Previous version (effective
July 1, 2020 to
Jan. 1, 2021)
(a) Exemption based on state law.
(1) A state-chartered or state-licensed financial institution is exempt from the requirements of this part if the Bureau determines that the institution is subject to a state disclosure law that contains requirements substantially similar to those imposed by this part and that contains adequate provisions for enforcement.
(2) Any state, state-chartered or state-licensed financial institution, or association of such institutions, may apply to the Bureau for an exemption under paragraph (a) of this section.
(3) An institution that is exempt under paragraph (a) of this section shall use the disclosure form required by its state law and shall submit the data required by that law to its state supervisory agency for purposes of aggregation.
(b) Loss of exemption. An institution losing a state-law exemption under paragraph (a) of this section shall comply with this part beginning with the calendar year following the year for which it last reported loan data under the state disclosure law.
(c) Excluded transactions. The requirements of this part do not apply to:
(1) A closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit originated or purchased by a financial institution acting in a fiduciary capacity;
1. Financial institution acting in a fiduciary capacity. Section 1003.3(c)(1) provides that a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit originated or purchased by a financial institution acting in a fiduciary capacity is an excluded transaction. A financial institution acts in a fiduciary capacity if, for example, the financial institution acts as a trustee.
(2) A closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit secured by a lien on unimproved land;
1. Loan or line of credit secured by a lien on unimproved land. Section 1003.3(c)(2) provides that a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit secured by a lien on unimproved land is an excluded transaction. A loan or line of credit is secured by a lien on unimproved land if the loan or line of credit is secured by vacant or unimproved property, unless the institution knows, based on information that it receives from the applicant or borrower at the time the application is received or the credit decision is made, that the proceeds of that loan or credit line will be used within two years after closing or account opening to construct a dwelling on, or to purchase a dwelling to be placed on, the land. A loan or line of credit that is not excludable under § 1003.3(c)(2) nevertheless may be excluded, for example, as temporary financing under § 1003.3(c)(3).
1. Temporary financing. Section 1003.3(c)(3) provides that closed-end mortgage loans or open-end lines of credit obtained for temporary financing are excluded transactions. A loan or line of credit is considered temporary financing and excluded under § 1003.3(c)(3) if the loan or line of credit is designed to be replaced by separate permanent financing extended by any financial institution to the same borrower at a later time. For example:
i. Lender A extends credit in the form of a bridge or swing loan to finance a borrower's down payment on a home purchase. The borrower pays off the bridge or swing loan with funds from the sale of his or her existing home and obtains permanent financing for his or her new home from Lender A or from another lender. The bridge or swing loan is excluded as temporary financing under § 1003.3(c)(3).
ii. Lender A extends credit to a borrower to finance construction of a dwelling. The borrower will obtain a new extension of credit for permanent financing for the dwelling, either from Lender A or from another lender, and either through a refinancing of the initial construction loan or a separate loan. The initial construction loan is excluded as temporary financing under § 1003.3(c)(3).
iii. Assume the same scenario as in comment 3(c)(3)-1.ii, except that the initial construction loan is, or may be, renewed one or more times before the separate permanent financing is obtained. The initial construction loan, including any renewal thereof, is excluded as temporary financing under § 1003.3(c)(3).
iv. Lender A extends credit to finance construction of a dwelling. The loan automatically will convert to permanent financing extended to the same borrower with Lender A once the construction phase is complete. Under § 1003.3(c)(3), the loan is not designed to be replaced by separate permanent financing extended to the same borrower, and therefore the temporary financing exclusion does not apply. See also comment 2(j)-3.
v. Lender A originates a loan with a nine-month term to enable an investor to purchase a home, renovate it, and re-sell it before the term expires. Under § 1003.3(c)(3), the loan is not designed to be replaced by separate permanent financing extended to the same borrower, and therefore the temporary financing exclusion does not apply. Such a transaction is not temporary financing under § 1003.3(c)(3) merely because its term is short.
