TITLE 11. GAMING
VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Virginia Racing Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act pursuant to subdivision A 18 of § 2.2-4002 of the Code of Virginia (i) when acting by and through its duly appointed stewards or in matters related to any specific race meeting or (ii) in promulgating technical rules regulating actual live horse racing at race meetings licensed by the commission.
Title of Regulation: 11VAC10-50. Racing Officials (amending 11VAC10-50-30).
Statutory Authority: § 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: May 27, 2009.
Agency Contact: David S. Lermond, Jr., Regulatory Coordinator, Virginia Racing Commission, 10700 Horsemen's Lane, New Kent, VA 23024, telephone (804) 966-7404, FAX (804) 966-7418, or email david.lermond@vrc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The amendment changes the frequency of publishing a condition book once the book has been published at least 30 days prior to the opening of the race meeting from intervals of not more than 15 days to intervals acceptable to the commission. The amendment is being made in an effort to reduce the printing of multiple condition books during short race meets run at Colonial Downs.
11VAC10-50-30. Racing secretary.
The licensee shall appoint a qualified person to act as racing secretary for the race meeting. The racing secretary shall be responsible for the conduct of the racing office and all of the licensee's employees who are assigned to the racing office. The racing secretary, and his assistant, if one is appointed, shall also be responsible for the programming of races during the race meeting and all of the duties pertaining to the programming of races. Among the duties of the racing secretary are:
1. Recruiting the highest possible quality of horses for the race meeting and assigning stall space to horses. The racing secretary shall submit the procedures and stall application forms to achieve a quality horse population no later than 60 days before the opening of the race meeting;
2. Receiving and keeping safe, with the assistance of the clerk of the course, registration or eligibility certificates of horses stabled within the enclosure or horses to be entered into races, and returning upon request the certificates to the horse owner or his representative;
3. Publishing at least 30 days prior to the opening of the race meeting and at intervals thereafter of not more than 15 days acceptable to the commission a condition book or sheet that sets forth the conditions and eligibility for horses to be entered into races for the meeting and distributing the book or sheet among owners, trainers and the commission;
4. Supervising the taking of entries for each day's races, verifying the eligibility, the accuracy of the information submitted with the entry and the weights claimed for the horses, where appropriate;
5. Coupling of entries for wagering purposes, as provided for in these regulations, and assigning horses to the mutuel field for wagering purposes in a manner approved by the stewards;
6. Maintaining a list of horses which were entered but denied an opportunity to race because they were excluded from a race programmed in the condition book or sheet either by overfilling or failure to fill the race. The racing secretary shall submit to the commission for approval, at least 30 days prior to the opening of the race meeting, a detailed description of the manner in which preference will be allocated to those horses excluded;
7. Posting a list of entries or an overnight sheet in a conspicuous location in the racing secretary's office, upon the closing of entries each day, and making available copies of the list of entries or overnight sheet to other racing officials, commission personnel, horsemen, members of the media and the public;
8. Maintaining, with the assistance of the clerk of the course, a permanent record of all stakes, entrance moneys and arrears paid or due, and depositing the moneys in an escrow account as provided in 11VAC10-20-10 et seq. 11VAC10-20;
9. Publishing, with the assistance of the program director, a daily racing program accurately containing all of the information that is deemed appropriate to the type of racing being offered and any other information the commission may deem appropriate;
10. Assigning weights to be carried by each horse in a handicap race, and when weights are not specified by the conditions of the race, the scale of weights of either The Jockey Club or the National Steeplechase Association shall apply, as they are appropriate;
11. Keeping, with the assistance of the clerk of the course, permanent records of the results of each race of the meeting, and updating the registration or eligibility certificate with information deemed appropriate by the commission or the appropriate breed registry;
12. Informing the horsemen's bookkeeper of the results of each race as well as the amounts of purse moneys due and the parties to whom the purse moneys are due and, in general, supervising the account;
13. Posting a list in a conspicuous place in the racing secretary's office of those horses that have been nerved and those horses that have been gelded or spayed;
14. Maintaining, with the assistance of the stall superintendent, a list of the horses stabled within the enclosure, and maintaining a record of arrival and departure of all horses stabled within the enclosure;
15. Supervising the claims clerk in determining the eligibility of owners to claim other horses at the race meeting and whether sufficient funds exist in the horsemen's account or proper funding is available to make a valid claim; and
16. Withdrawing, cancelling or changing any race which has not closed. In the event the cancelled race is a stakes race, all subscriptions and fees paid in connection with the race shall be refunded.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1840; Filed April 3, 2009, 12:48 p.m.
TITLE 11. GAMING
VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Virginia Racing Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act pursuant to subdivision A 18 of § 2.2-4002 of the Code of Virginia (i) when acting by and through its duly appointed stewards or in matters related to any specific race meeting or (ii) in promulgating technical rules regulating actual live horse racing at race meetings licensed by the commission.
Title of Regulation: 11VAC10-120. Claiming Races (amending 11VAC10-120-80).
Statutory Authority: § 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: May 27, 2009.
Agency Contact: David S. Lermond, Jr., Regulatory Coordinator, Virginia Racing Commission, 10700 Horsemen's Lane, New Kent, VA 23024, telephone (804) 966-7404, FAX (804) 966-7418, or email david.lermond@vrc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The amendment provides that when a horse is claimed out of a claiming race other than a steeplechase race, the horse may not race elsewhere until after the close of the meeting at which it was claimed, except with the permission of the stewards. The amendment is made in an effort to retain more horses at Colonial Downs and maintain the track's horse population throughout the entire race meet.
11VAC10-120-80. Restrictions on a claimed horse.
When a horse is claimed out of a claiming race other than steeplechase races, the following restrictions shall apply to the horse for 30 calendar days after the day that the horse was claimed:
1. The horse may only start in claiming races for a designated price of 25% more than the amount for which the horse was claimed, except in harness racing a horse may start in claiming races for any price;
2. The horse may not be sold or transferred wholly or in part to another person, except in another claiming race;
3. The horse may not remain in the same stable or under the control or supervision of its former owner or trainer, unless reclaimed;
4. The Notwithstanding the 30-day restriction above, the horse may not race elsewhere until after the close of the meeting at which it was claimed or 30 calendar days, whichever occurs first, except with the permission of the stewards; and
5. All horses claimed in other jurisdictions and racing in Virginia shall be subject to the conditions of the claiming regulation in the jurisdiction where the claim was made.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1842; Filed April 3, 2009, 12:49 p.m.
TITLE 11. GAMING
VIRGINIA RACING COMMISSION
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Virginia Racing Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act pursuant to § 2.2-4002 B 23 of the Code of Virginia when promulgating regulations pertaining to the administration of medication or other substances foreign to the natural horse.
Title of Regulation: 11VAC10-180. Medication (amending 11VAC10-180-10, 11VAC10-180-35, 11VAC10-180-70, 11VAC10-180-80, 11VAC10-180-110).
Statutory Authority: § 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: May 27, 2009.
Agency Contact: David S. Lermond, Jr., Regulatory Coordinator, Virginia Racing Commission, 10700 Horsemen's Lane, New Kent, VA 23024, telephone (804) 966-7404, FAX (804) 966-7418, or email david.lermond@vrc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The amendment reduces the threshold amount for the drug phenylbutazone in an effort to reduce injuries to the horses and also to make Virginia's regulations more consistent with those of surrounding jurisdictions.
11VAC10-180-10. Definitions.
The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Bleeder" means a horse that has been diagnosed as suffering from exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage based on external or endoscopic examination by the commission veterinarian or a practicing veterinarian who is a permit holder in the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction.
"Bleeder list" means a tabulation of all bleeders to be maintained by the stewards.
"Commission" means the Virginia Racing Commission.
"Controlled substance" means a drug, substance or immediate precursor in Schedules I through VI of the Virginia Drug Control Act (§ 54.1-3400 et seq. of the Code of Virginia) or any substance included in the five classification schedules of the U.S. Uniform Controlled Substances Act (21 USC § 301 et seq.).
"Furosemide list" means a tabulation of horses permitted to use the medication of furosemide on race day by declaration to the stewards, in addition to horses on the bleeder list.
"Injectable substance" means a liquid or solid substance that may require the addition of a liquid via a needle and syringe to change it from a solid into a liquid, contained in a vial that can be accessed and administered only via a needle and syringe.
"Licensed veterinarian" means a veterinarian who holds a valid license to practice veterinary medicine and surgery under the applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which such person's practice is principally conducted.
"Milkshaking" or "bicarbonate loading" means administering a bicarbonate or other alkalinizing substance to a horse that elevates the horse's total carbon dioxide level or pH level above those existing naturally in the untreated horse at normal physiological concentrations as determined by the commission, regardless of the means of administration.
"Permitted race day substances" means only substances approved by the commission that are administered solely for the benefit and welfare of the horse, nonperformance altering, of no danger to riders/drivers, and unlikely to interfere with the detection of prohibited substances.
"Prescription substance" means any substance that is administered or dispensed or labeled for use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian for the purpose of medical treatment of an animal patient when a bona fide doctor-patient relationship has been established.
"Primary laboratory" means a facility designated by the commission for the testing of test samples.
"Prohibited substance" means any drug, medication or chemical foreign to the natural horse, whether natural or synthetic, or a metabolite or analog thereof, the use of which is not expressly permitted by the regulations of the commission.
"Race day" means the 24-hour period before post-time for the race in which the horse is entered to start.
"Reference laboratory" means a facility designated by the commission for the testing of split samples.
"Substance" means any drug, medication or chemical foreign to the natural horse or human being, whether natural or synthetic, or a metabolite or analog thereof.
"Test sample" means any sample of blood, urine, saliva or tissue obtained from a horse or person for the purpose of laboratory testing for the presence of substances.
"Tubing" means the administration to a horse of any substance via a naso-gastric tube.
11VAC10-180-35. Prohibited practices.
A. No trainer shall allow a horse to appear in a race, qualifying race or official timed workout, when the horse contains in its system any prohibited substance, as determined by testing of blood, saliva or urine, or any other reasonable means.
B. No person shall administer any substance to a horse on race day other than those substances expressly permitted by the commission. Substances permitted by the commission shall be administered solely for the benefit and welfare of the horse, nonperformance altering, of no danger to riders/drivers, and unlikely to interfere with the detection of prohibited substances.
C. No veterinarian or permit holder shall, without good cause, possess or administer any substance to a horse stabled within the enclosure or at any facility under the jurisdiction of the commission:
1. That has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any use (human or animal), or the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Veterinary Biologics;
2. That is on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's Schedule I or Schedule II of controlled substances as prepared by the Attorney General of the United States pursuant to 21 USC § 811 and 812;
3. That its use may endanger the health and welfare of the horse or endanger the safety of the rider or driver, or its use may adversely affect the integrity of racing; or
4. That does not have a recognized laboratory analytical method to detect and confirm its administration.
D. No person, except a veterinarian holding a valid veterinarian's permit or an assistant under his immediate supervision, shall have in his possession within the enclosure of a horse racing facility any prescription substance for animal use unless:
1. The person actually possesses, within the enclosure of the horse racing facility, documentary evidence that a prescription has been issued to him for the substance by a licensed veterinarian;
2. The prescription substance is labeled with a dosage for the horse or horses to be treated with the prescription substance; and
3. The horse or horses named in the prescription are then under the care and supervision of the permit holder and are then stabled within the enclosure of the horse racing facility.
E. The possession or administration of erythropoietin (Epogen), darbepoietin, oxyglobin, Hemopure, or any analogous substance that increases oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood is prohibited. Furthermore, should the analysis of a test sample detect the presence of antibodies of erythropoietin or darbepoietin or any analogous substance in the horse's blood that indicates a history of use of these substances, the horse shall be prohibited from racing and placed on the veterinarian's list until the horse tests negative for the presence of such antibodies.
F. The use of androgenic and anabolic steroids is prohibited in racing horses, except for one of the approved products, boldenone, nandrolone, stanozolol and testosterone, as stipulated in 11VAC10-180-75.
