[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 12, Volume 2, Parts 200 to 219]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 12CFR216.5]

[Page 381]
 
                       TITLE 12--BANKS AND BANKING
 
                   CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
 
PART 216--PRIVACY OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL INFORMATION (REGULATION P)--Table of Contents
 
                 Subpart A--Privacy and Opt Out Notices
 
Sec. 216.5  Annual privacy notice to customers required.

    (a)(1) General rule. You must provide a clear and conspicuous notice 
to customers that accurately reflects your privacy policies and 
practices not less than annually during the continuation of the customer 
relationship. Annually means at least once in any period of 12 
consecutive months during which that relationship exists. You may define 
the 12-consecutive-month period, but you must apply it to the customer 
on a consistent basis.
    (2) Example. You provide a notice annually if you define the 12-
consecutive-month period as a calendar year and provide the annual 
notice to the customer once in each calendar year following the calendar 
year in which you provided the initial notice. For example, if a 
customer opens an account on any day of year 1, you must provide an 
annual notice to that customer by December 31 of year 2.
    (b)(1) Termination of customer relationship. You are not required to 
provide an annual notice to a former customer.
    (2) Examples. Your customer becomes a former customer when:
    (i) In the case of a deposit account, the account is inactive under 
your policies;
    (ii) In the case of a closed-end loan, the customer pays the loan in 
full, you charge off the loan, or you sell the loan without retaining 
servicing rights;
    (iii) In the case of a credit card relationship or other open-end 
credit relationship, you no longer provide any statements or notices to 
the customer concerning that relationship or you sell the credit card 
receivables without retaining servicing rights; or
    (iv) You have not communicated with the customer about the 
relationship for a period of 12 consecutive months, other than to 
provide annual privacy notices or promotional material.
    (c) Special rule for loans. If you do not have a customer 
relationship with a consumer under the special rule for loans in 
Sec. 216.4(c)(2), then you need not provide an annual notice to that 
consumer under this section.
    (d) Delivery. When you are required to deliver an annual privacy 
notice by this section, you must deliver it according to Sec. 216.9.