The following individuals are authorized to act as certifying officers for the purpose of certifying a request for payment, reissue, or a signature to a Fiscal Service form:

(a) Officers generally authorized—(1) At banks, trust companies, and member organizations of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. (i) Any officer of a bank incorporated in the United States, the territories or possessions of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(ii) Any officer of a trust company incorporated in the United States, the territories or possessions of the United States, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(iii) Any officer of an organization that is a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. This includes Federal savings and loan associations.

(iv) Any officer of a foreign branch or a domestic branch of an institution described in paragraphs (a) (1)(i) through (iii) of this section.

(v) Any officer of a Federal Reserve Bank, a Federal Land Bank, or a Federal Home Loan Bank.

(vi) Any employee of an institution described in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (v) of this section, who is expressly authorized to certify by the institution.

(2) At issuing agents that are not banks or trust companies. Any officer of an organization, not a bank or a trust company, that is qualified as an issuing agent for savings bonds. The agent's stamp must be imprinted in the certification.

(3) By United States officials. Any judge, clerk, or deputy clerk of a United States court, including United States courts for the territories and possessions of the United States, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any United States Commissioner or United States Attorney.

(b) Officers with limited authority—(1) In the Armed Forces. Any commissioned officer or warrant officer of the Armed Forces of the United States, but only for members of the respective services, their families, and civilian employees at posts, bases, or stations. The certifying officer must indicate his or her rank and state that the individual signing the request is one of the class whose request the certifying officer is authorized to certify.

(2) At Veterans Administration facilities, Federal penal institutions, and United States Public Health Service hospitals. Any officer in charge of a home, hospital, or other facility of the Veterans Administration, but only for the patients, or employees of the facility; any officer of a Federal penal institution or a United States Public Health Service hospital expressly authorized to certify by the Secretary of the Treasury or his designee, but only for the inmates, patients or employees of the institution involved. Officers of Veterans Administration facilities, Federal penal institutions, and Public Health Service hospitals must use the stamp of the particular institution or service.

(c) Authorized officers in foreign countries. Any United States diplomatic or consular representative, or the officer of a foreign branch of a bank or trust company incorporated in the United States whose signature is attested by an imprint of the corporate stamp or is certified to the Department of the Treasury. If none of these individuals is available, a notary public or other officer authorized to administer oaths may certify, but his or her official character and jurisdiction must be certified by a United States diplomatic or consular officer under seal of his or her office.

(d) Authorized officers in particular localities. The Governor and the Treasurer of Puerto Rico; the Governor and the Commissioner of Finance of the Virgin Islands; the Governor and the Director of Finance of Guam; and the Governor and the Director of Administrative Services of American Samoa; and designated officers of the Panama Canal Commission.

(e) Special provisions. If no certifying officer is readily accessible, the Commissioner of the Fiscal Service, Deputy Commissioner, any Assistant Commissioner, or other designated official of the Bureau or of a Federal Reserve Bank or Branch is authorized to make special provision for any particular case.

(a) Certification procedure. Certifying officers at financial institutions qualified as paying agents should observe the Treasury's payment instructions and identification guidelines in certifying savings bonds and savings notes being forwarded to a designated Federal Reserve Bank for any transaction. Other certifying officers should provide certification services for persons with whom they have substantial personal acquaintance, and for other persons whose identities have been unmistakably established. A notation showing exactly how identification was established should be placed on the back of the security or Fiscal Service form, or in a separate record. As part of the certification, the certifying officer must affix his or her official signature, title and address, the exact date of execution and, where one is available, a corporate stamp or issuing or paying agent's stamp.

(b) Liability. The certifying officer and, if such person is an officer or an employee of an organization, the organization will be held fully responsible for the adequacy of the identification.

Certifying officers may not certify the requests for payment of bonds, or appropriate Fiscal Service forms if, in their own right or in a representative capacity, they

(a) Have an interest in the bonds, or

(b) Will, by virtue of the requests being certified, acquire an interest in the bonds.

When required in the instructions on a Fiscal Service form, the form must be signed before an authorized certifying officer.