Branch Closings

Branch Closings

Comptroller’s Licensing Manual

Washington, DC
April 2003

Branch Closings

Table of Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1
Key Policies ....................................................................................................... 2
Application Process ........................................................................................... 2
Advance Branch Closing Notice ............................................................ 2
Public Comments .................................................................................. 3
Final Branch Closing Notice .................................................................. 3
Interstate Banks...................................................................................... 3
Specific Requirements........................................................................................ 4
ATM Closing ......................................................................................... 5
Lease Loss ............................................................................................. 5
Branch Consolidation ............................................................................ 5
Branch Downgrade to an ATM .............................................................. 5
Mobile Branch Operations .................................................................... 6
Night Depository Closing ...................................................................... 6

Customer Allocation .....................................................................6

Procedures............................................................................................................. 7
Glossary............................................................................................................... 10
References ........................................................................................................... 12

Branch Closings
Introduction
Federal law, 12 USC 1831r-1, requires an insured depository institution to submit
90 days’ advance notice of any proposed branch closing to its federal regulator and
to customers at specified times before the closing date. The Comptroller of the
Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of Thrift Supervision have adopted a
“Joint Policy Statement on Branch Closing Notices and Policies” to implement this
law.
A final notice to the OCC is required after every branch closing, relocation, and
consolidation.
A national bank must file a 90-day advance branch closing notice whenever it
proposes to close a traditional brick-and-mortar branch or any similar banking
facility, at which deposits are received, checks paid, or money lent. Main offices,
remote service units, ATMs, loan production offices, night depositories, and
temporary branches are not branches for purposes of 12 USC 1831r-1 and do not
require the advance 90-day branch closing notice. A national bank that questions
the applicability of those criteria to a particular branch closing should consult the
appropriate OCC district office.
Branch closing rules require advance branch closing notices when:
•

A branch is closed as a result of a merger, consolidation, or other form of
acquisition.

•

Branch relocations and consolidations that do not meet the short-distance
relocation definition in 12 CFR 5.3(l).

Advance branch closing notices are not required when:
•

An ATM, remote service unit, night depository, loan or deposit production
office, main office, or a temporary branch is closed.

•

A branch is closed in connection with an emergency acquisition or any
assistance provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation pursuant
to 12 USC 1823(c).

•

Services offered at a branch are reduced, but the resulting facility remains a
branch under the branch closing rules; for example, branch hours of
operation are reduced.

•

The closing meets the branch consolidation or short-distance relocation
definition in 12 CFR 5.3(l).
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Key Policies
Each national bank with one or more branches must adopt written policies for
branch closings.

Application Process
Advance Branch Closing Notice
A national bank that desires to close a branch office must notify the OCC.1 The
notification is a two-step process. The first step is a 90-day advance notice to the
OCC and to bank customers. The second step is a final branch closing notice to the
OCC with the effective date of the closing. Only a final branch closing notice is
required for offices or facilities not considered branches under the branch closing
rules (for example, a temporary branch, a night depository or branch consolidation).
A national bank must submit its 90-day notice to the licensing manager in the
appropriate district office. The notice must include a statement of the reasons for
the decision to close the branch and supporting statistical or other relevant
information consistent with the bank’s written policy for branch closings. A bank’s
advance notice to the OCC should contain all of the information contained in the
sample notice (see the “Joint Policy Statement on Branch Closing Notices and
Policies”; Advance Branch Closing and Downgrade Notice). This includes all of the
following items:
•

Identification of the branch to be closed.

•

The proposed date of closing.

•

A detailed statement of the reasons for closing the branch.

•

Statistical or other information that support the reasons for closing the
branch, consistent with the bank’s written policies on branch closings.

Unless an exception applies, a national bank must notify its customers of the
proposed closing by mailing notices to them at least 90 days prior to the closing
date. A copy of the notice sent to customers also must be forwarded to the licensing
manager in the appropriate district office. In addition, the bank shall post notice to
branch customers in a conspicuous manner on the branch premises for at least 30
days prior to its closing date. In the case of a mobile branch, the notice shall be
posted on a conspicuous place on the vehicle. The notice shall remain posted in
the branch premises until the branch is closed.

