SEC Extends Information Collection for Transfer Agent Withdrawal Forms
Transfer agents must continue filing Form TA-W electronically on EDGAR; comments on the extension are due by Oct. 26, 2026.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a request to extend the information collection associated with Rule 17Ac3-1(a) and Form TA-W, both codified at 17 CFR 240.17Ac3-1(a) and 17 CFR 249b.101. The extension applies to transfer agents that withdraw registration under Section 17A(c)(4)(B) of the Exchange Act and must file a notice of withdrawal on Form TA-W in electronic format through EDGAR.
Form TA-W requires the withdrawing transfer agent to disclose the locations where transfer-agent activities were performed, the reasons for ceasing those activities, any unsatisfied judgments or liens, and information about successor agents. The SEC estimates that, based on filings from 2023 through 2025, approximately 12 transfer agents will rely on the rule and form each year over the next three years.
The agency calculates the reporting burden at roughly 30 minutes per filing, yielding an aggregate annual burden of about six hours. Using an average hourly rate of $144 for a general office clerk, the internal labor cost per filing is estimated at $72, for a total annual compliance cost of approximately $864.
The notice, identified by OMB Control No. 3235-0151, invites public comment on the proposed extension. Comments may be submitted online at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202607-3235-007 or by email to the address provided in the notice. The comment period closes on October 26, 2026, thirty days after the publication date of September 25, 2026.
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