Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.
The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
Search:
Agenda
Reg Review
ICR
This script is used to control the display of information in this page.
Display additional information by clicking on the following:
All
Brief and OIRA conclusion
Abstract/Justification
Legal Statutes
Rulemaking
FR Notices/Comments
IC List
Burden
Misc.
Common Form Info.
Certification
View Information Collection (IC) List
View Supporting Statement and Other Documents
Please note that the OMB number and expiration date may not have been determined when this Information Collection Request and associated Information Collection forms were submitted to OMB. The approved OMB number and expiration date may be found by clicking on the Notice of Action link below.
View ICR - OIRA Conclusion
OMB Control No:
1506-0065
ICR Reference No:
201301-1506-003
Status:
Historical Active
Previous ICR Reference No:
201104-1506-002
Agency/Subagency:
TREAS/FINCEN
Agency Tracking No:
Title:
Bank Secrecy Act Suspicious Activity Report (BSA-SAR)
Type of Information Collection:
Revision of a currently approved collection
Common Form ICR:
No
Type of Review Request:
Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action:
Approved with change
Conclusion Date:
04/18/2013
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)
Date Received in OIRA:
01/31/2013
Terms of Clearance:
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
Expiration Date
04/30/2016
36 Months From Approved
04/30/2013
Responses
1,642,160
0
1,335,280
Time Burden (Hours)
3,284,320
0
2,670,560
Cost Burden (Dollars)
0
0
0
Abstract:
In 1992, the Treasury was granted broad authority to require suspicious transaction reporting under the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. 5318(g)). FinCEN, which has been delegated authority to administer the Bank Secrecy Act, joined with the bank regulators in 1996 in requiring, on a consolidated form (the SAR form), reports of suspicious transactions (31 CFR 1020.320). FinCEN and the bank regulators adopted the suspicious activity report ("SAR") in 1996 to simplify the process through which depository institutions ("banks") inform their regulators and law enforcement about suspected criminal activity. The SAR was updated in 1999 and again in 2003, (§1020.320) In separate actions FinCEN expanded the SAR reporting to money services businesses (March, 2000, 31 CFR 1022.320), broker dealers in securities (July, 2002, 31CFR 1023.320), casinos (September 2002, §1021.320) certain futures commission merchants (November, 2003, §1026.320), life insurance companies (November 2005, §1025.320), mutual funds (May, 2006, §1024.320), and non-bank residential mortgage lenders and originators (31 CFR 1029.320). All reporting financial institutions are required to retain a copy of any SAR filed and supporting documentation for the filing of the SAR for five years. See the above listed 31 CFR references and 31 CFR 1010.430. These documents are necessary for criminal investigations and prosecutions. The filing of a SAR is necessary to prevent and detect the laundering of money and other funds at the filing institutions.
Authorizing Statute(s):
US Code:
31 USC 5311-5332
Name of Law: Money and Finance
Citations for New Statutory Requirements:
None
Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:
Stage of Rulemaking:
Federal Register Citation:
Date:
Not associated with rulemaking
Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:
Federal Register Citation:
Citation Date:
77 FR 70545
11/26/2012
30-day Notice:
Federal Register Citation:
Citation Date:
78 FR 6173
01/29/2013
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR?
Yes
Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR:
1
IC Title
Form No.
Form Name
Bank Secrecy Act Suspicious Activity Report (BSA-SAR)
FinCEN 111
FinCEN Suspicious Activity Report
ICR Summary of Burden
Total Approved
Previously Approved
Change Due to New Statute
Change Due to Agency Discretion
Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses
1,642,160
1,335,280
0
306,880
0
0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)
3,284,320
2,670,560
0
613,760
0
0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)
0
0
0
0
0
0
Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion:
Yes
Burden Increase Due to:
Miscellaneous Actions
Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion:
No
Burden Reduction Due to:
Short Statement:
The PRA burden for the FinCEN SAR retains the current two-hour burden for each individual filed report. The increase in burden reflects more frequent reporting by the financial industry and accounts for the addition of non-bank residential mortgage lenders and originators as reporting financial institutions.
Annual Cost to Federal Government:
$0
Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods?
No
Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002?
No
Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]?
No
Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]?
No
Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)?
No
Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response?
Uncollected
Agency Contact:
Russell Stephenson 202 354-6012
Common Form ICR:
No
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;
(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;
(c) It reduces burden on small entities;
(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;
(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;
(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;
(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.
(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and
(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Certification Date:
01/31/2013
An official website of the United States government
The .gov means it's official.
The site is secure.
