E6-18361. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549.

Extension: Rule 17Ad-15; SEC File No. 270-360; OMB Control No. 3235-0409.

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below.

Rule 17Ad-15—Signature Guarantees

Rule 17Ad-15 (17 CFR 240.17Ad-15) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) (the “Act”) requires approximately 760 transfer agents to establish written standards for accepting and rejecting guarantees of securities transfers from eligible guarantor institutions. Transfer agents are also required to establish procedures to ensure that those standards are used by the transfer agent to determine whether to accept or reject guarantees from eligible guarantor institutions. Transfer agents must maintain, for a period of three years following the date of a rejection of transfer, a record of all transfers rejected, along with the reason for the rejection, identification of the guarantor, and whether the guarantor failed to meet the transfer agent's guarantee standard. These recordkeeping requirements assist the Commission and other regulatory agencies with monitoring transfer agents and ensuring compliance with the rule.

There are approximately 760 registered transfer agents. The staff estimates that every transfer agent will spend about 40 hours annually to comply with Rule 17Ad-15. The total annual burden for all transfer agents is 30,400 hours. The average cost per hour is approximately $50. Therefore, the total cost of compliance for all transfer agents is $1,520,000.

The retention period for the recordkeeping requirement under Rule 17Ad-15 is three years following the date of a rejection of transfer. The recordkeeping requirement under the rule is mandatory to assist the Commission and other regulatory agencies with monitoring transfer agents and ensuring compliance with the rule. This rule does not involve the collection of confidential information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number.

Comments should be directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or by sending an e-mail to: [e-mail]; and (ii) R. Corey Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Shirley Martinson, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, Virginia 22312 or by sending an e-mail to: [e-mail]. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice.

Dated: October 23, 2006.

Nancy M. Morris,

Secretary.