1

See “Introduction” for exceptions to this requirement.
2

Public Comments
If the OCC receives a public comment letter in connection with a branch closing
notice, it will forward a copy of the letter to the bank to place in its Community
Reinvestment Act (CRA) public file for future OCC review.

Final Branch Closing Notice
Immediately after the branch is closed, a national bank must submit a final branch
closing notice to the licensing manager in the appropriate district office. The final
notice should:
•

List the branch’s popular name, location, and authorization number (if
known).

•

Specify the date of the closure.

•

If applicable, include a statement that the bank provided a 90-day advance
notice of branch closing to its customers.

Interstate Banks
If a national bank maintains branches in more than one state2 (that is, it is an
interstate bank) and a branch to be closed is located in a low- or moderate-income
area, the notice to customers and the notice placed on the branch premises must
contain:
•

The mailing address of the appropriate district office.

•

A statement indicating that comments on the branch closing may be mailed
to that office.

Comments should be filed with the OCC by the date of the branch closing.
OCC Authority and Consideration
The OCC is not authorized by the branch closing statute to prohibit a bank from
closing a branch. However, in its evaluation of a bank’s performance under the
CRA and the assignment of CRA ratings, the OCC:
•

Reviews a bank’s record of opening and closing offices.

•

Evaluates the effect of those openings and closings on the communities in
which the branches are or were located.

•

Considers comments received on branch closings.

2

See the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994.
3

The OCC considers CRA performance when acting on applications by a bank to
merge with another institution, establish a new branch, or relocate a branch or main
office.

Meetings
The OCC will convene a meeting to explore the feasibility of obtaining alternative
financial services in the low- to moderate-income area in which the closing of the
interstate bank’s branch is located, if a person from that area files written comments
that meet all of the following criteria. The comments:
•

Are related to the branch closing.

•

Are not frivolous.

•

Discuss the adverse affect of the closing on the availability of banking
services in the affected community.

•

Contain a request that the OCC convene a meeting.

•

Include specific reasons for the request.

The OCC will invite to the meeting community leaders from the affected area
including the person submitting the comment, other depository institution
regulatory agencies, and other persons, organizations, and depository institutions
that the OCC determines appropriate.
In addition, the OCC may, in its discretion, convene a meeting or take other action
as appropriate to explore the feasibility of obtaining services in the area affected by
the branch closing in response to comments described above that request that the
OCC take some action to ameliorate the effects of the branch closing (but that do
not request that the OCC convene a meeting).

Specific Requirements
Additional guidance for some specific branch closings is provided in this section.
The following table illustrates the specific requirements for various closings:

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Advance Branch
Closing Notice
Brick-and-Mortar Branch Closing
Branch Downgrade to ATM
Branch Downgrade to Night Depository
Mobile Branch Closing
Branch Consolidation
Short-Distance Relocation
Night Depository
Temporary Branch
ATM Closing
Emergency Acquisitions/FDIC Assistance
Loan Production Office
Remote Service Units (RSU)

Final Branch
Closing Notice

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
No
No

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No

ATM Closing
The OCC does not require notification when a national bank closes an ATM. ATMs
are exempt from branch closing notification requirements under 12 USC 1831r-1.3

Lease Loss
The loss of a lease arrangement does not exempt a bank from branch closing notice
requirements. To ensure compliance with 12 USC 1831r-1’s 90-day notice
provisions, lease agreements should incorporate adequate safeguards, such as a
120-day advance notice provision. In a sudden loss of lease event where 90-day
notice is not possible, the bank must notify customers and the OCC in the manner
specified by branch closing rules.

Branch Consolidation
For the purposes of branch closing rules, branch consolidations are considered
relocations if they meet the short-distance relocation definition in 12 CFR 5.3(l).
Though such consolidations do not require advance branch closing notices, the
bank must submit a final branch closing notice when it consolidates branches
within the same neighborhood.

Branch Downgrade to an ATM
A national bank must comply with the 90-day advance notice and the final branch
closing notice, when it downgrades a brick-and-mortar branch to an ATM or night
depository. The branch authorization must remain in effect, if a separate night
depository will remain open with the ATM.