G. The use of an extracorporal shockwave therapy device or radial pulse wave therapy device is prohibited on the racetrack premises and at any site that falls under the jurisdiction of the Virginia Racing Commission unless:
1. The therapy device is registered with the commission veterinarian;
2. The therapy device is used by a veterinarian who is a permit holder; and
3. Each use of the therapy device is reported to the commission veterinarian on the treatment report.
In no case shall Notwithstanding the provisions above, whether on or off the premises, a shockwave therapy device or radial pulse wave therapy device shall not be used on a racehorse fewer than 10 days before the horse is to race. For the purposes of this calculation, the day of treatment shall be considered day one.
H. Tubing of horses prohibited. The tubing or dosing of any horse for any reason on race day is prohibited, unless administered for medical emergency purposes by a licensed veterinarian in which case the horse shall be scratched. The practice of administration of any substance, via a tube or other method, into a horse's stomach on race day is considered a violation of this chapter.
1. Using or possessing the ingredients or the paraphernalia associated with forced feeding to a horse of any alkalinizing agent with or without a concentrated form of carbohydrate, or administering any substance by tubing or other method on race day shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
2. Under the provisions of this subsection, endoscopic examination shall not be considered a violation of this chapter.
I. Notwithstanding any other provision in this chapter, no substance of any kind may be administered to a horse within three hours of the scheduled post time for the race in which the horse is entered. To ensure uniform supervision and conformity to this regulation, the trainer shall have each horse programmed to race stabled in its assigned stall within the enclosure of the horse race facility no fewer than four hours prior to post time for the respective race.
11VAC10-180-70. Phenylbutazone, flunixin and other NSAIDs.
A. Generally. By this regulation, the Virginia Racing Commission specifically permits the use of either phenylbutazone or flunixin (but not concurrently) in racehorses in the quantities provided for in this chapter.
B. Quantitative testing. Any horse to which phenylbutazone or flunixin has been administered shall be subject to testing at the direction of the commission veterinarian to determine the quantitative levels of phenylbutazone and flunixin or the presence of other substances which may be present.
C. Disciplinary actions. The stewards shall take the following disciplinary actions for reports of quantitative testing by the primary testing laboratory for levels of phenylbutazone quantified at levels above 5.0 2.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma or flunixin quantified at levels above 20 ng per milliliter of plasma in horses following races, qualifying races, and official timed workouts for the stewards or commission veterinarian:
1. The stewards shall impose the following for a post-race test quantifying phenylbutazone above 5.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma or flunixin above 20 ng per milliliter of plasma:
a. First offense within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $500 fine, disqualification and loss of purse;
b. Second offense within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $1,500 fine, disqualification and loss of purse; and
c. Third offense within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $2,500 fine, disqualification and loss of purse.
2. The stewards shall impose the following for a post-race test quantifying phenylbutazone above 2.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma:
a. For levels of phenylbutazone quantified above 2.0 to below 2.6 micrograms per milliliter of plasma: a verbal warning;
b. For levels of phenylbutazone quantified from 2.6 to 5.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma, first offense within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $500 fine;
c. For levels of phenylbutazone quantified from 2.6 to 5.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma, second offense within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $500 fine, disqualification, and loss of purse;
d. For levels of phenylbutazone quantified from 2.6 to 5.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma, third offense within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $1,500 fine, disqualification and loss of purse, and 15-day suspension;
e. For levels of phenylbutazone quantified above 5.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma, first offense within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $1,500 fine, disqualification, and loss of purse:
f. Any subsequent offense for levels of phenylbutazone quantified above 5.0 micrograms per milliliter of plasma within a 365-day period in any jurisdiction: $2,500 fine, disqualification and loss of purse, and 15-day suspension.
2. 3. The stewards, in their discretion, may impose other more stringent disciplinary actions against trainers or other permit holders who violate the provisions under which phenylbutazone or flunixin is permitted by the commission.
11VAC10-180-80. Permitted race day substances.
A. Generally. The following substances that have been determined to be solely for the benefit and welfare of the horse., nonperformance altering, of no danger to riders/drivers, and unlikely to interfere with the detection of prohibited substances, may be administered to a horse on race day are: Intravenous commercially available electrolyte solutions including calcium and magnesium, but not including bicarbonate, providing such administration is a minimum of three hours prior to the post time for that horse's race and administered under veterinary supervision within the limits of this chapter.
B. Bleeder medications. By this regulation, the Virginia Racing Commission specifically permits the use of bleeder medications in only those horses that:
1. Have been placed on the bleeders list by the stewards;
2. Have raced on furosemide in another jurisdiction and on the last previous start in a pari-mutuel race, as indicated by the past performance chart or by verification by the commission veterinarian from that racing jurisdiction, or both; or
3. Have been placed on the furosemide list by the stewards. A horse is eligible for inclusion on the furosemide list if the licensed trainer and a licensed veterinarian determine it is in the horse's best interest to race with furosemide, and the prescribed commission form is presented to the commission veterinarian prior to the close of entries for the horse's race. A horse placed on the furosemide list without demonstrating an episode of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage is not restricted from racing for the usual recovery period described in 11VAC10-180-85 D. However, any future episode of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage shall be considered a reoccurrence of bleeding for the purpose of determining restrictions from racing, as provided in this chapter.
a. A trainer or owner may discontinue the administration of furosemide to his racehorse only with the permission of the stewards. The request must be submitted in writing on forms prescribed by the commission and prior to entering the horse in a race.
b. A horse removed from the furosemide list may not be placed back on the furosemide list for a period of 60 calendar days unless the horse suffers an external bleeding incident witnessed by the commission veterinarian or his designee. In such case, the horse shall be placed on the bleeders list as though that bleeding incident was a reoccurrence of bleeding and subjected to a minimum 30-day or 90-day restriction for recovery as provided in this chapter.
C. Furosemide.
1. Procedures for usage. The use of furosemide shall be permitted by the commission only in horses eligible to receive bleeder medications and under the following circumstances:
a. Furosemide shall be administered intravenously within the enclosure of the horse race facility by a veterinarian who is a permit holder.
b. The furosemide dosage administered shall not exceed 10 ml (500 mg) and shall not be less than 3 ml (150 mg).
c. The veterinarian administering the furosemide shall deliver a furosemide treatment report to the commission no later than two hours prior to post time. The furosemide treatment report shall contain the following:
(1) The trainer's name, date, horse's name, and horse's identification number;
(2) The time furosemide was administered to the horse;
(3) The dosage level administered for this race;
(4) The barn and stall number; and
(5) The signature of the practicing veterinarian, who is a permit holder.
2. Furosemide quantification. Furosemide levels must not exceed 100 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of plasma and urine specific gravity measuring 1.010 or lower. Furosemide must be present in the plasma or urine of any horse that has been designated in the program as being treated with furosemide.
D. Disciplinary actions.
1. For the first violation of the regulation pertaining to furosemide quantification (subdivision C 2 of this section), the stewards shall issue a written reprimand to the trainer and to the practicing veterinarian, if applicable.
2. For the second violation of the regulation pertaining to furosemide quantification (subdivision C 2 of this section), the stewards shall fine the trainer, practicing veterinarian or both an amount not to exceed $500.
3. For the third violation of the regulation pertaining to furosemide quantification (subdivision C 2 of this section) within a 365-day period, the stewards shall suspend or fine the trainer, practicing veterinarian, or both, not to exceed $1,000 and 15 days.
4. The stewards, in their discretion, may impose other more stringent disciplinary actions against trainers or other permit holders who violate the provisions under which furosemide is permitted by the commission, regardless of whether or not the same horse is involved.
E. Adjunct bleeder medications. The Virginia Racing Commission permits the use of no more than one adjunct bleeder medication in horses that receive furosemide as provided for in this chapter. Such medications, if administered to a horse, must be administered on race day no less than three hours before post time. Permissible adjunct bleeder medications and maximum dosages are:
1. Conjugated estrogens, not to exceed 25 milligrams.
2. Aminocaproic acid, not to exceed 2.5 grams.
3. Tranexamic acid, not to exceed 1 gram.
4. Carbazochrome, not to exceed 5 milliliters.
F. Program designation. The licensee shall be responsible for designating in the program those horses racing on furosemide. The designation shall also include those horses making their first start while racing on furosemide. In the event there is an error, the licensee shall be responsible for making an announcement to be made over the public address system and taking other means to correct the information published in the program.
G. Discontinue use of furosemide. A trainer or owner may discontinue the administration of furosemide to his horse only with the permission of the stewards and prior to entering the horse in a race.
11VAC10-180-110. Laboratory findings and reports.
A. Primary testing laboratory. The commission shall designate a primary testing laboratory for the analysis of test samples collected under the supervision of the commission veterinarian. The commission shall designate a chief racing chemist within the primary testing laboratory who shall have the authority to report his findings to the executive secretary of the commission, the stewards and the commission veterinarian.
B. Reference laboratories. The commission shall designate one or more laboratories, other than the primary testing laboratory, as references laboratories. These laboratories will conduct confirmatory analysis of split samples. Any reference laboratory must be willing to accept split samples for confirmatory testing. Any reference laboratory shall send results to both the person requesting the testing and the commission.
C. Chief racing chemist's responsibilities. The chief racing chemist shall be responsible for safeguarding and analyzing the test samples delivered to the primary testing laboratory. It shall be the chief racing chemist's responsibility to maintain proper equipment, adequate staffing and acceptable procedures to thoroughly and accurately analyze test samples submitted to the primary testing laboratory.
D. Reporting procedures. The chief racing chemist shall submit to the executive secretary of the commission, the stewards and the commission veterinarian a written report as to each test sample analyzed, indicating by identification tag number whether the test sample was negative or there was a chemical identification.
E. Chemical identifications. If the chief racing chemist determines that there is present in the test sample a substance or metabolites of a substance foreign to the natural horse, except those specifically permitted by the regulations of the commission, he shall submit a report of chemical identification to the executive secretary of the commission, the stewards and the commission veterinarian. In a report of chemical identification, the chief racing chemist shall submit evidence acceptable in the scientific community and admissible in court in support of his determination.
F. Review of chemical identifications. Upon receipt of a report of a chemical identification from the chief racing chemist, the stewards shall conduct a review of the chemical identification, which shall include, but not be limited to, the chief racing chemist and the commission veterinarian. During the review, the following procedures shall apply:
1. All references to the report of a chemical identification shall be only by the identification tag number of the sample collected from the horse;
2. The chief racing chemist shall submit his written report of the chemical identification and the evidence supporting his finding;
3. The commission veterinarian shall submit a written statement to the stewards including, but not limited to, the class of the substance, the concentration level detected in the sample, if determined, and its probable effect on a racehorse;
4. The stewards may ask questions at any time and request further documentation as they deem necessary;
5. After receiving the appropriate information on the identified substance, the stewards shall determine whether the chemical identification constitutes a violation of the regulations of the commission and whether it should be deemed a positive test result. In doing so, the stewards shall consider, among other things, the concentration level reported, its likely effect on the horse, and whether environmental contamination may have contributed to the test result;
6. In the event of a positive test result, the stewards shall notify the trainer of the horse of his right to send the split sample collected from the horse to one of the reference laboratories, designated by the commission, for confirmatory testing;
7. If the trainer elects to send the split sample to a reference laboratory, the stewards shall take no disciplinary action against any permit holder until the results from the reference laboratory are received, and the findings shall be a part of the record of any subsequent hearing; and
8. The chief racing chemist's report of a chemical identification, the commission veterinarian's written statement, the results of confirmatory testing and any other documentation submitted to the stewards shall become part of the record of any subsequent proceedings.
G. Barred from racing. No horse from which a positive test sample was collected shall be permitted to race until the stewards have made a final determination in the matter. Such a horse shall not be immune from resulting disciplinary action by the stewards or the commission.
H. Frozen samples. Unconsumed portions of all test samples tested by the primary testing laboratory will be maintained in a frozen state until cleared by the chief racing chemist and permission for their disposal is obtained from the Senior Commonwealth Steward.
I. Split samples. The commission veterinarian or his designee shall determine a minimum test sample requirement for the primary testing laboratory. If the test sample collected is less than the minimum requirement, then the entire test sample shall be sent to the primary laboratory.
If the sample collected is greater than the minimum sample requirement but less than twice that amount, the portion of the test sample that is greater than the minimum test sample requirement shall be secured as the split sample.
If the test sample collected is greater than twice the minimum test sample requirement, a portion of the sample approximately equal to the test sample shipped to the primary testing laboratory shall be secured as the split sample.
