Title 12Banks and BankingRelease 119-73not60

§4547 Enterprise Guarantee Fees

Title 12 › Chapter 46— GOVERNMENT SPONSORED ENTERPRISES › Subchapter I— SUPERVISION AND REGULATION OF ENTERPRISES › Part B— Additional Authorities of the Director › Subpart 1— general authority › § 4547

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

Enterprises that guarantee mortgage-backed securities must charge a guarantee fee when they promise to pay principal and interest on loans for 1- to 4-family homes that closed after December 23, 2011. Guarantee fee — the fee the enterprise charges for that promise, including similar fees by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Average fees — the enterprise’s average single-family fee in 2011, plus any up-front cash paid spread over an estimated life, measured in basis points. The Director must set the fee so it reflects risk and cost of capital, but it has to be at least an average increase of 10 basis points each origination or book year above the 2011 average. Enterprises may not offset the fee by cutting other charges or in other ways. The Director can stop any offer that breaks these rules or that raises risk just to meet the fee rule. Money collected from these fee increases must go straight into the United States Treasury and can only be used if later Congress approves it. The Director can allow the fee to rise gradually over two years starting December 23, 2011, with uniform pricing for lenders, risk-based adjustments, and attention to market conditions, but the minimum increase still applies. Each enterprise must report yearly to the Director (as part of its report to Congress) about fee changes, borrower risk, and needed fixes. The Director can require fee changes and can bar an enterprise that breaks the rule for two straight years from giving guarantees for at least 1 year. The rules expire on October 1, 2032.

Full Legal Text

Title 12, §4547

Banks and Banking — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)The term “guarantee fee”—
(A)means a fee described in subsection (b); and
(B)includes—
(i)the guaranty fee charged by the Federal National Mortgage Association with respect to mortgage-backed securities; and
(ii)the management and guarantee fee charged by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation with respect to participation certificates.
(2)The term “average fees” means the average contractual fee rate of single-family guaranty arrangements by an enterprise entered into during 2011, plus the recognition of any up-front cash payments over an estimated average life, expressed in terms of basis points. Such definition shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the annual report on guarantee fees by the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
(b)(1)(A)Subject to subsection (c), the Director shall require each enterprise to charge a guarantee fee in connection with any guarantee of the timely payment of principal and interest on securities, notes, and other obligations based on or backed by mortgages on residential real properties designed principally for occupancy of from 1 to 4 families, consummated after December 23, 2011.
(B)The amount of the increase required under this section shall be determined by the Director to appropriately reflect the risk of loss, as well 11 So in original. Probably should be followed by “as”. the cost of capital allocated to similar assets held by other fully private regulated financial institutions, but such amount shall be not less than an average increase of 10 basis points for each origination year or book year above the average fees imposed in 2011 for such guarantees. The Director shall prohibit an enterprise from offsetting the cost of the fee to mortgage originators, borrowers, and investors by decreasing other charges, fees, or premiums, or in any other manner.
(2)The Director shall prohibit an enterprise from consummating any offer for a guarantee to a lender for mortgage-backed securities, if—
(A)the guarantee is inconsistent with the requirements of this section; or
(B)the risk of loss is allowed to increase, through lowering of the underwriting standards or other means, for the primary purpose of meeting the requirements of this section.
(3)Amounts received from fee increases imposed under this section shall be deposited directly into the United States Treasury, and shall be available only to the extent provided in subsequent appropriations Acts. The fees charged pursuant to this section shall not be considered a reimbursement to the Federal Government for the costs or subsidy provided to an enterprise.
(c)(1)The Director may provide for compliance with subsection (b) by allowing each enterprise to increase the guarantee fee charged by the enterprise gradually over the 2-year period beginning on December 23, 2011, in a manner sufficient to comply with this section. In determining a schedule for such increases, the Director shall—
(A)provide for uniform pricing among lenders;
(B)provide for adjustments in pricing based on risk levels; and
(C)take into consideration conditions in financial markets.
(2)Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to undermine the minimum increase required by subsection (b).
(d)The Director shall require each enterprise to provide to the Director, as part of its annual report submitted to Congress—
(1)a description of—
(A)changes made to up-front fees and annual fees as part of the guarantee fees negotiated with lenders;
(B)changes to the riskiness of the new borrowers compared to previous origination years or book years; and
(C)any adjustments required to improve for future origination years or book years, in order to be in complete compliance with subsection (b); and
(2)an assessment of how the changes in the guarantee fees described in paragraph (1) met the requirements of subsection (b).
(e)(1)Based on the information from subsection (d) and any other information the Director deems necessary, the Director shall require an enterprise to make adjustments in its guarantee fee in order to be in compliance with subsection (b).
(2)An enterprise that has been found to be out of compliance with subsection (b) for any 2 consecutive years shall be precluded from providing any guarantee for a period, determined by rule of the Director, but in no case less than 1 year.
(3)Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted as preventing the Director from initiating and implementing an enforcement action against an enterprise, at a time the Director deems necessary, under other existing enforcement authority.
(f)The provisions of this section shall expire on October 1, 2032.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 4547, Pub. L. 102–550, title XIII, § 1327, Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3956; Pub. L. 110–289, div. A, title I, § 1122(a)(1),
July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2689, related to authority to require reports by enterprises, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 110–289, div. A , title I, § 1104(b),
July 30, 2008, 122 Stat. 2667.

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 117–58 substituted “2032” for “2021”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

12 U.S.C. § 4547

Title 12Banks and Banking

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60