§ 5336. Beneficial ownership information reporting requirements

§ 5336. Beneficial ownership information reporting requirements

(a) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Acceptable identification document.— The term “acceptable identification document” means, with respect to an individual—

(A) a nonexpired passport issued by the United States;

(B) a nonexpired identification document issued by a State, local government, or Indian Tribe to the individual acting for the purpose of identification of that individual;

(C) a nonexpired driver’s license issued by a State; or

(D) if the individual does not have a document described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C), a nonexpired passport issued by a foreign government.

(2) Applicant.— The term “applicant” means any individual who—

(A) files an application to form a corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity under the laws of a State or Indian Tribe; or

(B) registers or files an application to register a corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity formed under the laws of a foreign country to do business in the United States by filing a document with the secretary of state or similar office under the laws of a State or Indian Tribe.

(3) Beneficial owner.— The term “beneficial owner”—

(A) means, with respect to an entity, an individual who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise—

(i) exercises substantial control over the entity; or

(ii) owns or controls not less than 25 percent of the ownership interests of the entity; and

(B) does not include—

(i) a minor child, as defined in the State in which the entity is formed, if the information of the parent or guardian of the minor child is reported in accordance with this section;

(ii) an individual acting as a nominee, intermediary, custodian, or agent on behalf of another individual;

(iii) an individual acting solely as an employee of a corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity and whose control over or economic benefits from such entity is derived solely from the employment status of the person;

(iv) an individual whose only interest in a corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity is through a right of inheritance; or

(v) a creditor of a corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity, unless the creditor meets the requirements of subparagraph (A).

(4) Director.— The term “Director” means the Director of FinCEN.

(5) FinCEN.— The term “FinCEN” means the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the Department of the Treasury.

(6) FinCEN identifier.— The term “FinCEN identifier” means the unique identifying number assigned by FinCEN to a person under this section.

(7) Foreign person.— The term “foreign person” means a person who is not a United States person, as defined in section 7701(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(8) Indian tribe.— The term “Indian Tribe” has the meaning given the term “Indian tribe” in section 102 of the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5130).

(9) Lawfully admitted for permanent residence.— The term “lawfully admitted for permanent residence” has the meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)).

(10) Pooled investment vehicle.— The term “pooled investment vehicle” means—

(A) any investment company, as defined in section 3(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–3(a)); or

(B) any company that—

(i) would be an investment company under that section but for the exclusion provided from that definition by paragraph (1) or (7) of section 3(c) of that Act (15 U.S.C. 80a–3(c)); and

(ii) is identified by its legal name by the applicable investment adviser in its Form ADV (or successor form) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(11) Reporting company.— The term “reporting company”—

(A) means a corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity that is—

(i) created by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or a similar office under the law of a State or Indian Tribe; or

(ii) formed under the law of a foreign country and registered to do business in the United States by the filing of a document with a secretary of state or a similar office under the laws of a State or Indian Tribe; and

(B) does not include—

(i) an issuer—

(I) of a class of securities registered under section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78l); or

(II) that is required to file supplementary and periodic information under section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o(d));

(ii) an entity—

(I) established under the laws of the United States, an Indian Tribe, a State, or a political subdivision of a State, or under an interstate compact between 2 or more States; and

(II) that exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States or any such Indian Tribe, State, or political subdivision;

(iii) a bank, as defined in—

(I) section 3 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

(II) section 2(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–2(a)); or

(III) section 202(a) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–2(a));

(iv) a Federal credit union or a State credit union (as those terms are defined in section 101 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. 1752));

(v) a bank holding company (as defined in section 2 of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841)) or a savings and loan holding company (as defined in section 10(a) of the Home Owners’ Loan Act (12 U.S.C. 1467a(a)));

(vi) a money transmitting business registered with the Secretary of the Treasury under section 5330;

(vii) a broker or dealer (as those terms are defined in section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c)) that is registered under section 15 of that Act (15 U.S.C. 78o);

(viii) an exchange or clearing agency (as those terms are defined in section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c)) that is registered under section 6 or 17A of that Act (15 U.S.C. 78f, 78q–1);

(ix) any other entity not described in clause (i), (vii), or (viii) that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.);

(x) an entity that—

(I) is an investment company (as defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–3)) or an investment adviser (as defined in section 202 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–2)); and

(II) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.) or the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–1 et seq.);

(xi) an investment adviser—

(I) described in section 203(l) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–3(l)); and

(II) that has filed Item 10, Schedule A, and Schedule B of Part 1A of Form ADV, or any successor thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission;

(xii) an insurance company (as defined in section 2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–2));

(xiii) an entity that—

(I) is an insurance producer that is authorized by a State and subject to supervision by the insurance commissioner or a similar official or agency of a State; and

(II) has an operating presence at a physical office within the United States;

(xiv)

(I) a registered entity (as defined in section 1a of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a)); or

(II) an entity that is—

(aa)

(AA) a futures commission merchant, introducing broker, swap dealer, major swap participant, commodity pool operator, or commodity trading advisor (as those terms are defined in section 1a of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a)); or

(BB) a retail foreign exchange dealer, as described in section 2(c)(2)(B) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 2(c)(2)(B)); and

(bb) registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.);

(xv) a public accounting firm registered in accordance with section 102 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (15 U.S.C. 7212);

(xvi) a public utility that provides telecommunications services, electrical power, natural gas, or water and sewer services within the United States;

(xvii) a financial market utility designated by the Financial Stability Oversight Council under section 804 of the Payment, Clearing, and Settlement Supervision Act of 2010 (12 U.S.C. 5463);

(xviii) any pooled investment vehicle that is operated or advised by a person described in clause (iii), (iv), (vii), (x), or (xi);

