[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 12, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 12CFR202.12]

[Page 26-27]
 
                       TITLE 12--BANKS AND BANKING
 
                   CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
 
PART 202_EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT (REGULATION B)--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 202.12  Record retention.

    (a) Retention of prohibited information. A creditor may retain in 
its files information that is prohibited by the Act or this regulation 
for use in evaluating applications, without violating the Act or this 
regulation, if the information was obtained:
    (1) From any source prior to March 23, 1977;
    (2) From consumer reporting agencies, an applicant, or others 
without the specific request of the creditor; or
    (3) As required to monitor compliance with the Act and this 
regulation or other federal or state statutes or regulations.
    (b) Preservation of records--(1) Applications. For 25 months (12 
months for business credit, except as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of 
this section) after the date that a creditor notifies an applicant of 
action taken on an application or of incompleteness, the creditor shall 
retain in original form or a copy thereof:
    (i) Any application that it receives, any information required to be 
obtained concerning characteristics of the applicant to monitor 
compliance with the Act and this regulation or other similar law, and 
any other written or recorded information used in evaluating the 
application and not returned to the applicant at the applicant's 
request;
    (ii) A copy of the following documents if furnished to the applicant 
in written form (or, if furnished orally, any notation or memorandum 
made by the creditor):
    (A) The notification of action taken; and
    (B) The statement of specific reasons for adverse action; and
    (iii) Any written statement submitted by the applicant alleging a 
violation of the Act or this regulation.
    (2) Existing accounts. For 25 months (12 months for business credit, 
except as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of this section) after the date 
that a creditor notifies an applicant of adverse action regarding an 
existing account, the creditor shall retain as to that account, in 
original form or a copy thereof:
    (i) Any written or recorded information concerning the adverse 
action; and
    (ii) Any written statement submitted by the applicant alleging a 
violation of the Act or this regulation.
    (3) Other applications. For 25 months (12 months for business 
credit, except as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of this section) after 
the date that a creditor receives an application for which the creditor 
is not required to comply with the notification requirements of Sec. 
202.9, the creditor shall retain all written or recorded information in 
its possession concerning the applicant, including any notation of 
action taken.
    (4) Enforcement proceedings and investigations. A creditor shall 
retain the information beyond 25 months (12 months for business credit, 
except as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of this section) if the creditor 
has actual notice that it is under investigation or is subject to an 
enforcement proceeding for an alleged violation of the Act or this 
regulation, by the Attorney General of the United States or by an 
enforcement agency charged with monitoring that creditor's compliance 
with the Act and this regulation, or if it has been served with notice 
of an action filed pursuant to section 706 of the Act and Sec. 202.17 
of this regulation. The creditor shall retain the information until 
final disposition of the matter, unless an earlier time is allowed by 
order of the agency or court.

[[Page 27]]

    (5) Special rule for certain business credit applications. With 
regard to a business that had gross revenues in excess of $1 million in 
its preceding fiscal year, or an extension of trade credit, credit 
incident to a factoring agreement, or other similar types of business 
credit, the creditor shall retain records for at least 60 days after 
notifying the applicant of the action taken. If within that time period 
the applicant requests in writing the reasons for adverse action or that 
records be retained, the creditor shall retain records for 12 months.
    (6) Self-tests. For 25 months after a self-test (as defined in Sec. 
202.15) has been completed, the creditor shall retain all written or 
recorded information about the self-test. A creditor shall retain 
information beyond 25 months if it has actual notice that it is under 
investigation or is subject to an enforcement proceeding for an alleged 
violation, or if it has been served with notice of a civil action. In 
such cases, the creditor shall retain the information until final 
disposition of the matter, unless an earlier time is allowed by the 
appropriate agency or court order.
    (7) Prescreened solicitations. For 25 months after the date on which 
an offer of credit is made to potential customers (12 months for 
business credit, except as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of this 
section), the creditor shall retain in original form or a copy thereof:
    (i) The text of any prescreened solicitation;
    (ii) The list of criteria the creditor used to select potential 
recipients of the solicitation; and
    (iii) Any correspondence related to complaints (formal or informal) 
about the solicitation.