3

See the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996.
5

Mobile Branch Operations
A mobile branch is subject to the branch closing notice requirements if:
•

It will cease conducting branching transactions in the geographic area for
which it was approved, or;

•

The changes in services constitute a branch downgrade that is subject to
branch closing requirements (for example, a staffed mobile branch is
replaced by a mobile ATM).

If a mobile branch changes stops within its approved geographic area, no branch
closing notice is required.

Night Depository Closing
Under branch closing rules, a night depository is not considered a branch; therefore,
no advance notice of the closing of a standalone night depository (including one
that may be located at an ATM site) is required. However, a night depository is
considered a branch under 12 CFR 5.3(I), and a final branch closing notice to the
OCC is required when a national bank closes a standalone night depository.

Customer Allocation
Under 12 USC 1831r-1, an insured depository institution that proposes to

close a branch must provide notice of the proposed closing to the OCC and to the
customers of the branch. A bank is expected to develop a reasonable method of
allocating customers to specific branches, such as a location where a deposit or loan
account was opened or through use. However, the OCC recognizes that a
reasonable method of allocation may result in certain facilities, which technically
constitute branches, not being assigned customers. In such cases, a notice to the
OCC that the branch will close and a posting of the notice on the branch premises
will suffice.
Mobile branches also are subject to customer allocation rules. For example, if
customers are assigned to the mobile unit, normal customer notification
requirements apply. If no customers are assigned to the mobile unit then posting a
notice on the unit will suffice.

6

Procedures
Filing the Notice
Licensing Staff
1. Refers a bank that requests instructions to the “General Policies and
Procedures” booklet and to this booklet of the Comptroller’s Licensing Manual.
If no advance branch closing notice or downgrade notice is required, go to step
12.

Bank
2. Sends an advance branch closing notice or advance branch downgrade notice
to the appropriate district office at least 90 days before the closing date (see
Advance Branch Closing Notice and Downgrade Notice).
3. Notifies customers of the proposed branch closing date by mailing notices to
them at least 90 days prior to the closing date (see Sample Customer Notice of
Branch Closing). In addition, a copy of the notice sent to customers must be
sent to the appropriate district office.

Licensing Staff
4. Initiates and enters appropriate information into the Corporate Activities
Information System (CAIS).
5. Acknowledges the filing within five business days of receipt, if applicable.
6. Reviews the notices to the OCC and to customers to ensure compliance with
requirements and requests corrections or additional information, if necessary.
7. If the notification is requested, establishes a public file for the notice and public
comments.
8. Notifies the portfolio manager and community affairs officer (CAO) in the
appropriate district, if an interstate bank indicates its intention to close a branch
in a low- or moderate-income area.

Consideration of Comments
Interested Person
9. Files comments.

Licensing Staff
10. [Applicable only when an interstate bank proposes to close a branch in a lowor moderate-income area]. If an interested person from the area in which the
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branch is located submits a nonfrivolous written request relating to its closing
that: (1) includes a discussion of the adverse effect of the branch closing on the
availability of banking services in the affected area; (2) requests that the OCC
convene a meeting or take other action to address the adverse effects of the
branch closing; and (3) includes specific reasons for the request, Licensing:
•

Sends an appropriate acknowledgment letter.

•

Forwards a copy of the written request for a meeting to the bank for
inclusion in its public file of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)
comments.

•

Forwards the request to the CAO for the district in which the closing
branch is located for follow up in the planning of the meeting and
consultation with community leaders in the affected community, and
other persons, organizations, and depository institutions that the OCC
determines appropriate.

•

Offers assistance in planning and conducting the meeting to the
appropriate deputy comptroller or assistant deputy comptroller for the
area in which the closing branch is located.

11. For comments received that are not covered by step 10:
•

Sends an appropriate acknowledgment letter.

•

Forwards a copy of the comment letter to the CAO for the district in
which the closing branch is located for information.

•

Forwards a copy of the comment letter to the bank for inclusion in its
public file of CRA comments.

