OCC issues guidance on appraisal management company registration

Agency Rule-Making & Guidance OCC Appraisal

On September 16, the OCC issued Bulletin 2019-43, “Appraisals: Appraisal Management Company Registration Requirements,” which reminds covered institutions of the new registration requirement for appraisal management companies (AMC) that became effective on August 10. Specifically, under 12 CFR 34, subpart H, AMCs are now required to register with the state or states in which they do business; however, an AMC that is owned and controlled by an insured depository institution and regulated by the OCC, Federal Reserve Board, or FDIC is not subject to the registration requirement. The Bulletin reminds covered institutions that they should conduct sufficient due diligence to confirm that third-party AMCs are registered as required, including (i) checking the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s (ASC) national AMC registry; (ii) checking the relevant state’s AMC registry if the AMC is not listed on the national registry; and (iii) if no electronic registry check is available, requesting evidence of registration directly from the AMC. Moreover, if a covered institution determines that a federally related transaction is in a state that is not registering AMCs, an institution may instead use an individual appraiser, a staff appraiser employed by the institution, a smaller AMC not subject to the regulation, or a federally regulated AMC.