(a) Direct costs. Payment shall be made only for costs that are both directly incurred
and reasonably necessary to provide requested material. Search and
processing, reproduction, and transportation or delivery costs shall be
considered separately when determining whether the costs are reasonably
necessary. Photocopying or microfiche charges are reasonably necessary only
if the institution has reproduced financial records that were not stored
electronically (i.e., where the information requested was stored only on
paper or in microfiche), or where the government authority making the request
has specifically asked for printed copies of electronically stored
records.
(b) Compliance with legal process, request, or authorization. No payment may be made to a financial institution until it
satisfactorily complies with the legal process, the formal written request,
or the customer authorization. When the legal process or formal written
request is withdrawn, or the customer authorization is revoked, or where the
customer successfully challenges disclosure to a grand jury or government
authority, the financial institution shall be reimbursed for the reasonably
necessary costs incurred in assembling the requested financial records prior
to the time the financial institution is notified of such
event.
(c) Itemized bill or invoice. No reimbursement is required unless a financial institution submits an
itemized bill or invoice specifically detailing its search and processing,
reproduction, and transportation costs. Search and processing time should be
billed in 15-minute increments.
