(a) General. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation examines insured state nonmember banks pursuant to authority conferred by section 10 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1820) and examines insured State savings associations pursuant to authority conferred by section 10 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1820) and section 4 of the Home Owners' Loan Act (12 U.S.C. 1463). The FDIC is required to conduct a full-scope, on-site examination of every insured state nonmember bank and insured State savings association at least once during each 12-month period.

(b) 18-month rule for certain small institutions. The FDIC may conduct a full-scope, on-site examination of an insured state nonmember bank or insured State savings association at least once during each 18-month period, rather than each 12-month period as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, if the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The institution has total assets of less than $3 billion;

(2) The institution is well capitalized as defined in §324.403(b)(1) of this chapter;

(3) At the most recent FDIC or applicable State agency examination, the FDIC:

(i) Assigned the institution a rating of 1 or 2 for management as part of the institution's composite rating under the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (commonly referred to as CAMELS); and

(ii) Assigned the institution a composite rating of 1 or 2 under the Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (copies of which are available at the addresses specified in §309.4 of this chapter);

(4) The institution currently is not subject to a formal enforcement proceeding or order by the FDIC, OCC, or the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; and

(5) No person acquired control of the institution during the preceding 12-month period in which a full-scope, on-site examination would have been required but for this section.

(c) Authority to conduct more frequent examinations. This section does not limit the authority of the FDIC to examine any insured state nonmember bank or insured State savings association as frequently as the agency deems necessary.

[81 FR 10069, Feb. 29, 2016, as amended at 83 FR 43965, Aug. 29, 2018]