31 C.F.R. Subpart B—Reports Required To Be Made
Title 31 - Money and Finance: Treasury
The Secretary hereby determines that the reports required by this subpart have a high degree of usefulness in criminal, tax, or regulatory investigations or proceedings. [37 FR 6912, Apr. 5, 1972. Redesignated at 61 FR 4331, Feb. 5, 1996 and further redesignated at 65 FR 13692, Mar. 14, 2000. Redesignated at 71 FR 26219, May 4, 2006] (a) General. (1) Every investment company (as defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–3) (“Investment Company Act”) 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 is required to register, with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to that Act (for purposes of this section, a “mutual fund”), shall file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, 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 mutual fund may also file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 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. Filing a report of a suspicious transaction does not relieve a mutual fund from the responsibility of complying with any other reporting requirements imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. (2) A transaction requires reporting under this section if it is conducted or attempted by, at, or through a mutual fund, it involves or aggregates funds or other assets of at least $5,000, and the mutual fund knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that the transaction (or a pattern of transactions of which the transaction is a part): (i) Involves funds derived from illegal activity or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activity (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) Is designed, whether through structuring or other means, to evade any requirements of this part or any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act, Public Law 91–508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311–5314, 5316–5332; (iii) 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 mutual fund knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction; or (iv) Involves use of the mutual fund to facilitate criminal activity. (3) More than one mutual fund may have an obligation to report the same transaction under this section, and other financial institutions may have separate obligations to report suspicious activity with respect to the same transaction pursuant to other provisions of this part. In those instances, no more than one report is required to be filed by the mutual fund(s) and other financial institution(s) involved in the transaction, provided that the report filed contains all relevant facts, including the name of each financial institution and the words “joint filing” in the narrative section, and each institution maintains a copy of the report filed, along with any supporting documentation. (b) Filing and notification procedures—(1) What to file. A suspicious transaction shall be reported by completing a Suspicious Activity Report by Securities and Futures Industries (“SAR–SF”), and collecting and maintaining supporting documentation as required by paragraph (c) of this section. (2) Where to file. Form SAR–SF shall be filed with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in accordance with the instructions to the Form SAR–SF. (3) When to file. A Form SAR–SF shall be filed no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the initial detection by the reporting mutual fund of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a Form SAR–SF under this section. If no suspect is identified on the date of such initial detection, a mutual fund may delay filing a Form SAR–SF for an additional 30 calendar days to identify a suspect, but in no case shall reporting be delayed more than 60 calendar days after the date of such initial detection. (4) Mandatory notification to law enforcement. In situations involving violations that require immediate attention, such as suspected terrorist financing or ongoing money laundering schemes, a mutual fund shall immediately notify by telephone an appropriate law enforcement authority in addition to filing timely a Form SAR–SF. (5) Voluntary notification to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mutual funds wishing voluntarily to report suspicious transactions that may relate to terrorist activity may call the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's Financial Institutions Hotline at 1–866–556–3974 in addition to filing timely a Form SAR–SF if required by this section. The mutual fund may also, but is not required to, contact the Securities and Exchange Commission to report in such situations. (c) Retention of records. A mutual fund shall maintain a copy of any Form SAR–SF filed by the fund or on its behalf (including joint reports), and the original (or business record equivalent) of any supporting documentation concerning any Form SAR–SF that it files (or is filed on its behalf), for a period of five years from the date of filing the Form SAR–SF. Supporting documentation shall be identified as such and maintained by the mutual fund, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the Form SAR–SF. The mutual fund shall make all supporting documentation available to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, any other appropriate law enforcement agencies or federal or state securities regulators, and for purposes of an examination of a broker-dealer pursuant to §103.19(g) regarding a joint report, to a self-regulatory organization (as defined in section 3(a)(26) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(26)) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request. (d) Confidentiality of reports. No mutual fund, and no director, officer, employee, or agent of any mutual fund, who reports a suspicious transaction under this part (whether such a report is required by this section or made voluntarily), may notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported, except to the extent permitted by paragraph (a)(3) of this section. Any person subpoenaed or otherwise required to disclose a Form SAR–SF or the information contained in a Form SAR–SF, including a Form SAR–SF filed jointly with another financial institution involved in the same transaction (except where such disclosure is requested by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the Securities and Exchange Commission, another appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agency, or, in the case of a joint report involving a broker-dealer, a self-regulatory organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission conducting an examination of such broker-dealer pursuant to §103.19(g)), shall decline to produce Form SAR–SF or to provide any information that would disclose that a Form SAR–SF has been prepared or filed, citing this paragraph (d) and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2), and shall notify the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of any such request and its response thereto. (e) Limitation of liability. A mutual fund, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of such mutual fund, that makes a report of any possible violation of law or regulation pursuant to this section, including a joint report (whether such report is required by this section or made voluntarily) shall be protected from liability for any disclosure contained in, or for failure to disclose the fact of, such report, or both, to the extent provided in 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3). (f) Examinations and enforcement. Compliance with this section shall be examined by the Department of the Treasury, through the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or its delegees, under the terms of the Bank Secrecy Act. Failure to satisfy the requirements of this section may constitute a violation of the reporting rules of the Bank Secrecy Act and of this part. (g) Effective date. This section applies to transactions occurring after October 31, 2006. [71 FR 26219, May 4, 2006] (a) Definitions. For purposes of this section: (1) Annuity contract means any agreement between the insurer and the contract owner whereby the insurer promises to pay out a fixed or variable income stream for a period of time. (2) Bank has the same meaning as provided in §103.11(c). (3) Broker-dealer in securities has the same meaning as provided in §103.11(f). (4) Covered product means: (i) A permanent life insurance policy, other than a group life insurance policy; (ii) An annuity contract, other than a group annuity contract; or (iii) Any other insurance product with features of cash value or investment. (5) Group annuity contract means a master contract providing annuities to a group of persons under a single contract. (6) Group life insurance policy means any life insurance policy under which a number of persons and their dependents, if appropriate, are insured under a single policy. (7) Insurance agent means a sales and/or service representative of an insurance company. The term “insurance agent” encompasses any person that sells, markets, distributes, or services an insurance company's covered products, including, but not limited to, a person who represents only one insurance