12 U.S.C. § 2604
The Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (hereafter in this section referred to as the "Director") shall prepare, at least once every 5 years, a booklet to help consumers applying for federally related mortgage loans to understand the nature and costs of real estate settlement services. The Director shall prepare the booklet in various languages and cultural styles, as the Director determines to be appropriate, so that the booklet is understandable and accessible to homebuyers of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The Director shall distribute such booklets to all lenders that make federally related mortgage loans. The Director shall also distribute to such lenders lists, organized by location, of homeownership counselors certified under section 1701x(e) of this title for use in complying with the requirement under subsection (c) of this section.
Each booklet shall be in such form and detail as the Director shall prescribe and, in addition to such other information as the Director may provide, shall include in plain and understandable language the following information:
The booklet prepared pursuant to this section shall take into consideration differences in real estate settlement procedures that may exist among the several States and territories of the United States and among separate political subdivisions within the same State and territory.
Each lender shall include with the booklet a good faith estimate of the amount or range of charges for specific settlement services the borrower is likely to incur in connection with the settlement as prescribed by the Bureau. Each lender shall also include with the booklet a reasonably complete or updated list of homeownership counselors who are certified pursuant to section 1701x(e) of this title and located in the area of the lender.
Each lender referred to in subsection (a) shall provide the booklet described in such subsection to each person from whom it receives or for whom it prepares a written application to borrow money to finance the purchase of residential real estate. The lender shall provide the booklet in the version that is most appropriate for the person receiving it. Such booklet shall be provided by delivering it or placing it in the mail not later than 3 business days after the lender receives the application, but no booklet need be provided if the lender denies the application for credit before the end of the 3-day period.
Booklets may be printed and distributed by lenders if their form and content are approved by the Bureau as meeting the requirements of subsection (b) of this section.
12 U.S.C. § 2604
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTThis chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original "this title" and was translated as reading "this Act", meaning Pub. L. 93-533 which is classified principally to this chapter, to reflect the probable intent of Congress, because Pub. L. 93-533 does not contain titles.The Truth in Lending Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is title I of Pub. L. 90-321, May 29, 1968, 82 Stat. 146, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§1601 et seq.) of chapter 41 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. Two sections 129 of the Act have been enacted and are classified to sections 1639 and 1639a of Title 15. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of Title 15 and Tables.
AMENDMENTS2014-Subsec. (b)(14). Pub. L. 113-89 inserted before period at end ", and the following statement: 'Although you may not be required to maintain flood insurance on all structures, you may still wish to do so, and your mortgage lender may still require you to do so to protect the collateral securing the mortgage. If you choose to not maintain flood insurance on a structure, and it floods, you are responsible for all flood losses relating to that structure.' " and transferred par. (14) to appear after par. (13). 2012-Subsec. (b)(14). Pub. L. 112-141 added par. (14) at end of subsec. (b).2010- Pub. L. 111-203, §1450(1), substituted "Home buying" for "Special" in section catchline. Pub. L. 111-203, §1098(3)(A), substituted "Bureau" for "Secretary" wherever appearing.Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111-203, §1450(2), added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "The Bureau shall prepare and distribute booklets jointly addressing compliance with the requirements of the Truth in Lending Act and the provisions of this chapter, in order to help persons borrowing money to finance the purchase of residential real estate better to understand the nature and costs of real estate settlement services. The Bureau shall distribute such booklets to all lenders which make federally related mortgage loans." Pub. L. 111-203, §1098(3)(B), substituted "The Bureau shall prepare and distribute booklets jointly addressing compliance with the requirements of the Truth in Lending Act and the provisions of this chapter, in order to help persons borrowing money to finance the purchase of residential real estate better to understand the nature and costs of real estate settlement services." for "The Secretary shall prepare and distribute booklets to help persons borrowing money to finance the purchase of residential real estate better to understand the nature and costs of real estate settlement services."Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111-203, §1450(2), added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which related to form and detail, cost elements, standard settlement form, escrow accounts, selection of persons for settlement services; and consideration of differences in settlement procedures.Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111-203, §1450(3), inserted at end "Each lender shall also include with the booklet a reasonably complete or updated list of homeownership counselors who are certified pursuant to section 1701x(e) of this title and located in the area of the lender."Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111-203, §1450(4), inserted "The lender shall provide the booklet in the version that is most appropriate for the person receiving it." after the first sentence. 1992-Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102-550 substituted "Such booklet shall be provided by delivering it or placing it in the mail not later than 3 business days after the lender receives the application, but no booklet need be provided if the lender denies the application for credit before the end of the 3-day period." for "Such booklet shall be provided at the time of receipt or preparation of such application." 1976-Subsecs. (c) to (e). Pub. L. 94-205 added subsec. (c), redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d), substituted "or for whom it prepares a written application" for "an application" and inserted "or preparation" after "receipt", and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e).
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2010 AMENDMENT Amendment by section 1098(3) of 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.Amendment by section 1450 of Pub. L. 111-203 effective on the date on which final regulations implementing that amendment take effect, or on the date that is 18 months after the designated transfer date if such regulations have not been issued by that date, see section 1400(c) of Pub. L. 111-203 set out as a note under section 1601 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1976 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 94-205 effective Jan. 2, 1976, with the Secretary authorized to suspend for up to 180 days from Jan. 2, 1976, any provision of this section as amended by Pub. L. 94-205 see section 12 of Pub. L. 94-205 set out as a note under section 2602 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATESection effective 180 days after Dec. 22, 1974, see section 20 of Pub. L. 93-533 set out as a note under section 2601 of this title.
- Director
- The term "Director" means the Director of the Bureau.
- State
- The term "State" means any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the United States Virgin Islands or any federally recognized Indian tribe, as defined by the Secretary of the Interior under section 5131(a) of title 25.
- consumer
- The term "consumer" means an individual or an agent, trustee, or representative acting on behalf of an individual.
- credit
- The term "credit" means the right granted by a person to a consumer to defer payment of a debt, incur debt and defer its payment, or purchase property or services and defer payment for such purchase.
- designated transfer date
- The term "designated transfer date" means the date established under section 5582 of this title.
- Bureau
- the term "Bureau" means the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.1 See References in Text note below.
- Secretary
- the term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
- Settlement services
- the term "Settlement services" includes any service provided in connection with a real estate settlement including, but not limited to, the following: title searches, title examinations, the provision of title certificates, title insurance, services rendered by an attorney, the preparation of documents, property surveys, the rendering of credit reports or appraisals, pest and fungus inspections, services rendered by a real estate agent or broker, the origination of a federally related mortgage loan (including, but not limited to, the taking of loan applications, loan processing, and the underwriting and funding of loans), and the handling of the processing, and closing or settlement;
- person
- the term "person" includes individuals, corporations, associations, partnerships, and trusts;