(a) Authority. 12 U.S.C. 35, 93a, 214a, 214b, 214c, and 2903.

(b) Licensing requirements. A state bank, a stock state savings association, or a Federal stock savings association shall submit an application and obtain prior OCC approval to convert to a national bank charter. A Federal mutual savings association that plans to convert to a national bank must first convert to a Federal stock savings association under 12 CFR part 192.

(c) Scope.

(1) This section describes procedures and standards governing OCC review and approval of an application by a state bank, a stock state savings association, or a Federal stock savings association to convert to a national bank charter.

(2) As used in this section, state bank includes a state bank as defined in 12 U.S.C. 214(a).

(d) Policy. Consistent with the OCC's chartering policy, it is OCC policy to allow conversion to a national bank charter by another financial institution that can operate safely and soundly as a national bank in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. A converting financial institution also must obtain all necessary regulatory and shareholder approvals. The OCC may deny an application by any state bank, stock state savings association, and any Federal stock savings association to convert to a national bank charter on the basis of the standards for denial set forth in §5.13(b), or when conversion would permit the applicant to escape supervisory action by its current regulators.

(e) Procedures—

(1) Prefiling communications. The applicant should consult with the appropriate OCC licensing office prior to filing if it anticipates that its application will raise unusual or complex issues. If a prefiling meeting is appropriate, it will normally be held at the OCC licensing office where the application will be filed, but may be held at another location at the request of the applicant.

(2) Application. A state bank, a stock state savings association, or a Federal stock savings association shall submit its application to convert to a national bank to the appropriate OCC licensing office and send a copy to its current appropriate Federal banking agency. The application must:

(i) Be signed by the president or other duly authorized officer;

(ii) Identify each branch that the resulting bank expects to operate after conversion;

(iii) Include the institution's most recent audited financial statements (if any);

(iv) Include the latest report of condition and report of income (the most recent daily statement of condition will suffice if the institution does not file these reports);

(v) Unless otherwise advised by the OCC in a prefiling communication, include an opinion of counsel that, in the case of a state bank, the conversion is not in contravention of applicable state law, or in the case of a Federal stock savings association, the conversion is not in contravention of applicable Federal law;

(vi) State whether the institution wishes to exercise fiduciary powers after the conversion;

(vii) Identify all subsidiaries, bank service company investments, and other equity investments that will be retained following the conversion, and provide the information and analysis of the subsidiaries' activities, the bank service company investments, and the other equity investments that would be required if the converting bank or savings association were a national bank establishing each subsidiary or making each bank service company investment or other equity investment pursuant to §5.34, §5.35, §5.36, §5.39, 12 CFR part 1, or other applicable law and regulation;

(viii) Identify any nonconforming assets (including nonconforming subsidiaries) and nonconforming activities that the institution engages in and describe the plans to retain or divest those assets and activities;

(ix) Include a business plan if the converting institution has been operating for fewer than three years, plans to make significant changes to its business after the conversion, or at the request of the OCC; and

(x) List all outstanding conditions or other requirements imposed by the institution's current appropriate Federal banking agency and, if applicable, current state bank supervisor or state attorney-general in any cease and desist order, written agreement, other formal enforcement order, memorandum of understanding, approval of any application, notice or request, commitment letter, board resolution, or in any other manner, including the converting institution's analysis whether the conversion is prohibited under 12 U.S.C. 35, and state the institution's plans regarding adhering to such conditions or requirements after conversion.

(3) The OCC may permit a national bank to retain nonconforming assets of a state bank or stock state savings association, subject to conditions and an OCC determination of the carrying value of the retained assets, pursuant to 12 U.S.C. 35. The OCC may permit a national bank to continue nonconforming activities of a state bank or stock state savings association, or to retain the nonconforming assets or nonconforming activities of a Federal stock savings association, for a reasonable period of time following a conversion, subject to conditions imposed by the OCC.

(4) Approval for an institution to convert to a national bank expires if the conversion has not occurred within six months of the OCC's approval of the application, unless the OCC grants an extension of time.

(5) When the OCC determines that the applicant has satisfied all statutory and regulatory requirements, including those set forth in 12 U.S.C. 35, and any other conditions, the OCC issues a charter certificate. The certificate provides that the institution is authorized to begin conducting business as a national bank as of a specified date.

(f) Conversion of a Federal stock savings association to a national bank—supplemental rules—

(1) Additional information. A Federal stock savings association may convert to a national bank. In addition to the rules and procedures set forth in paragraph (e) of this section, a Federal stock savings association that desires to convert to a national bank shall include in its application information demonstrating compliance with applicable laws regarding the permissibility, requirements, and procedures for conversions, including any applicable stockholder or account holder approval requirements.

(2) Termination and change of status. The appropriate OCC licensing office provides instructions to the converting Federal stock savings association for terminating its status as a Federal stock savings association and beginning its status as a national bank.

(g) Exceptions to rules of general applicability. Sections 5.8, 5.10, and 5.11 do not apply to this section. However, if the OCC concludes that an application presents significant or novel policy, supervisory, or legal issues, the OCC may determine that any or all of §§5.8, 5.10, and 5.11 apply.

(h) Expedited review. An application by an eligible savings association to convert to a national bank charter is deemed approved by the OCC as of the 60th day after the filing is received by the OCC, unless the OCC notifies the applicant prior to that date that the filing is not eligible for expedited review under §5.13(a)(2).

(i) Continuation of business and corporate entity. The corporate existence of the converting institution shall continue in the resulting national bank. The resulting national bank shall be considered the same business and corporate entity as the converting institution, although as to rights, powers, and duties, the resulting national bank is a national bank. Any and all of the assets and other property (whether real, personal, mixed, tangible or intangible, including choses in action, rights, and credits) of the converting institution become assets and property of the resulting national bank when the conversion occurs. Similarly, any and all of the obligations and debts of and claims against the converting institution become obligations and debts of and claims against the national bank when the conversion occurs.

[80 FR 28432, May 18, 2015]