company, a person who represents more than one insurance company, and a bank or broker-dealer in securities that sells any covered product of an insurance company. (8) Insurance broker means a person who, by acting as the customer's representative, arranges and/or services covered products on behalf of the customer. (9) Insurance company or insurer. (i) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(9)(ii) of this section, the term “insurance company” or “insurer” means any person engaged within the United States as a business in the issuing or underwriting of any covered product. (ii) The term “insurance company” or “insurer” does not include an insurance agent or insurance broker. (10) Permanent life insurance policy means an agreement that contains a cash value or investment element and that obligates the insurer to indemnify or to confer a benefit upon the insured or beneficiary to the agreement contingent upon the death of the insured. (11) Person has the same meaning as provided in §103.11(z). (12) United States has the same meaning as provided in §103.11(nn). (b) General. (1) Each insurance company shall file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, to the extent and in the manner required by this section, a report of any suspicious transaction involving a covered product that is relevant to a possible violation of law or regulation. An insurance company may also file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network by using the form specified in paragraph (c)(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 the reporting of which is not required by this section. (2) A transaction requires reporting under this section if it is conducted or attempted by, at, or through an insurance company, and involves or aggregates at least $5,000 in funds or other assets, and the insurance company knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that the transaction (or a pattern of transactions of which the transaction is a part): (i) Involves funds derived from illegal activity or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activity (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) Is designed, whether through structuring or other means, to evade any requirements of this part or of any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act, Public Law 91–508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311–5314; 5316–5332; (iii) 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 insurance company knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction; or (iv) Involves use of the insurance company to facilitate criminal activity. (3) (i) An insurance company is responsible for reporting suspicious transactions conducted through its insurance agents and insurance brokers. Accordingly, an insurance company shall establish and implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to obtain customer-related information necessary to detect suspicious activity from all relevant sources, including from its insurance agents and insurance brokers, and shall report suspicious activity based on such information. (ii) Certain insurance agents may have a separate obligation to report suspicious activity pursuant to other provisions of this part. In those instances, no more than one report is required to be filed by the financial institutions involved in the transaction, as long as the report filed contains all relevant facts, including the names of both institutions and the words “joint filing” in the narrative section, and both institutions maintain a copy of the report filed, along with any supporting documentation. (iii) An insurance company that issues variable insurance products funded by separate accounts that meet the definition of a mutual fund in §103.15(a)(1) shall file reports of suspicious transactions pursuant to §103.15. (c) Filing procedures—(1) What to file. A suspicious transaction shall be reported by completing a Suspicious Activity Report by Insurance Companies (SAR–IC), and collecting and maintaining supporting documentation as required by paragraph (e) of this section. (2) Where to file. The SAR–IC shall be filed with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network as indicated in the instructions to the SAR–IC. (3) When to file. A SAR–IC shall be filed no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the initial detection by the insurance company of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a SAR–IC under this section. If no suspect is identified on the date of such initial detection, an insurance company may delay filing a SAR–IC for an additional 30 calendar days to identify a suspect, but in no case shall reporting be delayed more than 60 calendar days after the date of such initial detection. In situations that require immediate attention, such as terrorist financing or ongoing money laundering schemes, the insurance company shall immediately notify by telephone an appropriate law enforcement authority in addition to filing timely a SAR–IC. Insurance companies wishing voluntarily to report suspicious transactions that may relate to terrorist activity may call the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's Financial Institutions Hotline at 1–866–556–3974 in addition to filing timely a SAR–IC if required by this section. (d) Exception. An insurance company is not required to file a SAR–IC to report the submission to it of false or fraudulent information to obtain a policy or make a claim, unless the company has reason to believe that the false or fraudulent submission relates to money laundering or terrorist financing. (e) Retention of records. An insurance company shall maintain a copy of any SAR–IC 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–IC. Supporting documentation shall be identified as such and maintained by the insurance company and shall be deemed to have been filed with the SAR–IC. When an insurance company has filed or is identified as a filer in a joint Suspicious Activity Report, the insurance company shall maintain a copy of such joint report (together with copies of any supporting documentation) for a period of five years from the date of filing. An insurance company shall make all supporting documentation available to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and any other appropriate law enforcement agencies or supervisory agencies upon request. (f) Confidentiality of reports; limitation of liability. No insurance company, and no director, officer, employee, agent, or broker of any insurance company, who reports a suspicious transaction under this part (whether such a report is required by this section or made voluntarily), may notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported, except to the extent permitted by paragraph (b)(3) of this section. Thus, any insurance company subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SAR–IC or the information contained in a SAR–IC (or a copy of a joint Suspicious Activity Report filed with another financial institution involved in the same transaction, including an insurance agent), except where such disclosure is requested by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or another appropriate law enforcement or supervisory agency, shall decline to produce the Suspicious Activity Report or to provide any information that would disclose that a Suspicious Activity Report has been prepared or filed, citing as authority 31 CFR 103.16 and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2), and shall notify the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of any such request and its response thereto. An insurance company, and any director, officer, employee, agent, or broker of such insurance company, that makes a report pursuant to this section, including a joint report (whether such report is required by this section or made voluntarily) shall be protected from liability for any disclosure contained in, or for failure to disclose the fact of, such report, or both, to the extent provided by 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3). (g) Compliance. Compliance with this section shall be examined by the Department of the Treasury, through the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or its delegees, under the terms of the Bank Secrecy Act. Failure to comply with the requirements of this section may constitute a violation of the reporting rules of the Bank Secrecy Act and of this part. (h) Suspicious transaction reporting requirements for insurance companies registered or required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission as broker-dealers in securities. An insurance company that is registered or required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer in securities shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirements of this section for its broker-dealer activities to the extent that the company complies with the reporting requirements applicable to such activities pursuant to §103.19. (i) Applicability date. This section applies to transactions occurring after May 2, 2006. [70 FR 66767, Nov. 3, 2005, as amended at 71 FR 26220, May 4, 2006] (a) General—(1) Every futures commission merchant (“FCM”) and introducing broker in commodities (“IB-C”) within the United States shall file with FinCEN, 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. An FCM or IB-C may also file with FinCEN 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. Filing a report of a suspicious transaction does not relieve an FCM or IB-C from the responsibility of complying with any other reporting requirements imposed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) or any registered futures association or registered entity as those terms are defined in the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), 7 U.S.C. 21 and 7 U.S.C. 1a(29). (2) A transaction requires reporting under the terms of this section if it is conducted or attempted by, at, or through an FCM or IB-C, it involves or aggregates funds or other assets of at least $5,000, and the FCM or IB-C knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that the transaction (or a pattern of transactions of which the transaction is a part): (i) Involves funds derived from illegal activity or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activity (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) Is designed, whether through structuring or other means, to evade any requirements of this part or of any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act (“BSA”), Public Law 91–508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311–5314, 5316–5332; (iii) 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 FCM or IB-C knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction; or (iv) Involves use of the FCM or IB-C to facilitate criminal activity. (3) The obligation to identify and properly and timely to report a suspicious transaction rests with each FCM and IB-C involved in the transaction, provided that no more than one report is required to be filed by any of the FCMs or IB-Cs involved in a particular transaction, so long as the report filed contains all relevant facts. (b) Filing procedures—(1) What to file. A suspicious transaction shall be reported by completing a Suspicious Activity Report-Securities and Futures Industry (“SAR-SF”), and collecting and maintaining supporting documentation as required by paragraph (d) of this section. (2) Where to file. The SAR-SF shall be filed with FinCEN in a central location, to be determined by FinCEN, as indicated in the instructions to the SAR-SF. (3) When to file. A SAR-SF shall be filed no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the initial detection by the reporting FCM or IB-C of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a SAR-SF under this section. If no suspect is identified on the date of such initial detection, an FCM or IB-C may delay filing a SAR-SF for an additional 30 calendar days to identify a suspect, but in no case shall reporting be delayed more than 60 calendar days after the date of such initial detection. In situations involving violations that require immediate attention, such as terrorist financing or ongoing money laundering schemes, the FCM or IB-C shall immediately notify by telephone an appropriate law enforcement authority in addition to filing timely a SAR-SF. FCMs and IB-Cs wishing voluntarily to report suspicious transactions that may relate to terrorist activity may call FinCEN's Financial Institutions Hotline at 1–866–556–3974 in addition to filing timely a SAR-SF if required by this section. The FCM or IB-C may also, but is not required to, contact the CFTC to report in such situations. (c) Exceptions—(1) An FCM or IB-C is not required to file a SAR-SF to report— (i) A robbery or burglary committed or attempted of the FCM or IB-C that is reported to appropriate law enforcement authorities; (ii) A violation otherwise required to be reported under the CEA (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.), the regulations of the CFTC (17 CFR chapter I), or the rules of any registered futures association or registered entity as those terms are defined in the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 21 and 7 U.S.C. 1a(29), by the FCM or IB-C or any of its officers, directors, employees, or associated persons, other than a violation of 17 CFR 42.2, as long as such violation is appropriately reported to the CFTC or a registered futures association or registered entity. (2) An FCM or IB-C may be required to demonstrate that it has relied on an exception in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, and must maintain records of its determinations to do so for the period specified in paragraph (d) of this section. To the extent that a Form 8–R, 8–T, U–5, or any other similar form concerning the transaction is filed consistent with CFTC, registered futures association, or registered entity rules, a copy of that form will be a sufficient record for the purposes of this paragraph (c)(2). (d) Retention of records. An FCM or IB-C shall maintain a copy of any SAR-SF 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-SF. Supporting documentation shall be identified as such and maintained by the FCM or IB-C, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the SAR-SF. An FCM or IB-C shall make all supporting documentation available to FinCEN, the CFTC, or any other appropriate law enforcement agency or regulatory agency, and, for purposes of paragraph (g) of this section, to any registered futures association, registered entity, or self-regulatory organization (“SRO”) (as defined in section 3(a)(26) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(26)), upon request. (e) Confidentiality of reports. No financial institution, and no director, officer, employee, or agent of any financial institution, who reports a suspicious transaction under this part, may notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported, except to the extent permitted by paragraph (a)(3) of this section. Thus, any person subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SAR-SF or the information contained in a SAR-SF, except where such disclosure is requested by FinCEN, the CFTC, another appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agency, or for purposes of paragraph (g) of this section, a registered futures association, registered entity, or SRO shall decline to produce the SAR-SF or to provide any information that would disclose that a SAR-SF has been prepared or filed, citing this paragraph and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2), and shall notify FinCEN of any such request and its response thereto. (f) Limitation of liability. An FCM or IB-C, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of such FCM or IB-C, that makes a report of any possible violation of law or regulation pursuant to this section or any other authority (or voluntarily) shall not be liable to any person under any law or regulation of the United States (or otherwise to the extent also provided in 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3), including in any arbitration or reparations proceeding) for any disclosure contained in, or for failure to disclose the fact of, such report. (g) Examination and enforcement. Compliance with this section shall be examined by the Department of the Treasury, through FinCEN or its delegates, under the terms of the BSA. Reports filed under this section or §103.19 (including any supporting documentation), and documentation demonstrating reliance on an exception under paragraph (c) of this section or §103.19, shall be made available, upon request, to the CFTC, Securities and Exchange Commission, and any registered futures association, registered entity, or SRO, examining an FCM, IB-C, or broker or dealer in securities for compliance with the requirements of this section or §103.19. Failure to satisfy the requirements of this section may constitute a violation of the reporting rules of the BSA or of this part. (h) Effective date. This section applies to transactions occurring after May 18, 2004. [68 FR 65398, Nov. 20, 2003] (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 part or of any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act, Pub. L. 91–508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311–5330; 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 and any appropriate law enforcement agencies or bank supervisory agencies upon request. (e) Confidentiality of reports; limitation of liability. No bank or other financial institution, and no director, officer, employee, or agent of any bank or other financial institution, who reports a suspicious transaction under this part, may notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported. Thus, any person subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SAR or the information contained in a SAR, except where such disclosure is requested by FinCEN or an appropriate law enforcement or bank supervisory agency, shall decline to produce the SAR or to provide any information that would disclose that a SAR has been prepared or filed, citing this paragraph (e) and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2), and shall notify FinCEN of any such request and its response thereto. A bank, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of such bank, that makes a report pursuant to this section (whether such report is required by this section