12 CFR Appendix C to Part 229 - Appendix C to Part 229—Model Availability Policy Disclosures, Clauses, and Notices; Model Substitute Check Policy Disclosure and Notices
This appendix contains model availability policy and substitute check policy disclosures, clauses, and notices to facilitate compliance with the disclosure and notice requirements of Regulation CC (12 CFR part 229). Although use of these models is not required, banks using them properly (with the exception of models C–22 through C–25) to make disclosures required by Regulation CC are deemed to be in compliance.
Our policy is to make funds from your cash and check deposits available to you on the first business day after the day we receive your deposit. Electronic direct deposits will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Once the funds are available, you can withdraw them in cash and we will use them to pay checks that you have written.
For determining the availability of your deposits, every day is a business day, except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. If you make a deposit before (time of day) on a business day that we are open, we will consider that day to be the day of your deposit. However, if you make a deposit after (time of day) or on a day we are not open, we will consider that the deposit was made on the next business day we are open.
Our policy is to make funds from your cash and check deposits available to you on the first business day after the day we receive your deposit. Electronic direct deposits will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Once they are available, you can withdraw the funds in cash and we will use the funds to pay checks that you have written.
For determining the availability of your deposits, every day is a business day, except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. If you make a deposit before (time of day) on a business day that we are open, we will consider that day to be the day of your deposit. However, if you make a deposit after (time of day) or on a day we are not open, we will consider that the deposit was made on the next business day we are open.
Funds you deposit by check may be delayed for a longer period under the following circumstances:
• We believe a check you deposit will not be paid.
• You deposit checks totaling more than $5,000 on any one day.
• You redeposit a check that has been returned unpaid.
• You have overdrawn your account repeatedly in the last six months.
• There is an emergency, such as failure of computer or communications equipment.
We will notify you if we delay your ability to withdraw funds for any of these reasons, and we will tell you when the funds will be available. They will generally be available no later than the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
If you are a new customer, the following special rules will apply during the first 30 days your account is open.
Funds from electronic direct deposits to your account will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Funds from deposits of cash, wire transfers, and the first $5,000 of a day's total deposits of cashier's, certified, teller's, traveler's, and federal, state and local government checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit if the deposit meets certain conditions. For example, the checks must be payable to you (and you may have to use a special deposit slip). The excess over $5,000 will be available on the ninth business day after the day of your deposit. If your deposit of these checks (other than a U.S. Treasury check) is not made in person to one of our employees, the first $5,000 will not be available until the second business day after the day of your deposit.
Funds from all other check deposits will be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
Our policy is to make funds from your cash and check deposits available to you on the first business day after the day we receive your deposit. Electronic direct deposits will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Once they are available, you can withdraw the funds in cash and we will use the funds to pay checks that you have written.
For determining the availability of your deposits, every day is a business day, except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. If you make a deposit before (time of day) on a business day that we are open, we will consider that day to be the day of your deposit. However, if you make a deposit after (time of day) or on a day we are not open, we will consider that the deposit was made on the next business day we are open.
In some cases, we will not make all of the funds that you deposit by check available to you on the first business day after the day of your deposit. Depending on the type of check that you deposit, funds may not be available until the fifth business day after the day of your deposit. The first $100 of your deposits, however, may be available on the first business day.
If we are not going to make all of the funds from your deposit available on the first business day, we will notify you at the time you make your deposit. We will also tell you when the funds will be available. If your deposit is not made directly to one of our employees, or if we decide to take this action after you have left the premises, we will mail you the notice by the day after we receive your deposit.
If you will need the funds from a deposit right away, you should ask us when the funds will be available.
In addition, funds you deposit by check may be delayed for a longer period under the following circumstances:
• We believe a check you deposit will not be paid.
• You deposit checks totaling more than $5,000 on any one day.
• You redeposit a check that has been returned unpaid.
• You have overdrawn your account repeatedly in the last six months.
• There is an emergency, such as failure of computer or communications equipment.
We will notify you if we delay your ability to withdraw funds for any of these reasons, and we will tell you when the funds will be available. They will generally be available no later than the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
If you are a new customer, the following special rules will apply during the first 30 days your account is open.