Bank
12. Posts a notice conspicuously on the premises of the branch to be closed at least
30 days prior to the closing date (see Sample Customer Notice of Branch
Closing).
13. Sends the final branch closing, consolidation, or downgrade notice to the
licensing manager in the appropriate district office immediately after the
branch is closed (see Final Branch Closing, Consolidation, or Downgrade
Notice).

Licensing Staff
14. Makes appropriate CAIS entries and uses “Notify Other OCC Departments” in
CAIS to notify the portfolio manager of the closing.
15. If the bank also enclosed its branch authorization letter with its final branch
closing notice to the OCC, the analyst should send an acknowledgment letter
to the bank confirming cancellation of the branch authorization.
8

Close Out
16. Reviews the file for completeness and forwards it to Central Records.

9

Glossary
Advance branch closing notices are a national bank’s written notices to the OCC
and its customers, at least 90 days in advance of a branch closing. In general, those
notices are required of each insured institution when it intends to close a branch.
The notice to the OCC must provide a detailed statement of the reasons for the
closing along with supporting statistics or other relevant information.
A branch, under branch closing rules, is a traditional brick-and-mortar branch or
any similar banking facility as provided in 12 USC 36(j) (see the Glossary in the
“Branches and Relocations” booklet). It does not include a main office, temporary
branch, night depository, or an insured branch of a foreign bank.
For the purposes of whether a branch closing notice is given, a branch
consolidation is defined as a short-distance branch relocation or a combination of
branches located within the same neighborhood that does not affect substantially
the nature of the business or customers served. Branch consolidations that meet the
short-distance relocation definition in 12 CFR 5.3(l) do not require advance branch
closing notices.
A branch downgrade occurs when a national bank decides to convert an existing
brick-and-mortar branch to an ATM or to a night depository. Since an ATM is not a
branch, a bank that downgrades a branch to an ATM must follow branch closing
procedures. In addition, a branch closing notice is required when a brick-andmortar branch converts to a night depository, because branch services are reduced
significantly and because night depositories are not considered branches under
branch closing rules (12 USC 1831r-1). A branch authorization must remain in
effect under OCC rules for a night depository that remains open at a downgraded
site.
A central city, as defined in 12 CFR 5.3(e), means the city or cities identified in the
complete title of the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in which the relocating
office is located.4
A final branch closing notice is a national bank’s submission that communicates the
branch closing date to the OCC.
A low- or moderate-income area, as provided in 12 USC 1831r-1, means a census
tract for which the median family income is: (1) less than 80 percent of the median
family income for the MSA in which the census tract is located; or, (2) in the case of
a census tract that is not located in an MSA, less than 80 percent of the median
4

The Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) lists of MSAs and central cities can be found on the
Internet at http://www.census.gov. At the “Subjects A-Z” menu, click on “M”, then on Metropolitan
Areas, then on Current historical lists, then on Central Cities of Metropolitan Areas. Copies of the
OMB list may also be obtained by requesting the most recent “List of Metropolitan Area Definitions”
(accession no. PB96-180575) from National Technical Information Services (NTIS), Document Sales,
5205 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, (703) 487-4650.

10

family income for the state in which the census tract is located, as determined
without taking into account family income in MSAs in that state.
A mobile branch is a facility, other than a messenger service, that does not have a
single, permanent site, and includes a vehicle that travels to public locations for the
conduct of branching transactions. A mobile branch may serve regularly scheduled
locations or be open at various times and locations, such as county fairs, sporting
events, or school registration periods. (A branch license is needed for each mobile
unit.)
A short-distance relocation means moving a branch or main office within: (1) a onethousand foot radius of the site if the branch or main office is located within a
central city of an MSA; (2) a one-mile radius of the site if not located within a
central city, but if located within an MSA; or, (3) a two-mile radius of the site if not
located within an MSA.

11

References
Branches
Law
Regulation

12 USC 36
12 CFR 5

Community Reinvestment Act of 1977
Laws
12 USC 2901 et. seq.
Regulation
12 CFR 25
Branch Closings
Law

12 USC 1831r-1

12