or is made voluntarily) shall be protected from liability for any disclosure contained in, or for failure to disclose the fact of such report, or both, to the full extent provided by 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3). (f) Compliance. Compliance with this section shall be audited by the Department of the Treasury, through FinCEN or its delegees under the terms of the Bank Secrecy Act. Failure to satisfy the requirements of this section may be a violation of the reporting rules of the Bank Secrecy Act and of this part. Such failure may also violate provisions of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations. [61 FR 4331, Feb. 5, 1996, as amended at 61 FR 14249, Apr. 1, 1996; 61 FR 18250, Apr. 25, 1996. Redesignated at 65 FR 13692, Mar. 14, 2000] (a) General. (1) Every broker or dealer in securities within the United States (for purposes of this section, a “broker-dealer”) shall file with FinCEN, 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 broker-dealer may also file with FinCEN 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. Filing a report of a suspicious transaction does not relieve a broker-dealer from the responsibility of complying with any other reporting requirements imposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission or a self-regulatory organization (“SRO”) (as defined in section 3(a)(26) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(26)). (2) A transaction requires reporting under the terms of this section if it is conducted or attempted by, at, or through a broker-dealer, it involves or aggregates funds or other assets of at least $5,000, and the broker-dealer knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that the transaction (or a pattern of transactions of which the transaction is a part): (i) Involves funds derived from illegal activity or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activity (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) Is designed, whether through structuring or other means, to evade any requirements of this part or of any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act, Public Law 91–508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311–5332; (iii) 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 broker-dealer knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction; or (iv) Involves use of the broker-dealer to facilitate criminal activity. (3) The obligation to identify and properly and timely to report a suspicious transaction rests with each broker-dealer involved in the transaction, provided that no more than one report is required to be filed by the broker-dealers involved in a particular transaction (so long as the report filed contains all relevant facts). (b) Filing procedures—(1) What to file. A suspicious transaction shall be reported by completing a Suspicious Activity Report—Brokers or Dealers in Securities (“SAR-S-F”), and collecting and maintaining supporting documentation as required by paragraph (d) of this section. (2) Where to file. The SAR-BD shall be filed with FinCEN in a central location, to be determined by FinCEN, as indicated in the instructions to the SAR-S-F. (3) When to file. A SAR-S-F shall be filed no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the initial detection by the reporting broker-dealer of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a SAR-S-F under this section. If no suspect is identified on the date of such initial detection, a broker-dealer may delay filing a SAR-S-F for an additional 30 calendar days to identify a suspect, but in no case shall reporting be delayed more than 60 calendar days after the date of such initial detection. In situations involving violations that require immediate attention, such as terrorist financing or ongoing money laundering schemes, the broker-dealer shall immediately notify by telephone an appropriate law enforcement authority in addition to filing timely a SAR-S-F. Broker-dealers wishing voluntarily to report suspicious transactions that may relate to terrorist activity may call FinCEN's Financial Institutions Hotline at 1–866–556–3974 in addition to filing timely a SAR-S-F if required by this section. The broker-dealer may also, but is not required to, contact the Securities and Exchange Commission to report in such situations. (c) Exceptions. (1) A broker-dealer is not required to file a SAR-S-F to report: (i) A robbery or burglary committed or attempted of the broker-dealer that is reported to appropriate law enforcement authorities, or for lost, missing, counterfeit, or stolen securities with respect to which the broker-dealer files a report pursuant to the reporting requirements of 17 CFR 240.17f–1; (ii) A violation otherwise required to be reported under this section of any of the federal securities laws or rules of an SRO by the broker-dealer or any of its officers, directors, employees, or other registered representatives, other than a violation of 17 CFR 240.17a–8 or 17 CFR 405.4, so long as such violation is appropriately reported to the SEC or an SRO. (2) A broker-dealer may be required to demonstrate that it has relied on an exception in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, and must maintain records of its determinations to do so for the period specified in paragraph (d) of this section. To the extent that a Form RE–3, Form U–4, or Form U–5 concerning the transaction is filed consistent with the SRO rules, a copy of that form will be a sufficient record for purposes of this paragraph (c)(2). (3) For the purposes of this paragraph (c) the term “federal securities laws” means the “securities laws,” as that term is defined in section 3(a)(47) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(47), and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under such laws. (d) Retention of records. A broker-dealer shall maintain a copy of any SAR-S-F 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-S-F. Supporting documentation shall be identified as such and maintained by the broker-dealer, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the SAR-S-F. A broker-dealer shall make all supporting documentation available to FinCEN, any other appropriate law enforcement agencies or federal or state securities regulators, and for purposes of paragraph (g) of this section, to an SRO registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request. (e) Confidentiality of reports. No financial institution, and no director, officer, employee, or agent of any financial institution, who reports a suspicious transaction under this part, may notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported, except to the extent permitted by paragraph (a)(3) of this section. Thus, any person subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SAR-S-F or the information contained in a SAR-S-F, except where such disclosure is requested by FinCEN, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or another appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agency, or for purposes of paragraph (g) of this section, an SRO registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, shall decline to produce the SAR-S-F or to provide any information that would disclose that a SAR-S-F has been prepared or filed, citing this paragraph (e) and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2), and shall notify FinCEN of any such request and its response thereto. (f) Limitation of liability. A broker-dealer, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of such broker-dealer, that makes a report of any possible violation of law or regulation pursuant to this section or any other authority (or voluntarily) shall not be liable to any person under any law or regulation of the United States (or otherwise to the extent also provided in 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3), including in any arbitration proceeding) for any disclosure contained in, or for failure to disclose the fact of, such report. (g) Examination and enforcement. Compliance with this section shall be examined by the Department of the Treasury, through FinCEN or its delegees, under the terms of the Bank Secrecy Act. Reports filed under this section shall be made available to an SRO registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission examining a broker-dealer for compliance with the requirements of this section. Failure to satisfy the requirements of this section may constitute a violation of the reporting rules of the Bank Secrecy Act and of this part. (h) Effective date. This section applies to transactions occurring after December 30, 2002. [67 FR 44056, July 1, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 6617, Feb. 10, 2003] (a) General. (1) Every money services business, described in §103.11(uu) (1), (3), (4), (5), or (6), 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. Any money services business may also file with the Treasury Department, by using the form 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 a money services business, involves or aggregates funds or other assets of at least $2,000 (except as provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section), and the money services business knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that the transaction (or a pattern of transactions of which the transaction is a part): (i) Involves funds derived from illegal activity or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activity (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) Is designed, whether through structuring or other means, to evade any requirements of this part or of any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act, Public Law 91–508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311–5330; or (iii) Serves no business or apparent lawful purpose, and the reporting money services business knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction. (iv) Involves use of the money services business to facilitate criminal activity. (3) To the extent that the identification of transactions required to be reported is derived from a review of clearance records or other similar records of money orders or traveler's checks that have been sold or processed, an issuer of money orders or traveler's checks shall only be required to report a transaction or pattern of transactions that involves or aggregates funds or other assets of at least $5,000. (4) The obligation to identify and properly and timely to report a suspicious transaction rests with each money services business involved in the transaction, provided that no more than one report is required to be filed by the money services businesses involved in a particular transaction (so long as the report filed contains all relevant facts). Whether, in addition to any liability on its own for failure to report, a money services business that issues the instrument or provides the funds transfer service involved in the transaction may be liable for the failure of another money services business involved in the transaction to report that transaction depends upon the nature of the contractual or other relationship between the businesses, and the legal effect of the facts and circumstances of the relationship and transaction involved, under general principles of the law of agency. (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a transaction that involves solely the issuance, or facilitation of the transfer of stored value, or the issuance, sale, or redemption of stored value, shall not be subject to reporting under this paragraph (a), until the promulgation of rules specifically relating to such reporting. (b) Filing procedures—(1) What to file. A suspicious transaction shall be reported by completing a Suspicious Activity Report-MSB (“SAR-MSB”), and collecting and maintaining supporting documentation as required by paragraph (c) of this section. (2) Where to file. The SAR-MSB shall be filed in a central location to be determined by FinCEN, as indicated in the instructions to the SAR-MSB. (3) When to file. A money services business subject to this section is required to file each SAR-MSB no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the initial detection by the money services business of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a SAR-MSB under this section. In situations involving violations that require immediate attention, such as ongoing money laundering schemes, the money services business shall immediately notify by telephone an appropriate law enforcement authority in addition to filing a SAR-MSB. Money services businesses wishing voluntarily to report suspicious transactions that may relate to terrorist activity may call FinCEN's Financial Institutions Hotline at 1–866–556–3974 in addition to filing timely a SAR-MSB if required by this section. (c) Retention of records. A money services business shall maintain a copy of any SAR-MSB 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-MSB. Supporting documentation shall be identified as such and maintained by the money services business, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the SAR-MSB. A money services business shall make all supporting documentation available to FinCEN and any other appropriate law enforcement agencies or supervisory agencies upon request. (d) Confidentiality of reports; limitation of liability. No financial institution, and no director, officer, employee, or agent of any financial institution, who reports a suspicious transaction under this part, may notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported. Thus, any person subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SAR-MSB or the information contained in a SAR-MSB, except where such disclosure is requested by FinCEN or an appropriate law enforcement or supervisory agency, shall decline to produce the SAR-MSB or to provide any information that would disclose that a SAR-MSB has been prepared or filed, citing this paragraph (d) and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2), and shall notify FinCEN of any such request and its response thereto. A reporting money services business, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of such reporting money services business, that makes a report pursuant to this section (whether such report is required by this section or made voluntarily) shall be protected from liability for any disclosure contained in, or for failure to disclose the fact of, such report, or both, to the extent provided by 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3). (e) Compliance. Compliance with this section shall be audited by the Department of the Treasury, through FinCEN or its delegees under the terms of the Bank Secrecy Act. Failure to satisfy the requirements of this section may constitute a violation of the reporting rules of the Bank Secrecy Act and of this part. (f) Effective date. This section applies to transactions occurring after December 31, 2001. [65 FR 13692, Mar. 14, 2000, as amended at 68 FR 6617, Feb. 10, 2003] (a) General. (1) Every casino shall file with FinCEN, 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 casino may also file with FinCEN, by using the form 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 a casino, and involves or aggregates at least $5,000 in funds or other assets, and the casino knows, suspects, or has reason to suspect that the transaction (or a pattern of transactions of which the transaction is a part): (i) Involves funds derived from illegal activity or is intended or conducted in order to hide or disguise funds or assets derived from illegal activity (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) Is designed, whether through structuring or other means, to evade any requirements of this part or of any other regulations promulgated under the Bank Secrecy Act, Public Law 91–508, as amended, codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311–5332; (iii) 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 casino knows of no reasonable explanation for the transaction after examining the available facts, including the background and possible purpose of the transaction; or (iv) Involves use of the casino to facilitate criminal activity. (b) Filing procedures—(1) What to file. A suspicious transaction shall be reported by completing a Suspicious Activity Report by Casinos (“SARC”), and collecting and maintaining supporting documentation as required by paragraph (d) of this section. (2) Where to file. The SARC shall be filed with FinCEN in a central location, to be determined by FinCEN, as indicated in the instructions to the SARC. (3) When to file. A SARC shall be filed no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the initial detection by the casino of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a SARC under this section. If no suspect is identified on the date of such initial detection, a casino may delay filing a SARC for an additional 30 calendar days to identify a suspect, but in no case shall reporting be delayed more than 60 calendar days after the date of such initial detection. In situations involving violations that require immediate attention, such as ongoing money laundering schemes, the casino shall immediately notify by telephone an appropriate law enforcement authority in addition to filing timely a SARC. Casinos wishing voluntarily to report suspicious transactions that may relate to terrorist activity may call FinCEN's Financial Institutions Hotline at 1–866–556–3974 in addition to filing timely a SARC if required by this section. (c) Exceptions. A casino is not required to file a SARC for a robbery or burglary committed or attempted that is reported to appropriate law enforcement authorities. (d) Retention of records. A casino shall maintain a copy of any SARC filed and the original or business record equivalent of any supporting documentation for a period of five years from the date of filing the SARC. Supporting documentation shall be identified as such and maintained by the casino, and shall be deemed to have been filed with the SARC. A casino shall make all supporting documentation available to FinCEN, any other appropriate law enforcement agencies or federal, state, local, or tribal gaming regulators upon request. (e) Confidentiality of reports; limitation of liability. No casino, and no director, officer, employee, or agent of any casino, who reports a suspicious transaction under this part, may notify any person involved