2. Loan or line of credit to construct a dwelling for sale. A construction-only loan or line of credit is considered temporary financing and excluded under § 1003.3(c)(3) if the loan or line of credit is extended to a person exclusively to construct a dwelling for sale. See comment 3(c)(3)-1.ii through .iv for examples of the reporting requirement for construction loans that are not extended to a person exclusively to construct a dwelling for sale.
(4) The purchase of an interest in a pool of closed-end mortgage loans or open-end lines of credit;
1. Purchase of an interest in a pool of loans. Section 1003.3(c)(4) provides that the purchase of an interest in a pool of closed-end mortgage loans or open-end lines of credit is an excluded transaction. The purchase of an interest in a pool of loans or lines of credit includes, for example, mortgage-participation certificates, mortgage-backed securities, or real estate mortgage investment conduits.
(5) The purchase solely of the right to service closed-end mortgage loans or open-end lines of credit;
(6) The purchase of closed-end mortgage loans or open-end lines of credit as part of a merger or acquisition, or as part of the acquisition of all of the assets and liabilities of a branch office as defined in § 1003.2(c);
1. Mergers and acquisitions. Section 1003.3(c)(6) provides that the purchase of closed-end mortgage loans or open-end lines of credit as part of a merger or acquisition, or as part of the acquisition of all of the assets and liabilities of a branch office, are excluded transactions. If a financial institution acquires loans or lines of credit in bulk from another institution (for example, from the receiver for a failed institution), but no merger or acquisition of an institution, or acquisition of a branch office, is involved and no other exclusion applies, the acquired loans or lines of credit are covered loans and are reported as described in comment 4(a)-1.iii.
(7) A closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit, or an application for a closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit, for which the total dollar amount is less than $500;
(8) The purchase of a partial interest in a closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit;
1. Partial interest. Section 1003.3(c)(8) provides that the purchase of a partial interest in a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit is an excluded transaction. If an institution acquires only a partial interest in a loan or line of credit, the institution does not report the transaction even if the institution participated in the underwriting and origination of the loan or line of credit. If an institution acquires a 100 percent interest in a loan or line of credit, the transaction is not excluded under § 1003.3(c)(8).
(9) A closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit used primarily for agricultural purposes;
1. Loan or line of credit used primarily for agricultural purposes. Section 1003.3(c)(9) provides that an institution does not report a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit used primarily for agricultural purposes. A loan or line of credit is used primarily for agricultural purposes if its funds will be used primarily for agricultural purposes, or if the loan or line of credit is secured by a dwelling that is located on real property that is used primarily for agricultural purposes (e.g., a farm). An institution may refer to comment 3(a)-8 in the official interpretations of Regulation Z, 12 CFR part 1026, supplement I, for guidance on what is an agricultural purpose. An institution may use any reasonable standard to determine the primary use of the property. An institution may select the standard to apply on a case-by-case basis.
(10) A closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit that is or will be made primarily for a business or commercial purpose, unless the closed-end mortgage loan or open-end line of credit is a home improvement loan under § 1003.2(i), a home purchase loan under § 1003.2(j), or a refinancing under § 1003.2(p);
1. General. Section 1003.3(c)(10) provides a special rule for reporting a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit that is or will be made primarily for a business or commercial purpose. If an institution determines that a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit primarily is for a business or commercial purpose, then the loan or line of credit is a covered loan only if it is a home improvement loan under § 1003.2(i), a home purchase loan under § 1003.2(j), or a refinancing under § 1003.2(p) and no other exclusion applies. Section 1003.3(c)(10) does not categorically exclude all business- or commercial-purpose loans and lines of credit from coverage.
2. Primary purpose. An institution must determine in each case if a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit primarily is for a business or commercial purpose. If a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit is deemed to be primarily for a business, commercial, or organizational purpose under Regulation Z, 12 CFR 1026.3(a) and its related commentary, then the loan or line of credit also is deemed to be primarily for a business or commercial purpose under § 1003.3(c)(10).
