FinCEN GTO Weekly Refresh Protocol

FinCEN GTO Dataset - Weekly Refresh Protocol

v1.0 · April 2026

This protocol governs how the FinCEN GTO dataset is maintained, verified, and updated on a weekly basis. All editors must follow this protocol before publishing any changes to the live dataset. The goal is to ensure every record reflects the most current, authoritative source - with no stale links, incorrect thresholds, or outdated geographic coverage.

Last refreshed: 2026-10-14

44 records in dataset

Refresh cycle: weekly

Weekly Refresh Checklist

Open FinCEN GTO resources page

Open source

Any new orders or renewals listed?

Scan FinCEN news releases (last 7 days)

Open source

Any GTO-related press releases?

Search Federal Register for "Geographic Targeting Order"

Open source

Any new notices in the past 7 days?

Check Treasury press releases

Open source

Any GTO-related Treasury announcements?

Verify all active GTO primary_source_urls return 200

Open source

Any 404s or redirects?

Check expiration dates of all active GTOs

Open source

Any orders expiring within 30 days?

Update GTO_LAST_VERIFIED in gto-data.ts — ONLY after every source above has been re-checked

Did you actually complete steps 1–6, or are you just rolling the date forward?

Sources to Check Each Refresh Cycle

Priority 1

FinCEN GTO Resources Page

Primary - check for new orders, renewals, and expiration notices

https://www.fincen.gov/resources/statutes-and-regulations/geographic-targeting-orders

Priority 2

FinCEN News Releases

Announcement details, renewal context, covered sectors

https://www.fincen.gov/news

Priority 3

Federal Register - FinCEN GTOs

Legally operative effective dates, formal geographic definitions

https://efts.federalregister.gov/advanced-search?q=%22Geographic+Targeting+Order%22&agencies%5B%5D=financial-crimes-enforcement-network

Priority 4

U.S. Treasury Press Releases

Policy context, interagency scope, major expansions only

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases

Priority 5

FinCEN FAQ / Advisory / Fact Sheet

Implementation guidance, risk rationale - NEVER sole source for map boundaries

https://www.fincen.gov/resources/advisories

Source Authority Hierarchy

Rule: When sources conflict, the higher-priority source governs. Never substitute a summary source when a primary document exists. If a PDF order is available, that PDF governs all geographic and threshold values.

FinCEN order PDF

Highest Authority

Binding legal text, exact geography, thresholds, effective/expiration dates

FinCEN news release or GTO resources page

High Authority

Announcement details, renewal context, covered sectors

Federal Register notice

High Authority

Legally operative effective dates, formal geographic definitions

U.S. Treasury press release

Supporting

Policy context, interagency scope, major expansions only

FinCEN FAQ, advisory, or fact sheet

Supplemental Only

Implementation guidance, risk rationale - never sole source for map boundaries

Flag for Human Review Before Publishing

These conditions require manual verification before any dataset update goes live

New GTO Issued

A GTO appears in FinCEN news or the Federal Register that is not in the current dataset. Add full record before publishing.

Required Action

Add new record with all schema fields. Do not publish until primary_source_url is verified.

Renewal Detected

A new effective or expiration date appears on an existing GTO. The prior record must be marked superseded.

Required Action

Create new record with renewal_number incremented. Set prior record status to "superseded". Update renews_or_replaces field.

Threshold Modified

The threshold_amount changes from the prior order. Verify against the PDF order - not the news release.

Required Action

Update threshold_amount. Add change_log entry with change_type: "modified". Note source conflict if any.

Geographic Scope Changed

Counties added or removed from coverage. Formal geographic text must match the PDF order exactly.

Required Action

Update geographic_names and formal_geographic_text from PDF. Update map_boundary_notes. Log change.

Order Expired Without Renewal

Expiration date has passed with no renewal announcement from FinCEN.

Required Action

Set status to "expired". Add change_log entry. Do not delete - historical records are preserved.

Source Link Returns 404 or Redirect

primary_source_url or pdf_order_url returns a 404, redirect, or access error.

Required Action

Search FinCEN.gov for the updated URL. Update primary_source_url. Add change_log entry with change_type: "link_updated".

Federal Register Conflicts with FinCEN Release

The Federal Register notice shows different geography or dates than the FinCEN news release.

Required Action

Federal Register governs for effective dates. FinCEN PDF order governs for geography. Document conflict in notes field.

Required Schema Fields

Every GTO record must have all fields populated. Use null only when a value is genuinely unavailable after exhausting all source tiers. Records with a missing primary_source_url must not be published.

gto_id

order_title

status

covered_industry

threshold_amount

effective_date

expiration_date

publication_date

geography_type

geographic_names

geographic_state

formal_geographic_text

primary_source_url

source_agency

source_type

summary_for_users

reporting_entity

reporting_requirement

change_log

lat

lng

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