(a) Sending of items. A sender, other than a Reserve Bank, may send any item to any Reserve Bank, whether or not the item is payable within the Reserve Bank's District, unless the sender's administrative Reserve Bank directs the sender to send the item to a specific Reserve Bank.
(b) Handling of items. (1) The following parties, in the following order, are deemed to have handled an item that is sent to a Reserve Bank for collection:
(i) The initial sender;
(ii) The initial sender's administrative Reserve Bank (which is deemed to have accepted deposit of the item from the initial sender);
(iii) The Reserve Bank that receives the item from the initial sender (if different from the initial sender's administrative Reserve Bank); and
(iv) Another Reserve Bank, if any, that receives the item from a Reserve Bank.
(2) A Reserve Bank that is not described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section is not a person that handles an item and is not a collecting bank with respect to an item.
(3) The identity and order of the parties under paragraph (b)(1) of this section determine the relationships and the rights and liabilities of the parties under this subpart, part 229 of this chapter (Regulation CC), section 13(1) and section 16(13) of the Federal Reserve Act, and the Uniform Commercial Code. An initial sender's administrative Reserve Bank that is deemed to accept an item for deposit or handle an item is also deemed to be a sender with respect to that item. The Reserve Banks that are deemed to handle an item are deemed to be agents or subagents of the owner of the item, as provided in section 210.6(a) of this subpart.
(c) Checks received at par. The Reserve Banks shall receive cash items and other checks at par.