3. Examples - covered business- or commercial-purpose transactions. The following are examples of closed-end mortgage loans and open-end lines of credit that are not excluded from reporting under § 1003.3(c)(10) because, although they primarily are for a business or commercial purpose, they also meet the definition of a home improvement loan under § 1003.2(i), a home purchase loan under § 1003.2(j), or a refinancing under § 1003.2(p):
i. A closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit to purchase or to improve a multifamily dwelling or a single-family investment property, or a refinancing of a closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit secured by a multifamily dwelling or a single-family investment property;
ii. A closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit to improve a doctor's office or a daycare center that is located in a dwelling other than a multifamily dwelling; and
iii. A closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit to a corporation, if the funds from the loan or line of credit will be used to purchase or to improve a dwelling, or if the transaction is a refinancing.
4. Examples - excluded business- or commercial-purpose transactions. The following are examples of closed-end mortgage loans and open-end lines of credit that are not covered loans because they primarily are for a business or commercial purpose, but they do not meet the definition of a home improvement loan under § 1003.2(i), a home purchase loan under § 1003.2(j), or a refinancing under § 1003.2(p):
i. A closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit whose funds will be used primarily to improve or expand a business, for example to renovate a family restaurant that is not located in a dwelling, or to purchase a warehouse, business equipment, or inventory;
ii. A closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit to a corporation whose funds will be used primarily for business purposes, such as to purchase inventory; and
iii. A closed-end mortgage loan or an open-end line of credit whose funds will be used primarily for business or commercial purposes other than home purchase, home improvement, or refinancing, even if the loan or line of credit is cross-collateralized by a covered loan.
(11) A closed-end mortgage loan, if the financial institution originated fewer than 100 closed-end mortgage loans in either of the two preceding calendar years; a financial institution (including, for purposes of information collected in 2020, an institution that was a financial institution as of January 1, 2020) may collect, record, report, and disclose information, as described in §§ 1003.4 and 1003.5, for such an excluded closed-end mortgage loan as though it were a covered loan, provided that the financial institution complies with such requirements for all applications for closed-end mortgage loans that it receives, closed-end mortgage loans that it originates, and closed-end mortgage loans that it purchases that otherwise would have been covered loans during the calendar year during which final action is taken on the excluded closed-end mortgage loan;
1. General. Section 1003.3(c)(11) provides that a closed-end mortgage loan is an excluded transaction if a financial institution originated fewer than 100 closed-end mortgage loans in either of the two preceding calendar years. For example, assume that a bank is a financial institution in 2021 under § 1003.2(g) because it originated 600 open-end lines of credit in 2019, 650 open-end lines of credit in 2020, and met all of the other requirements under § 1003.2(g)(1). Also assume that the bank originated 75 and 90 closed-end mortgage loans in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The open-end lines of credit that the bank originated or purchased, or for which it received applications, during 2021 are covered loans and must be reported, unless they otherwise are excluded transactions under § 1003.3(c). However, the closed-end mortgage loans that the bank originated or purchased, or for which it received applications, during 2021 are excluded transactions under § 1003.3(c)(11) and need not be reported. See comments 4(a)-2 through -4 for guidance about the activities that constitute an origination.
2. Optional reporting. A financial institution may report applications for, originations of, or purchases of closed-end mortgage loans that are excluded transactions because the financial institution originated fewer than 100 closed-end mortgage loans in either of the two preceding calendar years. However, a financial institution that chooses to report such excluded applications for, originations of, or purchases of closed-end mortgage loans must report all such applications for closed-end mortgage loans that it receives, closed-end mortgage loans that it originates, and closed-end mortgage loans that it purchases that otherwise would be covered loans for a given calendar year. Note that applications which remain pending at the end of a calendar year are not reported, as described in comment 4(a)(8)(i)-14. An institution that was a financial institution as of January 1, 2020 but is not a financial institution on July 1, 2020 because it originated fewer than 100 closed-end mortgage loans in 2018 or 2019 is not required in 2021 to report, but may report, applications for, originations of, or purchases of closed-end mortgage loans for calendar year 2020 that are excluded transactions because the institution originated fewer than 100 closed-end mortgage loans in 2018 or 2019. However, an institution that was a financial institution as of January 1, 2020 and chooses to report such excluded applications for, originations of, or purchases of closed-end mortgage loans in 2021 must report all such applications for closed-end mortgage loans that it receives, closed-end mortgage loans that it originates, and closed-end mortgage loans that it purchases that otherwise would be covered loans for all of calendar year 2020.
