---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1691a"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1691a"
heading: "Definitions; rules of construction"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1691a"
units:
  - "Chapter 41 — Consumer Credit Protection"
  - "Subchapter IV — Equal Credit Opportunity"
---

# §1691a. Definitions; rules of construction

- (a) The definitions and rules of construction set forth in this section are applicable for the purposes of this subchapter.
- (b) The term “applicant” means any [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) who applies to a [creditor](/usc/15/1602.md?p=g) directly for an extension, renewal, or continuation of [credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f), or applies to a [creditor](/usc/15/1602.md?p=g) indirectly by use of an existing [credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f) plan for an amount exceeding a previously established [credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f) limit.
- (c) The term “[Bureau](/usc/15/1602.md?p=b)” means the [Bureau](/usc/15/1602.md?p=b) of [Consumer](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) Financial Protection.
- (d) The term “[credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f)” means the right granted by a [creditor](/usc/15/1602.md?p=g) to a debtor to defer payment of debt or to incur debts and defer its payment or to purchase property or services and defer payment therefor.
- (e) The term “[creditor](/usc/15/1602.md?p=g)” means any [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) who regularly extends, renews, or continues [credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f); any [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) who regularly arranges for the extension, renewal, or continuation of [credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f); or any assignee of an original [creditor](/usc/15/1602.md?p=g) who participates in the decision to extend, renew, or continue [credit](/usc/15/1602.md?p=f).
- (f) The term “[person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e)” means a natural [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e), a corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, trust, estate, partnership, cooperative, or association.
- (g) Any reference to any requirement imposed under this subchapter or any provision thereof includes reference to the regulations of the [Bureau](/usc/15/1602.md?p=b) under this subchapter or the provision thereof in question.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–321, title VII, § 702, as added Pub. L. 93–495, title V, § 503, Oct. 28, 1974, 88 Stat. 1522; amended Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1085(1), (2), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2083.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2010—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–203, § 1085(2), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: “The term ‘Board’ refers to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.”

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 111–203, § 1085(1), substituted “Bureau” for “Board”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2010 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the designated transfer date, see section 1100H of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 552a of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.