General. A national bank director must own a qualifying equity interest in a national bank or a company that has control of a national bank. The director must own the qualifying equity interest in his or her own right and meet a certain minimum threshold ownership.

Qualifying equity interest—(1) Minimum required equity interest. For purposes of this section, a qualifying equity interest includes common or preferred stock of the bank or of a company that controls the bank that has not less than an aggregate par value of $1,000, an aggregate shareholders' equity of $1,000, or an aggregate fair market value of $1,000.

The value of the common or preferred stock held by a national bank director is valued as of the date purchased or the date on which the individual became a director, whichever value is greater.

In the case of a company that owns more than one national bank, a director may use his or her equity interest in the controlling company to satisfy, in whole or in part, the equity interest requirement for any or all of the controlled national banks.

Upon request, the OCC may consider whether other interests in a company controlling a national bank constitute an interest equivalent to $1,000 par value of national bank stock.

Joint ownership and tenancy in common. Shares held jointly or as a tenant in common are qualifying shares held by a director in his or her own right only to the extent of the aggregate value of the shares which the director would be entitled to receive on dissolution of the joint tenancy or tenancy in common.

Shares in a living trust. Shares deposited by a person in a living trust (inter vivos trust) as to which the person is a trustee and retains an absolute power of revocation are shares owned by the person in his or her own right.

Other arrangements—(i) Shares held through retirement plans and similar arrangements. A director may hold his or her qualifying interest through a profit-sharing plan, individual retirement account, retirement plan, or similar arrangement, if the director retains beneficial ownership and legal control over the shares.

Shares held subject to buyback agreements. A director may acquire and hold his or her qualifying interest pursuant to a stock repurchase or buyback agreement with a transferring shareholder under which the director purchases the qualifying shares subject to an agreement that the transferring shareholder will repurchase the shares when, for any reason, the director ceases to serve in that capacity. The agreement may give the transferring shareholder a right of first refusal to repurchase the qualifying shares if the director seeks to transfer ownership of the shares to a third person.

Assignment of right to dividends or distributions. A director may assign the right to receive all dividends or distributions on his or her qualifying shares to another, including a transferring shareholder, if the director retains beneficial ownership and legal control over the shares.

Execution of proxy. A director may execute a revocable or irrevocable proxy authorizing another, including a transferring shareholder, to vote his or her qualifying shares, provided the director retains beneficial ownership and legal control over the shares.

Non-qualifying ownership. The following are not shares held by a director in his or her own right:

Shares pledged by the holder to secure a loan. However, all or part of the funds used to purchase the required qualifying equity interest may be borrowed from any party, including the bank or its affiliates;

Shares purchased subject to an absolute option vested in the seller to repurchase the shares within a specified period; and

Shares deposited in a voting trust where the depositor surrenders:

Legal ownership (depositor ceases to be registered owner of the stock);

Power to vote the stock or to direct how it shall be voted; or

Power to transfer legal title to the stock.