Comptroller's Licensing Manual

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
OMB no. 1557-0014
Expiration date: See www.occ.gov

Model Bylaws for Stock Associations
The bylaws for a federal stock savings bank may substitute the term “savings bank” for
“association.”
Article I: Home Office
The home office of the association shall be at _______________________ [set forth the full
address] in the County of______________, in the State of _______________.
Article II: Shareholders
Section 1: Place of meetings. All annual and special meetings of shareholders shall be held at
any convenient place as the board of directors may designate.
Section 2: Annual meeting. A meeting of the shareholders of the association for the election of
directors and for the transaction of any other business of the association shall be held annually
within 150 days after the end of the association’s fiscal year.
Section 3: Special meetings. Special meetings of the shareholders may be called at any time by
the chairman of the board, the president, or a majority of the board of directors, and shall be
called by the chairman of the board, the president, or the secretary upon the written request of the
holders of 10 percent or more of the shares entitled to vote at the meeting. Such written request
shall state the purpose or purposes of the meeting and shall be delivered to the home office of the
association addressed to the chairman of the board, the president, or the secretary.
Section 4: Conduct of meetings. Annual and special meetings shall be conducted in accordance
with the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order unless otherwise prescribed by
regulations of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) or these bylaws or the board
of directors adopts another written procedure for the conduct of meetings. The board of directors
shall designate, when present, either the chairman of the board or president to preside at such
meetings.
Section 5: Notice of meetings. Written notice stating the place, day, and hour of the meeting and
the purpose(s) for which the meeting is called shall be delivered not fewer than 20 or more than
50 days before the date of the meeting, either personally or by mail, by or at the direction of the
chairman of the board, the president, the secretary, or the directors calling the meeting, to each
shareholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to
be delivered when deposited in the mail, addressed to the shareholder at the address as it appears
on the stock transfer books or records of the association as of the record date prescribed in
section 6 of this Article II with postage prepaid. When any shareholders’ meeting, either annual
or special, is adjourned for 30 days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in
the case of an original meeting. Notwithstanding anything in this section, however, a federal
stock association that is wholly owned shall not be subject to the shareholder notice requirement.

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Section 6: Fixing of record date. For the purpose of determining shareholders entitled to notice
of or to vote at any meeting of shareholders or any adjournment, or shareholders entitled to
receive payment of any dividend, or in order to make a determination of shareholders for any
other proper purpose, the board of directors shall fix in advance a date as the record date for any
such determination of shareholders. Such date in any case shall be not more than 60 days and, in
case of a meeting of shareholders, not fewer than 10 days before the date on which the particular
action, requiring such determination of shareholders, is to be taken. When a determination of
shareholders entitled to vote at any meeting of shareholders has been made as provided in this
section, such determination shall apply to any adjournment.
Section 7: Voting lists. At least 20 days before each meeting of the shareholders, the officer or
agent having charge of the stock transfer books for shares of the association shall make a
complete list of the shareholders of record entitled to vote at such meeting, or any adjournment
thereof, arranged in alphabetical order, with the address and the number of shares held by each.
This list of shareholders shall be kept on file at the home office of the association and shall be
subject to inspection by any shareholder of record or the shareholder’s agent at any time during
usual business hours for a period of 20 days before such meeting. Such list shall also be
produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and shall be subject to inspection by
any shareholder of record or any shareholder’s agent during the entire time of the meeting. The
original stock transfer book shall constitute prima facie evidence of the shareholders entitled to
examine such list or transfer books or to vote at any meeting of shareholders. Notwithstanding
anything in this section, however, a federal stock association that is wholly owned shall not be
subject to the voting list requirements. In lieu of making the shareholder list available for
inspection by shareholders as provided above, the board of directors may elect to follow the
procedures prescribed in 12 CFR 5.22(k)(4)(ii) of the OCC’s regulations as now or hereafter in
effect.
Section 8: Quorum. A majority of the outstanding shares of the association entitled to vote,
represented in person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of shareholders. If less
than a majority of the outstanding shares is represented at a meeting, a majority of the shares so
represented may adjourn the meeting from time to time without further notice. At such adjourned
meeting at which a quorum shall be present or represented, any business may be transacted that
might have been transacted at the meeting as originally notified. The shareholders present at a
duly organized meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the
withdrawal of enough shareholders to leave less than a quorum. If a quorum is present, the
affirmative vote of the majority of the shares represented at the meeting and entitled to vote on
the subject matter shall be the act of the shareholders, unless the vote of a greater number of
shareholders voting together or voting by classes is required by law or the charter. Directors,
however, are elected by a plurality of the votes cast at an election of directors.
Section 9: Proxies. At all meetings of shareholders, a shareholder may vote by proxy executed
in writing by the shareholder or by his or her duly authorized attorney in fact. Proxies may be
given telephonically or electronically as long as the holder uses a procedure for verifying the
identity of the shareholder. Proxies solicited on behalf of the management shall be voted as
directed by the shareholder or, in the absence of such direction, as determined by a majority of

