What is a periodic transaction report (PTR)?
Last checked 28 August 2026
A periodic transaction report, or PTR, is the form a member of Congress files to disclose buying or selling a stock, bond or other security. It is required for any transaction over $1,000, and it is due within 30 days of the member learning about the trade, and no later than 45 days after it happened.
Who has to file one?
Members of the House and Senate, their spouses and their dependent children. The obligation covers the household, not only the legislator — which is why many filings list a spouse as the owner of the position.
What does it actually show?
The asset, the date of the transaction, whether it was a purchase or a sale, and the size as a range rather than an exact figure. The narrowest band is $1,001–$15,000 and the ranges widen from there. A PTR never states the precise amount, the price paid, or the number of shares.
Why is the size a range and not a number?
Because the disclosure rules ask for one. Congress reports in bands by statute, so no tracker — including Tracked Money — can tell you exactly how much was spent. Anyone showing you a precise dollar figure for a congressional trade has estimated it.
What happens if a member files late?
A $200 late filing fee, applied per report, after a 30-day grace period. Fees can be waived for extenuating circumstances, and enforcement beyond the fee is rare. The fee has not changed since the law passed in 2012.
Where do the filings come from?
The House publishes PTRs through the Clerk of the House, and the Senate through its Office of Public Records. Both are public documents that anyone can read. Tracked Money reads the same filings and links each signal back to its source document.
How Tracked Money uses this
Tracked Money reads these filings and tells you when one lands — congressional PTRs, insider Form 4s, 13F changes, dark-pool prints and federal contract awards. Every figure links back to the document it came from. Tracked Money has not shipped on the App Store yet.
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Sources
Tracked Money tracks public STOCK Act and 13F disclosures. This page explains public rules and is not legal or investment advice. Regulatory details were verified on 28 August 2026 and can change.