Definition
Consent Order
A formal, public enforcement action in which a financial institution agrees to specified corrective measures — and often a civil money penalty — without admitting or denying the findings.
By Bart Mierzejewski · Founder, FinCrime Desk · Reviewed Sep 19, 2026
Why it matters
For anyone applying to a bank, the consent order is the most informative public document about what the compliance job will actually be. An institution under a BSA consent order is usually hiring remediation headcount, paying above its normal band, and working to a deadline.
In practice
Consent orders name the deficiencies: independent testing gaps, monitoring coverage, staffing adequacy, board oversight. They frequently require a look-back review, which is the single largest driver of contract and consultancy hiring in this field. Every action indexed on this site links the regulator's own published document — read it before the interview.