in the transaction that the transaction has been reported. Thus, any person subpoenaed or otherwise requested to disclose a SARC or the information contained in a SARC, except where such disclosure is requested by FinCEN or another appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agency, shall decline to produce the SARC or to provide any information that would disclose that a SARC has been prepared or filed, citing this paragraph (e) and 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(2), and shall notify FinCEN of any such request and its response thereto. A casino, and any director, officer, employee, or agent of such casino, that makes a report pursuant to this section (whether such report is required by this section or made voluntarily) shall be protected from liability for any disclosure contained in, or for failure to disclose the fact of, such report, or both, to the extent provided by 31 U.S.C. 5318(g)(3). (f) Compliance. Compliance with this section shall be audited by the Department of the Treasury, through FinCEN or its delegees, under the terms of the Bank Secrecy Act. Failure to satisfy the requirements of this section may constitute a violation of the reporting rules of the Bank Secrecy Act and of this part. (g) Effective date. This section applies to transactions occurring after March 25, 2003. [67 FR 60729, Sept. 26, 2002] (a) General. This section sets forth the rules for the reporting by financial institutions of transactions in currency. The reporting obligations themselves are stated in paragraph (b) of this section. The reporting rules relating to aggregation are stated in paragraph (c) of this section. Rules permitting banks to exempt certain transactions from the reporting obligations appear in paragraph (d) of this section. (b) Filing obligations—(1) Financial institutions other than casinos. 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 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. (2) Casinos. Each casino shall file a report of each transaction in currency, involving either cash in or cash out, of more than $10,000. (i) Transactions in currency involving cash in include, but are not limited to: (A) Purchases of chips, tokens, and plaques; (B) Front money deposits; (C) Safekeeping deposits; (D) Payments on any form of credit, including markers and counter checks; (E) Bets of currency; (F) Currency received by a casino for transmittal of funds through wire transfer for a customer; (G) Purchases of a casino's check; and (H) Exchanges of currency for currency, including foreign currency. (ii) Transactions in currency involving cash out include, but are not limited to: (A) Redemptions of chips, tokens, and plaques; (B) Front money withdrawals; (C) Safekeeping withdrawals; (D) Advances on any form of credit, including markers and counter checks; (E) Payments on bets, including slot jackpots; (F) Payments by a casino to a customer based on receipt of funds through wire transfer for credit to a customer; (G) Cashing of checks or other negotiable instruments; (H) Exchanges of currency for currency, including foreign currency; and (I) Reimbursements for customers' travel and entertainment expenses by the casino. (c) Aggregation—(1) 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 this section's reporting requirements. (2) Multiple transactions—general. In the case of financial institutions other than casinos, for purposes of this section, 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 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. (3) Multiple transactions—casinos. In the case of a casino, multiple currency transactions shall be treated as a single transaction if the casino 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 gaming day. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(3), a casino shall be deemed to have the knowledge described in the preceding sentence, if: any sole proprietor, partner, officer, director, or employee of the casino, acting within the scope of his or her employment, has knowledge that such multiple currency transactions have occurred, including knowledge from examining the books, records, logs, information retained on magnetic disk, tape or other machine-readable media, or in any manual system, and similar documents and information, which the casino maintains pursuant to any law or regulation or within the ordinary course of its business, and which contain information that such multiple currency transactions have occurred. (d) Transactions of exempt persons—(1) General. No bank is required to file a report otherwise required by paragraph (b) of this section with respect to any transaction in currency between an exempt person and such bank, or, to the extent provided in paragraph (d)(6)(vi) of this section, between such exempt person and other banks affiliated with such bank. In addition, a non-bank financial institution is not required to file a report otherwise required by paragraph (b) of this section with respect to a transaction in currency between the institution and a commercial bank. (A limitation on the exemption described in this paragraph (d)(1) is set forth in paragraph (d)(7) of this section.) (2) Exempt person. For purposes of this section, an exempt person is: (i) A bank, to the extent of such bank's domestic operations; (ii) A department or agency of the United States, of any State, or of any political subdivision of any State; (iii) 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; (iv) 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 Small-Cap Issues” heading), provided that, for purposes of this paragraph (d)(2)(iv), a person that is a financial institution, other than a bank, is an exempt person only to the extent of its domestic operations; (v) Any subsidiary, other than a bank, of any entity described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv) 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 (d)(2)(v), a person that is a financial institution, other than a bank, is an exempt person only to the extent of its domestic operations; (vi) 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 paragraph (d), a “non-listed business”), other than an enterprise specified in paragraph (d)(6)(viii) of this section, that: (A) Has maintained a transaction account, as defined in paragraph (d)(6)(ix) of this section, at the bank for at least 12 months; (B) Frequently engages in transactions in currency with the bank in excess of $10,000; and (C) 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 (vii) With respect solely to withdrawals for payroll purposes from existing exemptible accounts, any other person (for purposes of this paragraph (d), a “payroll customer”) that: (A) Has maintained a transaction account, as defined in paragraph (d)(6)(ix) of this section, at the bank for at least 12 months; (B) Operates a firm that regularly withdraws more than $10,000 in order to pay its United States employees in currency; and (C) 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. (3) Initial designation of exempt persons—(i) General. A bank must designate each exempt person with which it engages in transactions in currency by the close of the 30-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 paragraph (d). Except as provided in paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this section, designation by a bank of an exempt person shall be made by a single filing of Treasury Form TD F 90–22.53. (A bank is not required to file a Treasury Form TD F 90–22.53 with respect to the transfer of currency to or from any of the twelve Federal Reserve Banks.) The designation must be made separately by each bank that treats the person in question as an exempt person, except as provided in paragraph (d)(6)(vi) of this section. The designation requirements of this paragraph (d)(3) apply whether or not the particular exempt person to be designated has previously been treated as exempt from the reporting requirements of prior §103.22(a) under the rules contained in 31 CFR 103.22(a) through (g), as in effect on October 20, 1998 (see 31 CFR Parts 0 to 199 revised as of July 1, 1998). A special transitional rule, which extends the time for initial designation for customers that have been previously treated as exempt under such prior rules, is contained in paragraph (d)(11) of this section. (ii) Special rules for banks. When designating another bank as an exempt person, a bank must either make the filing required by paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section or file, in such a format and manner as FinCEN may specify, a current list of its domestic bank customers. In the event that a bank files its current list of domestic bank customers, the bank must make the filing as described in paragraph (d)(3)(i) of this section for each bank that is a new customer and for which an exemption is sought under this paragraph (d). (4) Annual review. The information supporting each designation of an exempt person, and the application to each account of an exempt person described in paragraphs (d)(2)(vi) or (d)(2)(vii) of this section of the monitoring system required to be maintained by paragraph (d)(9)(ii) of this section, must be reviewed and verified at least once each year. (5) Biennial