(a) Renewal notice and opt-out requirement—

(1) In general. Since the FCRA provides that opt-out elections can expire in a period of no less than five years, an affiliate that has or previously had a pre-existing business relationship with a consumer must provide a renewal notice to the consumer after such time in order to allow its affiliates to make solicitations. After the opt-out election period expires, its affiliates may make solicitations unless:

(i) The consumer has been given a renewal notice that complies with the requirements of this section and §§162.6 through 162.8 of this subpart, and a reasonable opportunity and a reasonable and simple method to renew the opt-out election, and the consumer does not renew the opt out; or

(ii) An exception in Sec. 162.3(c) of this subpart applies.

(2) Renewal period. Each opt-out renewal must be effective for a period of at least five years as provided in §162.4(b) of this subpart.

(3) Affiliates who may provide the renewal notice. The notice required by this paragraph must be provided:

(i) By the affiliate that provided the previous opt-out notice, or its successor; or

(ii) As part of a joint renewal notice from two or more members of an affiliated group of companies, or their successors, that jointly provided the previous opt-out notice.

(b) Contents of renewal or extension notice. The contents of the renewal notice must include all of the same contents of the initial notices, but also must include:

(1) A statement that the consumer previously elected to limit the use of certain information to make solicitations to the consumer;

(2) A statement that the consumer may elect to renew the consumer's previous election; and

(3) If applicable, a statement that the consumer's election to renew will apply for a specified period of time stated in the notice and that the consumer will be allowed to renew the election once that period expires.

(c) Timing of renewal notice. Renewal notices must be provided in a reasonable period of time before the expiration of the opt-out election period or any time after the expiration of the opt-out period, but before solicitations that would have been prohibited by the expired opt-out election are made to the consumer.

(d) No effect on opt-out period. An opt-out period may not be shortened by sending a renewal notice to the consumer before the expiration of the opt-out period, even if the consumer does not renew the opt-out election.