Bank Secrecy Act |
EXAMINATION PROCEDURES
Currency Transaction
Reporting Exemptions
Objective. Assess the bank’s compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements for exemptions from the currency transaction reporting requirements.
1. Determine whether the bank uses the Currency Transaction Report (CTR) exemption process. If yes, determine whether the policies, procedures, and processes for CTR exemptions are adequate.
Phase I Exemptions (31 CFR 103.22(d)(2)(i)–(v))
2. Determine whether the bank files the Designation of Exempt Person form (FinCEN Form 110) with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to exempt a customer from CTR reporting as defined in 31 CFR 103.22. The form should be filed within 30 days of the first reportable transaction that was exempted.
3. Assess whether ongoing and reasonable due diligence is performed, including required annual reviews to determine whether a customer remains eligible for designation as an exempt person under the regulatory requirements. Management should properly document exemption determinations (e.g., with stock quotes from newspapers and consolidated returns for the entity).
Phase II Exemptions (31 CFR 103.22(d)(2)(vi)–(vii))
Under the regulation, the definition of exempt persons includes "non-listed businesses" and "payroll customers" as defined in 31 CFR 103.22(d)(2)(vi)–(vii). Nevertheless, several businesses remain ineligible for exemption purposes; refer to 31 CFR 103.22(d)(6)(viii) and the "Currency Transaction Reporting Exemptions" core overview section of this manual.
4. Determine whether the bank files a FinCEN Form 110 with the IRS to exempt a customer, as identified by management, from CTR reporting.
5. Determine whether the bank maintains documentation to support that the "non-listed businesses" it has designated as exempt from CTR reporting do not receive more than 50 percent of gross revenue from ineligible business activities.
6. Assess whether ongoing and reasonable due diligence is performed, including required annual reviews, to determine whether a customer is eligible for designation as exempt from CTR reporting. Customers must meet the following requirements to be eligible for exemption under the regulation:
- Have frequent80 currency transactions in excess of $10,000 (withdrawals to pay domestic employees in currency in the case of a payroll customer).
- Be incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States or a state, or registered as and eligible to do business within the United States or a state.
- Maintain a transaction account at the bank for at least 12 months.
7. Determine whether the bank’s policies, procedures, and processes ensure that the FinCEN Form 110 is filed on or before March 15 of the second year from the date of the original filing and biennially thereafter (for 31 CFR 103.22(d)(2)(vi)–(vii) exemptions only). Ascertain whether filings include both a notification of any change in control relative to the exempt persons and a certification by the bank that it maintains a system for reporting suspicious activity.
Transaction Testing
8. On the basis of a risk assessment, prior examination reports, and a review of the bank’s audit findings, select a sample of Designation of Exempt Person forms (FinCEN Form 110) from the bank to test compliance with the regulatory requirements (e.g., only eligible businesses are exempted, adequate supporting documentation is maintained, and biennial filings are timely).
9. On the basis of examination procedures completed, including transaction testing, form a conclusion about the ability of policies, procedures, and processes to meet regulatory requirements associated with currency transaction reporting exemptions.
