Supervision and examinations

Conducting examinations is one of our key tools to ensure that supervised entities comply with federal consumer financial laws.

CFPB Supervision and Examination Manual

The Supervision and Examination Manual is our guide for examiners to use in overseeing companies that provide consumer financial products or services. The manual describes how we supervise and examine these companies and gives our examiners direction on how to assess compliance with federal consumer financial laws. Send questions about the manual to supervision@consumerfinance.gov.


Download the full manual

- Updated September 2023

Browse individual sections of the manual

Preface

Table of contents
Updated September 2023


Part I – Compliance supervision and examination

Overview
Updated March 2017

Examination process
Updated February 2019


Part II – Examination procedures

Compliance management review
Updated August 2017

Compliance management review – information technology (CMR-IT)
Published September 2021

Automobile finance
Updated August 2019

Consumer reporting, larger participants
Updated June 2023

Credit card account management
Updated February 2015

Debt collection
Updated March 2022

Education loan
Updated September 2022

Mortgage origination
Updated December 2021

Mortgage servicing
Updated January 2023

Prepaid account
Published March 2019

Remittance transfer
Updated February 2022

Reverse mortgage servicing
Updated June 2020

Short-term, small-dollar lending (payday)
Updated March 2019

Consumer Leasing Act (CLA)
Published October 2012

Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA)
Updated March 2019

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
Updated October 2015

ECOA baseline review
Updated April 2019

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Published October 2012

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)
Updated December 2022

Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA)
Updated September 2021

Homeowners Protection Act (HPA or PMI Cancellation Act)
Published October 2012

Privacy of Consumer Financial Information - Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
Updated October 2016

Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)
Updated March 2018

Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing (SAFE) Act
Published October 2012

Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
Updated October 2021

Truth in Savings Act (TISA)
Published October 2012

Unfair, Deceptive or Abusive Acts or Practices (UDAAPs)
Updated October 2012


Part III – Examination process templates

Entity profile
Published October 2012

Examination report
Updated February 2019

Examination scope summary
Updated August 2018

Risk assessment
Published October 2012

Supervision plan
Published October 2012

Supervisory letter
Updated February 2019


Disclaimer

Please note: This Supervision and Examination Manual provides internal guidance to our supervisory staff. It does not bind the CFPB and does not create any rights, benefits, or defenses, substantive or procedural, that are enforceable by any party in any manner. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, examination procedures should not be relied on as a legal reference.

Contact Information

Supervision policy and examinations

Supervision is one of our key tools to ensure that supervised entities are complying with federal consumer financial law. Ask us if you have any questions about our supervision policies or the contents of our examination manual, or send us your suggestions and ideas.