J. Storage of split samples. Split samples shall be stored in secured location inside a locked freezer in accordance with the following procedures:
1. Split samples shall be secured in the test barn in the same manner as the portion of the test sample acquired for shipment to the primary laboratory until such time as test samples are packed and secured for shipment to the primary laboratory.
2. Upon packing of the test samples for shipment to the primary laboratory, the split samples shall be transferred to the locked freezer by the commission veterinarian or his authorized designee who shall be responsible for securing possession of the keys.
3. The freezer for storage of split samples shall be opened only for depositing or removing split samples, for inventory, or for checking the condition of split samples.
4. Whenever the freezer used for storage of split samples is opened, it shall be attended by the commission veterinarian or his designee and a representative of the horsemen if the respective horsemen's association has provided a representative. In the case that the split samples from a race must be secured in the freezer and no horsemen's representative is present, the commission veterinarian or his designee shall be in attendance.
5. A log shall be maintained each time the freezer used for storage of split samples is opened to specify each person in attendance, the purpose for opening the freezer, identification of split samples deposited or removed, the date and time the freezer was opened, and the time the freezer was locked.
6. Any evidence of a malfunction of the freezer used for storage of split samples or evidence that split samples are not in a frozen condition shall be documented in the log and immediately reported to the stewards.
K. Shipment of split samples. The trainer or owner of the horse shall have 48 hours from receipt of notice of a positive test result to request that the split sample be shipped to one of the reference laboratories designated by the commission and the split sample shall be shipped to the requested reference laboratory. The cost of shipment and additional testing shall be paid by the permit holder requesting the testing of the split sample.
L. Chain of custody form. The commission veterinarian, or his designee, shall be responsible for the completion of a chain of custody verification form that shall provide a place for recording the following information:
1. Date and time the split sample is removed from the freezer;
2. The test sample number;
3. The address of the reference laboratory;
4. The name and address where the split sample package is to be taken for shipment to the reference laboratory;
5. Verification of retrieval of the split sample from the freezer;
6. Verification that each specific step of the split sample packaging procedure is in accordance with the recommended procedure;
7. Verification of the address of the reference laboratory on the split sample package;
8. Verification of the condition of the split sample package immediately prior to the transfer of custody to the carrier for shipment to the reference laboratory; and
9. The date and time custody of the split sample package was transferred to the carrier. The commission veterinarian, or his designee, shall witness, attest and sign the form, and a copy of the form shall be supplied to the trainer or owner.
In the event that the trainer or owner of the horse, or his designee, is not present, the commission veterinarian may not remove the split sample from the freezer or ship the split sample to a reference laboratory unless the trainer or owner has declined in writing his option to witness the removal, packaging and shipping procedure.
M. Packaging the split sample. The following procedures shall apply to the packaging of the split sample:
1. The split sample shall be removed from the freezer by the commission veterinarian or his designee; the trainer or owner, or his designee, may be present.
2. The trainer or owner, or his designee, may witness the packaging of the split sample by the commission veterinarian or his designee, in accordance with the instructions supplied by the reference laboratory.
3. The exterior of the package shall be secured and identified with initialed tape, evidence tape or other means to prevent tampering with the package.
4. The trainer or owner, or his designee, may accompany the commission veterinarian or his designee while delivering the package containing the split sample to the location where custody is transferred to the delivery carrier for shipment to the reference laboratory.
5. The trainer or owner, or his designee, may inspect the package containing the split sample immediately prior to transfer to the delivery carrier to verify that the package is intact and has not been tampered with.
6. The trainer or owner, or his designee, if witnessing the procedures, shall sign the chain of custody verification form.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1876; Filed April 3, 2009, 12:50 p.m.
TITLE 13. HOUSING
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The following regulatory action is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 c of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to meet the requirements of federal law or regulations provided such regulations do not differ materially from those required by federal law or regulation. The Department of Housing and Community Development will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Title of Regulation: 13VAC5-63. Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (amending 13VAC5-63-220).
Statutory Authority: § 36-98 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: June 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Stephen W. Calhoun, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Housing and Community Development, The Jackson Center, 501 North 2nd Street, Richmond, VA 23219-1321, telephone (804) 371-7000, FAX (804) 371-7090, TTY (804) 371-7089, or email steve.calhoun@dhcd.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The amendments update the Uniform Statewide Building Code to incorporate by reference the recent changes and additions to the Federal Construction Standards of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Federal Construction Standards are enforcement provisions for the design, construction, distribution, and installation of manufactured homes. As of October 2008, HUD instituted manufactured home installation standards as part of its enforcement procedures to be the standard for the installation of manufactured homes in all states. The amendments to the Uniform Statewide Building Code allow the Commonwealth of Virginia to adopt Installation Standards of HUD Part 3285 as the most current installation standard available.
13VAC5-63-220. Chapter 4 Special detailed requirements based on use and occupancy.
A. Add Section 407.8 to the IBC to read:
407.8 Special locking arrangement. Means of egress doors shall be permitted to contain locking devices restricting the means of egress in areas in which the clinical needs of the patients require restraint of movement, where all of the following conditions are met:
1. The locks release upon activation of the fire alarm system or the loss of power.
2. The building is equipped with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
3. A manual release device is provided at a nursing station responsible for the area.
4. A key-operated switch or other manual device is provided adjacent to each door equipped with the locking device. Such switch or other device, when operated, shall result in direct interruption of power to the lock -- independent of the control system electronics.
5. All staff shall have keys or other means to unlock the switch or other device or each door provided with the locking device.
B. Add Section 407.9 to the IBC to read:
407.9 Emergency power systems. Emergency power shall be provided for medical life support equipment, operating, recovery, intensive care, emergency rooms, fire detection and alarm systems in any Group I-2 occupancy licensed by the Virginia Department of Health as a hospital, nursing home or hospice facility.
C. Change Section 408.2 of the IBC to read:
408.2 Other occupancies. Buildings or portions of buildings in Group I-3 occupancies where security operations necessitate the locking of required means of egress shall be permitted to be classified as a different occupancy. Occupancies classified as other than Group I-3 shall meet the applicable requirements of this code for that occupancy provided provisions are made for the release of occupants at all times. Where the provisions of this code for occupancies other than Group I-3 are more restrictive than the provisions for Group I-3 occupancies, the Group I-3 occupancy provisions shall be permitted to be used.
Means of egress from detention and correctional occupancies that traverse other use areas shall, as a minimum, conform to requirements for detention and correctional occupancies.
Exception: It is permissible to exit through a horizontal exit into other contiguous occupancies that do not conform to detention and correctional occupancy egress provisions but that do comply with requirements set forth in the appropriate occupancy, as long as the occupancy is not a high-hazard use.
D. Add a new Section 408.3.4 to the IBC to read as follows and renumber existing Sections 408.3.4, 408.3.5 and 408.3.6 to become Sections 408.3.5, 408.3.6 and 408.3.7 respectively:
408.3.4 Ships ladders. Ships ladders in accordance with Section 1009.12 shall be permitted from facility observation or control rooms.
E. Change Section 408.3.6 of the IBC to read:
408.3.6 Sallyports. A sallyport shall be permitted in a means of egress where there are provisions for continuous and unobstructed passage through the sallyport during an emergency egress condition. A sallyport is a security vestible with two or more doors where the intended purpose is to prevent continuous and unobstructed passage by allowing the release of only one door at a time.
F. Add Section 408.3.8 to the IBC to read:
408.3.8 Guard tower doors. A hatch or trap door not less than 16 square feet (.929 m2) in area through the floor and having minimum dimensions of not less than two feet (609.6 mm) in any direction shall be permitted to be used to access guard towers.
G. Add Section 408.5.1 to the IBC to read:
408.5.1 Noncombustible shaft openings in communicating floor levels. Where vertical openings are permitted without enclosure protection in accordance with Section 408.5, noncombustible shafts such as plumbing chases shall also be permitted without enclosure protection. Where additional stories are located above or below, the shaft shall be permitted to continue with fire and smoke damper protection provided at the fire resistance rated floor/ceiling assembly between the noncommunicating stories.
H. Change Section 408.8 of the IBC to read:
408.8 Windowless buildings. For the purposes of this section, a windowless building or portion of a building is one with nonopenable windows, windows not readily breakable or without windows. Windowless buildings shall be provided with an engineered smoke control system to provide a tenable environment for exiting from the smoke compartment in the area of fire origin in accordance with Section 909 for each windowless smoke compartment.
I. Add Section 415.1.1 to the IBC to read:
415.1.1 Flammable and combustible liquids. Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter, the storage, handling, processing, and transporting of flammable and combustible liquids shall be in accordance with the mechanical code and the fire code listed in Chapter 35 of this code. Regulations governing the installation, repair, upgrade, and closure of underground and aboveground storage tanks under the Virginia State Water Control Board regulations 9VAC25-91 and 9VAC25-580 are adopted and incorporated by reference to be an enforceable part of this code. Where differences occur between the provisions of this code and the incorporated provisions of the State Water Control Board regulations, the provisions of the State Water Control Board regulations shall apply.
J. Add IBC Section 421 Manufactured Homes and Industrialized Buildings.
K. Add Section 421.1 to the IBC to read:
421.1 General. The provisions of this section shall apply to the installation or erection of manufactured homes subject to the Virginia Manufactured Home Safety Regulations (13VAC5-95) and industrialized buildings subject to the Virginia Industrialized Building Safety Regulations (13VAC5-91).
L. Add Section 421.2 to the IBC to read:
421.2 Site work for manufactured homes. The installation of a manufactured home is generally subject to the requirements of the Virginia Manufactured Home Safety Regulations (13VAC5-95). Under those regulations, the building official is responsible for assuring that the installation complies with the manufacturer's installation instructions and any special conditions or limitations of use stipulated by the label. To the extent that any aspect of the installation is not provided for in the manufacturer's installation instructions, then the installation shall comply with applicable requirements of this code 24 CFR Part 3285 – Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards. In the case where the manufacturer's installation instructions for a manufactured home are not available, the NCSBCS/ANSI A225.1 standard, 1994 edition, may 24 CFR Part 3285 – Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards shall be substituted for the manufacturer's installation instructions. Foundations, stoops, decks, porches, alterations and additions associated with manufactured homes are subject to the requirements of this code and all administrative requirements of this code for permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy are also applicable. The requirements of the IRC shall be permitted to be used for the technical requirements for such construction work. In addition, Appendix E of the IRC entitled, "Manufactured Housing used as Dwellings," shall be an acceptable alternative to this code for construction work associated with the installation of manufactured homes and for additions, alterations and repairs to manufactured homes.
M. Add Section 421.3 to the IBC to read:
421.3 Wind load requirements for manufactured homes. Manufactured homes shall be anchored to withstand the wind loads established by the federal regulation for the area in which the manufactured home is installed. For the purpose of this code, Wind Zone II of the federal regulation shall include the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach.
N. Add Section 421.4 to the IBC to read:
421.4 Skirting requirements for manufactured homes. As used in this section, "skirting" means a weather-resistant material used to enclose the space from the bottom of the manufactured home to grade. Manufactured homes installed or relocated shall have skirting installed within 60 days of occupancy of the home. Skirting materials shall be durable, suitable for exterior exposures and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions. Skirting shall be secured as necessary to ensure stability, to minimize vibrations, to minimize susceptibility to wind damage and to compensate for possible frost heave. Each manufactured home shall have a minimum of one opening in the skirting providing access to any water supply or sewer drain connections under the home. Such openings shall be a minimum of 18 inches (457 mm) in any dimension and not less than three square feet (.28 m2) in area. The access panel or door shall not be fastened in a manner requiring the use of a special tool to open or remove the panel or door. On-site fabrication of the skirting by the owner or installer of the home shall be acceptable, provided that the material meets the requirements of this code.
O. Add Section 421.5 to the IBC to read:
421.5 Site work for industrialized buildings. Site work for the erection and installation of an industrialized building is generally subject to the requirements of the Virginia Industrialized Building Safety Regulations (13VAC5-91) and the building official has certain enforcement responsibilities under those regulations. To the extent that any aspect of the erection or installation of an industrialized building is not covered by those regulations, this code shall be applicable. In addition, all administrative requirements of this code for permits, inspections and certificates of occupancy are also applicable. The requirements of the IRC shall be permitted to be used for any construction work that is subject to this code where the industrialized building would be classified as a Group R-5 building.