Funds from electronic direct deposits to your account will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Funds from deposits of cash, wire transfers, and the first $5,000 of a day's total deposits of cashier's, certified, teller's, traveler's, and federal, state and local government checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit if the deposit meets certain conditions. For example, the checks must be payable to you (and you may have to use a special deposit slip). The excess over $5,000 will be available on the ninth business day after the day of your deposit. If your deposit of these checks (other than a U.S. Treasury check) is not made in person to one of our employees, the first $5,000 will not be available until the second business day after the day of your deposit.
Funds from all other check deposits will be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
Our policy is to delay the availability of funds from your cash and check deposits. During the delay, you may not withdraw the funds in cash and we will not use the funds to pay checks that you have written.
The length of the delay is counted in business days from the day of your deposit. Every day is a business day except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. If you make a deposit before (time of day) on a business day that we are open, we will consider that day to be the day of your deposit. However, if you make a deposit after (time of day) or on a day we are not open, we will consider that the deposit was made on the next business day we are open.
The length of the delay varies depending on the type of deposit and is explained below.
Funds from electronic direct deposits to your account will be available on the day we receive the deposit.
Funds from the following deposits are available on the first business day after the day of your deposit:
• U.S. Treasury checks that are payable to you.
• Wire transfers.
• Checks drawn on (bank name) [unless (any limitations related to branches in different states or check processing regions)].
If you make the deposit in person to one of our employees, funds from the following deposits are also available on the first business day after the day of your deposit:
• Cash.
• State and local government checks that are payable to you [if you use a special deposit slip available from (where deposit slip may be obtained)].
• Cashier's, certified, and teller's checks that are payable to you [if you use a special deposit slip available from (where deposit slip may be obtained)].
• Federal Reserve Bank checks, Federal Home Loan Bank checks, and postal money orders, if these items are payable to you.
If you do not make your deposit in person to one of our employees (for example, if you mail the deposit), funds from these deposits will be available on the second business day after the day we receive your deposit.
To find out when funds from other check deposits will be available, look at the first four digits of the routing number on the check:
Some checks are marked “payable through” and have a four-or nine-digit number nearby. For these checks, use this four-digit number (or the first four digits of the nine-digit number), not the routing number on the bottom of the check, to determine if these checks are local or nonlocal. Once you have determined the first four digits of the routing number (1234 in the examples above), the following chart will show you when funds from the check will be available:
| First four digits from routing
number |
When funds are available | When funds are available if a deposit is made on a Monday |
|---|---|---|
| [local numbers] | $100 on the first business day after the day of your deposit | Tuesday. |
| Remaining funds on the second business day after the day of your deposit | Wednesday. | |
| All other numbers | $100 on the first business day after the day of your deposit | Tuesday. |
| Remaining funds on the fifth business day after the day of your deposit | Monday of the following week. |
If you deposit both categories of checks, $100 from the checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit, not $100 from each category of check.
Funds you deposit by check may be delayed for a longer period under the following circumstances:
• We believe a check you deposit will not be paid.
• You deposit checks totaling more than $5,000 on any one day.
• You redeposit a check that has been returned unpaid.
• You have overdrawn your account repeatedly in the last six months.
• There is an emergency, such as failure of computer or communications equipment.
We will notify you if we delay your ability to withdraw funds for any of these reasons, and we will tell you when the funds will be available. They will generally be available no later than the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
If you are a new customer, the following special rules will apply during the first 30 days your account is open.
Funds from electronic direct deposits to your account will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Funds from deposits of cash, wire transfers, and the first $5,000 of a day's total deposits of cashier's, certified, teller's, traveler's, and federal, state and local government checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit if the deposit meets certain conditions. For example, the checks must be payable to you (and you may have to use a special deposit slip). The excess over $5,000 will be available on the ninth business day after the day of your deposit. If your deposit of these checks (other than a U.S. Treasury check) is not made in person to one of our employees, the first $5,000 will not be available until the second business day after the day of your deposit.
Funds from all other check deposits will be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
Our policy is to delay the availability of funds from your cash and check deposits. During the delay, you may not withdraw the funds in cash and we will not use the funds to pay checks that you have written.
The length of the delay is counted in business days from the day of your deposit. Every day is a business day except Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. If you make a deposit before (time of day) on a business day that we are open, we will consider that day to be the day of your deposit. However, if you make a deposit after (time of day) or on a day we are not open, we will consider that the deposit was made on the next business day we are open.
