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Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§1612 Effect on government agencies

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 41— - CONSUMER CREDIT PROTECTION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - CONSUMER CREDIT COST DISCLOSURE › Part Part A— - General Provisions › § 1612

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal agencies that run or back consumer loan programs must check with the Bureau before they start or keep using any forms or documents that include the disclosures this law requires. The United States, its departments and agencies, and states or their agencies cannot be fined or criminally punished under this law. A lender who uses a form the federal agency requires won’t be held responsible for civil or criminal penalties if the problem comes from that form. Also, lenders in federal programs won’t be punished under state laws for small technical or format mistakes caused by using a federally required form, except for state rules already found inconsistent under section 1610.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §1612

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any department or agency of the United States which administers a credit program in which it extends, insures, or guarantees consumer credit and in which it provides instruments to a creditor which contain any disclosures required by this subchapter shall, prior to the issuance or continued use of such instruments, consult with the Bureau to assure that such instruments comply with this subchapter.
(b)No civil or criminal penalty provided under this subchapter for any violation thereof may be imposed upon the United States or any department or agency thereof, or upon any State or political subdivision thereof, or any agency of any State or political subdivision.
(c)A creditor participating in a credit program administered, insured, or guaranteed by any department or agency or the United States shall not be held liable for a civil or criminal penalty under this subchapter in any case in which the violation results from the use of an instrument required by any such department or agency.
(d)A creditor participating in a credit program administered, insured, or guaranteed by any department or agency of the United States shall not be held liable for a civil or criminal penalty under the laws of any State (other than laws determined under section 1610 of this title to be inconsistent with this subchapter) for any technical or procedural failure, such as a failure to use a specific form, to make information available at a specific place on an instrument, or to use a specific typeface, as required by State law, which is caused by the use of an instrument required to be used by such department or agency.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–203 substituted “Bureau” for “Board”. 1980—Pub. L. 96–221 amended section generally, designating existing provisions as subsec. (b) and adding subsecs. (a), (c), and (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2010 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the designated transfer date, see section 1100H of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 552a of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Effective Date

of 1980 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–221 effective on expiration of two years and six months after Mar. 31, 1980, with all

Regulations

, forms, and clauses required to be prescribed to be promulgated at least one year prior to such

Effective Date

, and allowing any creditor to comply with any

Amendments

, in accordance with the

Regulations

, forms, and clauses prescribed by the Board prior to such

Effective Date

, see section 625 of Pub. L. 96–221, set out as a note under section 1602 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 1612

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73