P. Add Section 421.6 to the IBC to read:
421.6 Relocated industrialized buildings; alterations and additions. Industrialized buildings constructed prior to January 1, 1972, shall be subject to Section 117 when relocated. Alterations and additions to existing industrialized buildings shall be subject to pertinent provisions of this code. Building officials shall be permitted to require the submission of plans and specifications for the model to aid in the evaluation of the proposed alteration or addition. Such plans and specifications shall be permitted to be submitted in electronic or other available format acceptable to the building official.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1872; Filed April 6, 2009, 3:11 p.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF DENTISTRY
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Dentistry has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Dentistry will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Title of Regulation: 18VAC60-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Dentistry and Dental Hygiene (amending 18VAC60-20-16).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Sandra Reen, Executive Director, Board of Dentistry, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4538, FAX (804) 527-4428, or email sandra.reen@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Dentistry has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
18VAC60-20-16. Address of record.
At all times, each licensed dentist and dental hygienist shall provide the board with a current, primary business address of record, and each dental hygienist shall provide a current mailing address. All required notices mailed by the board to any such licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record given by the licensee. All changes of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be furnished to the board in writing within 30 days of such changes.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1845; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:14 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND EMBALMERS
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Title of Regulation: 18VAC65-20. Regulations of the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers (amending 18VAC65-20-60).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Lisa Russell Hahn, Executive Director, Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4424, FAX (804) 527-4637, or email lisa.hahn@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
18VAC65-20-60. Accuracy of information.
A. All changes of mailing in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record, or in the name of a licensee or registrant shall be furnished to the board within 30 days after the change occurs.
B. Any change in ownership or manager of record for an establishment shall be reported to the board within 14 days of the change.
C. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any registrant or licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board and shall not relieve the licensee, funeral service intern, establishment, or firm of obligation to comply.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1846; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:13 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND EMBALMERS
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Title of Regulation: 18VAC65-30. Regulations for Preneed Funeral Planning (amending 18VAC65-30-180).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Lisa Russell Hahn, Executive Director, Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4424, FAX (804) 527-4637, or email lisa.hahn@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
Chapter 653 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly amended the Code of Virginia by adding § 38.2-3100.3, pertaining to requirements of life insurance or annuity contracts used to fund preneed funeral contracts. 18VAC65-30-180 specifies the content of a preneed funeral contract funded by life insurance or an annuity and compliance with the provisions of § 54.1-2820 B of the Code of Virginia. This section is amended to also include a requirement for compliance with provisions of § 38.2-3100.3 of the Code of Virginia.
18VAC65-30-180. Life insurance or annuity.
If a life insurance or annuity policy is used to fund the preneed funeral contract, the contract shall be in compliance with provisions of §§ 38.2-3100.3 and 54.1-2820 B of the Code of Virginia and shall contain the following information:
1. Name of the contract provider;
2. Name and funeral license number of contract seller;
3. Place of employment of contract seller;
4. Name of insurance agent and agent's insurance license number;
5. Insurance agent's employer and insurance company represented by insurance agent; and
6. Identification as to whether the insurance agent is a funeral service licensee and, if so, the funeral service license number.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1832; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:12 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF NURSING
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Nursing has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Nursing will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Titles of Regulations: 18VAC90-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Nursing (amending 18VAC90-20-35).
18VAC90-25. Regulations Governing Certified Nurse Aides (amending 18VAC90-25-15).
18VAC90-30. Regulations Governing the Licensure of Nurse Practitioners (amending 18VAC90-30-100).
18VAC90-50. Regulations Governing the Certification of Massage Therapists (amending 18VAC90-50-20).
18VAC90-60. Regulations Governing the Registration of Medication Aides (amending 18VAC90-60-20).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Jay P. Douglas, R.N., Executive Director, Board of Nursing, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4515, FAX (804) 527-4455, or email jay.douglas@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Nursing has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
Amendments also allow for the nurses, nurse aides, and practitioners practicing in certain settings to wear a name tag that only has the person’s first name and last initial and appropriate title.
18VAC90-20-35. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title for the license, certification, or registration issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A licensee who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate license shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each licensee shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address by a licensee of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted by a licensee in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-25-15. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A certificate holder who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. Each certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board , and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-30-100. Renewal of licensure.
A. Licensure of a nurse practitioner shall be renewed:
1. Biennially at the same time the license to practice as a registered nurse in Virginia is renewed; or
2. If licensed as a nurse practitioner with a multistate licensure privilege to practice in Virginia as a registered nurse, a licensee born in even-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in even-numbered years and a licensee born in odd-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in odd-numbered years.
B. The renewal notice of the license shall be mailed to the last known address of record of each nurse practitioner. Failure to receive the renewal notice shall not relieve the licensee of the responsibility for renewing the license by the expiration date.
C. The licensed nurse practitioner shall attest to compliance with continuing competency requirements of current professional certification or continuing education as prescribed in 18VAC90-30-105 and the license renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC90-30-50.
D. The license shall automatically lapse if the licensee fails to renew by the expiration date. Any person practicing as a nurse practitioner during the time a license has lapsed shall be subject to disciplinary actions by the boards.
18VAC90-50-20. Operational requirements.
A. Requirements for current mailing address.
1. Each applicant or certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing address of record with the board. Any change of in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change.
2. All required notices mailed by the board to any applicant or certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
B. A certificate holder who has had a change of name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each certified massage therapist shall conspicuously post his current Virginia certificate in a public area at his practice location.
18VAC90-60-20. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible to the client and that indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting.
B. A medication aide who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. A medication aide shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any registrant shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1825; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:15 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF NURSING
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Nursing has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Nursing will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Titles of Regulations: 18VAC90-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Nursing (amending 18VAC90-20-35).
18VAC90-25. Regulations Governing Certified Nurse Aides (amending 18VAC90-25-15).
18VAC90-30. Regulations Governing the Licensure of Nurse Practitioners (amending 18VAC90-30-100).
18VAC90-50. Regulations Governing the Certification of Massage Therapists (amending 18VAC90-50-20).
18VAC90-60. Regulations Governing the Registration of Medication Aides (amending 18VAC90-60-20).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Jay P. Douglas, R.N., Executive Director, Board of Nursing, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4515, FAX (804) 527-4455, or email jay.douglas@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Nursing has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
Amendments also allow for the nurses, nurse aides, and practitioners practicing in certain settings to wear a name tag that only has the person’s first name and last initial and appropriate title.
18VAC90-20-35. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title for the license, certification, or registration issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A licensee who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate license shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each licensee shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address by a licensee of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted by a licensee in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-25-15. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A certificate holder who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. Each certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board , and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-30-100. Renewal of licensure.
A. Licensure of a nurse practitioner shall be renewed:
1. Biennially at the same time the license to practice as a registered nurse in Virginia is renewed; or
2. If licensed as a nurse practitioner with a multistate licensure privilege to practice in Virginia as a registered nurse, a licensee born in even-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in even-numbered years and a licensee born in odd-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in odd-numbered years.
B. The renewal notice of the license shall be mailed to the last known address of record of each nurse practitioner. Failure to receive the renewal notice shall not relieve the licensee of the responsibility for renewing the license by the expiration date.
C. The licensed nurse practitioner shall attest to compliance with continuing competency requirements of current professional certification or continuing education as prescribed in 18VAC90-30-105 and the license renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC90-30-50.
D. The license shall automatically lapse if the licensee fails to renew by the expiration date. Any person practicing as a nurse practitioner during the time a license has lapsed shall be subject to disciplinary actions by the boards.
18VAC90-50-20. Operational requirements.
A. Requirements for current mailing address.
1. Each applicant or certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing address of record with the board. Any change of in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change.
2. All required notices mailed by the board to any applicant or certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
B. A certificate holder who has had a change of name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each certified massage therapist shall conspicuously post his current Virginia certificate in a public area at his practice location.
18VAC90-60-20. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible to the client and that indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting.
B. A medication aide who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. A medication aide shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any registrant shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1825; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:15 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF NURSING
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Nursing has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Nursing will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Titles of Regulations: 18VAC90-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Nursing (amending 18VAC90-20-35).
18VAC90-25. Regulations Governing Certified Nurse Aides (amending 18VAC90-25-15).
18VAC90-30. Regulations Governing the Licensure of Nurse Practitioners (amending 18VAC90-30-100).
18VAC90-50. Regulations Governing the Certification of Massage Therapists (amending 18VAC90-50-20).
18VAC90-60. Regulations Governing the Registration of Medication Aides (amending 18VAC90-60-20).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Jay P. Douglas, R.N., Executive Director, Board of Nursing, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4515, FAX (804) 527-4455, or email jay.douglas@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Nursing has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
Amendments also allow for the nurses, nurse aides, and practitioners practicing in certain settings to wear a name tag that only has the person’s first name and last initial and appropriate title.
18VAC90-20-35. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title for the license, certification, or registration issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A licensee who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate license shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each licensee shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address by a licensee of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted by a licensee in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-25-15. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A certificate holder who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. Each certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board , and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-30-100. Renewal of licensure.
A. Licensure of a nurse practitioner shall be renewed:
1. Biennially at the same time the license to practice as a registered nurse in Virginia is renewed; or
2. If licensed as a nurse practitioner with a multistate licensure privilege to practice in Virginia as a registered nurse, a licensee born in even-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in even-numbered years and a licensee born in odd-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in odd-numbered years.
B. The renewal notice of the license shall be mailed to the last known address of record of each nurse practitioner. Failure to receive the renewal notice shall not relieve the licensee of the responsibility for renewing the license by the expiration date.
C. The licensed nurse practitioner shall attest to compliance with continuing competency requirements of current professional certification or continuing education as prescribed in 18VAC90-30-105 and the license renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC90-30-50.
D. The license shall automatically lapse if the licensee fails to renew by the expiration date. Any person practicing as a nurse practitioner during the time a license has lapsed shall be subject to disciplinary actions by the boards.
18VAC90-50-20. Operational requirements.
A. Requirements for current mailing address.
1. Each applicant or certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing address of record with the board. Any change of in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change.
2. All required notices mailed by the board to any applicant or certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
B. A certificate holder who has had a change of name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each certified massage therapist shall conspicuously post his current Virginia certificate in a public area at his practice location.
18VAC90-60-20. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible to the client and that indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting.
B. A medication aide who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. A medication aide shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any registrant shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1825; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:15 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF NURSING
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Nursing has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Nursing will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Titles of Regulations: 18VAC90-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Nursing (amending 18VAC90-20-35).
18VAC90-25. Regulations Governing Certified Nurse Aides (amending 18VAC90-25-15).
18VAC90-30. Regulations Governing the Licensure of Nurse Practitioners (amending 18VAC90-30-100).
18VAC90-50. Regulations Governing the Certification of Massage Therapists (amending 18VAC90-50-20).
18VAC90-60. Regulations Governing the Registration of Medication Aides (amending 18VAC90-60-20).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Jay P. Douglas, R.N., Executive Director, Board of Nursing, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4515, FAX (804) 527-4455, or email jay.douglas@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Nursing has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
Amendments also allow for the nurses, nurse aides, and practitioners practicing in certain settings to wear a name tag that only has the person’s first name and last initial and appropriate title.
18VAC90-20-35. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title for the license, certification, or registration issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A licensee who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate license shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each licensee shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address by a licensee of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted by a licensee in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-25-15. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A certificate holder who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. Each certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board , and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-30-100. Renewal of licensure.
A. Licensure of a nurse practitioner shall be renewed:
1. Biennially at the same time the license to practice as a registered nurse in Virginia is renewed; or
2. If licensed as a nurse practitioner with a multistate licensure privilege to practice in Virginia as a registered nurse, a licensee born in even-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in even-numbered years and a licensee born in odd-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in odd-numbered years.
B. The renewal notice of the license shall be mailed to the last known address of record of each nurse practitioner. Failure to receive the renewal notice shall not relieve the licensee of the responsibility for renewing the license by the expiration date.
C. The licensed nurse practitioner shall attest to compliance with continuing competency requirements of current professional certification or continuing education as prescribed in 18VAC90-30-105 and the license renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC90-30-50.