The length of the delay varies depending on the type of deposit and is explained below.
Funds from electronic direct deposits to your account will be available on the day we receive the deposit.
Funds from the following deposits are available on the first business day after the day of your deposit:
• U.S. Treasury checks that are payable to you.
• Wire transfers.
• Checks drawn on (bank name) [unless (any limitations related to branches in different states or check processing regions)].
If you make the deposit in person to one of our employees, funds from the following deposits are also available on the first business day after the day of your deposit:
• Cash.
• State and local government checks that are payable to you [if you use a special deposit slip available from (where deposit slip may be obtained)].
• Cashier's, certified, and teller's checks that are payable to you [if you use a special deposit slip available from (where deposit slip may be obtained)].
• Federal Reserve Bank checks, Federal Home Loan Bank checks, and postal money orders, if these items are payable to you.
If you do not make your deposit in person to one of our employees (for example, if you mail the deposit), funds from these deposits will be available on the second business day after the day we receive your deposit.
The delay for other check deposits depends on whether the check is a local or a nonlocal check. To see whether a check is a local or a nonlocal check, look at the routing number on the check:
If the first four digits of the routing number (1234 in the examples above) are (list of local numbers), then the check is a local check. Otherwise, the check is a nonlocal check. Some checks are marked “payable through” and have a four- or nine-digit number nearby. For these checks, use the four-digit number (or the first four digits of the nine-digit number), not the routing number on the bottom of the check, to determine if these checks are local or nonlocal. Our policy is to make funds from local and nonlocal checks available as follows.
1. Local checks. The first $100 from a deposit of local checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit. The remaining funds will be available on the second business day after the day of your deposit.
For example, if you deposit a local check of $700 on a Monday, $100 of the deposit is available on Tuesday. The remaining $600 is available on Wednesday.
2. Nonlocal checks. The first $100 from a deposit of nonlocal checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit. The remaining funds will be available on the fifth business day after the day of your deposit.
For example, if you deposit a $700 nonlocal check on a Monday, $100 of the deposit is available on Tuesday. The remaining $600 is available on Monday of the following week.
3. Local and nonlocal checks. If you deposit both categories of checks, $100 from the checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit, not $100 from each category of check.
Funds you deposit by check may be delayed for a longer period under the following circumstances:
• We believe a check you deposit will not be paid.
• You deposit checks totaling more than $5,000 on any one day.
• You redeposit a check that has been returned unpaid.
• You have overdrawn your account repeatedly in the last six months.
• There is an emergency, such as failure of computer or communications equipment.
We will notify you if we delay your ability to withdraw funds for any of these reasons, and we will tell you when the funds will be available. They will generally be available no later than the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
If you are a new customer, the following special rules will apply during the first 30 days your account is open.
Funds from electronic direct deposits to your account will be available on the day we receive the deposit. Funds from deposits of cash, wire transfers, and the first $5,000 of a day's total deposits of cashier's, certified, teller's, traveler's, and federal, state and local government checks will be available on the first business day after the day of your deposit if the deposit meets certain conditions. For example, the checks must be payable to you (and you may have to use a special deposit slip). The excess over $5,000 will be available on the ninth business day after the day of your deposit. If your deposit of these checks (other than a U.S. Treasury check) is not made in person to one of our employees, the first $5,000 will not be available until the second business day after the day of your deposit.
Funds from all other check deposits will be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
To make check processing faster, federal law permits banks to replace original checks with “substitute checks.” These checks are similar in size to original checks with a slightly reduced image of the front and back of the original check. The front of a substitute check states: “This is a legal copy of your check. You can use it the same way you would use the original check.” You may use a substitute check as proof of payment just like the original check.
Some or all of the checks that you receive back from us may be substitute checks. This notice describes rights you have when you receive substitute checks from us. The rights in this notice do not apply to original checks or to electronic debits to your account. However, you have rights under other law with respect to those transactions.
In certain cases, federal law provides a special procedure that allows you to request a refund for losses you suffer if a substitute check is posted to your account (for example, if you think that we withdrew the wrong amount from your account or that we withdrew money from your account more than once for the same check). The losses you may attempt to recover under this procedure may include the amount that was withdrawn from your account and fees that were charged as a result of the withdrawal (for example, bounced check fees).
