source:
  type: regulation
  id: ecoa-15usc-1691
  authority: '15 U.S.C. §1691 — Equal Credit Opportunity Act: scope of prohibition and required disclosures'
  description: 'ECOA''s core statutory section. Prohibition on discrimination

    against any applicant in any aspect of a credit transaction on

    protected bases (§1691(a)); 30-day notification of action duty

    and specific-reasons statement on adverse action (§1691(d));

    duty to furnish written appraisals and valuations on dwelling-

    first-lien loans no later than 3 days prior to closing, plus

    at-application notification of that right (§1691(e)). Implemented

    in Regulation B at 12 CFR Part 1002. Bootstrap target for Round

    C promotion; obligations populated from candidate file.

    '
obligations:
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691-a
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691-a
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691(a)
  description: '(a): (a) Activities constituting discrimination It shall be unlawful for any creditor
    to discriminate against any applicant , with respect to any aspect of a credit transaction— (1) on
    the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status, or age (provided the applicant
    has the capac…'
  type: dont
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: 15 U.S.C. §1691(a)
    source_class: ecoa-statute
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691
    snapshot_id: 8b5ecb104dccbf85
    fetched_at: '2026-05-24T16:52:25Z'
    content_hash: sha256:e6134f49e6082d2d52b549b03cfed43b5fe7984a531c49d869220293c07c6d30
    paragraph_quote: (a) Activities constituting discrimination It shall be unlawful for any creditor
      to discriminate against any applicant , with respect to any aspect of a credit transaction— (1)
      on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status, or age (provided
      the applicant has the capacity to contract); (2) because all or part of the applicant ’s income
      derives from any public assistance program; or (3) because the applicant has in good faith exercised
      any right under this chapter.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim subsection of 15 U.S.C. §1691 from Cornell LII snapshot 8b5ecb104dccbf85;
      body isolated between nav and notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691-b
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691-b
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691(b)
  description: '(b): (b) Activities not constituting discrimination It shall not constitute discrimination
    for purposes of this subchapter for a creditor — (1) to make an inquiry of marital status if such
    inquiry is for the purpose of ascertaining the creditor ’s rights and remedies applicable to the particular
    extensio…'
  type: dont
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: 15 U.S.C. §1691(a)
    source_class: ecoa-statute
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691
    snapshot_id: 8b5ecb104dccbf85
    fetched_at: '2026-05-24T16:52:25Z'
    content_hash: sha256:e6134f49e6082d2d52b549b03cfed43b5fe7984a531c49d869220293c07c6d30
    paragraph_quote: (b) Activities not constituting discrimination It shall not constitute discrimination
      for purposes of this subchapter for a creditor — (1) to make an inquiry of marital status if such
      inquiry is for the purpose of ascertaining the creditor ’s rights and remedies applicable to the
      particular extension of credit and not to discriminate in a determination of credit- worthiness;
      (2) to make an inquiry of the applicant ’s age or of whether the applicant ’s income derives from
      any public assistance program if such inquiry is for the purpose of determining the amount and probable
      continuance of income levels, credit history, or other pertinent element of credit- worthiness as
      provided in regulations of the Bureau; (3) to use any empirically derived credit system which considers
      age if such system is demonstrably and statistically sound in accordance with regulations of the
      Bureau, except that in the operation of such system the age of an elderly applicant may not be assigned
      a negative factor or value; (4) to make an inquiry or to consider the age of an elderly applicant
      when the age of such applicant is to be used by the creditor in the extension of credit in favor
      of such applicant ; or (5) to make an inquiry under section 1691c–2 of this title , in accordance
      with the requirements of that section.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim subsection of 15 U.S.C. §1691 from Cornell LII snapshot 8b5ecb104dccbf85;
      body isolated between nav and notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691-c
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691-c
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691(c)
  description: '(c): (c) Additional activities not constituting discrimination It is not a violation of
    this section for a creditor to refuse to extend credit offered pursuant to— (1) any credit assistance
    program expressly authorized by law for an economically disadvantaged class of persons ; (2) any credit
    assistance …'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: 15 U.S.C. §1691(a)
    source_class: ecoa-statute
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691
    snapshot_id: 8b5ecb104dccbf85
    fetched_at: '2026-05-24T16:52:25Z'
    content_hash: sha256:e6134f49e6082d2d52b549b03cfed43b5fe7984a531c49d869220293c07c6d30
    paragraph_quote: (c) Additional activities not constituting discrimination It is not a violation of
      this section for a creditor to refuse to extend credit offered pursuant to— (1) any credit assistance
      program expressly authorized by law for an economically disadvantaged class of persons ; (2) any
      credit assistance program administered by a nonprofit organization for its members or an economically
      disadvantaged class of persons ; or (3) any special purpose credit program offered by a profit-making
      organization to meet special social needs which meets standards prescribed in regulations by the
      Bureau; if such refusal is required by or made pursuant to such program.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim subsection of 15 U.S.C. §1691 from Cornell LII snapshot 8b5ecb104dccbf85;
      body isolated between nav and notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691-d
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691-d