(12) An open-end line of credit, if the financial institution originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit in either of the two preceding calendar years; a financial institution may collect, record, report, and disclose information, as described in §§ 1003.4 and 1003.5, for such an excluded open-end line of credit as though it were a covered loan, provided that the financial institution complies with such requirements for all applications for open-end lines of credit that it receives, open-end lines of credit that it originates, and open-end lines of credit that it purchases that otherwise would have been covered loans during the calendar year during which final action is taken on the excluded open-end line of credit; or
1. General. Section 1003.3(c)(12) provides that an open-end line of credit is an excluded transaction if a financial institution originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit in either of the two preceding calendar years. For example, assume that a bank is a financial institution in 2018 under § 1003.2(g) because it originated 50 closed-end mortgage loans in 2018, 75 closed-end mortgage loans in 2019, and met all of the other requirements under § 1003.2(g)(1). Also assume that the bank originated 75 and 85 open-end lines of credit in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The closed-end mortgage loans that the bank originated or purchased, or for which it received applications, during 2020 are covered loans and must be reported, unless they otherwise are excluded transactions under § 1003.3(c). However, the open-end lines of credit that the bank originated or purchased, or for which it received applications, during 2020 are excluded transactions under § 1003.3(c)(12) and need not be reported. See comments 4(a)-2 through -4 for guidance about the activities that constitute an origination.
2. Optional reporting. A financial institution may report applications for, originations of, or purchases of open-end lines of credit that are excluded transactions because the financial institution originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit in either of the two preceding calendar years. However, a financial institution that chooses to report such excluded applications for, originations of, or purchases of open-end lines of credit must report all such applications for open-end lines of credit on which it receives, open-end lines of credit that it originates, and open-end lines of credit that it purchases that otherwise would be covered loans for a given calendar year. Note that applications which remain pending at the end of a calendar year are not reported, as described in comment 4(a)(8)(i)-14.
(13) A transaction that provided or, in the case of an application, proposed to provide new funds to the applicant or borrower in advance of being consolidated in a New York State consolidation, extension, and modification agreement classified as a supplemental mortgage under New York Tax Law section 255; the transaction is excluded only if final action on the consolidation was taken in the same calendar year as final action on the new funds transaction.
1. New funds extended before consolidation. Section 1003.3(c)(13) provides an exclusion for a transaction that provided or, in the case of an application, proposed to provide new funds to the borrower in advance of being consolidated in a New York State consolidation, extension, and modification agreement classified as a supplemental mortgage under New York Tax Law section 255 (New York CEMA) and for which final action is taken on both transactions within the same calendar year. The excluded transaction provides or proposes to provide funds that are not part of any existing debt obligation of the borrower and that are then consolidated or proposed to be consolidated with an existing debt obligation or obligations as part of the supplemental mortgage. The new funds are reported only insofar as they form part of the total amount of the reported New York CEMA, and not as a separate amount. This exclusion applies only if, at the time the transaction that provided new funds was originated, the financial institution intended to consolidate the loan into a New York CEMA. If a New York CEMA that consolidates an excluded preliminary transaction is carried out in a transaction involving an assumption, the financial institution reports the New York CEMA and does not report the preliminary transaction separately. The § 1003.3(c)(13) exclusion does not apply to similar preliminary transactions that provide or propose to provide new funds to be consolidated not pursuant to New York Tax Law section 255 but under some other law in a transaction that is not an extension of credit. For example, assume a financial institution extends new funds to a consumer in a preliminary transaction that is then consolidated as part of a consolidation, extension and modification agreement pursuant to the law of a State other than New York. If the preliminary extension of new funds is a covered loan, it must be reported. If the consolidation, extension and modification agreement pursuant to the law of a State other than New York is not an extension of credit pursuant to Regulation C, it may not be reported. For discussion of how to report a cash-out refinancing, see comment 4(a)(3)-2.