D. The license shall automatically lapse if the licensee fails to renew by the expiration date. Any person practicing as a nurse practitioner during the time a license has lapsed shall be subject to disciplinary actions by the boards.
18VAC90-50-20. Operational requirements.
A. Requirements for current mailing address.
1. Each applicant or certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing address of record with the board. Any change of in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change.
2. All required notices mailed by the board to any applicant or certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
B. A certificate holder who has had a change of name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each certified massage therapist shall conspicuously post his current Virginia certificate in a public area at his practice location.
18VAC90-60-20. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible to the client and that indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting.
B. A medication aide who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. A medication aide shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any registrant shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1825; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:15 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF NURSING
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Nursing has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Nursing will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Titles of Regulations: 18VAC90-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Nursing (amending 18VAC90-20-35).
18VAC90-25. Regulations Governing Certified Nurse Aides (amending 18VAC90-25-15).
18VAC90-30. Regulations Governing the Licensure of Nurse Practitioners (amending 18VAC90-30-100).
18VAC90-50. Regulations Governing the Certification of Massage Therapists (amending 18VAC90-50-20).
18VAC90-60. Regulations Governing the Registration of Medication Aides (amending 18VAC90-60-20).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Jay P. Douglas, R.N., Executive Director, Board of Nursing, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4515, FAX (804) 527-4455, or email jay.douglas@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Nursing has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
Amendments also allow for the nurses, nurse aides, and practitioners practicing in certain settings to wear a name tag that only has the person’s first name and last initial and appropriate title.
18VAC90-20-35. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title for the license, certification, or registration issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A licensee who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate license shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each licensee shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address by a licensee of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted by a licensee in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-25-15. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter who provides direct patient care shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible and indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting. Any person practicing in hospital emergency departments, psychiatric and mental health units and programs, or in health care facilities units offering treatment for patients in custody of state or local law-enforcement agencies may use identification badges of first name and first letter only of last name and appropriate title.
B. A certificate holder who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. Each certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board , and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
18VAC90-30-100. Renewal of licensure.
A. Licensure of a nurse practitioner shall be renewed:
1. Biennially at the same time the license to practice as a registered nurse in Virginia is renewed; or
2. If licensed as a nurse practitioner with a multistate licensure privilege to practice in Virginia as a registered nurse, a licensee born in even-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in even-numbered years and a licensee born in odd-numbered years shall renew his license by the last day of the birth month in odd-numbered years.
B. The renewal notice of the license shall be mailed to the last known address of record of each nurse practitioner. Failure to receive the renewal notice shall not relieve the licensee of the responsibility for renewing the license by the expiration date.
C. The licensed nurse practitioner shall attest to compliance with continuing competency requirements of current professional certification or continuing education as prescribed in 18VAC90-30-105 and the license renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC90-30-50.
D. The license shall automatically lapse if the licensee fails to renew by the expiration date. Any person practicing as a nurse practitioner during the time a license has lapsed shall be subject to disciplinary actions by the boards.
18VAC90-50-20. Operational requirements.
A. Requirements for current mailing address.
1. Each applicant or certificate holder shall maintain a record of his current mailing address of record with the board. Any change of in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change.
2. All required notices mailed by the board to any applicant or certificate holder shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
B. A certificate holder who has had a change of name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence and the required fee.
C. Each certified massage therapist shall conspicuously post his current Virginia certificate in a public area at his practice location.
18VAC90-60-20. Identification; accuracy of records.
A. Any person regulated by this chapter shall, while on duty, wear identification that is clearly visible to the client and that indicates the person's first and last name and the appropriate title issued to such person by the board under which he is practicing in that setting.
B. A medication aide who has changed his name shall submit as legal proof to the board a copy of the marriage certificate or court order evidencing the change. A duplicate certificate shall be issued by the board upon receipt of such evidence.
C. A medication aide shall maintain a record of his current mailing an address of record with the board, and any. Any change of in the address of record or in the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be submitted in writing to the board within 30 days of such change. All notices required by law and by this chapter to be mailed by the board to any registrant shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record on file with the board.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1825; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:15 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF PHARMACY
Emergency Regulation
Title of Regulation: 18VAC110-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Pharmacy (amending 18VAC110-20-10, 18VAC110-20-400; adding 18VAC110-20-740, 18VAC110-20-750, 18VAC110-20-760, 18VAC110-20-770, 18VAC110-20-780, 18VAC110-20-790, 18VAC110-20-800).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Dates: April 10, 2009, through April 9, 2010.
Agency Contact: Elizabeth Scott Russell, RPh, Executive Director, Board of Pharmacy, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4456, FAX (804) 527-4472, or email scotti.russell@dhp.virginia.gov.
Preamble:
Chapter 429 (HB85) of the 2008 Acts of Assembly requires the Board of Pharmacy to promulgate regulations to establish a Prescription Drug Donation Program for accepting unused previously dispensed prescription drugs that meet certain criteria for re-dispensing to patients of free clinics. The second enactment of Chapter 429 requires that the board promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of the act to be effective within 280 days of its enactment. Therefore, there is an "emergency situation" as defined in § 2.2-4011 of the Administrative Process Act.
Regulations promulgated pursuant to the legislative mandate set forth requirements for pharmacies that want to register as a drug donation site; criteria for drugs eligible for donation; procedures for collecting donated drugs, including specification of information on a donor form for each drug donated; procedures for transferring and re-dispensing donated drugs; procedures for disposing of any unused donated drugs; and recordkeeping requirements associated with the program.
Part I
General Provisions
18VAC110-20-10. Definitions.
In addition to words and terms defined in §§ 54.1-3300 and 54.1-3401 of the Code of Virginia, the following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"ACPE" means the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
"Acquisition" of an existing entity permitted, registered or licensed by the board means (i) the purchase or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the entity or of any corporation that owns or controls the entity; (ii) the creation of a partnership by a sole proprietor or change in partnership composition; (iii) the acquiring of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of voting stock of a corporation owning the entity or of the parent corporation of a wholly owned subsidiary owning the entity, except that this shall not apply to any corporation the voting stock of which is actively traded on any securities exchange or in any over-the-counter market; or (iv) the merger of a corporation owning the entity, or of the parent corporation of a wholly owned subsidiary owning the entity, with another business or corporation.
"Beyond-use date" means the date beyond which the integrity of a compounded, repackaged, or dispensed drug can no longer be assured and as such is deemed to be adulterated or misbranded as defined in §§ 54.1-3461 and 54.1-3462 of the Code of Virginia.
"Board" means the Virginia Board of Pharmacy.
"CE" means continuing education as required for renewal of licensure by the Board of Pharmacy.
"CEU" means a continuing education unit awarded for credit as the equivalent of 10 contact hours.
"Compliance packaging" means packaging for dispensed drugs which is comprised of a series of containers for solid oral dosage forms and which is designed to assist the user in administering or self-administering the drugs in accordance with directions for use.
"Contact hour" means the amount of credit awarded for 60 minutes of participation in and successful completion of a continuing education program.
"DEA" means the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
"Drug donation site" means a permitted pharmacy that specifically registers with the Virginia Board of Pharmacy for the purpose of receiving or re-dispensing eligible donated prescription drugs pursuant to § 54.1-3411.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Electronic transmission prescription" means any prescription, other than an oral or written prescription or a prescription transmitted by facsimile machine, that is electronically transmitted from a practitioner authorized to prescribe directly to a pharmacy without interception or intervention from a third party, or from one pharmacy to another pharmacy.
"Expiration date" means that date placed on a drug package by the manufacturer or repacker beyond which the product may not be dispensed or used.
"Facsimile (FAX) prescription" means a written prescription or order which is transmitted by an electronic device over telephone lines which sends the exact image to the receiver (pharmacy) in a hard copy form.
"FDA" means the United States Food and Drug Administration.
"Floor stock" means a supply of drugs that have been distributed for the purpose of general administration by a prescriber or other authorized person pursuant to a valid order of a prescriber.
"Foreign school of pharmacy" means a school outside the United States and its territories offering a course of study in basic sciences, pharmacology, and pharmacy of at least four years in duration resulting in a degree that qualifies a person to practice pharmacy in that country.
"Generic drug name" means the nonproprietary name listed in the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF) or in the USAN and the USP Dictionary of Drug Names.
"Hospital" or "nursing home" means those facilities as defined in Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia or as defined in regulations by the Virginia Department of Health.
"Inactive license" means a license which is registered with the Commonwealth but does not entitle the licensee to practice, the holder of which is not required to submit documentation of CE necessary to hold an active license.
"Long-term care facility" means a nursing home, retirement care, mental care or other facility or institution which provides extended health care to resident patients.
"Nuclear pharmacy" means a pharmacy providing radiopharmaceutical services.
"On duty" means that a pharmacist is on the premises at the address of the permitted pharmacy and is available as needed.
"Permitted physician" means a physician who is licensed pursuant to § 54.1-3304 of the Code of Virginia to dispense drugs to persons to whom or for whom pharmacy services are not reasonably available.
"Personal supervision" means the pharmacist must be physically present and render direct, personal control over the entire service being rendered or act being performed. Neither prior nor future instructions shall be sufficient nor, shall supervision rendered by telephone, written instructions, or by any mechanical or electronic methods be sufficient.
"Pharmacy closing" means that the permitted pharmacy ceases pharmacy services or fails to provide for continuity of pharmacy services or lawful access to patient prescription records or other required patient records for the purpose of continued pharmacy services to patients.
"PIC" means the pharmacist-in-charge of a permitted pharmacy.
"Practice location" means any location in which a prescriber evaluates or treats a patient.
"Prescription department" means any contiguous or noncontiguous areas used for the compounding, dispensing and storage of all Schedule II through VI drugs and devices and any Schedule I investigational drugs.
"PTCB" means the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, co-founded by the American Pharmaceutical Association and the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, as the national organization for voluntary examination and certification of pharmacy technicians.
"Quality assurance plan" means a plan approved by the board for continuous monitoring, measuring, evaluating, and, if necessary, improving the performance of a pharmacy function or system.
"Radiopharmaceutical" means any drug that exhibits spontaneous disintegration of unstable nuclei with the emission of nuclear particles or photons and includes any nonradioactive reagent kit or radionuclide generator that is intended to be used in the preparation of any such substance, but does not include drugs such as carbon-containing compounds or potassium-containing salts that include trace quantities of naturally occurring radionuclides. The term also includes any biological product that is labeled with a radionuclide or intended solely to be labeled with a radionuclide.
"Repackaged drug" means any drug removed from the manufacturer's original package and placed in different packaging.
"Robotic pharmacy system" means a mechanical system controlled by a computer that performs operations or activities relative to the storage, packaging, labeling, dispensing, or distribution of medications, and collects, controls, and maintains all transaction information.
"Safety closure container" means a container which meets the requirements of the federal Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 (15 USC §§ 1471-1476), i.e., in testing such containers, that 85% of a test group of 200 children of ages 41-52 months are unable to open the container in a five-minute period and that 80% fail in another five minutes after a demonstration of how to open it and that 90% of a test group of 100 adults must be able to open and close the container.
"Satellite pharmacy" means a pharmacy which is noncontiguous to the centrally permitted pharmacy of a hospital but at the location designated on the pharmacy permit.
"Special packaging" means packaging that is designed or constructed to be significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open to obtain a toxic or harmful amount of the drug contained therein within a reasonable time and not difficult for normal adults to use properly, but does not mean packaging which all such children cannot open or obtain a toxic or harmful amount within a reasonable time.
"Special use permit" means a permit issued to conduct a pharmacy of a special scope of service that varies in any way from the provisions of any board regulation.
"Storage temperature" means those specific directions stated in some monographs with respect to the temperatures at which pharmaceutical articles shall be stored, where it is considered that storage at a lower or higher temperature may produce undesirable results. The conditions are defined by the following terms:
1. "Cold" means any temperature not exceeding 8°C (46°F). A refrigerator is a cold place in which temperature is maintained thermostatically between 2° and 8°C (36° and 46°F). A freezer is a cold place in which the temperature is maintained thermostatically between -20° and -10°C (-4° and 14°F).
2. "Room temperature" means the temperature prevailing in a working area.