The amount of your refund under this procedure is limited to the amount of your loss or the amount of the substitute check, whichever is less. You also are entitled to interest on the amount of your refund if your account is an interest-bearing account. If your loss exceeds the amount of the substitute check, you may be able to recover additional amounts under other law.
If you use this procedure, you may receive up to (amount, not lower than $2,500) of your refund (plus interest if your account earns interest) within (number of days, not more than 10) business days after we received your claim and the remainder of your refund (plus interest if your account earns interest) not later than (number of days, not more than 45) calendar days after we received your claim.
We may reverse the refund (including any interest on the refund) if we later are able to demonstrate that the substitute check was correctly posted to your account.
If you believe that you have suffered a loss relating to a substitute check that you received and that was posted to your account, please contact us at (contact information, for example phone number, mailing address, e-mail address). You must contact us within (number of days, not less than 40) calendar days of the date that we mailed (or otherwise delivered by a means to which you agreed) the substitute check in question or the account statement showing that the substitute check was posted to your account, whichever is later. We will extend this time period if you were not able to make a timely claim because of extraordinary circumstances.
Your claim must include—
• A description of why you have suffered a loss (for example, you think the amount withdrawn was incorrect);
• An estimate of the amount of your loss;
• An explanation of why the substitute check you received is insufficient to confirm that you suffered a loss; and
• A copy of the substitute check [and/or] the following information to help us identify the substitute check: (identifying information, for example the check number, the name of the person to whom you wrote the check, the amount of the check).
If we cash a check for you that is drawn on another bank, we may withhold the availability of a corresponding amount of funds that are already in your account. Those funds will be available at the time funds from the check we cashed would have been available if you had deposited it.
If we accept for deposit a check that is drawn on another bank, we may make funds from the deposit available for withdrawal immediately but delay your availability to withdraw a corresponding amount of funds that you have on deposit in another account with us. The funds in the other account would then not be available for withdrawal until the time periods that are described elsewhere in this disclosure for the type of check that you deposited.
3. Certain other checks. We can process nonlocal checks drawn on financial institutions in certain areas faster than usual. Therefore, funds from deposits of checks drawn on institutions in those areas will be available to you more quickly. Call us if you would like a list of the routing numbers for these institutions.
Funds from any deposits (cash or checks) made at automated teller machines (ATMs) we do not own or operate will not be available until the fifth business day after the day of your deposit. This rule does not apply at ATMs that we own or operate.
(A list of our ATMs is enclosed. or A list of ATMs where you can make deposits but that are not owned or operated by us is enclosed. or All ATMs that we own or operate are identified as our machines.)
We place certain limitations on withdrawals in cash. In general, $100 of a deposit is available for withdrawal in cash on the first business day after the day of deposit. In addition, a total of $400 of other funds becoming available on a given day is available for withdrawal in cash at or after (time no later than 5:00 p.m.) on that day. Any remaining funds will be available for withdrawal in cash on the following business day.
If we receive a deposit to your account on or before the tenth of the month, you begin earning interest on the deposit (whether it was a deposit of cash or checks) as of the first day of that month. If we receive the deposit after the tenth of the month, you begin earning interest on the deposit as of the first of the following month. For example, a deposit made on June 7 earns interest from June l, while a deposit made on June 17 earns interest from July 1.
This availability policy only applies to funds deposited at (location). Please inquire for information about the availability of funds deposited at other locations.
We are delaying the availability of (amount being held) from this deposit. These funds will be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit.
We are taking this action because:
We are delaying the availability of the funds you deposited by the following check: (description of check, such as amount and drawer.)
These funds will be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit. The reason for the delay is explained below:
[If you did not receive this notice at the time you made the deposit and the check you deposited is paid, we will refund to you any fees for overdrafts or returned checks that result solely from the additional delay that we are imposing. To obtain a refund of such fees, (description of procedure for obtaining refund).]