1. Merger or acquisition—application of partial exemption thresholds to surviving or newly formed institution. After a merger or acquisition, the surviving or newly formed institution falls below the loan threshold described in § 1003.3(d)(2) or (3) if it, considering the combined lending activity of the surviving or newly formed institution and the merged or acquired institutions or acquired branches, falls below the loan threshold described in § 1003.3(d)(2) or (3). For example, A and B merge. The surviving or newly formed institution falls below the loan threshold described in § 1003.3(d)(2) if the surviving or newly formed institution, A, and B originated a combined total of fewer than 500 closed-end mortgage loans that are not excluded from this part pursuant to § 1003.3(c)(1) through (10) or (c)(13) in each of the two preceding calendar years. Comment 3(d)-3 discusses eligibility for partial exemptions during the calendar year of a merger.
2. Merger or acquisition—Community Reinvestment Act examination history. After a merger or acquisition, the surviving or newly formed institution is deemed to be ineligible for the partial exemptions pursuant to § 1003.3(d)(6) if either it or any of the merged or acquired institutions received a rating of “needs to improve record of meeting community credit needs” during each of its two most recent examinations or a rating of “substantial noncompliance in meeting community credit needs” on its most recent examination under section 807(b)(2) of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (12 U.S.C. 2906(b)(2)). Comment 3(d)-3.iii discusses eligibility for partial exemptions during the calendar year of a merger when an institution that is eligible for a partial exemption merges with an institution that is ineligible for the partial exemption (including, for example, an institution that is ineligible for the partial exemptions pursuant to § 1003.3(d)(6)) and the surviving or newly formed institution is ineligible for the partial exemption.
3. Merger or acquisition—applicability of partial exemptions during calendar year of merger or acquisition. The scenarios described below illustrate the applicability of partial exemptions under § 1003.3(d) during the calendar year of a merger or acquisition. For purposes of these illustrations, “institution” means a financial institution, as defined in § 1003.2(g), that is not exempt from reporting under § 1003.3(a). Although the scenarios below refer to the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans under § 1003.3(d)(2), the same principles apply with respect to the partial exemption for open-end lines of credit under § 1003.3(d)(3).
i. Assume two institutions that are eligible for the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans merge and the surviving or newly formed institution meets all of the requirements for the partial exemption. The partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans applies for the calendar year of the merger.
ii. Assume two institutions that are eligible for the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans merge and the surviving or newly formed institution does not meet the requirements for the partial exemption. Collection of optional data for closed-end mortgage loans is permitted but not required for the calendar year of the merger (even though the merger creates an institution that does not meet the requirements for the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans). When a branch office of an institution that is eligible for the partial exemption is acquired by another institution that is eligible for the partial exemption, and the acquisition results in an institution that is not eligible for the partial exemption, data collection for closed end mortgage loans is permitted but not required for the calendar year of the acquisition.
iii. Assume an institution that is eligible for the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans merges with an institution that is ineligible for the partial exemption and the surviving or newly formed institution is ineligible for the partial exemption. For the calendar year of the merger, collection of optional data as defined in § 1003.3(d)(1)(iii) for closed-end mortgage loans is required for covered loans and applications handled in the offices of the merged institution that was previously ineligible for the partial exemption. For the calendar year of the merger, collection of optional data for closed-end mortgage loans is permitted but not required for covered loans and applications handled in the offices of the merged institution that was previously eligible for the partial exemption. When an institution that is ineligible for the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans acquires a branch office of an institution that is eligible for the partial exemption, collection of optional data for closed-end mortgage loans is permitted but not required for covered loans and applications handled by the acquired branch office for the calendar year of the acquisition.