3. "Controlled room temperature" means a temperature maintained thermostatically that encompasses the usual and customary working environment of 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F); that results in a mean kinetic temperature calculated to be not more than 25°C; and that allows for excursions between 15° and 30°C (59° and 86°F) that are experienced in pharmacies, hospitals, and warehouses.
4. "Warm" means any temperature between 30° and 40°C (86° and 104°F).
5. "Excessive heat" means any temperature above 40°C (104°F).
6. "Protection from freezing" means where, in addition to the risk of breakage of the container, freezing subjects a product to loss of strength or potency, or to the destructive alteration of its characteristics, the container label bears an appropriate instruction to protect the product from freezing.
7. "Cool" means any temperature between 8° and 15°C (46° and 59°F).
"Terminally ill" means a patient with a terminal condition as defined in § 54.1-2982 of the Code of Virginia.
"Unit dose container" means a container that is a single-unit container, as defined in United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary, for articles intended for administration by other than the parenteral route as a single dose, direct from the container.
"Unit dose package" means a container that contains a particular dose ordered for a patient.
"Unit dose system" means a system in which multiple drugs in unit dose packaging are dispensed in a single container, such as a medication drawer or bin, labeled only with patient name and location. Directions for administration are not provided by the pharmacy on the drug packaging or container but are obtained by the person administering directly from a prescriber's order or medication administration record.
"USP-NF" means the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary.
"Well-closed container" means a container that protects the contents from extraneous solids and from loss of the drug under the ordinary or customary conditions of handling, shipment, storage, and distribution.
18VAC110-20-400. Returning of drugs and devices.
A. Drugs may be accepted for return or exchange by any pharmacist or pharmacy for resale in accordance with the provisions of § 54.1-3411.1 of the Code of Virginia. Devices may be accepted for return or exchange provided the device is in the manufacturer's original sealed packaging.
B. Any pharmacy accepting drugs returned from nursing homes for the purpose of redispensing to the indigent free of charge shall maintain a copy of a written agreement with the nursing home in accordance with § 54.1-3411.1 B of the Code of Virginia and a current policy and procedure manual describing the following:
1. Method of delivery from the nursing home to the pharmacy and of tracking of all prescription medications;
2. Procedure for determining the suitability and integrity of drugs for redispensing to include assurance that the drugs have been stored according to official compendial standards; and
3. Procedure for assigning a beyond-use date on redispensed drugs.
18VAC110-20-740. Drug donation sites.
Any pharmacy with a current active pharmacy permit may apply on a form provided by the board for registration as a drug donation site. A registered drug donation site may receive eligible donated drugs, transfer such donated drugs to another registered drug donation site, or re-dispense the donated drugs in accordance with § 54.1-3411.1 of the Code of Virginia to patients of clinics organized in whole or in part for the delivery of health care services to the indigent. Drugs collected under the drug donation program may not be dispensed to any other patient, sold, or otherwise distributed except as authorized in 18VAC110-20-770 or 18VAC110-20-790.
18VAC110-20-750. Eligible drugs.
A. Drugs may be accepted by a registered drug donation site only if the following criteria are met:
1. Official compendium storage requirements are assured and the drugs are in manufacturers' original sealed containers or in sealed individual dose or unit dose packaging that meets official compendium class A or B container requirements, or better, as set forth in § 54.1-3411.1 A 2 of the Code of Virginia;
2. The drugs bear an expiration date that is not less than 90 days from the date the drug is donated; and
3. The drugs have not been adulterated or misbranded.
B. The following drugs shall not be accepted by a drug donation site:
1. Schedule II-V controlled substances or any other drug, if such return is inconsistent with federal law;
2. Drugs determined to be hazardous for donation based on the pharmacist's professional judgment, experience, knowledge, or available reference materials;
3. Drugs that may only be dispensed to a patient registered with the drug manufacturer under a restricted distribution system; and
4. Drugs that have been previously compounded.
18VAC110-20-760. Procedures for collecting eligible donated drugs.
A. A pharmacist or a pharmacy technician under the personal supervision of a pharmacist shall receive and conduct the initial screening for eligibility of donated drugs.
B. At the time of accepting donated drugs, the drug donation site shall ensure that a donor form is completed. The drug donation site shall give a copy to the person donating the drug at the time of the donation and shall maintain the original donor form. A donor form is not required for drugs donated by a patient residing in a long term care facility or other facility where drugs are administered to that patient, if the drugs are donated directly to the provider pharmacy for that facility and such provider pharmacy is registered as a drug donation site.
C. A donor form shall include the following information:
1. A statement that the donor is the patient or patient's agent for whom the prescription drug was dispensed;
2. A statement that the donor intends to voluntarily donate the prescription drug for re-dispensing;
3. A statement attesting that the drugs have been properly stored at all times while in the possession of the patient according to official compendium storage requirements;
4. Contact information of the patient or patient's agent;
5. The date of donation;
6. A listing of the donated drugs to include name, strength, and quantity;
7. A statement that private health information will be protected;
8. The signature of the patient or patient's agent; and
9. The initials of the receiving pharmacist, or the initials of the receiving pharmacy technician and supervising pharmacist.
D. Donated prescription drugs shall be stored within the prescription department, separate from other drug inventory.
E. Prior to transferring any donated drugs or re-dispensing donated drugs, a pharmacist shall perform a final review of any donated drug for eligibility and shall ensure that all the donor's patient specific information has been removed from previous labeling or rendered unreadable.
F. A drug donation site may not charge a fee for collecting donated drugs.
18VAC110-20-770. Procedure for transferring donated prescription drugs.
A. A drug donation site may transfer eligible donated prescription drugs to another drug donation site for the purpose of re-dispensing.
B. The transferring drug donation site shall provide a transfer record to the receiving drug donation site that includes the following:
1. The names and addresses of the transferring site and the receiving site;
2. The name, strength, and quantity of each donated drug being transferred; and
3. The date of transfer.
C. The original transfer record shall be maintained by the transferring drug donation site.
D. A copy of the transfer record shall be provided to the receiving drug donation site, the date of receipt shall be recorded on the copy, and it shall be maintained by the receiving drug donation site.
18VAC110-20-780. Procedure for dispensing donated prescription drugs.
A. A drug donation site re-dispensing donated prescription drugs shall comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations for dispensing prescription drugs.
B. The pharmacy re-dispensing donated drugs shall not charge for cost of donated drugs, but may charge a dispensing or administrative fee for each such drug re-dispensed, consistent with the provisions of subdivision 10 of § 54.1-3301 of the Code of Virginia.
C. Recipients of a re-dispensed donated drug shall sign a form prior to receiving the drug that includes a statement that the recipient understands that the drug received has been donated for the purpose of re-dispensing pursuant to § 54.1-3411.1 of the Code of Virginia. The drug donation site shall maintain this form.
D. A drug donation site is under no obligation to obtain a prescription drug that is not in inventory at the time of a request for such drug.
18VAC110-20-790. Procedures for disposing of donated prescription drugs.
A. A drug donation site in possession of donated prescription drugs ineligible for re-dispensing shall dispose of such drugs in compliance with 18VAC110-20-210.
B. A drug donation site shall maintain records of disposal or transfer for disposal of donated prescription drugs separately from other pharmacy disposal records.
18VAC110-20-800. Records.
A. All records required for drug donation programs shall be maintained chronologically for two years.
B. Records and prescriptions related to donated drugs shall be maintained separately from other pharmacy records.
C. Storage of records.
1. Transfer, dispensing, and disposal records may be stored in an electronic database or record;
2. Prescriptions and signed forms, as well as any other records, may be stored as an electronic image that provides an exact, clearly legible image of the document; or
3. Records may be stored in secured storage, either on or offsite.
D. All records in offsite storage or database shall be retrieved and made available for inspection or audit within 48 hours of a request by the board or an authorized agent.
NOTICE: The forms used in administering the above regulation are listed below. Any amended or added forms are reflected in the listing and are published following the listing.
FORMS (18VAC110-20)
Application for Registration as a Pharmacy Intern (rev. 8/07).
Affidavit of Practical Experience, Pharmacy Intern (rev. 8/07).
Application for Licensure as a Pharmacist by Examination (rev. 8/07).
Instructions for Reinstating or Reactivating a Pharmacist License (rev. 11/07).
Application to Reinstate or Reactivate a Pharmacist License (rev. 11/07).
Application for Approval of a Continuing Education Program (rev. 8/07).
Application for Approval of ACPE Pharmacy School Course(s) for Continuing Education Credit (rev. 8/07).
Application for License to Dispense Drugs (permitted physician) (rev. 8/07).
Application for a Pharmacy Permit (rev. 8/07).
Application for a Nonresident Pharmacy Registration (rev. 7/08).
Application for a Permit as a Medical Equipment Supplier (rev. 8/07).
Application for a Controlled Substances Registration Certificate (rev. 8/07).
Application for a Permit as a Humane Society (rev. 8/07).
Application for Registration as a Pharmacy Intern for Graduates of a Foreign College of Pharmacy (rev. 8/07).
Closing of a Pharmacy (rev. 8/07).
Application for Approval of a Robotic Pharmacy System (rev. 8/07).
Inspection Required for Approval of a Robotic Pharmacy System (rev. 8/07).
Application for Approval of an Innovative (Pilot) Program (rev. 8/07).
Pharmacy Technician Registration Instructions and Application (rev. 7/08).
Instructions for Reinstating a Pharmacy Technician Registration (rev. 11/07).
Application to Reinstate a Pharmacy Technician Registration (rev. 11/07).
Application for Approval of a Pharmacy Technician Training Program (rev. 8/07).
Application for Registration for Volunteer Practice (rev. 8/07).
Sponsor Certification for Volunteer Registration (rev. 8/07).
Preceptor Verification Form (rev. 8/07).
Application for Reinstatement of Registration as a Pharmacy Intern (eff. 9/07).
Affidavit for Limited-Use Pharmacy Technician (rev. 8/07).
Limited-Use Pharmacy Technician Registration Instructions and Application (rev. 7/08).
Application for Registration as a Limited-Use Pharmacy Technician (eff. 7/08).
Registration for a Pharmacy to be a Collection Site for Donated Drugs (eff. 4/09).
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1606; Filed April 10, 2009, 8:53 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF PHARMACY
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Pharmacy has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Pharmacy will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Title of Regulation: 18VAC110-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Pharmacy (adding 18VAC110-20-21).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Elizabeth Scott Russell, RPh, Executive Director, Board of Pharmacy, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233-1463, telephone (804) 367-4456, FAX (804) 527-4472, or email scotti.russell@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Pharmacy has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
18VAC110-20-21. Public address.
An individual licensed by or registered with the board who has provided the board with a public address that is different from the address of record shall notify the board in writing if there is a change in the address.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-17; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:13 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF PHYSICAL THERAPY
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Physical Therapy has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Physical Therapy will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Title of Regulation: 18VAC112-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Physical Therapy (amending 18VAC112-20-25).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Lisa R. Hahn, Executive Director, Board of Physical Therapy, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4424, FAX (804) 527-4413, or email lisa.hahn@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Physical Therapy has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
18VAC112-20-25. Current name and address.
Each licensee shall furnish the board his current name and address of record. All notices required by law or by this chapter to be given by the board to any licensee shall be validly given when mailed to the latest address of record provided or when served to the licensee. Any change of name or change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record, shall be furnished to the board within 30 days of such change.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1847; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:12 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Psychology has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Psychology will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Titles of Regulations: 18VAC125-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Psychology (amending 18VAC125-20-120).
18VAC125-30. Regulations Governing the Certification of Sex Offender Treatment Providers (amending 18VAC125-30-80).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Evelyn B. Brown, Executive Director, Board of Psychology, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4697, FAX (804) 327-4435, or email evelyn.brown@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Psychology has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
18VAC125-20-120. Annual renewal of licensure.
Effective January 1, 2004, every license issued by the board shall expire each year on June 30.
1. Every licensee who intends to continue to practice shall, on or before the expiration date of the license, submit to the board a license renewal application on forms supplied by the board and the renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30.
2. Beginning with the 2004 renewal, licensees who wish to maintain an active license shall pay the appropriate fee and verify on the renewal form compliance with the continuing education requirements prescribed in 18VAC125-20-121. First-time licensees are not required to verify continuing education on the first renewal date following initial licensure.