If you deposit into your account:
• Checks totaling more than $5,000 on any one day, the first $5,000 deposited on any one banking day will be available to you according to our general policy. The amount in excess of $5,000 will generally be available on the (number) business day after the day of deposit for checks drawn on (bank name), the (number) business day after the day of deposit for local checks and (number) business day after the day of deposit for nonlocal checks. If checks (not drawn on us) that otherwise would receive next-day availability exceed $5,000, the excess will be treated as either local or nonlocal checks depending on the location of the paying bank. If your check deposit, exceeding $5,000 on any one day, is a mix of local checks, nonlocal checks, checks drawn on (bank name), or checks that generally receive next-day availability, the excess will be calculated by first adding together the (type of check), then the (type of check), then the (type of check), then the (type of check).
• A check that has been returned unpaid, the funds will generally be available on the (number) business day after the day of deposit for checks drawn on (bank name), the (number) business day after the day of deposit for local checks and the (number) business day after the day of deposit for nonlocal checks. Checks (not drawn on us) that otherwise would receive next-day availability will be treated as either local or nonlocal checks depending on the location of the paying bank.
We are delaying the availability of checks deposited into your account due to repeated overdrafts of your account. For the next six months, deposits will generally be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit for checks drawn on (bank name), the (number) business day after the day of your deposit for local checks, and the (number) business day after the day of deposit for nonlocal checks. Checks (not drawn on us) that otherwise would have received next-day availability will be treated as either local or nonlocal checks depending on the location of the paying bank.
We are delaying the availability of (amount being held) from this deposit. These funds will be available on the (number) business day after the day of your deposit [(subject to our cash withdrawal limitation policy)].
[If you did not receive this notice at the time you made the deposit and the check you deposited is paid, we will refund to you any fees for overdrafts or returned checks that result solely from the additional delay that we are imposing. To obtain a refund of such fees, (description of procedure for obtaining refund).]
| Description of deposit | When funds can be withdrawn by cash or check |
|---|---|
| Direct deposits | The day we receive the deposit |
| Cash, wire transfers, cashier's, certified, teller's, or government checks, checks on ( |
The first business day after the day of deposit. |
| Local checks | The second business day after the day of deposit. |
| Nonlocal checks | The fifth business day after the day of deposit. |
Our general policy is to allow you to withdraw funds deposited in your account on the (number) business day after the day we receive your deposit. Funds from electronic direct deposits will be available on the day we receive the deposit. In some cases, we may delay your ability to withdraw funds beyond the (number) business day. Then, the funds will generally be available by the fifth business day after the day of deposit.
Funds from deposits may not be available for immediate withdrawal. Please refer to your institution's rules governing funds availability for details.
Deposits at this ATM between (day) and (day) will not be considered received until (day). The availability of funds from the deposit may be delayed as a result.
Deposits may not be available for immediate withdrawal.
We have determined that your substitute check claim is valid. We are refunding (amount) [of which [(amount) represents fees] [and] [(amount) represents accrued interest]] to your account. You may withdraw these funds as of (date). [This refund is the amount in excess of the $2,500 [plus interest] that we credited to your account on (date).]
In response to your substitute check claim, we are refunding (amount) [of which [(amount) represents fees] [and] [(amount) represents accrued interest]] to your account, while we complete our investigation of your claim. You may withdraw these funds as of (date). [Unless we determine that your claim is not valid, we will credit the remaining amount of your refund to your account no later than the 45th calendar day after we received your claim.]
If, based on our investigation, we determine that your claim is not valid, we will reverse the refund by withdrawing the amount of the refund [plus interest that we have paid you on that amount] from your account. We will notify you within one day of any such reversal.
Based on our review, we are denying your substitute check claim. As the enclosed (type of document, for example original check or sufficient) shows, (describe reason for denial, for example the check was properly posted, the signature is authentic, there was no warranty breach).
[We have also enclosed a copy of the other information we used to make our decision.] [Upon your request, we will send you a copy of the other information that we used to make our decision.]
In response to your substitute check claim, we provided a refund of (amount) by crediting your account on (date(s)). We now have determined that your substitute check claim was not valid. As the enclosed (type of document, for example original check or sufficient copy) shows, (describe reason for reversal, for example the check was properly posted, the signature is authentic, there was no warranty breach). As a result, we have reversed the refund to your account [plus interest that we have paid you on that amount] by withdrawing (amount) from your account on (date).
[We have also enclosed a copy of the other information we used to make our decision.] [Upon your request, we will send you a copy of the information we used to make our decision.]