Regulations and Guidance

Federal Government Participation in the Automated Clearing House
Final Rule: September 23, 2011

This final rule amends the regulation governing the use of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network by federal agencies. The rule adopts, with some exceptions, the 2009 ACH Rules published by NACHA—The Electronic Payments Association as the rules governing the use of the ACH Network by federal agencies. Among other things, the final rule includes new requirements to identify all international payment transactions using a new Standard Entry Class Code and to include certain information in the ACH record sufficient to allow the receiving financial institution to identify the parties to the transaction and to allow Office of Foreign Assets Control screening. In addition, the rule requires financial institutions to provide limited account-related customer information related to the reclamation of post-death benefit payments as permitted under the Payment Transactions Integrity Act of 2008. It also allows federal payments to be delivered to pooled or master accounts established by nursing facilities for residents or held by religious orders whose members have taken vows of poverty.

31 CFR Part 210
Final Rule
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Prepaid Card Interim Rule: January 21, 2011

Announcement: To allow additional time for more public comment, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is extending the comment period for 31 CFR 210 by 60 days to April 25, 2011. In addition, Treasury plans to address the effective date of the rule in light of the public comments.

On Dec. 22, 2010, Treasury issued an interim final rule to permit the delivery of Federal payments to prepaid debit cards that meet certain criteria (75 FR 80335, 31 CFR Part 210). The effective date of the interim rule is Jan. 21, 2011.In addition, although Treasury previously requested and received comment on the prepaid card proposal, Treasury issued the rule as an interim final rule in order to provide the public with an additional opportunity to comment.

This rule will provide Americans receiving federal payments with more options for receiving their payments electronically via prepaid debit cards while ensuring that appropriate consumer protections are provided. This rule supports Treasury’s final rule published on the same day to extend the safety and convenience of electronic payments to all Americans receiving federal benefit and non-tax payments.

Treasury has received several comments regarding measures that financial institutions and others who provide prepaid debit cards must take to comply with the interim rule, particularly in relation to the effective date. Treasury encourages written comments for the record of the rulemaking to be filed promptly. After evaluating the public comments that are submitted, Treasury plans to issue an amended interim

31 CFR Part 210
Federal Government Participation in the Automated Clearing House, Interim Final Rule
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Click here for the new Electronic Payments Rule.

Final Rule: March 19, 2004

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SUMMARY: We are amending our regulation at 31 CFR Part 210 (Part 210), which governs the use of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system by federal agencies (agencies). The ACH network is a nationwide electronic funds transfer (EFT) system that provides for the inter-bank clearing of credit and debit transactions and for the exchange of information among participating financial institutions. Part 210 adopts, with some exceptions, the ACH rules (ACH Rules) developed by NACHA--The Electronic Payments Association (NACHA) as the rules governing the use of the ACH system by agencies.

This document includes changes to Subpart A and Subpart B, as well as Appendix C, of Part 210. We are amending Subpart A to clarify and shorten the notification statement contained in Appendix C, which is required for converting checks to ACH payments, and to expand the circumstances in which agencies may accept checks for conversion to ACH payments. We are amending Subpart B of the rule to address certain issues relating to the reclamation of federal benefit payments and the receipt of misdirected federal payments.

DATES:This rule is effective April 19, 2004.

[Federal Register: March 19, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 54)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 13183-13190]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19mr04-8]

• Comment Letters - Proposed Rule

• Proposed Rule with Request for Comment: August 21, 2003
• Interim Rule: June 5, 2003
• 31 CFR Part 210: July 1, 2002 Edition

Proposed Rule with Request for Comment: August 21, 2003

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SUMMARY: We issued a proposed rule to address the circumstances in which checks presented or delivered to agencies may be converted to ACH debit entries. The proposed rule also addressed issues relating to the reclamation of federal benefit payments, and the receipt of misdirected federal payments.

[Federal Register: August 21, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 162)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 50671-50679]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21au03-25]

Interim Rule: June 5, 2003

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Comments:

SUMMARY: We issued an interim rule to amend our regulation at 31 CFR Part 210 (Part 210), which governs the use of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system by federal agencies. Part 210 adopts, with some exceptions, the ACH rules (ACH Rules) developed by NACHA--The Electronic Payments Association as the rules governing the use of the ACH system by federal agencies. We amended part 210 to address changes that NACHA made to the ACH Rules during the past year.

[Federal Register: June 5, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 108)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33825-33830]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05jn03-19]

31 CFR Part 210: July 1, 2002 Edition

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SUMMARY: This annual update of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) integrates all rules published before July 2002. Changes and additions proposed by the Interim Rule: June 5, 2003, modify its language. You need both this July 1, 2002 Edition and the Interim Rule to have the latest version of 31 CFR Part 210.

[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 31, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[CITE: 31CFR210]

NOTE: The CFR is published annually on a staggered basis with Title 31 scheduled for July. The annual volume incorporates all regulatory actions occurring since the last July publication. The July 2003 edition is currently in the process of being compiled.

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