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691(d)
  description: '(d): (d) Reason for adverse action; procedure applicable; “adverse action” defined (1)
    Within thirty days (or such longer reasonable time as specified in regulations of the Bureau for any
    class of credit transaction) after receipt of a completed application for credit , a creditor shall
    notify the applic…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: 15 U.S.C. §1691(a)
    source_class: ecoa-statute
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691
    snapshot_id: 8b5ecb104dccbf85
    fetched_at: '2026-05-24T16:52:25Z'
    content_hash: sha256:e6134f49e6082d2d52b549b03cfed43b5fe7984a531c49d869220293c07c6d30
    paragraph_quote: (d) Reason for adverse action; procedure applicable; “adverse action” defined (1)
      Within thirty days (or such longer reasonable time as specified in regulations of the Bureau for
      any class of credit transaction) after receipt of a completed application for credit , a creditor
      shall notify the applicant of its action on the application. (2) Each applicant against whom adverse
      action is taken shall be entitled to a statement of reasons for such action from the creditor. A
      creditor satisfies this obligation by— (A) providing statements of reasons in writing as a matter
      of course to applicants against whom adverse action is taken; or (B) giving written notification
      of adverse action which discloses (i) the applicant’ s right to a statement of reasons within thirty
      days after receipt by the creditor of a request made within sixty days after such notification,
      and (ii) the identity of the person or office from which such statement may be obtained. Such statement
      may be given orally if the written notification advises the applicant of his right to have the statement
      of reasons confirmed in writing on written request. (3) A statement of reasons meets the requirements
      of this section only if it contains the specific reasons for the adverse action taken. (4) Where
      a creditor has been requested by a third party to make a specific extension of credit directly or
      indirectly to an applicant , the notification and statement of reasons required by this subsection
      may be made directly by such creditor, or indirectly through the third party, provided in either
      case that the identity of the creditor is disclosed. (5) The requirements of paragraph (2), (3),
      or (4) may be satisfied by verbal statements or notifications in the case of any creditor who did
      not act on more than one hundred and fifty applications during the calendar year preceding the calendar
      year in which the adverse action is taken, as determined under regulations of the Bureau. (6) For
      purposes of this subsection, the term “ adverse action ” means a denial or revocation of credit,
      a change in the terms of an existing credit arrangement, or a refusal to grant credit in substantially
      the amount or on substantially the terms requested. Such term does not include a refusal to extend
      additional credit under an existing credit arrangement where the applicant is delinquent or otherwise
      in default, or where such additional credit would exceed a previously established credit limit.
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim subsection of 15 U.S.C. §1691 from Cornell LII snapshot 8b5ecb104dccbf85;
      body isolated between nav and notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
- id: ecoa-15usc-1691-e
  canonical_id: ecoa-15usc-1691-e
  section: 15 U.S.C. §1691(e)
  description: '(e): (e) Copies furnished to applicants (1) In general Each creditor shall furnish to
    an applicant a copy of any and all written appraisals and valuations developed in connection with
    the applicant’ s application for a loan that is secured or would have been secured by a first lien
    on a dwelling promptly…'
  type: do
  tags:
  - regulator-direct
  - section-complete
  - usc-statute
  primary_source:
    tier: 1
    authority: 15 U.S.C. §1691(a)
    source_class: ecoa-statute
    source_url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1691
    snapshot_id: 8b5ecb104dccbf85
    fetched_at: '2026-05-24T16:52:25Z'
    content_hash: sha256:e6134f49e6082d2d52b549b03cfed43b5fe7984a531c49d869220293c07c6d30
    paragraph_quote: (e) Copies furnished to applicants (1) In general Each creditor shall furnish to
      an applicant a copy of any and all written appraisals and valuations developed in connection with
      the applicant’ s application for a loan that is secured or would have been secured by a first lien
      on a dwelling promptly upon completion, but in no case later than 3 days prior to the closing of
      the loan, whether the creditor grants or denies the applicant’ s request for credit or the application
      is incomplete or withdrawn. (2) Waiver The applicant may waive the 3 day requirement provided for
      in paragraph (1), except where otherwise required in law. (3) Reimbursement The applicant may be
      required to pay a reasonable fee to reimburse the creditor for the cost of the appraisal, except
      where otherwise required in law. (4) Free copy Notwithstanding paragraph (3), the creditor shall
      provide a copy of each written appraisal or valuation at no additional cost to the applicant. (5)
      Notification to applicants At the time of application, the creditor shall notify an applicant in
      writing of the right to receive a copy of each written appraisal and valuation under this subsection.
      (6) Valuation defined For purposes of this subsection, the term “ valuation ” shall include any
      estimate of the value of a dwelling developed in connection with a creditor’ s decision to provide
      credit, including those values developed pursuant to a policy of a government sponsored enterprise
      or by an automated valuation model, a broker price opinion, or other methodology or mechanism. (
      Pub. L. 90–321, title VII, § 701 , as added Pub. L. 93–495, title V, § 503 , Oct. 28, 1974 , 88
      Stat. 1521 ; amended Pub. L. 94–239, § 2 , Mar. 23, 1976 , 90 Stat. 251 ; Pub. L. 102–242, title
      II, § 223(d) , Dec. 19, 1991 , 105 Stat. 2306 ; Pub. L. 111–203, title X , §§ 1071(b), 1085(1),
      title XIV, § 1474, July 21, 2010 , 124 Stat. 2059 , 2083, 2199.)
    drafter_attestation: Verbatim subsection of 15 U.S.C. §1691 from Cornell LII snapshot 8b5ecb104dccbf85;
      body isolated between nav and notes; substring-verified.
  judgment: false
