On February 19, 2016, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency jointly issued interim final rules that will allow certain well-capitalized and well-managed insured depository institutions with less than $1 billion in total assets to qualify for an 18-month examination cycle, rather than a 12-month cycle. Institutions are considered to be well-capitalized and well-managed if they have a composite examination rating of 1 or 2—the top ratings in the five-point scale indicating the safety and soundness of a bank or savings association.
The rules are estimated to increase the number of institutions that may qualify for an 18-month examination cycle by approximately 617, to nearly 5,000 insured depository institutions. In addition, the rules increase the number of US branches and agencies of foreign banks that may qualify for an 18-month examination cycle by 26 branches and agencies, to a total of 89. The changes are intended to reduce regulatory compliance costs for smaller institutions, while still maintaining safety and soundness protections. Comments to the rules will be accepted for 60 days from publication in the Federal Register.
The interim final rules and request for comments is available at: http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/bcreg/bcreg20160219a1.pdf.
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