iv. Assume an institution that is eligible for the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans merges with an institution that is ineligible for the partial exemption and the surviving or newly formed institution is eligible for the partial exemption. For the calendar year of the merger, collection of optional data for closed-end mortgage loans is required for covered loans and applications handled in the offices of the previously ineligible institution that took place prior to the merger. After the merger date, collection of optional data for closed-end mortgage loans is permitted but not required for covered loans and applications handled in the offices of the institution that was previously ineligible for the partial exemption. When an institution remains eligible for the partial exemption for closed-end mortgage loans after acquiring a branch office of an institution that is ineligible for the partial exemption, collection of optional data for closed end mortgage loans is required for transactions of the acquired branch office that take place prior to the acquisition. Collection of optional data for closed-end mortgage loans by the acquired branch office is permitted but not required for transactions taking place in the remainder of the calendar year after the acquisition.
4. Originations. Whether applications for covered loans that an insured depository institution or insured credit union receives, covered loans that it originates, or covered loans that it purchases are partially exempt transactions under § 1003.3(d) depends, in part, on whether the institution originated fewer than 500 closed-end mortgage loans that are not excluded from this part pursuant to § 1003.3(c)(1) through (10) or (c)(13) in each of the two preceding calendar years or fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit that are not excluded from this part pursuant to § 1003.3(c)(1) through (10) in each of the two preceding calendar years. See comments 4(a)-2 through -4 for guidance about the activities that constitute an origination for purposes of § 1003.3(d).
5. Affiliates. A financial institution that is not itself an insured credit union or an insured depository institution as defined in § 1003.3(d)(1)(i) and (ii) is not eligible for the partial exemptions under § 1003.3(d)(1) through (3), even if it is owned by or affiliated with an insured credit union or an insured depository institution. For example, an institution that is a subsidiary of an insured credit union or insured depository institution may not claim a partial exemption under § 1003.3(d) for its closed-end mortgage loans unless the subsidiary institution itself:
i. Is an insured credit union or insured depository institution,
ii. In each of the two preceding calendar years originated fewer than 500 closed-end mortgage loans that are not excluded from this part pursuant to § 1003.3(c)(1) through (10) or (c)(13), and
iii. If the subsidiary is an insured depository institution, had not received as of the preceding December 31 a rating of “needs to improve record of meeting community credit needs” during each of its two most recent examinations or a rating of “substantial noncompliance in meeting community credit needs” on its most recent examination under section 807(b)(2) of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (12 U.S.C. 2906(b)(2)).
(1) For purposes of this paragraph (d), the following definitions apply:
(i) Insured credit union means an insured credit union as defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752).
(ii) Insured depository institution means an insured depository institution as defined in section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813).
(iii) Optional data means the data identified in § 1003.4(a)(1)(i), (a)(9)(i), and (a)(12), (15) through (30), and (32) through (38).
(iv) Partially exempt transaction means a covered loan or application that is partially exempt under paragraph (d)(2) or (3) of this section.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(6) of this section, an insured depository institution or insured credit union that, in each of the two preceding calendar years, originated fewer than 500 closed-end mortgage loans that are not excluded from this part pursuant to paragraphs (c)(1) through (10) or paragraph (c)(13) of this section is not required to collect, record, or report optional data as defined in paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section for applications for closed-end mortgage loans that it receives, closed-end mortgage loans that it originates, and closed-end mortgage loans that it purchases.
1. General. Section 1003.3(d)(2) provides that, except as provided in § 1003.3(d)(6), an insured depository institution or insured credit union that, in each of the two preceding calendar years, originated fewer than 500 closed-end mortgage loans that are not excluded from this part pursuant to § 1003.3(c)(1) through (10) or (c)(13) is not required to collect, record, or report optional data as defined in § 1003.3(d)(1)(iii) for applications for closed-end mortgage loans that it receives, closed-end mortgage loans that it originates, and closed-end mortgage loans that it purchases. For example, assume that an insured credit union is a financial institution in 2020 under § 1003.2(g) and originated, in 2018 and 2019 respectively, 100 and 200 closed-end mortgage loans that are not excluded from this part pursuant to § 1003.3(c)(1) through (10) or (c)(13). The closed-end mortgage loans that the insured credit union originated or purchased, or for which it received applications, during 2020 are not excluded transactions under § 1003.3(c (11). However, due to the partial exemption in § 1003.3(d)(2), the insured credit union is not required to collect, record, or report optional data as defined in § 1003.3(d)(1)(iii) for the closed end mortgage loans that it originated or purchased, or for which it received applications, for which final action is taken during 2020. See comments 4(a)-2 through -4 for guidance about the activities that constitute an origination.
