Title 12, Banks and BankingRelease 119-110

§5511 Purpose, Objectives, and Functions

Title 12 › CHAPTER 53 — WALL STREET REFORM AND CONSUMER PROTECTION › SUBCHAPTER V — BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION › Part B — General Powers of the Bureau › § 5511

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Bureau must carry out and, when needed, enforce federal consumer financial laws so people can use financial products and services in markets that are fair, clear, and competitive. It must help ensure consumers get clear, timely information to make good choices; are protected from unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and from discrimination; see old or unnecessary rules fixed to reduce burdens; have laws enforced the same way for all firms to promote fair competition; and that markets work openly and efficiently to support access and innovation. The Bureau’s main jobs are to run financial education programs; collect, investigate, and respond to consumer complaints; gather and publish market data and research to spot risks; supervise covered persons for compliance and take enforcement action (subject to sections 5514 through 5516); issue rules, orders, and guidance; and do other support work needed to carry out these duties.

Full Legal Text

Title 12, §5511

Banks and Banking, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Purpose
The Bureau shall seek to implement and, where applicable, enforce Federal consumer financial law consistently for the purpose of ensuring that all consumers have access to markets for consumer financial products and services and that markets for consumer financial products and services are fair, transparent, and competitive.
(b)Objectives
The Bureau is authorized to exercise its authorities under Federal consumer financial law for the purposes of ensuring that, with respect to consumer financial products and services—
(1)consumers are provided with timely and understandable information to make responsible decisions about financial transactions;
(2)consumers are protected from unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices and from discrimination;
(3)outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome regulations are regularly identified and addressed in order to reduce unwarranted regulatory burdens;
(4)Federal consumer financial law is enforced consistently, without regard to the status of a person as a depository institution, in order to promote fair competition; and
(5)markets for consumer financial products and services operate transparently and efficiently to facilitate access and innovation.
(c)Functions
The primary functions of the Bureau are—
(1)conducting financial education programs;
(2)collecting, investigating, and responding to consumer complaints;
(3)collecting, researching, monitoring, and publishing information relevant to the functioning of markets for consumer financial products and services to identify risks to consumers and the proper functioning of such markets;
(4)subject to sections 5514 through 5516 of this title, supervising covered persons for compliance with Federal consumer financial law, and taking appropriate enforcement action to address violations of Federal consumer financial law;
(5)issuing rules, orders, and guidance implementing Federal consumer financial law; and
(6)performing such support activities as may be necessary or useful to facilitate the other functions of the Bureau.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1029A,
July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2005, provided that: “This subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 1021–1029A), enacting this part] shall become effective on the designated transfer date, except that section 1022, 1024, and 1025(e) [12 U.S.C. 5512, 5514, and 5515(e)] shall become effective on the date of enactment of this Act [
July 21, 2010].” [The term “designated transfer date” is defined in section 5481(9) of this title as the date established under section 5582 of this title.]

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

12 U.S.C. § 5511

Title 12, Banks and Banking

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110