12 C.F.R. § 1022.71

§ 1022.71 Definitions. (12 CFR Part 1022)

In Force
Verified 8/21/2026 · Next check 9/20/2026
effective 8/21/2026FederalAffordable Housing Programs

Operative Text

12 C.F.R. § 1022.71
For purposes of this subpart, the following definitions apply:

(a) Adverse action has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(k)(1)(A).

(b) Annual percentage rate has the same meaning as in 12 CFR 1026.14(b) with respect to an open-end credit plan and as in 12 CFR 1026.22 with respect to closed-end credit.

(c) Closed-end credit has the same meaning as in 12 CFR 1026.2(a)(10).

(d) Consumer has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(c).

(e) Consummation has the same meaning as in 12 CFR 1026.2(a)(13).

(f) Consumer report has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(d).

(g) Consumer reporting agency has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(f).

(h) Credit has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(r)(5).

(i) Creditor has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(r)(5).

(j) Credit card has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(r)(2).

(k) Credit card issuer has the same meaning as card issuer, as defined in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(r)(1)(A).

(l) Credit score has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681g(f)(2)(A).

(m) Firm offer of credit has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(l).

(n) Material terms means:

(1)(i) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (n)(1)(ii) and (n)(3) of this section, in the case of credit extended under an open-end credit plan, the annual percentage rate required to be disclosed under 12 CFR 1026.6(a)(1)(ii) or 12 CFR 1026.6(b)(2)(i), excluding any temporary initial rate that is lower than the rate that will apply after the temporary rate expires, any penalty rate that will apply upon the occurrence of one or more specific events, such as a late payment or an extension of credit that exceeds the credit limit, and any fixed annual percentage rate option for a home equity line of credit;

(ii) In the case of a credit card (other than a credit card that is used to access a home equity line of credit or a charge card), the annual percentage rate required to be disclosed under 12 CFR 1026.6(b)(2)(i) that applies to purchases (“purchase annual percentage rate”) and no other annual percentage rate, or in the case of a credit card that has no purchase annual percentage rate, the annual percentage rate that varies based on information in a consumer report and that has the most significant financial impact on consumers;

(2) In the case of closed-end credit, the annual percentage rate required to be disclosed under 12 CFR 1026.17(c) and 1026.18(e); and

(3) In the case of credit for which there is no annual percentage rate, the financial term that varies based on information in a consumer report and that has the most significant financial impact on consumers, such as a deposit required in connection with credit extended by a telephone company or utility or an annual membership fee for a charge card.

(o) Materially less favorable means, when applied to material terms, that the terms granted, extended, or otherwise provided to a consumer differ from the terms granted, extended, or otherwise provided to another consumer from or through the same person such that the cost of credit to the first consumer would be significantly greater than the cost of credit granted, extended, or otherwise provided to the other consumer. For purposes of this definition, factors relevant to determining the significance of a difference in cost include the type of credit product, the term of the credit extension, if any, and the extent of the difference between the material terms granted, extended, or otherwise provided to the two consumers.

(p) Open-end credit plan has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1602(i), as interpreted by the Bureau in Regulation Z (12 CFR part 1026) and the Official Interpretations to Regulation Z (Supplement I to 12 CFR part 1026).

(q) Person has the same meaning as in 15 U.S.C. 1681a(b).
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 1022.71 establishes the vocabulary used throughout the risk-based pricing subpart of Regulation V, tying each term to its definition in either the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) or Regulation Z. Key concepts such as 'adverse action,' 'consumer report,' 'credit score,' and 'materially less favorable' are given precise, cross-referenced meanings so that the rules applying to credit offers and disclosures operate consistently with those other federal frameworks. Notably, 'material terms' is defined in detail to identify which annual percentage rate—or, where no APR exists, which financial term—must be compared when evaluating whether one consumer received less favorable credit terms than another based on consumer report information.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 4, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers who extend credit in connection with housing—such as requiring a deposit whose amount varies based on a consumer report—should be aware that § 1022.71 anchors the definitions governing risk-based pricing notices to specific FCRA and Regulation Z standards. A compliant operator understands which rate or financial term qualifies as a 'material term' under § 1022.71(n) for the type of credit being offered, and applies the 'materially less favorable' standard in § 1022.71(o) when assessing whether a consumer report influenced the terms extended relative to other applicants. Keeping documentation of how credit terms are set and how consumer report data is used helps demonstrate consistency with these defined standards.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under § 1022.71, if a landlord or other creditor uses information from your consumer report to offer you credit terms—such as a security deposit amount or a financing arrangement—on terms that are 'materially less favorable' than those offered to other consumers, specific federal disclosure rights may be triggered. The definitions in § 1022.71, particularly those for 'material terms' and 'materially less favorable,' form the foundation for understanding whether you were entitled to a risk-based pricing notice explaining that your consumer report affected the terms you received. Tenants who believe their credit information was used in a way that affected their housing costs can explore options such as contacting a tenant-rights organization, reaching out to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or reviewing their rights under the broader risk-based pricing rules in 12 CFR Part 1022.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Aug 21, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 1437
Declaration of policy and public housing agency organization
§ 5.100
§ 5.100 Definitions.
§ 5.107
§ 5.107 Audit requirements for non-profit organizations.

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