Under ECOA/Regulation B, how long must applications and adverse action notices be retained for consumer credit transactions?

Correct answer: 25 months

ECOA Regulation B requires retention of applications and adverse action notices for 25 months from the date the application was received (or the date of notification/action). For business credit, the retention period is shorter (12 months). The 25-month consumer credit period is unique to ECOA — it doesn't match TRID (3/5 years), HMDA (3 years), or BSA (5 years). This odd number (25 months) makes it a favorite exam question.