CFPB issues FAQs on ECOA and PPP applications

Federal Issues Covid-19 ECOA CFPB Regulation B Agency Rule-Making & Guidance

On May 6, the CFPB issued three clarifying FAQs regarding ECOA and Regulation B loan denial and adverse action notice requirements as they relate to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The three FAQs  provide the following clarifications of the requirements for notification of action:

• Notice of Action Taken. A PPP application is not determined to be a “completed application” under Regulation B for purposes of a notice of action taken until a creditor receives a loan number from the SBA or a response about the availability of funds. Once the creditor has received a loan number from the SBA or a response about the availability of funds, the creditor has 30 days to notify the applicant of the action taken on the application.
• Adverse Action Notice. If a creditor “refus[es] to grant” a PPP credit request without ever submitting the loan to the SBA, the creditor is still required under Regulation B to provide an adverse action notice within 30 days and provide the applicant with the specific reason for the denial.
• Denial for Incompleteness. If the creditor has received sufficient information from the applicant for a credit decision, but has not received a loan number from the SBA or a response about the availability of funds, under Regulation B, the creditor may not deny the application based on incompleteness. An application can only be denied for incompleteness if the application is missing information the applicant can provide­—not the SBA.