---
kind: "section"
citation: "12 U.S.C. § 215b"
title: "12"
title_heading: "Banks and Banking"
number: "215b"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/12/215b"
units:
  - "Chapter 2 — National Banks"
  - "Subchapter XVI — Consolidation and Merger"
---

# §215b. Definitions


As used in this subchapter, the term—

- (1) “State bank” means any bank, banking association, trust company, savings bank (other than a mutual savings bank), or other banking institution which is engaged in the business of receiving deposits and which is incorporated under the laws of any [State](#2), or which is operating under the Code of Law for the District of Columbia;
- (2) “State” means the several States and Territories, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia;
- (3) “Comptroller” means the Comptroller of the Currency; and
- (4) “Receiving association” means the [national banking association](/usc/12/214.md?p=b) into which one or more [national banking associations](/usc/12/214.md?p=b) or one or more [State banks](#1), located within the same [State](#2), merge.

## Source credit

(Nov. 7, 1918, ch. 209, § 7, formerly § 3, as added Pub. L. 86–230, § 20, Sept. 8, 1959, 73 Stat. 465; renumbered § 5, Pub. L. 103–328, title I, § 102(b)(4)(B), Sept. 29, 1994, 108 Stat. 2351; renumbered § 7, Pub. L. 106–569, title XII, § 1204(1), Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 3033; amended Pub. L. 109–351, title VII, § 725(e), Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 2002; Pub. L. 109–356, title I, § 123(e), Oct. 16, 2006, 120 Stat. 2029.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Provisions similar to those comprising this section were contained in section 5 of act Nov. 7, 1918, ch. 209, as added July 14, 1952, ch. 722, § 1, 66 Stat. 601 (formerly classified to section 34c of this title), prior to the complete amendment and renumbering of act Nov. 7, 1918, by Pub. L. 86–230.

### Amendments

2006—Par. (1). Pub. L. 109–351 and 109–356 amended par. (1) identically, striking out “(except a national banking association located in the District of Columbia)” before semicolon at end.