3. A licensee who wishes to place his license in inactive status may do so upon payment of the fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30. No person shall practice psychology in Virginia unless he holds a current active license. An inactive licensee may activate his license by fulfilling the reactivation requirements set forth in 18VAC125-20-130.
4. Licensees shall notify the board office in writing of any change of address of record or of the public address, if different from the address of record. Failure of a licensee to receive a renewal notice and application forms from the board shall not excuse the licensee from the renewal requirement.
18VAC125-30-80. Annual renewal of certificate.
A. Every certificate issued by the board shall expire on June 30 of each year.
B. Along with the renewal application, the certified sex offender treatment provider shall submit the renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC125-30-20.
C. Certificate holders shall notify the board in writing of a change of address of record or of the public address, if different from the address of record, within 60 days. Failure to receive a renewal notice and application form(s) shall not excuse the certified sex offender treatment provider from the renewal requirement.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1861; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:11 a.m.
TITLE 18. PROFESSIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING
BOARD OF PSYCHOLOGY
Final Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The Board of Psychology has claimed an exemption from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4006 A 4 a of the Code of Virginia, which excludes regulations that are necessary to conform to changes in Virginia statutory law or the appropriation act where no agency discretion is involved. The Board of Psychology will receive, consider and respond to petitions by any interested person at any time with respect to reconsideration or revision.
Titles of Regulations: 18VAC125-20. Regulations Governing the Practice of Psychology (amending 18VAC125-20-120).
18VAC125-30. Regulations Governing the Certification of Sex Offender Treatment Providers (amending 18VAC125-30-80).
Statutory Authority: § 54.1-2400 of the Code of Virginia.
Effective Date: July 1, 2009.
Agency Contact: Evelyn B. Brown, Executive Director, Board of Psychology, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23233, telephone (804) 367-4697, FAX (804) 327-4435, or email evelyn.brown@dhp.virginia.gov.
Summary:
In compliance with Chapter 687 of the 2009 Acts of Assembly, the Board of Psychology has amended its regulations relating to the responsibility of the licensee or registrant to provide current addresses. Every licensee and registrant is required to provide an address of record for use by the board, and is permitted to provide a second address to be used as the public address. If a second address is not provided, the address of record becomes the public address. Regulations are amended to use the statutory terminology of address of record and to clarify that the regulant has a responsibility to notify the board within 30 days if there is a change in the address of record or the public address, if different from the address of record.
18VAC125-20-120. Annual renewal of licensure.
Effective January 1, 2004, every license issued by the board shall expire each year on June 30.
1. Every licensee who intends to continue to practice shall, on or before the expiration date of the license, submit to the board a license renewal application on forms supplied by the board and the renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30.
2. Beginning with the 2004 renewal, licensees who wish to maintain an active license shall pay the appropriate fee and verify on the renewal form compliance with the continuing education requirements prescribed in 18VAC125-20-121. First-time licensees are not required to verify continuing education on the first renewal date following initial licensure.
3. A licensee who wishes to place his license in inactive status may do so upon payment of the fee prescribed in 18VAC125-20-30. No person shall practice psychology in Virginia unless he holds a current active license. An inactive licensee may activate his license by fulfilling the reactivation requirements set forth in 18VAC125-20-130.
4. Licensees shall notify the board office in writing of any change of address of record or of the public address, if different from the address of record. Failure of a licensee to receive a renewal notice and application forms from the board shall not excuse the licensee from the renewal requirement.
18VAC125-30-80. Annual renewal of certificate.
A. Every certificate issued by the board shall expire on June 30 of each year.
B. Along with the renewal application, the certified sex offender treatment provider shall submit the renewal fee prescribed in 18VAC125-30-20.
C. Certificate holders shall notify the board in writing of a change of address of record or of the public address, if different from the address of record, within 60 days. Failure to receive a renewal notice and application form(s) shall not excuse the certified sex offender treatment provider from the renewal requirement.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1861; Filed April 8, 2009, 10:11 a.m.
TITLE 21. SECURITIES AND RETAIL FRANCHISING
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
Proposed Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Corporation Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 A 2 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts courts, any agency of the Supreme Court, and any agency that by the Constitution is expressly granted any of the powers of a court of record.
Titles of Regulations: 21VAC5-10. General Administration Securities Act (amending 21VAC5-10-40).
21VAC5-20. Broker-Dealers, Broker-Dealer Agents and Agents of the Issuer (amending 21VAC5-20-60, 21VAC5-20-70, 21VAC5-20-90, 21VAC5-20-130, 21VAC5-20-150, 21VAC5-20-160; adding 21VAC5-20-135).
21VAC5-30. Securities Registration (amending 21VAC5-30-80).
21VAC5-40. Exempt Securities (amending 21VAC5-40-30).
21VAC5-45. Federal Covered Securities (amending 21VAC5-45-20).
21VAC5-80. Investment Advisors (amending 21VAC5-80-10, 21VAC5-80-70, 21VAC5-80-110, 21VAC5-80-130, 21VAC5-80-160; adding 21VAC5-80-145; repealing 21VAC5-80-140).
Statutory Authority: §§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-523 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: A public hearing will be scheduled upon request.
Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 15, 2009.
Agency Contact: Alfred L. Hughes, Registration Chief, Securities Division, State Corporation Commission, Tyler Building, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-9610, FAX (804) 371-9912, or email al.hughes@scc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The proposed amendments (i) adopt by reference recent changes to certain North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (NASAA) securities registration statements of policy; (ii) adopt by reference the NASAA Corporate Securities Definitions statement of policy; (iii) make changes to the notice filing requirements for offerings conducted pursuant to Rules 505 and 506 of Federal Regulation D; (iv) expand the definition of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) to reflect its current name; (v) correct language for mergers and consolidations; (vi) eliminate the duplicative requirement to take the Series 7 exam and allow the Series 66 exam to qualify an individual as an agent; (vii) require individuals whose agent registration has lapsed for more than two years to requalify; (viii) provide relief for those individuals registered as agents or representatives with an entity that ceases to do business by allowing the individuals to make a termination request directly to the commission; (ix) allow retiring agents to continue to receive commissions without registration; (x) require additional documents be filed as part of the initial investment advisor application process, which will assist new investment advisors in setting up required records and increase protection for the investing public; (xi) require that all principals of investment advisors meet minimum qualification standards; (xii) clarify that all investment advisor representatives shall meet minimum standards; (xiii) adopt NASAA Custody rule; and (xiv) require investment advisors to develop a disaster recovery plan.
AT RICHMOND, APRIL 7, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ex rel.
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
CASE NO. SEC-2009-00022
Ex Parte: In the matter of
Adopting a Revision to the Rules
Governing the Virginia Securities Act
ORDER TO TAKE NOTICE
Section 12.1-13 of the Code of Virginia provides that the State Corporation Commission ("Commission") shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations in the enforcement and administration of all laws within its jurisdiction. Section 13.1-523 of the Virginia Securities Act ("Act"), § 13.1-501 et seq. of the Code of Virginia provides that the Commission may issue any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
The rules and regulations issued by the Commission pursuant to the Act are set forth in Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code. A copy also may be found at the Commission's website www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The Division of Securities and Retail Franchising ("Division") has submitted to the Commission proposed revisions to Chapter 10, Chapter 20, Chapter 30, Chapter 80, and Chapter 120 of Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code entitled "Rules and Forms Governing Virginia Securities Act" ("Rules").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-10-40 redefines the term "NASD" to include reference to the organization's successor, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-60 replaces the term "corporation" with the term "entity."
Proposed amendment to Rules 21 VAC 5-20-70, 21 VAC 5-20-90, 21 VAC 5-20-150 and 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminate the requirement to take the General Securities Representative Examination or Series 7, to qualify for registration as either a broker-dealer, broker-dealer agent, agent of an NASD member or agent of an issuer. These Rules are also amended to provide that any of the other acceptable examinations required for registration be taken within two years preceding the date of application for registration with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-70 is expanded to allow the Commission to accept the appropriate FINRA principal examination requirement for the type of business conducted in lieu of the other examination requirements for broker-dealer registration purposes. Furthermore, the Rule is amended to allow an individual registered in any state jurisdiction to forego the examination requirements in the Rule if they are registered as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-130 adds a subsection allowing a broker-dealer agent to file a notice of termination if the broker-dealer fails to file such notice on Form U‑5 in the thirty (30) day time period afforded by the Rule. The new subsection also allows the Commission to terminate an agent's registration if it is determined by the Commission that the broker-dealer is no longer in existence, has ceased conducting securities business or cannot be reasonably located.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminates the requirement to file an Inspection of Records Form in an application to register as an agent of an issuer.
New Rule 21 VAC 5-20-135 is added to allow agents terminating employment with registered broker-dealers by reason of retirement or disability to continue to receive compensation after such termination provided certain enumerated conditions are met. In the case of an agent's death, continued payment of compensation to spouses or other beneficiaries will also be permitted.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-30-80 is updated to adopt the most recent changes to the North American Securities Administrators Association's ("NASAA") statements of policy regarding options and warrants, underwriter's expenses, underwriter's warrants, selling expenses, selling security holders, real estate programs, oil and gas programs, real estate investment trust programs, and unsound financial condition. Additionally, this Rule adopts NASAA's statement of policy regarding corporate securities definitions.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-40-30 eliminates the requirement in subsection B 3 for an issuer seeking to qualify for exemption under the Rule to file Form U‑2, an executed consent to service of process appointing the Clerk of the Commission as its agent for purposes of service of process, and the requirement to furnish to the Commission all information provided by the issuer to offerees. The Rule will also allow such an issuer to file with the Commission the same notice Form D as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-45-20 will also eliminate the requirement to file Form U‑2 in Rule 506 offerings under Regulation D of the SEC's Rules, 17 C.F.R. § 230.506. The Rule also designates the SEC's most recently effective Form D as the appropriate notice form to be filed with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-10 adds requirements for an application for registration as an investment advisor or federal covered advisor to include additional information along with the requisite ADV forms and the statutory fee. This includes information pertaining to client agreements, supervisory and procedural manuals, advertising materials, stationary and business cards, affidavits, financial statements, a copy of the applicants disaster recovery plan and any other supplemental information the Commission may require.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-130 adds a two-year expiration period from the date of taking the required examination until the time of application for registration to qualify as a registered investment advisor representative. Investment advisors and investment advisor representatives registered in other jurisdictions with a similar two-year expiration period rule will be allowed to waive the examination requirements for registration purposes. The prior requirement mandating that individuals registered in other jurisdictions for less than a period of two years take the required examination has been eliminated.
Rule 21 VAC 5-80-140 is eliminated in its entirety and replaced with new Rule 21 VAC 5‑80‑145. Rule 21 VAC 5-80-145 adopts in its entirety NASAA's Model Custody Rule 102(e)(1)-1 to be in conformity with the majority of states.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-160 adds subsection F requiring investment advisors registered with the Commission to implement and maintain a written disaster recovery plan. Subsection K is also added defining the terms "principal place of business" and "principal office."
The Division has recommended to the Commission that the proposed revisions should be considered for adoption with an effective date of July 1, 2009. The Division also has recommended to the Commission that a hearing should be held only if requested by those interested parties who specifically indicate that a hearing is necessary and the reasons therefore.
A copy of the proposed revisions may be requested by interested parties from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail request and also can be found at the Division's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Any comments to the proposed rules must be received by May 15, 2009. If any request for hearing is received and granted, the hearing will be scheduled on June 3, 2009, by subsequent Commission order.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The proposed revisions are appended hereto and made a part of the record herein.
(2) Comments or requests for hearing on the proposed revisions must be submitted in writing to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218, on or before May 15, 2009. Requests for hearing shall state why a hearing is necessary and why the issues cannot be adequately addressed in written comments. All correspondence shall contain reference to Case No. SEC‑2008‑00026. Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so by following the instructions available at the Commission's website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
(3) If the Commission grants any request for hearing in connection with the proposed amendments to the Rules, it will enter a subsequent order scheduling the hearing on June 3, 2009, and that order will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. If no request for hearing is received, the Commission may consider the matter and enter an order based upon the papers filed herein.
(4) On or before May 27, 2009, the Division shall file a response to any comments that are filed in this proceeding and that response will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf.
