Legal Definitions - Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is a part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Its main job is to regulate around 2,600 national banks. It does this by:

• Examining the banks
• Approving or denying applications for bank charters, branches, or mergers
• Closing banks that don't follow rules and regulations
• Regulating banking practices

The OCC makes sure that banks follow the rules and regulations set by the government. This helps to protect people's money and keep the banking system stable.

For example, if a bank wants to open a new branch, it needs to get approval from the OCC first. The OCC will look at the bank's financial health and make sure it has enough money to open the new branch. If the OCC approves the application, the bank can open the new branch. If the OCC denies the application, the bank can't open the new branch.