i) General rule. No bank, and no director, officer, employee, or agent of any bank, shall disclose a SAR or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR. Any bank, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of any bank that is subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SAR or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, shall decline to produce the SAR or such information, citing this section and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2)(A)(i), and shall notify FinCEN of any such request and the response thereto.
(ii) Rules of Construction. Provided that no person involved in any reported suspicious transaction is notified that the transaction has been reported, this paragraph (e)(1) shall not be construed as prohibiting:
(A) The disclosure by a bank, or any director, officer, employee, or agent of a bank, of:
(1) A SAR, or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, to FinCEN or any Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, or any Federal regulatory authority that examines the bank for compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act, or any State regulatory authority administering a State law that requires the bank to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act or otherwise authorizes the State authority to ensure that the bank complies with the Bank Secrecy Act; or
(2) The underlying facts, transactions, and documents upon which a SAR is based, including but not limited to, disclosures:
(i) To another financial institution, or any director, officer, employee, or agent of a financial institution, for the preparation of a joint SAR; or
(ii) In connection with certain employment references or termination notices, to the full extent authorized in 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2)(B); or
(B) The sharing by a bank, or any director, officer, employee, or agent of the bank, of a SAR, or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, within the bank's corporate organizational structure for purposes consistent with Title II of the Bank Secrecy Act as determined by regulation or in guidance.
(2) Prohibition on disclosures by government authorities. A Federal, State, local, territorial, or Tribal government authority, or any director, officer, employee, or agent of any of the foregoing, shall not disclose a SAR, or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, except as necessary to fulfill official duties consistent with Title II of the Bank Secrecy Act. For purposes of this section, “official duties” shall not include the disclosure of a SAR, or any information that would reveal the existence of a SAR, in response to a request for disclosure of non-public information or a request for use in a private legal proceeding, including a request pursuant to 31 CFR 1.11.
(f) Limitation on liability. A bank, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of any bank, that makes a voluntary disclosure of any possible violation of law or regulation to a government agency or makes a disclosure pursuant to this section or any other authority, including a disclosure made jointly with another institution, shall be protected from liability to any person for any such disclosure, or for failure to provide notice of such disclosure to any person identified in the disclosure, or both, to the full extent provided by 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3).
(g) Compliance. Banks shall be examined by FinCEN or its delegatees for compliance with this section. Failure to satisfy the requirements of this section may be a violation of the Bank Secrecy Act and of this chapter. Such failure may also violate provisions of title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
[75 FR 65812, Oct. 26, 2010, as amended at 76 FR 10517, Feb. 25, 2011]
Banks are subject to the recordkeeping requirements set forth and cross referenced in this subpart. Banks should also refer to subpart D of part 1010 of this chapter for recordkeeping requirements contained in that subpart which apply to banks.
(a) Each agent, agency, branch, or office located within the United States of a bank is subject to the requirements of this paragraph (a) with respect to a funds transfer in the amount of $3,000 or more, and is required to retain either the original or a copy or reproduction of each of the following:
(1) Recordkeeping requirements.
(i) For each payment order that it accepts as an originator's bank, a bank shall obtain and retain either the original or a copy, or electronic record of the following information relating to the payment order:
(A) The name and address of the originator;
(B) The amount of the payment order;
(C) The execution date of the payment order;
(D) Any payment instructions received from the originator with the payment order;
(E) The identity of the beneficiary's bank; and
(F) As many of the following items as are received with the payment order:[1]
(1) The name and address of the beneficiary;
(2) The account number of the beneficiary; and
(3) Any other specific identifier of the beneficiary.
(ii) For each payment order that it accepts as an intermediary bank, a bank shall retain either the original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the payment order.
(iii) For each payment order that it accepts as a beneficiary's bank, a bank shall retain either the original or a microfilm, other copy, or electronic record of the payment order.