(3) Except as provided in paragraph (d)(6) of this section, an insured depository institution or insured credit union that, in each of the two preceding calendar years, originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit that are not excluded from this part pursuant to paragraphs (c)(1) through (10) of this section is not required to collect, record, or report optional data as defined in paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section for applications for open-end lines of credit that it receives, open-end lines of credit that it originates, and open-end lines of credit that it purchases.
1. General. Section 1003.3(d)(3) provides that, except as provided in § 1003.3(d)(6), an insured depository institution or insured credit union that, in each of the two preceding calendar years, originated fewer than 500 open-end lines of credit that are not excluded from this part pursuant to § 1003.3(c)(1) through (10) is not required to collect, record, or report optional data as defined in § 1003.3(d)(1)(iii) for applications for open-end lines of credit that it receives, open end lines of credit that it originates, and open-end lines of credit that it purchases. See § 1003. (c)(12) and comments 3(c)(12)-1 and -2, which provide an exclusion for certain open-end lines of credit from this part and permit voluntary reporting of such transactions under certain circumstances. See also comments 4(a)-2 through -4 for guidance about the activities that constitute an origination.
(4) A financial institution eligible for a partial exemption under paragraph (d)(2) or (3) of this section may collect, record, and report optional data as defined in paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section for a partially exempt transaction as though the institution were required to do so, provided that:
1. General. Section 1003.3(d)(4) provides that an insured depository institution or insured credit union may collect, record, and report optional data as defined in § 1003.3(d)(1)(iii) for a partially exempt transaction as though the institution were required to do so, provided that, if an institution voluntarily reports any data pursuant to any of the seven paragraphs identified in § 1003.3(d)(4)(i) and (ii) (§ 1003.4(a)(9)(i) and (a)(15), (16), (17), (27), (33), and (35)), it also must report all other data for the covered loan or application that would be required by that applicable paragraph if the transaction were not partially exempt. For example, an insured depository institution or insured credit union may voluntarily report the existence of a balloon payment for a partially exempt transaction pursuant to § 1003.4(a)(27), but, if it does so, it must also report all other data for the transaction that would be required by § 1003.4(a)(27) if the transaction were not partially exempt (i.e., whether the transaction has interest-only payments, negative amortization, or other non-amortizing features).
2. Partially exempt transactions within the same loan/application register. A financial institution may collect, record, and report optional data for some partially exempt transactions under § 1003.3(d) in the manner specified in § 1003.3(d)(4), even if it does not collect, record, and report optional data for other partially exempt transactions under § 1003.3(d).
3. Exempt or not applicable. i. If a financial institution would otherwise report that a transaction is partially exempt pursuant to § 1003.3(d) and a particular requirement to report optional data is not applicable to the transaction, the insured depository institution or insured credit union complies with the particular requirement by reporting either that the transaction is exempt from the requirement or that the requirement is not applicable. For example, assume that an insured depository institution or insured credit union originates a partially exempt reverse mortgage. The requirement to report lender credits is not applicable to reverse mortgages, as comment 4(a)(20)-1 explains. Accordingly, the institution could report either exempt or not applicable for lender credits for the reverse mortgage transaction.
ii. An institution is considered as reporting data in a data field for purposes of § 1003.3(d)(4)(i) and (ii) when it reports not applicable for that data field for a partially exempt transaction. For example, assume an insured depository institution or insured credit union originates a covered loan that is eligible for a partial exemption and is made primarily for business or commercial purposes. The requirement to report total loan costs or total points and fees is not applicable to loans made primarily for business or commercial purposes, as comments 4(a)(17)(i)-1 and (ii)-1 explain. The institution can report not applicable for both total loan costs and total points and fees, or it can report exempt for both total loan costs and total points and fees for the loan. Pursuant to § 1003.3(d)(4)(ii), the institution is not permitted to report not applicable for total loan costs and report exempt for total points and fees for the business or commercial purpose loan.
