(a) Within the United States. A certified accounting authority maintaining all settlement operations, as well as associated documentation, within the United States will be assigned an AAIC with a “US” prefix.

(b) Outside the United States. A certified accounting authority maintaining settlement operations outside the United States will be assigned the same AAIC as that originally assigned to such entity by the administration of the country of origin. However, in no case will an entity be certified as an accounting authority for settlement of U.S. licensed vessel accounts unless the entity is requesting to conduct a settlement operation in the United States or has already been issued an AAIC by another administration.