When is an application not required for a covered offense or program entry (de minimis offenses)?

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§ 303.227 When is an application not required for a covered offense or program entry (de minimis offenses)?

(a) In general. Approval is automatically granted and an application will not be required where all of the following de minimis criteria are met.

(1) The individual has been convicted of, or has program entries for, no more than two covered offenses, including those subject to paragraph (b) of this section; and for each covered offense, all of the sentencing requirements associated with the conviction, or conditions imposed by the program entry, have been completed (the sentence- or program-completion requirement does not apply under paragraphs (b)(2) and (4) of this section);

(2) Each covered offense was punishable by imprisonment for a term of one year or less and/or a fine of $2,500 or less, and the individual served three days or less of jail time for each covered offense. The FDIC considers jail time to include any significant restraint on an individual's freedom of movement which includes, as part of the restriction, confinement to a specific facility or building on a continuous basis where the person may leave temporarily only to perform specific functions or during specified times periods or both. Jail time includes confinement to a psychiatric treatment center in lieu of a jail, prison, or house of correction on mental-competency grounds. The definition is not intended to include any of the following:

(i) Persons on probation or parole who may be restricted to a particular jurisdiction, or who must report occasionally to an individual or to a specified location;

(ii) Persons who are restricted to a substance-abuse treatment program facility for part or all of the day; and

(iii) Persons who are ordered to attend outpatient psychiatric treatment;

(3) If there are two convictions or program entries for a covered offense, each conviction or program entry was entered at least three years prior to the date an application would otherwise be required, except as provided in paragraph (b)(1) of this section; and

(4) Each covered offense was not committed against an IDI or insured credit union.

(b) Other types of offenses for which the de minimis exception applies and no application is required -

(1) Age of person at time of covered offense. If there are two convictions or program entries for a covered offense, and the actions that resulted in both convictions or program entries all occurred when the individual was 21 years of age or younger, then the de minimis criteria in paragraph (a)(3) of this section shall be met if the convictions or program entries were entered at least 18 months prior to the date an application would otherwise be required.

(2) Convictions or program entries for insufficient funds checks. Convictions or program entries of record based on the writing of “bad” or insufficient funds check(s) shall be considered de minimis offenses under this provision if the following conditions apply:

(i) The aggregate total face value of all “bad” or insufficient funds check(s) cited across all the conviction(s) or program entry(ies) for “bad” or insufficient funds checks is $1,000 or less;

(ii) No IDI or insured credit union was a payee on any of the “bad” or insufficient funds checks that were the basis of the conviction(s) or program entry(ies); and

(iii) The individual has no more than one other de minimis offense under this section.

(3) Convictions or program entries for small-dollar, simple theft. Convictions or program entries based on the simple theft of goods, services, or currency (or other monetary instrument) shall be considered de minimis offenses under this provision if the following conditions apply. Simple theft excludes burglary, forgery, robbery, identity theft, and fraud.

(i) The value of the currency, goods, or services taken is $1,000 or less;

(ii) The theft was not committed against an IDI or insured credit union;

(iii) The individual has no more than one other de minimis offense under this section; and

(iv) If there are two de minimis offenses under this section, each conviction or program entry was entered at least three years prior to the date an application would otherwise be required, or at least 18 months prior to the date an application would otherwise be required if the actions that resulted in the conviction or program entry all occurred when the individual was 21 years of age or younger.

(4) Convictions or program entries for the use of a fake, false, or altered identification. A conviction or program entry for the creation or possession of a fake, false, or altered form of identification by a person under the age of 21, or the use of a fake, false, or altered form of identification by such a person to circumvent age-based restrictions on purchases, activities, or premises entry, shall be considered a de minimis offense under this provision if the following conditions apply.

(i) The individual has no more than one other de minimis offense under this section; and

(ii) If there are two de minimis offenses under this section, each conviction or program entry was entered at least three years prior to the date an application would otherwise be required; or at least 18 months prior to the date an application would otherwise be required if the actions that resulted in the conviction or program entry all occurred when the individual was 21 years of age or younger.

(c) Fidelity bond coverage and disclosure to institutions. Any person who meets the criteria under this section shall be covered by a fidelity bond to the same extent as others in similar positions, and shall disclose the presence of the conviction(s) or program entry(ies) to all IDIs in the affairs of which he or she intends to participate.

(d) Non-qualifying convictions or program entries. No conviction or program entry for a violation of the Title 18 sections set out in 12 U.S.C. 1829(a)(2) can qualify under any of the de minimis exceptions set out in this section.


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