FINRA Proposes Rule Change On Remote Inspections

FINRA proposed a rule change that would allow member firms to complete their inspection obligations remotely through calendar years 2020 and 2021. The rule change was necessitated by concerns related to COVID-19.

FINRA proposed to adopt temporary Supplementary Material .17 under FINRA Rule 3110 ("Supervision") to permit the use of remote inspections to satisfy the obligations set out by Rule 3110(c)(1)(A), (B) and (C) that require each member to conduct an annual office inspection.

Rule 3110.17 also would provide that a member firm (i) amend written supervisory procedures under  Rule 3110(b)(1) accordingly, (ii) impose additional supervisory procedures if red flags are identified during the remote inspection, and (iii) maintain centralized records that identify the remote inspection and any such imposed additional supervisory procedures.