E8-2874. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 20549-0213.

Extension:

Rule 17a-4; OMB Control No. 3235-0279; SEC File No. 270-198.

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 for Rule 17a-4 (17 CFR 240.17a-4).

Rule 17a-4 requires approximately 5,791 active, registered exchange members, brokers and dealers (“broker-dealers”) to preserve for prescribed periods of time certain records required to be made by Rule 17a-3 (17 CFR 240.17a-3) and other Commission rules, and other kinds of records which firms make or receive in the ordinary course of business. Rule 17a-4 also permits broker-dealers to employ, under certain conditions, electronic storage media to maintain these required records. The records required to be maintained under Rule 17a-4 are used by examiners and other representatives of the Commission to determine whether broker-dealers are in compliance with, and to enforce their compliance with, the Commission's rules.

The staff estimates that the average number of hours necessary for each broker-dealer to comply with Rule 17a-4 is 254 hours annually. Thus, the total burden for broker-dealers is 1,470,914 hours annually. The staff believes that compliance personnel would be charged with ensuring compliance with Commission regulation, including Rule 17a-4. The staff estimates that the hourly salary of a compliance manager is $245 per hour.^[1] Based upon these numbers, the total cost of compliance for 5,791 respondents is the dollar cost is approximately $360.4 million (1,470,914 yearly hours × $245).

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, VA 22312 or send an e-mail to: [e-mail]. Comments must be submitted within 30 days of this notice.

Dated: February 11, 2008.

Florence E. Harmon,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  This figure is based on the SIFMA Report on Office Salaries In the Securities Industry 2006 (Compliance Manager).