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the board of directors. No proxy shall be valid more than 11 months from the date of its
execution except for a proxy coupled with an interest.
Section 10: Shares controlled by association. Neither treasury shares of its own stock held by
the association nor shares held by another corporation, if a majority of the shares entitled to vote
for the election of directors of such other corporation are held by the association, shall be voted
at any meeting or counted in determining the total number of outstanding shares at any given
time for purposes of any meeting.
[If charter authorizes cumulative voting, the following section 11 shall apply.]
Section 11: Cumulative voting. Every shareholder entitled to vote at an election for directors
shall have the right to vote, in person or by proxy, the number of shares owned by the
shareholder for as many persons as there are directors to be elected and for whose election the
shareholder has a right to vote, or to cumulate the votes by giving one candidate as many votes
as the number of such directors to be elected multiplied by the number of shares shall equal or by
distributing such votes on the same principle among any number of candidates.
Section 12: Inspectors of election. In advance of any meeting of shareholders, the board of
directors may appoint any person other than nominees for office as inspectors of election to act at
such meeting or any adjournment. The number of inspectors shall be either one or three. Any
such appointment shall not be altered at the meeting. If inspectors of election are not so
appointed, the chairman of the board or the president may, or on the request of not fewer than 10
percent of the votes represented at the meeting, make such appointment at the meeting. If
appointed at the meeting, the majority of the votes present shall determine whether one or three
inspectors are to be appointed. In case any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails
or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment by the board of directors in advance
of the meeting or at the meeting by the chairman of the board or the president. Unless otherwise
prescribed by OCC regulations, the duties of such inspectors shall include determining the
number of shares and the voting power of each share, the shares represented at the meeting, the
existence of a quorum, and the authenticity, validity, and effect of proxies; receiving votes,
ballots, or consents; hearing and determining all challenges and questions in any way arising in
connection with the rights to vote; counting and tabulating all votes or consents; determining the
result; and such acts as may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all
shareholders.
Section 13: Nominations and new business. Nominations for directors and new business
submitted by shareholders shall be voted upon at the annual meeting if such nominations or new
business are submitted in writing and delivered to the secretary of the association at least five
days before the date of the annual meeting. Ballots bearing the names of all the persons
nominated shall be provided for use at the annual meeting.
Section 14: Informal action by shareholders. Any action required to be taken at a meeting of
the shareholders, or any other action that may be taken at a meeting of shareholders, may be
taken without a meeting if consent in writing shall be given by all of the shareholders entitled to
vote with respect to the subject matter.

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Article III: Board of Directors
Section 1: General powers. The business and affairs of the association shall be under the
direction of its board of directors. The board of directors shall annually elect a chairman of the
board from among its members and shall designate, when present, either the chairman of the
board or the president to preside at its meetings.
Section 2: Number and term. The board of directors shall consist of ___ [not fewer than five
nor more than 15] members and shall be elected for a term of one to three years and until
successors are elected and qualified. If a staggered board is chosen, the directors shall be divided
into two or three classes as nearly equal in number as possible and one class shall be elected by
ballot annually.
Section 3: Regular meetings. The board of directors shall determine the place, frequency, time,
and procedure for notice of regular meetings. Directors may participate in a meeting by means of
a conference telephone or similar communications device through which all persons participating
can hear one another at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in
person for all purposes.
Section 4: Qualification (optional provision). Each director shall at all times be the beneficial
owner of not less than 100 shares of capital stock of the association unless the association is a
wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company.
Section 5: Special meetings. Special meetings of the board of directors may be called by or at
the request of the chairman of the board, the president, or one-third of the directors. The persons
authorized to call special meetings of the board of directors may fix any place, within the
association’s normal lending territory, as the place for holding any special meeting of the board
of directors called by such persons. Members of the board of directors may participate in special
meetings by means of conference telephone or similar communications equipment by which all
persons participating in the meeting can hear one another. Such participation shall constitute
presence in person for all purposes.
Section 6: Notice. Written notice of any special meeting shall be given to each director at least
24 hours prior thereto when delivered personally or at least five days prior thereto when
delivered by mail or transmitted electronically. A director may waive notice of any meeting by a
writing filed with the secretary. The attendance of a director at a meeting shall constitute a
waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a director attends a meeting for the express
purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called
or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the
board of directors need be specified in the notice of waiver of notice of such meeting.
Section 7: Quorum. A majority of the number of directors fixed by section 2 of this Article III
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the board of directors;
but if less than such majority is present at a meeting, a majority of the directors present may
adjourn the meeting from time to time. Notice of any adjourned meeting shall be given in the

