2021-13506. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-2736

Extension:

Rules 17Ad-6 and 17Ad-7

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (“PRA”) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) a request for approval of extension of the previously approved collection of information provided for in Rule 17Ad-6 (17 CFR 240.17Ad-6) and Rule 17Ad-7 (17 CFR 240.17Ad-7) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) (“Exchange Act”).

Rule 17Ad-6 under the Exchange Act requires every registered transfer agent to make and keep current records about a variety of information, such as: (1) Specific operational data regarding the time taken to perform transfer agent activities (to ensure compliance with the minimum performance standards in Rule 17Ad-2 (17 CFR 240.17Ad-2)); (2) written inquiries and requests by shareholders and broker-dealers and response time thereto; (3) resolutions, contracts, or other supporting documents concerning the appointment or termination of the transfer agent; (4) stop orders or notices of adverse claims to the securities; and (5) all canceled registered securities certificates.

Rule 17Ad-7 under the Exchange Act requires each registered transfer agent to retain the records specified in Rule 17Ad-6 in an easily accessible place for a period of six months to six years, depending on the type of record or document. Rule 17Ad-7 also specifies the manner in which records may be maintained using electronic, microfilm, and microfiche storage methods.

These recordkeeping requirements are designed to ensure that all registered transfer agents are maintaining the records necessary for transfer agents to monitor and keep control over their own performance and for the Commission to adequately examine registered transfer agents on an historical basis for compliance with applicable rules.

The Commission estimates that approximately 359 registered transfer agents will spend a total of 179,500 hours per year complying with Rules 17Ad-6 and 17Ad-7 (500 hours per year per transfer agent).

The retention period under Rule 17Ad-7 for the recordkeeping requirements under Rule 17Ad-6 is six months to six years, depending on the particular record or document. The recordkeeping and retention requirements under Rules 17Ad-6 and 17Ad-7 are mandatory to assist the Commission and other regulatory agencies with monitoring transfer agents and ensuring compliance with the rules. These rules do 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 under the PRA unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The public may view background documentation for this information collection at the following website: www.reginfo.gov. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to (i) www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain and (ii) David Bottom, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Cynthia Roscoe, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549, or by sending an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: June 21, 2021.

J. Matthew DeLesDernier,

Assistant Secretary.