Section 701.6 - Fees paid by Federal credit unions(a)Basis for assessment. Each calendar year, or as otherwise directed by the NCUA Board, each Federal credit union shall pay an operating fee to the NCUA for the current fiscal year (January 1 to December 31) in accordance with a schedule fixed by the Board from time to time. (1)General. The operating fee shall be based on the average of total assets of each Federal credit union based on data reported in NCUA Forms 5300 and 5310 from the four quarters immediately preceding the time the Board approves the agency's budget or as otherwise determined pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section.(2)Exclusions from total assets. For purposes of calculating the operating fee, total assets shall not include any loans on the books of a natural person Federal credit union made under the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program, 15 U.S.C. 636(a)(36) , or any similar program approved for exclusion by the NCUA Board.(b)Coverage. The operating fee shall be paid by each Federal credit union engaged in operations as of January 1 of each calendar year in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, except as otherwise provided by this paragraph (b). (1)New charters. A newly chartered Federal credit union will not pay an operating fee until the year following the first full calendar year after the date chartered.(2)Conversions.(i) In the first calendar year following conversion:(A) A federally insured state-chartered credit union that converts to a Federal credit union charter must pay an operating fee based on the average assets reported in the year of conversion on NCUA Forms 5300 or 5310 from the four quarters immediately preceding the time the Board approves the agency's budget in the year of conversion.(B) An entity not insured by the NCUA that converts to a Federal credit union charter must pay an operating fee based on the assets, or average thereof, reported on NCUA Forms 5300 or 5310 for any one or more quarters immediately preceding the time the Board approves the agency's budget in the year of conversion.(ii) A Federal credit union converting to a different charter will not receive a refund of any operating fees paid to the NCUA.(3)Mergers.(i) In the first calendar year following merger:(A) A continuing Federal credit union that has merged with one or more federally insured credit unions must pay an operating fee based on the average combined total assets of the Federal credit union and any merged federally insured credit unions as reported on NCUA Forms 5300 or 5310 in the four quarters immediately preceding the time the Board approves the agency's budget in the merger year.(B) For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3), a purchase and assumption transaction where the continuing Federal credit union purchases all or essentially all of the assets of another depository institution shall be deemed a merger.(ii) A Federal credit union that merges with a Federal or state-chartered credit union, or an entity not insured by the NCUA, will not receive a refund of any operating fee paid to the NCUA.(4)Liquidations. A Federal credit union placed in liquidation will not pay any operating fee after the date of liquidation.(c)Notification. Each Federal credit union shall be notified at least 30 days in advance of the schedule of fees to be paid. A Federal credit union may submit written comments to the Board for consideration regarding the existing fee schedule. Any subsequent revision to the schedule shall be provided to each Federal credit union at least 15 days before payment is due.(d)Assessment of Administrative Fee and Interest for Delinquent Payment. Each Federal credit union shall pay to the Administration an administrative fee, the costs of collection, and interest on any delinquent payment of its operating fee. A payment will be considered delinquent if it is postmarked later than the date stated in the notice to the credit union provided under § 701.6(c) . The National Credit Union Administration may waive or abate charges or collection of interest if circumstances warrant.(1) The administrative fee for a delinquent payment shall be an amount fixed from time to time by the National Credit Union Administration Board and based upon the administrative costs of such delinquent payments to the Administration in the preceding year.(2) The costs of collection shall be the actual hours expended by Administration personnel multiplied by the average hourly salary and benefits costs of such personnel as determined by the National Credit Union Administration Board.(3) The interest rate charged on any delinquent payment shall be the U.S. Department of the Treasury Tax and Loan Rate in effect on the date when the payment is due as provided in 31 U.S.C. 3717 .(4) If a credit union makes a combined payment of its operating fee and its share insurance deposit as provided in § 741.4 of this chapter and such payment is delinquent, only one administrative fee will be charged and interest will be charged on the total combined payment.44 FR 27380, May 10, 1979, as amended at 50 FR 20745, May 20, 1985; 55 FR 1799, Jan. 19, 1990; 59 FR 33421, June 29, 1994; 60 FR 58503, Nov. 28, 1995; 74 FR 29936 , June 24, 2009; 84 FR 1604 , Feb. 5, 2019; 85 FR 86803 , Dec. 31, 2020 84 FR 1604 , 2/5/2019; 85 FR 86803 , 2/1/2021