Summary of: Unsafe or Unsound Practices, Matters Requiring Attention Final Rule and Violations of Laws or Regulations Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
Updated 09/22/2026
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have announced a joint final rule establishing a standardized definition for “unsafe or unsound practices” under Section 8 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act. The rule also establishes uniform criteria for issuing Matters Requiring Attention (MRAs) during bank examinations. MRAs will likewise be reserved for actual substantive violations of banking laws or practices that could reasonably be expected to create material financial harm or Deposit Insurance Fund risk. In a related, but separate, development, the OCC issued a companion Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) focused specifically on MRAs based on legal or regulatory violations. Under the new standard, an unsafe or unsound practice must be contrary to generally accepted standards of prudent operation and either have materially harmed the institution’s financial condition or, if continued, be likely to cause material financial harm or a material risk of loss to the Deposit Insurance Fund.
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