filing with respect to certain exempt persons—(i) General. A biennial filing, as described in paragraph (d)(5)(ii) of this section, is required for continuation of the treatment as an exempt person of a customer described in paragraph (d)(2)(vi) or (vii) of this section. No biennial filing is required for continuation of the treatment as an exempt person of a customer described in paragraphs (d)(2)(i) through (v) of this section. (ii) Non-listed businesses and payroll customers. The designation of a non-listed business or a payroll customer as an exempt person must be renewed biennially, beginning on March 15 of the second calendar year following the year in which the first designation of such customer as an exempt person is made, and every other March 15 thereafter, on Treasury Form TD F 90–22.53. Biennial renewals must include a statement certifying that the bank's system of monitoring the transactions in currency of an exempt person for suspicious activity, required to be maintained by paragraph (d)(9)(ii) of this section, has been applied as necessary, but at least annually, to the account of the exempt person to whom the biennial renewal applies. Biennial renewals also must include information about any change in control of the exempt person involved of which the bank knows (or should know on the basis of its records). (6) Operating rules—(i) General rule. Subject to the specific rules of this paragraph (d), 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 (d)(2) of this section), to document the basis for its conclusions, and document its compliance, with the terms of this paragraph (d), 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 (d)(9)(ii) of this section, such steps that a reasonable and prudent bank would take and document to identify suspicious transactions as required by paragraph (d)(9)(ii) of this section. (ii) 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 (d)(2)(ii) or (d)(2)(iii) 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 (d)(2)(iii) 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. (iii) Stock exchange listings. In determining whether a person is described in paragraph (d)(2)(iv) 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 World-Wide Web site or sites maintained by the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or the National Association of Securities Dealers. (iv) Listed company subsidiaries. In determining whether a person is described in paragraph (d)(2)(v) of this section, a bank may rely upon: (A) Any reasonably authenticated corporate officer's certificate; (B) Any reasonably authenticated photocopy of Internal Revenue Service Form 851 (Affiliation Schedule) or the equivalent thereof for the appropriate tax year; or (C) A person's Annual Report or Form 10-K, as filed in each case with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (v) 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. (vi) Affiliated banks. The designation required by paragraph (d)(3) 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. (vii) Sole proprietorships. A sole proprietorship may be treated as a non-listed business if it otherwise meets the requirements of paragraph (d)(2)(vi) 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 (d)(2)(vii) of this section, as applicable. (viii) 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 paragraph (d): 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 is derived from one or more of the ineligible business activities listed in this paragraph (d)(6)(viii). (ix) 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 paragraph (d), 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 paragraph (d), is any interest-bearing account that is described as a money market deposit account in 12 CFR 204.2(d)(2). (x) Documentation. The records maintained by a bank to document its compliance with and administration of the rules of this paragraph (d) shall be maintained in accordance with the provisions of §103.38. (7) 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 (d)(1) of this section. (8) Limitation on liability. (i) No bank shall be subject to penalty under this part for failure to file a report required by paragraph (b) of this section with respect to a transaction in currency by an exempt person with respect to which the requirements of this paragraph (d) have been satisfied, unless the bank: (A) Knowingly files false or incomplete information with respect to the transaction or the customer engaging in the transaction; or (B) Has reason to believe that the customer does not meet the criteria established by this paragraph (d) for treatment of the transactor as an exempt person or that the transaction is not a transaction of the exempt person. (ii) Subject to the specific terms of this paragraph (d), 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 paragraph (d) to the extent it continues to treat that customer as an exempt person until the date of that customer's next periodic review, which, as required by paragraph (d)(4) of this section, shall occur no less than once each year. (iii) 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. (9) Obligations to file suspicious activity reports and maintain system for monitoring transactions in currency. (i) Nothing in this paragraph (d) relieves a bank of the obligation, or reduces in any way such bank's obligation, to file a report required by §103.21 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 §103.21(a)(2)(i), (ii), or (iii), or relieves a bank of any reporting or recordkeeping obligation imposed by this part (except the obligation to report transactions in currency pursuant to this section to the extent provided in this paragraph (d)). 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 transaction trends or patterns, may trigger the obligations of a bank under §103.21. (ii) Consistent with its annual review obligations under paragraph (d)(4)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 and payroll customers does not limit the obligation of banks generally to take the steps necessary to satisfy the terms of paragraph (d)(9)(i) of this section and §103.21 with respect to all exempt persons. (10) Revocation. The status of any person as an exempt person under this paragraph (d) may be revoked by FinCEN by written notice, which may be provided by publication in the (i) The status of an entity as an exempt person under paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section ceases once such entity ceases to be listed on the applicable stock exchange; and (ii) The status of a subsidiary as an exempt person under paragraph (d)(2)(v) 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. (11) Transitional rule. (i) No accounts may be newly granted an exemption or placed on an exempt list on or after October 21, 1998, under the rules contained in 31 CFR 103.22(b) through (g), as in effect on October 20, 1998 (see 31 CFR Parts 0 to 199 revised as of July 1, 1998). (ii) If a bank properly treated an account (a “previously exempted account”) as exempt on October 20, 1998 under the rules contained in 31 CFR 103.22(b) through (g), as in effect on October 20, 1998 (see 31 CFR Parts 0 to 199 revised as of July 1, 1998), it may continue to treat such account as exempt under such prior rules with respect to transactions in currency occurring on or before June 30, 2000, provided that it does so consistently until the earlier of June 30, 2000, and the date on which the bank makes the designation or the determination described in paragraph (d)(11)(iii) of this section. A bank that continues to treat a previously exempted account as exempt under the prior rules, and for the period, specified in the preceding sentence, shall remain subject to such prior rules, and to the penalties for failing to comply therewith, with respect to transactions in currency occurring during such period. (iii) A bank must, on or before July 1, 2000, either designate the holder of a previously exempted account as an exempt person under paragraph (d)(2) of this section or determine that it may not or will not treat such holder as an exempt person under paragraph (d)(2) of this section (so that it will be required to make reports under paragraph (a) of this section with respect to transactions in currency by such person occurring on or after the date of determination, but no later than July 1, 2000). A bank that initially does not designate the holder of a previously exempted account as an exempt person for periods beginning after June 30, 2000, may later make such a designation, to the extent otherwise permitted to do so by this paragraph (d), for periods after the effective date of such designation. [63 FR 50156, Sept. 21, 1998, as amended at 65 FR 46360, July 28, 2000] (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. [37 FR 26517, Dec. 13, 1972, as amended at 50 FR 18479, May 1, 1985; 50 FR 42693, Oct. 22, 1985; 53 FR 4138, Feb. 12, 1988; 54 FR 28418, July 6, 1989] (a) 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. [42 FR 63774, Dec. 20, 1977, as amended at 52 FR 11443, Apr. 8, 1987; 52 FR 12641, Apr. 17, 1987] (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 the (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 §103.33. (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 part. (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 Subpart C of this part, or any other provision of state or Federal law, or otherwise maintained in the regular course of business. [50 FR 27824, July 8, 1985, as amended at 53 FR 10073, Mar. 29, 1988; 60 FR 229, Jan. 3, 1995] (a) 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 part and to prevent persons from evading the reporting/recordkeeping requirements of this part, the Secretary may issue an order requiring any domestic financial institution or group of domestic financial institutions 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 is involved for the payment, receipt, or transfer of United States coins or currency (or such other monetary instruments 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. (b) An order issued under paragraph (a) of this section shall be directed to the Chief Executive Officer of the financial institution and shall designate one or more of the following categories of information to be reported: Each deposit, withdrawal, exchange of currency 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 currency and/or monetary instruments equal to or exceeding an amount to be 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 60 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 §103.22 of this part 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. [54 FR 33679, Aug. 16, 1989] (a)(1) A report required by §103.22(a) shall be filed by the financial institution within 15 days following the day on which the reportable transaction occurred. (2) A report required by §103.22(g) shall be filed by the bank within 15 days after receiving a request for the report. (3) A copy of each report filed pursuant to §103.22 shall be retained by the financial institution for a period of five years from the date of the report. (4) All reports required to be filed by §103.22 shall be filed with the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, unless otherwise specified. (b)(1) A report required by §103.23(a) shall be filed at the time of entry into the United States or at the time of departure, mailing or shipping from the United States, unless otherwise specified by the Commissioner of Customs. (2) A report required by §103.23(b) shall be filed within 15 days after receipt of the currency or other monetary instruments. (3) All reports required by §103.23 shall be filed with the Customs officer in charge at any port of entry or departure, or as otherwise specified by the Commissioner of Customs. Reports required by §103.23(a) for currency or other monetary instruments not physically accompanying a person entering or departing from the United States, may be filed by mail on or before the date of entry, departure, mailing or shipping. All reports required by §103.23(b) may also be filed by mail. Reports filed by mail shall be addressed to the Commissioner of Customs, Attention: Currency Transportation Reports, Washington, DC 20229. (c) Reports required to be filed by §103.24 shall be filed with the Commissioner of Internal Revenue on or before June 30 of each calendar year with respect to foreign financial accounts exceeding $10,000 maintained during the previous calendar year. (d) Reports required by §103.22, §103.23 or §103.24 shall be filed on forms prescribed by the Secretary. All information called for in such forms shall be furnished. (e) Forms to be used in making the reports required by §§103.22 and 103.24 may be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service. Forms to be used in making the reports required by §103.23 may be obtained from the U.S. Customs Service. [52 FR 11443, Apr. 8, 1987; 52 FR 12641, Apr. 17, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 4138, Feb. 12, 1988. Redesignated at 54 FR 33678, Aug. 16, 1989] Before concluding any transaction with respect to which a report is required under §103.22, 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 drivers 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. [52 FR 11443, Apr. 8, 1987; 52 FR 12641, Apr. 17, 1987, as amended at 54 FR 3027, Jan. 23, 1989. Redesignated at 54 FR 33678, Aug. 16, 1989; 59 FR 61662, Dec. 1, 1994] (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. [59 FR 52252, Oct. 17, 1994] (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 §103.22. (ii) Certain financial transactions. Section 6050I 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 similar information about certain transactions 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 taxpayer identification number 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) Currency. Solely for purposes of 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section, 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 real 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 of currency by certain casinos having gross annual gaming revenue in excess of $1,000,000—(i) In general. If a casino receives currency in excess of $10,000 and is required to report the receipt of such currency directly to the Treasury Department under §§103.22 (a)(2) and 103.25 and is subject to the recordkeeping requirements of §103.36, then the casino is not required to make a report with respect to the receipt of such currency under 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section. (ii) Casinos exempt under §103.55(c). Pursuant to §103.55, the Secretary may exempt from the reporting and recordkeeping requirements under §§103.22, 103.25 and 103.36 casinos in any state whose regulatory system substantially meets the reporting and recordkeeping requirements of this part. Such casinos shall not be required to report receipt of currency under 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section. (iii) Reporting of currency received in a nongaming business. Nongaming businesses (such as shops, restaurants, entertainment, and hotels) at casino hotels and resorts are separate trades or businesses in which the receipt of currency in excess of $10,000 is reportable under section 5331 and these regulations. Thus, a casino exempt under paragraph (d)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section must report with respect to currency in excess of $10,000 received in its nongaming businesses. (iv) Example. The following example illustrates the application of the rules in paragraphs (d)(2) (i) and (iii) of this section: Example. A and B are casinos having gross annual gaming revenue in excess of $1,000,000. C is a casino with gross annual gaming revenue of less than $1,000,000. Casino A receives $15,000 in currency from a customer with respect to a gaming transaction which the casino reports to the Treasury Department under §§103.22(a)(2) and 103.25. Casino B receives $15,000 in currency from a customer in payment for accommodations provided to that customer at Casino B's hotel. Casino C receives $15,000 in currency from a customer with respect to a gaming transaction. Casino A is not required to report the transaction under 31 U.S.C. 5331 or this section because the exception for certain casinos provided in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section (“the casino exception”) applies. Casino B is required to report under 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section because the casino exception does not apply to the receipt of currency from a nongaming activity. Casino C is required to report under 31 U.S.C. 5331 and this section because the casino exception does not apply to casinos having gross annual gaming revenue of $1,000,000 or less which do not have to report to the Treasury Department under §§103.22(a)(2) and 103.25. (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. (3) 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)(3)(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)(3)(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. (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. [66 FR 67681, Dec. 31, 2001]
Title 31: Money and Finance: Treasury
PART 103—FINANCIAL RECORDKEEPING AND REPORTING OF CURRENCY AND FOREIGN TRANSACTIONS
Subpart B—Reports Required To Be Made
§ 103.12 Determination by the Secretary.
§ 103.15 Reports by mutual funds of suspicious transactions.
§ 103.16 Reports by insurance companies of suspicious transactions.
§ 103.17 Reports by futures commission merchants and introducing brokers in commodities of suspicious transactions.
§ 103.18 Reports by banks of suspicious transactions.
§ 103.19 Reports by brokers or dealers in securities of suspicious transactions.
§ 103.20 Reports by money services businesses of suspicious transactions.
§ 103.21 Reports by casinos of suspicious transactions.
§ 103.22 Reports of transactions in currency.
§ 103.23 Reports of transportation of currency or monetary instruments.
§ 103.24 Reports of foreign financial accounts.
§ 103.25 Reports of transactions with foreign financial agencies.
§ 103.26 Reports of certain domestic coin and currency transactions.
§ 103.27 Filing of reports.
§ 103.28 Identification required.
§ 103.29 Purchases of bank checks and drafts, cashier's checks, money orders and traveler's checks.
§ 103.30 Reports relating to currency in excess of $10,000 received in a trade or business.
