[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 12, Volume 2] [Revised as of January 1, 2003] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 12CFR210.9] [Page 317-319] TITLE 12--BANKS AND BANKING CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM PART 210--COLLECTION OF CHECKS AND OTHER ITEMS BY FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS AND FUNDS TRANSFERS THROUGH FEDWIRE (REGULATION J)--Table of Contents Subpart A--Collection of Checks and Other Items By Federal Reserve Banks Sec. 210.9 Settlement and payment. (a) Settlement through Administrative Reserve Bank. A paying bank shall settle for an item under this subpart with its Administrative Reserve Bank, whether or not the paying bank received the item from that Reserve Bank. A paying bank's settlement with its Administrative Reserve Bank is deemed to be settlement with the Reserve Bank from which the paying bank received the item. A paying bank may settle for an item using any account on a Reserve Bank's books by agreement with its Administrative Reserve Bank, any other Reserve Bank holding the settlement account, and the account-holder. The paying bank remains responsible for settlement if the Reserve Bank holding the settlement account does not, for any reason, obtain settlement in that account. (b) Cash items--(1) Settlement obligation. On the day a paying bank receives \2\ a cash item from a Reserve Bank, it shall settle for the item such that the proceeds of the settlement are available to its Administrative Reserve Bank by the close of Fedwire on that day, or it shall return the item by the later of the close of its banking day or the close of Fedwire. If the paying bank fails to settle for or return a cash item in accordance with this paragraph (b)(1), it is accountable for the amount of the item as of the close of its banking day or the close of Fedwire on the day it receives the item, whichever is earlier. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ A paying bank is deemed to receive a cash item on its next banking day if it receives the item-- (1) On a day other than a banking day for it; or (2) On a banking day for it, but after a ``cut-off hour'' established by it in accordance with state law. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) Time of settlement. (i) On the day a paying bank receives a cash item from a Reserve Bank, it shall settle for the item so that the proceeds of the settlement are available to its Administrative Reserve Bank, or return the item, by the latest of-- (A) The next clock hour that is at least one hour after the paying bank receives the item; (B) 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time; or (C) Such later time as provided in the Reserve Banks' operating circulars. (ii) If the paying bank fails to settle for or return a cash item in accordance with paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, it shall be subject to any applicable overdraft charges. Settlement under paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section satisfies the settlement requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section. (3) Paying bank closes voluntarily. (i) If a paying bank closes voluntarily so that it does not receive a cash item on a day that is a banking day for a Reserve Bank, and the Reserve Bank makes the cash item available to the paying bank on that day, the paying bank shall either-- (A) On that day, settle for the item so that the proceeds of the settlement are available to its Administrative Reserve Bank, or return the item, by the latest of the next clock hour that is at least one hour after it ordinarily would have received the item, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, or such later time as provided in the Reserve Banks' operating circulars; or (B) On the next day that is a banking day for both the paying bank and the Reserve Bank, settle for the item so that the proceeds of the settlement are available to its Administrative Reserve Bank by 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on that [[Page 318]] day or such later time as provided in the Reserve Banks' operating circulars and compensate the Reserve Bank for the value of the float associated with the item in accordance with procedures provided in the Reserve Bank's operating circular. (ii) If a paying bank closes voluntarily so that it does not receive a cash item on a day that is a banking day for a Reserve Bank, and the Reserve Bank makes the cash item available to the paying bank on that day, the paying bank is not considered to have received the item until its next banking day, but it shall be subject to any applicable overdraft charges if it fails to settle for or return the item in accordance with paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section. The settlement requirements of paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section do not apply to a paying bank that settles in accordance with paragraph (b)(3)(i) of this section. (4) Reserve Bank closed. (i) If a paying bank receives a cash item from a Reserve Bank on a banking day that is not a banking day for the Reserve Bank, the paying bank shall-- (A) Settle for the item so that the proceeds of the settlement are available to its Administrative Reserve Bank by the close of Fedwire on the Reserve Bank's next banking day, or return the item by midnight of the day it receives the item (if the paying bank fails to settle for or return a cash item in accordance with this paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A), it shall become accountable for the amount of the item as of the close of its banking day on the day it receives the item); and (B) Settle for the item so that the proceeds of the settlement are available to its Administrative Reserve Bank by 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the Reserve Bank's next banking day or such later time as provided in the Reserve Bank's operating circular, or return the item by midnight of the day it receives the item. If the paying bank fails to settle for or return a cash item in accordance with this paragraph (b)(4)(i)(B), it shall be subject to any applicable overdraft charges. Settlement under this paragraph (b)(4)(i)(B) satisfies the settlement requirements of paragraph (b)(4)(i)(A) of this section. (ii) The settlement requirements of paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2) of this section do not apply to a paying bank that settles in accordance with paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section. (5) Manner of settlement. Settlement with a Reserve Bank under paragraphs (b) (1) through (4) of this section shall be made by debit to an account on the Reserve Bank's books, cash, or other form of settlement to which the Reserve Bank agrees, except that the Reserve Bank may, in its discretion, obtain settlement by charging the paying bank's account. A paying bank may not set off against the amount of a settlement under this section the amount of a claim with respect to another cash item, cash letter, or other claim under Sec. 229.34(c) of this chapter (Regulation CC) or other law. (6) Notice in lieu of return. If a cash item is unavailable for return, the paying bank may send a notice in lieu of return as provided in Sec. 229.30(f) of this chapter (Regulation CC). (c) Noncash items. A Reserve Bank may require the paying or collecting bank to which it has presented or sent a noncash item to pay for the item in cash, but the Reserve Bank may permit payment by a debit to an account maintained or used by the paying or collecting bank on a Reserve Bank's books or by any of the following that is in a form acceptable to the collecting Reserve Bank: bank draft, transfer of funds or bank credit, or any other form of payment authorized by State law. (d) Nonbank payor. A Reserve Bank may require a nonbank payor to which it has presented an item to pay for it in cash, but the Reserve Bank may permit payment in any of the following that is in a form acceptable to the Reserve Bank: cashier's check, certified check, or other bank draft or obligation. (e) Handling of payment. A Reserve Bank may handle a bank draft or other form of payment it receives in payment of a cash item as a cash item. A Reserve Bank may handle a bank draft or other form of payment it receives in payment of a noncash item as either a cash item or a noncash item. (f) Liability of Reserve Bank. Except as set forth in 12 CFR 229.35(b), a Reserve Bank shall not be liable for the failure of a collecting bank, paying bank, or [[Page 319]] nonbank payor to pay for an item, or for any loss resulting from the Reserve Bank's acceptance of any form of payment other than cash authorized in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section. A Reserve Bank that acts in good faith and exercises ordinary care shall not be liable for the nonpayment of, or failure to realize upon, a bank draft or other form of payment that it accepts under paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section. [45 FR 68634, Oct. 16, 1980, as amended at 49 FR 4200, Feb. 3, 1984; 51 FR 21745, June 16, 1986; 53 FR 21985, June 13, 1988; 57 FR 46955, Oct. 14, 1992; Reg. J, 59 FR 22966, May 4, 1994; 62 FR 48172, Sept. 15, 1997]