(2) Originators other than established customers. In the case of a payment order from an originator that is not an established customer, in addition to obtaining and retaining the information required in paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section:
(i) If the payment order is made in person, prior to acceptance the originator's bank shall verify the identity of the person placing the payment order. If it accepts the payment order, the originator's bank shall obtain and retain a record of the name and address, the type of identification reviewed, 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 originator's bank has knowledge that the person placing the payment order is not the originator, the originator's bank shall obtain and retain a record of the originator'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 payment order accepted by the originator's bank is not made in person, the originator's bank shall obtain and retain a record of name and address of the person placing the payment 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 funds transfer. If the originator's bank has knowledge that the person placing the payment order is not the originator, the originator's bank shall obtain and retain a record of the originator'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) Beneficiaries other than established customers. For each payment order that it accepts as a beneficiary's bank for a beneficiary that is not an established customer, in addition to obtaining and retaining the information required in paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section:
(i) If the proceeds are delivered in person to the beneficiary or its representative or agent, the beneficiary's bank 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 beneficiary's bank has knowledge that the person receiving the proceeds is not the beneficiary, the beneficiary's bank shall obtain and retain a record of the beneficiary's name and address, as well as the beneficiary'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 beneficiary's bank 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 an originator's bank must retain under paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(2) of this section shall be retrievable by the originator's bank by reference to the name of the originator. If the originator is an established customer of the originator's bank and has an account used for funds transfers, then the information also shall be retrievable by account number. The information that a beneficiary's bank must retain under paragraphs (a)(1)(iii) and (a)(3) of this section shall be retrievable by the beneficiary's bank by reference to the name of the beneficiary. If the beneficiary is an established customer of the beneficiary's bank and has an account used for funds transfers, then the information also shall be retrievable by account number. This information need not be retained in any particular manner, so long as the bank is able to retrieve the information required by this paragraph, either by accessing funds transfer records directly or through reference to some other record maintained by the bank.
(5) Verification. Where verification is required under paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section, a bank shall verify a person's identity by examination of a document (other than a bank 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 funds transfers are not subject to the requirements of this section:
(i) Funds transfers where the originator and beneficiary 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;
(I) A Federal, State or local government agency or instrumentality; or
(J) A mutual fund; and
(ii) Funds transfers where both the originator and the beneficiary are the same person and the originator's bank and the beneficiary's bank are the same bank.
(b)
(1) With respect to each certificate of deposit sold or redeemed after May 31, 1978, and before October 1, 2003, or each deposit or share account opened with a bank after June 30, 1972, and before October 1, 2003, a bank shall, within 30 days from the date such a transaction occurs or an account is opened, secure and maintain a record of the taxpayer identification number of the customer involved; or where the account or certificate is in the names of two or more persons, the bank shall secure the taxpayer identification number of a person having a financial interest in the certificate or account. In the event that a bank has been unable to secure, within the 30-day period specified, the required identification, it shall nevertheless not be deemed to be in violation of this section if it has made a reasonable effort to secure such identification, and it maintains a list containing the names, addresses, and account numbers of those persons from whom it has been unable to secure such identification, and makes the names, addresses, and account numbers of those persons available to the Secretary as directed by him. A bank acting as an agent for another person in the purchase or redemption of a certificate of deposit issued by another bank is responsible for obtaining and recording the required taxpayer identification, as well as for maintaining the records referred to in paragraphs (c)(11) and (12) of this section. The issuing bank can satisfy the recordkeeping requirement by recording the name and address of the agent together with a description of the instrument and the date of the transaction. Where a person is a non-resident alien, the bank shall also record the person's passport number or a description of some other government document used to verify his identity.
(2) The 30-day period provided for in paragraph (b)(1) of this section shall be extended where the person opening the account has applied for a taxpayer identification or social security number on Form SS-4 or SS-5, until such time as the person maintaining the account has had a reasonable opportunity to secure such number and furnish it to the bank.
(3) A taxpayer identification number required under paragraph (b)(1) of this section need not be secured for accounts or transactions with the following:
(i) Agencies and instrumentalities of Federal, State, local or foreign governments;
(ii) Judges, public officials, or clerks of courts of record as custodians of funds in controversy or under the control of the court;
(iii) Aliens who are ambassadors, ministers, career diplomatic or consular officers, or naval, military or other attachés of foreign embassies and legations, and for the members of their immediate families;
(iv) Aliens who are accredited representatives of international organizations which are entitled to enjoy privileges, exemptions and immunities as an international organization under the International Organization Immunities Act of December 29, 1945 (22 U.S.C. 288), and the members of their immediate families;
(v) Aliens temporarily residing in the United States for a period not to exceed 180 days;
(vi) Aliens not engaged in a trade or business in the United States who are attending a recognized college or university or any training program, supervised or conducted by any agency of the Federal Government;
(vii) Unincorporated subordinate units of a tax exempt central organization which are covered by a group exemption letter,
(viii) A person under 18 years of age with respect to an account opened as a part of a school thrift savings program, provided the annual interest is less than $10;
(ix) A person opening a Christmas club, vacation club and similar installment savings programs, provided the annual interest is less than $10; and
(x) Non-resident aliens who are not engaged in a trade or business in the United States.
