12 C.F.R. § 5.26 Fiduciary powers.
Title 12 - Banks and Banking
(a) Authority. 12 U.S.C. 92a. (b) Licensing requirements. A national bank must submit an application and obtain prior approval from, or in certain circumstances file a notice with, the OCC in order to exercise fiduciary powers. No approval or notice is required in the following circumstances: (1) Where two or more national banks consolidate or merge, and any of the banks has, prior to the consolidation or merger, received OCC approval to exercise fiduciary powers and that approval is in force at the time of the consolidation or merger, the resulting bank may exercise fiduciary powers in the same manner and to the same extent as the national bank to which approval was originally granted; and (2) Where a national bank with prior OCC approval to exercise fiduciary powers is the resulting bank in a merger or consolidation with a state bank. (c) Scope. This section sets forth the procedures governing OCC review and approval of an application, and in certain cases the filing of a notice, by a national bank to exercise fiduciary powers. A national bank's fiduciary activities are subject to the provisions of 12 CFR part 9. (d) Policy. The exercise of fiduciary powers is primarily a management decision of the national bank. The OCC generally permits a national bank to exercise fiduciary powers if the bank is operating in a satisfactory manner, the proposed activities comply with applicable statutes and regulations, and the bank retains qualified fiduciary management. (e) Procedure—(1) General. The following institutions must obtain approval from the OCC in order to offer fiduciary services to the public: (i) A national bank without fiduciary powers; (ii) A national bank without fiduciary powers that desires to exercise fiduciary powers after merging with a state bank or savings association with fiduciary powers; and (iii) A national bank that results from the conversion of a state bank or a state or Federal savings association that was exercising fiduciary powers prior to the conversion. (2) Application. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of this section, a national bank that desires to exercise fiduciary powers shall submit to the OCC an application requesting approval. The application must contain: (A) A statement requesting full or limited powers (specifying which powers); (B) An opinion of counsel that the proposed activities do not violate applicable Federal or state law, including citations to applicable law; (C) A statement that the capital and surplus of the national bank is not less than the capital and surplus required by state law of state banks, trust companies, and other corporations exercising comparable fiduciary powers; (D) Sufficient biographical information on proposed trust management personnel to enable the OCC to assess their qualifications; and (E) A description of the locations where the bank will conduct fiduciary activities. (ii) If approval to exercise fiduciary powers is desired in connection with any other transaction subject to an application under this part, the applicant covered under paragraph (e)(1)(ii) or (e)(1)(iii) of this section may include a request for approval of fiduciary powers, including the information required by paragraph (e)(2)(i) of this section, as part of its other application. The OCC does not require a separate application requesting approval to exercise fiduciary powers under these circumstances. (3) Expedited review. (i) An application by an eligible bank to exercise fiduciary powers is deemed approved by the OCC as of the 30th day after the application is received by the OCC, unless the OCC notifies the bank prior to that date that the filing is not eligible for expedited review under §5.13(a)(2). (ii) An eligible bank applying for fiduciary powers may omit the opinion of counsel required by paragraph (e)(2)(i)(B) of this section unless such opinion is specifically requested by the OCC. (4) Permit. Approval of an application under this section constitutes a permit under 12 U.S.C. 92a to conduct the fiduciary powers requested in the application. (5) Notice of fiduciary activities in additional states. No further application under this section is required when a national bank with existing OCC approval to exercise fiduciary powers plans to engage in any of the activities specified in §9.7(d) of this chapter or to conduct activities ancillary to its fiduciary business, in a state in addition to the state described in the application for fiduciary powers that the OCC has approved. Instead, unless the bank provides notice through other means (such as a merger application), the bank shall provide written notice to the OCC no later than ten days after it begins to engage in any of the activities specified in §9.7(d) of this chapter in the new state. The written notice must identify the new state or states involved, identify the fiduciary activities to be conducted, and describe the extent to which the activities differ materially from the fiduciary activities that the bank was previously authorized to conduct. No notice is required if the bank is conducting only activities ancillary to its fiduciary business through a trust representative office or otherwise. (6) Exceptions to rules of general applicability. Sections 5.8, 5.10, and 5.11 do not apply to this section. However, if the OCC concludes that an application presents significant and novel policy, supervisory, or legal issues, the OCC may determine that any or all parts of §§5.8, 5.10, and 5.11 apply. (7) Expiration of approval. Approval expires if a national bank does not commence fiduciary activities within 18 months from the date of approval. [61 FR 60363, Nov. 27, 1996, as amended at 66 FR 34797, July 2, 2001]
Title 12: Banks and Banking
PART 5—RULES, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES FOR CORPORATE ACTIVITIES
Subpart B—Initial Activities
§ 5.26 Fiduciary powers.