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same manner as prescribed by section 6 of this Article III. The act of the majority of the directors
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the board of directors, unless
a greater number is prescribed by OCC regulations.
Section 8: Action without a meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the board
of directors at a meeting may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the
action so taken, shall be signed by all of the directors.
Section 9: Resignation. Any director may resign at any time by sending a written notice of such
resignation to the home office of the association addressed to the chairman of the board or the
president. Unless otherwise specified, such resignation shall take effect upon receipt by the
chairman of the board or the president. More than three consecutive absences from regular
meetings of the board of directors, unless excused by resolution of the board of directors, shall
automatically constitute a resignation, effective when such resignation is accepted by the board
of directors.
Section 10: Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring on the board of directors may be filled by the
affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors although less than a quorum of the
board of directors. A director elected to fill a vacancy shall be elected to serve only until the next
election of directors by the shareholders. Any directorship to be filled because of an increase in
the number of directors may be filled by election by the board of directors for a term of office
continuing only until the next election of directors by the shareholders.
Section 11: Presumption of assent. A director of the association who is present at a meeting of
the board of directors at which action on any association matter is taken shall be presumed to
have assented to the action taken unless his or her dissent or abstention shall be entered in the
minutes of the meeting or unless he or she shall file a written dissent to such action with the
person acting as the secretary of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward
such dissent by registered mail to the secretary of the association within five days after the date a
copy of the minutes of the meeting is received. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a director
who voted in favor of such action.
Section 12: Removal of directors. At a meeting of shareholders called expressly for that
purpose, any director may be removed only for cause as defined in 12 CFR 5.21(j)(1)(x)(B) by a
vote of the holders of a majority of the shares then entitled to vote at an election of directors.
Whenever the holders of the shares of any class are entitled to elect one or more directors by the
provisions of the charter or supplemental sections thereto, the provisions of this section shall
apply, in respect to the removal of a director or directors so elected, to the vote of the holders of
the outstanding shares of that class and not to the vote of the outstanding shares as a whole.
Section 13: Age limitation (optional provision). Bylaws on age limitations must comply with all
federal laws, rules, and regulations.

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Article IV: Executive and Other Committees
Section 1: Appointment. The board of directors, by resolution adopted by a majority of the full
board, may designate from among its members an executive committee and one or more other
committees. The designation of any committee and the delegation of authority shall not operate
to relieve the board of directors, or any director, of any responsibility imposed by law or
regulation.
Section 2: Authority. The executive committee, when the board of directors is not in session,
shall have and may exercise all of the authority of the board of directors except to the extent, if
any, that such authority shall be limited by the resolution appointing the executive committee;
and except also that the executive committee shall not have the authority of the board of directors
with reference to the declaration of dividends; the amendment of the charter or bylaws of the
association, or recommending to the shareholders a plan of merger, consolidation, or conversion;
the sale, lease, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the
association otherwise than in the usual and regular course of its business; a voluntary dissolution
of the association; a revocation of any of the foregoing; or the approval of a transaction in which
any member of the executive committee, directly or indirectly, has any material beneficial
interest.
Article V: Officers
Section 1: Positions. The officers of the association shall be a president, one or more vice
presidents, a secretary, and a treasurer or comptroller, each of whom shall be elected by the
board of directors. The board of directors may also designate the chairman of the board as an
officer. The offices of the secretary and treasurer or comptroller may be held by the same person,
and a vice president may also be either the secretary or the treasurer or comptroller. The board of
directors may designate one or more vice presidents as executive vice president or senior vice
president.
Section 2: Removal. Any officer may be removed by the board of directors whenever in its
judgment the best interests of the association will be served thereby, but such removal, other than
for cause, shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights, if any, of the person so removed.
Employment contracts shall conform with 12 CFR 163.39.
Section 3: Vacancies. A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal,
disqualification, or otherwise may be filled by the board of directors.
Section 4: Age limitation (optional provision). Bylaws on age limitations must comply with all
federal laws, rules, and regulations.
Article VI: Certificates for Shares and Their Transfer
Section 1: Certificates for shares. Certificates representing shares of capital stock of the
association shall be in such form as shall be determined by the board of directors and approved
by the OCC. The name and address of the person to whom the shares are issued, with the number

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of shares and date of issue, shall be entered on the stock transfer books of the association. All
certificates surrendered to the association for transfer shall be canceled and no new certificate
shall be issued until the former certificate for a like number of shares has been surrendered and
canceled, except that in the case of a lost or destroyed certificate, a new certificate may be issued
upon such terms and indemnity to the association as the board of directors may prescribe.
Section 2: Uncertificated shares. The association may provide for uncertificated shares.
Section 3: Transfer of shares. Transfer of shares of capital stock of the association shall be
made only on its stock transfer books. Authority for such transfer shall be given only by the
holder of record or by his or her legal representative, who shall furnish proper evidence of such
authority, or by his or her attorney authorized by a duly executed power of attorney and filed
with the association. Such transfer shall be made only on surrender for cancellation of the
certificate for such shares. The person in whose name shares of capital stock stand on the books
of the association shall be deemed by the association to be the owner for all purposes.
Article VII: Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the association shall end on the __________________of ______________of
each year. The appointment of accountants shall be subject to annual ratification by the
shareholders.
Article VIII: Amendments
These bylaws may be amended in a manner consistent with OCC regulations and shall be
effective after (1) approval of the amendment by a majority vote of the authorized board of
directors, or by a majority vote of the votes cast by the shareholders of the association at any
legal meeting, and (2) receipt of any applicable regulatory approval. When an association fails to
meet its quorum requirements, solely due to vacancies on the board, then the affirmative vote of
a majority of the sitting board will be required to amend the bylaws.

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