Required to be fully compliant with the LCR Final Rule by January [by=starting from?]

[tobebetter]

Hello friends,

Here's a sentence from a company document:

The U.S. federal banking regulators adopted a final rule in October 2014...U.S. firms were required to be fully compliant with the LCR Final Rule by January 1, 2017.

Judging from the context, I think it should mean "starting from Jan. 1". But "by" generally means "until", such as "Employees are required to submit the report by the end of this year", which means they are required to do so BEFORE the end of this year.

What do you think of it? Thanks.

 

[GoesStation]

By does not "generally mean 'until'". You could replace it with no later than in both of your sentences.

 

[SoothingDave]

They were required to be in compliance on or before January 1, 2017. They had to be in compliance by then.