(i) If the institution reports the street address, city name, or Zip Code for the property securing a covered loan, or in the case of an application, proposed to secure a covered loan pursuant to § 1003.4(a)(9)(i), it reports all data that would be required by § 1003.4(a)(9)(i) if the transaction were not partially exempt;
(ii) If the institution reports any data for the transaction pursuant to § 1003.4(a)(15), (16), (17), (27), (33), or (35), it reports all data that would be required by § 1003.4(a)(15), (16), (17), (27), (33), or (35), respectively, if the transaction were not partially exempt.
(5) If, pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) or (3) of this section, a financial institution does not report a universal loan identifier (ULI) pursuant to § 1003.4(a)(1)(i) for an application for a covered loan that it receives, a covered loan that it originates, or a covered loan that it purchases, the financial institution shall assign and report a non-universal loan identifier (NULI). The NULI must be composed of up to 22 characters to identify the covered loan or application, which:
1. NULI—uniqueness. For a partially exempt transaction under § 1003.3(d), a financial institution may report a ULI or a NULI. Section 1003.3(d)(5)(ii) requires an insured depository institution or insured credit union that assigns a NULI to a covered loan or application to ensure that the character sequence it assigns is unique within the institution’s annual loan/application register in which it appears. A financial institution should assign only one NULI to any particular covered loan or application within each annual loan/application register, and each NULI should correspond to a single application and ensuing loan within the annual loan/application register in which the NULI appears in the case that the application is approved and a loan is originated. A financial institution may use a NULI more than once within an annual loan/application register only if the NULI refers to the same loan or application or a loan that ensues from an application referred to elsewhere in the annual loan/application register. Refinancings or applications for refinancing that are included in same annual loan/application register as the loan that is being refinanced should be assigned a different NULI than the loan that is being refinanced. An insured depository institution or insured credit union with multiple branches must ensure that its branches do not use the same NULI to refer to multiple covered loans or applications within the institution’s same annual loan/application register.
2. NULI—privacy. Section 1003.3(d)(5)(iii) prohibits an insured depository institution or insured credit union from including information in the NULI that could be used to directly identify the applicant or borrower. Information that could be used to directly identify the applicant or borrower includes, but is not limited to, the applicant’s or borrower’s name, date of birth, Social Security number, official government-issued driver’s license or identification number, alien registration number, government passport number, or employer or taxpayer identification number.
(i) May be letters, numerals, or a combination of letters and numerals;
(ii) Must be unique within the annual loan/application register in which the covered loan or application is included; and
(iii) Must not include any information that could be used to directly identify the
(6) Paragraphs (d)(2) and (3) of this section do not apply to an insured depository institution that, as of the preceding December 31, had received a rating of “needs to improve record of meeting community credit needs” during each of its two most recent examinations or a rating of “substantial noncompliance in meeting community credit needs” on its most recent examination under section 807(b)(2) of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (12 U.S.C. 2906 (b)(2)).
1. Preceding calendar year. Section 1003.3(d)(6) refers to the preceding December 31, which means the December 31 preceding the current calendar year. For example, in 2020, the preceding December 31 is December 31, 2019. Assume that, as of December 31, 2019, an insured depository institution received ratings of “needs to improve record of meeting community credit needs” during its two most recent examinations under section 807(b)(2) of the Community Reinvestment Act (12 U.S.C. 2906(b)(2)) in 2018 and 2014. Accordingly, in 2020, the insured depository institution’s transactions are not partially exempt pursuant to § 1003.3(d).