(4) In instances described in paragraphs (b)(3)(viii) and (ix) of this section, the bank shall, within 15 days following the end of any calendar year in which the interest accrued in that year is $10 or more use its best effort to secure and maintain the appropriate taxpayer identification number or application form therefor.
(5) The rules and regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 shall determine what constitutes a taxpayer identification number and whose number shall be obtained in the case of an account maintained by one or more persons.
(c) Each bank shall, in addition, retain either the original or a copy or reproduction of each of the following:
(1) Each document granting signature authority over each deposit or share account, including any notations, if such are normally made, of specific identifying information verifying the identity of the signer (such as a driver's license number or credit card number);
(2) Each statement, ledger card or other record on each deposit or share account, showing each transaction in, or with respect to, that account;
(3) Each check, clean draft, or money order drawn on the bank or issued and payable by it, except those drawn for $100 or less or those drawn on accounts which can be expected to have drawn on them an average of at least 100 checks per month over the calendar year or on each occasion on which such checks are issued, and which are:
(i) Dividend checks,
(ii) Payroll checks,
(iii) Employee benefit checks,
(iv) Insurance claim checks,
(v) Medical benefit checks,
(vi) Checks drawn on government agency accounts,
(vii) Checks drawn by brokers or dealers in securities,
(viii) Checks drawn on fiduciary accounts,
(ix) Checks drawn on other financial institutions, or
(x) Pension or annuity checks;
(4) Each item in excess of $100 (other than bank charges or periodic charges made pursuant to agreement with the customer), comprising a debit to a customer's deposit or share account, not required to be kept, and not specifically exempted, under paragraph (c)(3) of this section;
(5) Each item, including checks, drafts, or transfers of credit, of more than $10,000 remitted or transferred to a person, account or place outside the United States;
(6) A record of each remittance or 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;
(7) Each check or draft in an amount in excess of $10,000 drawn on or issued by a foreign bank which the domestic bank has paid or presented to a nonbank drawee for payment;
(8) Each item, including checks, drafts or transfers of credit, of more than $10,000 received directly and not through a domestic financial institution, by letter, cable or any other means, from a bank, broker or dealer in foreign exchange outside the United States;
(9) A record of each receipt of currency, other monetary instruments, investment securities or checks, and of each transfer of funds or credit, of more than $10,000 received on any one occasion directly and not through a domestic financial institution, from a bank, broker or dealer in foreign exchange outside the United States; and
(10) Records prepared or received by a bank in the ordinary course of business, which would be needed to reconstruct a transaction account and to trace a check in excess of $100 deposited in such account through its domestic processing system or to supply a description of a deposited check in excess of $100. This subparagraph shall be applicable only with respect to demand deposits.
(11) A record containing the name, address, and taxpayer identification number as determined under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if available, of the purchaser of each certificate of deposit, as well as a description of the instrument, a notation of the method of payment, and the date of the transaction.
(12) A record containing the name, address and taxpayer identification number as determined under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, if available, of any person presenting a certificate of deposit for payment, as well as a description of the instrument and the date of the transaction.
(13) Each deposit slip or credit ticket reflecting a transaction in excess of $100 or the equivalent record for direct deposit or other wire transfer deposit transactions. The slip or ticket shall record the amount of any currency involved.
[75 FR 65812, Oct. 26, 2010, as amended at 81 FR 76864, Nov. 4, 2016]
Banks are subject to the special information sharing procedures to deter money laundering and terrorist activity requirements set forth and cross referenced in this subpart. Banks should also refer to subpart E of part 1010 of this chapter for special information sharing procedures to deter money laundering and terrorist activity contained in that subpart which apply to banks.
(a) Refer to § 1010.520 of this chapter.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) Refer to § 1010.540 of this chapter.
(b) [Reserved]
Banks are subject to the special standards of diligence; prohibitions; and special measures requirements set forth and cross referenced in this subpart. Banks should also refer to subpart F of part 1010 of this chapter for special standards of diligence; prohibitions; and special measures contained in that subpart which apply to banks.
(a) Refer to § 1010.610 of this chapter.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) Refer to § 1010.620 of this chapter.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) Refer to § 1010.630 of this chapter.
(b) [Reserved]
(a) Refer to § 1010.670 of this chapter.
(b) [Reserved]