(xix) any—

(I) organization that is described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (determined without regard to section 508(a) of such Code) and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of such Code, except that in the case of any such organization that loses an exemption from tax, such organization shall be considered to be continued to be described in this subclause for the 180-day period beginning on the date of the loss of such tax-exempt status;

(II) political organization (as defined in section 527(e)(1) of such Code) that is exempt from tax under section 527(a) of such Code; or

(III) trust described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 4947(a) of such Code;

(xx) any corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity that—

(I) operates exclusively to provide financial assistance to, or hold governance rights over, any entity described in clause (xix);

(II) is a United States person;

(III) is beneficially owned or controlled exclusively by 1 or more United States persons that are United States citizens or lawfully admitted for permanent residence; and

(IV) derives at least a majority of its funding or revenue from 1 or more United States persons that are United States citizens or lawfully admitted for permanent residence;

(xxi) any entity that—

(I) employs more than 20 employees on a full-time basis in the United States;

(II) filed in the previous year Federal income tax returns in the United States demonstrating more than $5,000,000 in gross receipts or sales in the aggregate, including the receipts or sales of—

(aa) other entities owned by the entity; and

(bb) other entities through which the entity operates; and

(III) has an operating presence at a physical office within the United States;

(xxii) any corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity of which the ownership interests are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by 1 or more entities described in clause (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xi), (xii), (xiii), (xiv), (xv), (xvi), (xvii) 11 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma. (xix), or (xxi);

(xxiii) any corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity—

(I) in existence for over 1 year;

(II) that is not engaged in active business;

(III) that is not owned, directly or indirectly, by a foreign person;

(IV) that has not, in the preceding 12-month period, experienced a change in ownership or sent or received funds in an amount greater than $1,000 (including all funds sent to or received from any source through a financial account or accounts in which the entity, or an affiliate of the entity, maintains an interest); and

(V) that does not otherwise hold any kind or type of assets, including an ownership interest in any corporation, limited liability company, or other similar entity;

(xxiv) any entity or class of entities that the Secretary of the Treasury, with the written concurrence of the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, has, by regulation, determined should be exempt from the requirements of subsection (b) because requiring beneficial ownership information from the entity or class of entities—

(I) would not serve the public interest; and

(II) would not be highly useful in national security, intelligence, and law enforcement agency efforts to detect, prevent, or prosecute money laundering, the financing of terrorism, proliferation finance, serious tax fraud, or other crimes.

(12) State.— The term “State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.

(13) Unique identifying number.— The term “unique identifying number” means, with respect to an individual or an entity with a sole member, the unique identifying number from an acceptable identification document.

(14) United states person.— The term “United States person” has the meaning given the term in section 7701(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

(b) Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting.—

(1) Reporting.—

(A) In general.— In accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, each reporting company shall submit to FinCEN a report that contains the information described in paragraph (2).

(B) Reporting of existing entities.— In accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, any reporting company that has been formed or registered before the effective date of the regulations prescribed under this subsection shall, in a timely manner, and not later than 2 years after the effective date of the regulations prescribed under this subsection, submit to FinCEN a report that contains the information described in paragraph (2).

(C) Reporting at time of formation or registration.— In accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, any reporting company that has been formed or registered after the effective date of the regulations promulgated under this subsection shall, at the time of formation or registration, submit to FinCEN a report that contains the information described in paragraph (2).

(D) Updated reporting for changes in beneficial ownership.— In accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, a reporting company shall, in a timely manner, and not later than 1 year after the date on which there is a change with respect to any information described in paragraph (2), submit to FinCEN a report that updates the information relating to the change.

(E) Treasury review of updated reporting for changes in beneficial ownership.— The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall conduct a review to evaluate—

(i) the necessity of a requirement for corporations, limited liability companies, or other similar entities to update the report on beneficial ownership information in paragraph (2), related to a change in ownership, within a shorter period of time than required under subparagraph (D), taking into account the updating requirements under subparagraph (D) and the information contained in the reports;

(ii) the benefit to law enforcement and national security officials that might be derived from,22 So in original. and the burden that a requirement to update the list of beneficial owners within a shorter period of time after a change in the list of beneficial owners would impose on corporations, limited liability companies, or other similar entities; and

(iii) not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, incorporate ^2 into the regulations, as appropriate, any changes necessary to implement the findings and determinations based on the review required under this subparagraph.

(F) Regulation requirements.— In promulgating the regulations required under subparagraphs (A) through (D), the Secretary of the Treasury shall, to the greatest extent practicable—

(i) establish partnerships with State, local, and Tribal governmental agencies;

(ii) collect information described in paragraph (2) through existing Federal, State, and local processes and procedures;

(iii) minimize burdens on reporting companies associated with the collection of the information described in paragraph (2), in light of the private compliance costs placed on legitimate businesses, including by identifying any steps taken to mitigate the costs relating to compliance with the collection of information; and

(iv) collect information described in paragraph (2) in a form and manner that ensures the information is highly useful in—

(I) facilitating important national security, intelligence, and law enforcement activities; and

(II) confirming beneficial ownership information provided to financial institutions to facilitate the compliance of the financial institutions with anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism, and customer due diligence requirements under applicable law.

(G) Regulatory simplification.— To simplify compliance with this section for reporting companies and financial institutions, the Secretary of the Treasury shall ensure that the regulations prescribed by the Secretary under this subsection are added to part 1010 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto.

(2) Required information.—

(A) In general.— In accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, a report delivered under paragraph (1) shall, except as provided in subparagraph (B), identify each beneficial owner of the applicable reporting company and each applicant with respect to that reporting company by—

(i) full legal name;

(ii) date of birth;

(iii) current, as of the date on which the report is delivered, residential or business street address; and

(iv)