(5) The proposed revisions shall be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Interested persons may also request a copy of the proposed revisions from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF, together with a copy of the proposed revisions, shall be sent to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register.
AN ATTESTED COPY hereof shall be sent to the Division's Director, who shall forthwith provide notice of this Order via US mail and email to any interested persons as he may designate.
21VAC5-10-40. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following regulations and forms pertaining to securities, instructions and orders of the commission, the following meanings shall apply:
"Act" means the Securities Act contained in Chapter 5 (§ 13.1-501 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Applicant" means a person on whose behalf an application for registration or a registration statement is filed.
"Application" means all information required by the forms prescribed by the commission as well as any additional information required by the commission and any required fees.
"Bank Holding Company Act of 1956" (12 USC § 1841 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Boiler room tactics" mean operations or high pressure tactics utilized in connection with the promotion of speculative offerings by means of an intensive telephone campaign or unsolicited calls to persons not known by or having an account with the salesmen or broker-dealer represented by him, whereby the prospective purchaser is encouraged to make a hasty decision to invest, irrespective of his investment needs and objectives.
"Breakpoint" means the dollar level of investment necessary to qualify a purchaser for a discounted sales charge on a quantity purchase of open-end management company shares.
"Commission" means State Corporation Commission.
"Federal covered advisor" means any person who is registered or required to be registered under § 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 as an "investment adviser."
"Investment Advisers Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80b-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
Notwithstanding the definition in § 13.1-501 of the Act, "investment advisor representative" as applied to a federal covered advisor only includes an individual who has a "place of business" (as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC) in this Commonwealth and who either:
1. Is an "investment advisor representative" as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC; or
2. a. Is not a "supervised person" as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and
b. Solicits, offers or negotiates for the sale of or sells investment advisory services on behalf of a federal covered advisor.
"Investment Company Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80a-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"NASAA" means the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
"NASD" means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or its successor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
"Notice" or "notice filing" means, with respect to a federal covered advisor or federal covered security, all information required by the regulations and forms prescribed by the commission and any required fee.
"Registrant" means an applicant for whom a registration or registration statement has been granted or declared effective by the commission.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act of 1933" (15 USC § 77a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934" (15 USC § 78a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
21VAC5-20-60. Broker-Dealer merger or consolidation.
A. When there is a merger or consolidation of two or more registrants, or the reorganization of a registrant, the surviving or new corporation entity shall amend or file, as the case may be, Form BD (the filing of Form BD requires the payment of a $200 fee) and shall file a copy of the following with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising upon its request:
1. The certificate of merger or consolidation.
2. The plan of merger or consolidation.
3. The amended or new charter and by-laws.
4. Any document of explanation.
5. The current financial statements of the surviving or new corporation entity and surety bond, if necessary.
B. Such amendment and/or filing shall be made immediately after the merger or consolidation becomes effective, except that the required financial statements shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the effective date of the merger or consolidation. The registration of the surviving or new corporation entity usually will be granted by the commission on the same date that the merger or consolidation becomes effective. Each agent of the nonsurviving or new corporation entity shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 before registration as an agent with his new employer becomes effective. Every other agent of the defunct corporation shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 or 21VAC5-20-130, whichever may be applicable.
21VAC5-20-70. Examinations/qualifications.
A. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are registered pursuant to § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o).
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application.
2. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subdivision 1 of this subsection A, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam (Series 24) or, in the case of a broker-dealer selling investment company securities only, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal Exam (Series 26) or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates Qualification Examination for Principals appropriate to the category of registration as specified by the type of business conducted by the broker-dealer within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the applications.
Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
For the purposes of this subsection A, the term "principal" means any person associated with a broker-dealer who is engaged directly (i) in the management, direction or supervision on a regular or continuous basis on behalf of such broker-dealer of the following activities: sales, training, research, investment advice, underwriting, private placements, advertising, public relations, trading, maintenance of books or records, financial operations; or (ii) in the training of persons associated with such broker-dealer for the management, direction, or supervision on a regular or continuous basis of any such activities.
3. Subsection A of this section is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are, or intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
B. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are not registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing:
a. The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application; and
b. Any additional securities-related examination that the commission deems appropriate in light of the business in which the applicant proposes to engage.; and
c. Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
2. This subsection is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are not, or do not intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Part II
Broker-Dealer Agents
21VAC5-20-90. Application for registration as a broker-dealer agent.
A. Application for registration as an agent of a NASD member shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with the forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
B. Application for registration for all other broker-dealer agents shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-20-130. Termination of registration.
A. When a broker-dealer agent terminates a connection with a broker-dealer, or a broker-dealer terminates connection with an agent, the broker-dealer shall file notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination. All filings shall be made with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system for agents of NASD member firms or with the commission for all other broker-dealer agents.
B. If an agent learns that the broker-dealer has not filed the notice, the agent may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the agent’s registration if the commission determines that a broker-dealer (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-20-135. Continuing commission by retiring agents.
The payment of compensation to a registered agent after he terminates his employment with a registered broker-dealer either by retirement, disability, death, or payment to his surviving spouse or other beneficiaries, will not be deemed to be a violation of commission regulations, provided the broker-dealer enters into a bona fide contract with either the retiring agent or the surviving spouse or beneficiaries, and the following conditions are met.
1. The retiring agent must have been continuously employed by or otherwise associated with the firm for a minimum of five years, as of the date of his retirement.
2. The sharing of commissions will be limited to commissions derived from accounts held for continuing customers of the retiring agent regardless of whether customer funds or securities are added to the accounts during the period after retirement.
3. The retiring agent must have demonstrated that he conducted himself in a manner exhibiting appropriate professional conduct. At a minimum, retirees must have been subject to no more than a low incidence of investment-related customer complaints and arbitrations settled or decided for more than $25,000 in the five years prior to the retirement date.
4. If the retiring agent has been subject to such complaints, the firm must have determined that the complaints did not require disciplinary action or heightened supervision, and that the retiree was not at fault for improper sales practices.
5. The retiring agent must not have been subject to a statutory disqualification during the five years prior to retirement.
6. The retiring agent must comply, to the extent applicable, with federal and state securities statutes and regulations, all policies, procedures, and rules of relevant regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, and must certify compliance with the policy at least annually.
7. The broker-dealer must establish parameters for a reasonable time period, not to exceed five years, following retirement and a percentage scale (that is either fixed or decreases the percentage the retiring agent receives each year) regarding the sharing of commissions by the retiring agent and the receiving registered agent.
8. The retiring agent must certify at least annually to the broker-dealer that he has adhered to the requirements and conditions of the agreement.
9. The broker-dealer must contact a representative sample of the account holders including a significant set of high grossing customer accounts subject to the agreement at least annually to confirm that the retiring agent has not provided investment advice or solicited trades in securities in any way. For example, the broker-dealer may contact annually: (i) holders of the top 10 highest grossing client accounts for that year; and (ii) holders of one-half of the next 25% highest grossing client accounts.
21VAC5-20-150. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent shall be required to show evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who has met the qualifications set forth in subsection A of this section, and has been registered in any state jurisdiction requiring registration within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirement set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Part III
Agents of the Issuer
21VAC5-20-160. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer.
A. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an agent of the issuer unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Completed Agreement for Inspection of Records Form.
4. 3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-30-80. Adoption of NASAA statements of policy.
The commission adopts the following NASAA statements of policy that shall apply to the registration of securities in the Commonwealth. It will be considered a basis for denial of an application if an offering fails to comply with an applicable statement of policy. While applications not conforming to a statement of policy shall be looked upon with disfavor, where good cause is shown, certain provisions may be modified or waived by the commission.
1. Options and Warrants, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
2. Underwriting Expenses, Underwriter's Warrants, Selling Expenses and Selling Security Holders, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
3. Real Estate Programs, as amended September 29, 1993 May 7, 2007.
4. Oil and Gas Programs, as amended October 24, 1991 May 7, 2007.
5. Cattle-Feeding Programs, as adopted September 17, 1980.
6. Unsound Financial Condition, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
7. Real Estate Investment Trusts, as adopted September 29, 1993 amended May 7, 2007.
8. Church Bonds, as adopted April 29, 1981.
9. Small Company Offering Registrations, as adopted April 28, 1996.
10. NASAA Guidelines Regarding Viatical Investment, as adopted October 1, 2002.
11. Corporate Securities Definitions, as amended March 31, 2008.
21VAC5-40-30. Uniform limited offering exemption.
A. Nothing in this exemption is intended to relieve, or should be construed as in any way relieving, issuers or persons acting on their behalf from providing disclosure to prospective investors adequate to satisfy the anti-fraud provisions of the Act.
In view of the objective of this section and the purpose and policies underlying the Act, this exemption is not available to an issuer with respect to a transaction which, although in technical compliance with this section, is part of a plan or scheme to evade registration or the conditions or limitations explicitly stated in this section.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt registered broker-dealers or agents from the due diligence standards otherwise applicable to such registered persons.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt a person from the broker-dealer or agent registration requirements of Article 3 (§ 13.1-504 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia, except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision B 2 of this section.
B. For the purpose of the limited offering exemption referred to in § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, the following securities are determined to be exempt from the securities registration requirements of Article 4 (§ 13.1-507 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Any securities offered or sold in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation D (Reg. D), Rules 230.501-230.503 and 230.505 as made effective in Release No. 33-6389 (47 FR 11251), and as amended in Release Nos. 33-6437 (47 FR 54764), 33-6663 (51 FR 36385), 33-6758 (53 FR 7866) and 33-6825 (54 FR 11369) and which satisfy the following further conditions and limitations:
1. The issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that all persons who offer or sell securities subject to this section are registered in accordance with § 13.1-505 of the Act except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision 2 of this subsection.
2. No exemption under this section shall be available for the securities of any issuer if any of the persons described in the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation A, Rule 230.262(a), (b), or (c) (17 CFR 230.262):
a. Has filed a registration statement which is the subject of a currently effective stop order entered pursuant to any state's securities law within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
b. Has been convicted within five years prior to the beginning of the offering of a felony or misdemeanor in connection with the purchase or sale of a security or a felony involving fraud or deceit, including but not limited to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, larceny or conspiracy to defraud.
c. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment entered by that state's securities administrator within five years prior to the beginning of the offering or is subject to a state's administrative order or judgment in which fraud or deceit, including but not limited to making untrue statements of material facts or omitting to state material facts, was found and the order or judgment was entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
d. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment which prohibits the use of any exemption from registration in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.
e. Is currently subject to an order, judgment, or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction temporarily or preliminarily restraining or enjoining, or is subject to an order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering, permanently restraining or enjoining such person from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or involving the making of a false filing with a state.
f. The prohibitions of subdivisions a, b, c and e of this subdivision shall not apply if the party subject to the disqualifying order, judgment or decree is duly licensed or registered to conduct securities related business in the state in which the administrative order, judgment or decree was entered against such party.
g. A disqualification caused by this subsection is automatically waived if the state securities administrator or agency of the state which created the basis for disqualification, or the State Corporation Commission, determines upon a showing of good cause that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the exemption under this section be denied.
3. The issuer shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale in this state from an offering being made in reliance upon this exemption:
a. A notice on Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
b. An undertaking by the issuer to promptly provide, upon written request, the information furnished by the issuer to offerees.
c. An executed consent to service of process (Form U2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for purpose of service of process, unless a currently effective consent to service of process is on file with the commission.
d. b. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
4. In sales to nonaccredited investors, the issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that the investment is suitable for the purchaser as to the purchaser's other security holdings and financial situation and needs.
5. Offers and sales of securities which are exempted by this section shall not be combined with offers and sales of securities exempted by another regulation or section of the Act; however, nothing in this limitation shall act as an election. The issuer may claim the availability of another applicable exemption should, for any reason, the securities or persons fail to comply with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.
6. In any proceeding involving this section, the burden of proving the exemption or an exception from a definition or condition is upon the person claiming it.
C. The exemption authorized by this section shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Limited Offering Exemption."
21VAC5-45-20. Offerings conducted pursuant to Rule 506 of federal Regulation D (17 CFR § 230.506): Filing requirements and issuer-agent exemption.
A. An issuer offering a security that is a covered security under § 18 (b)(4)(D) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 USC § 77r(b)(4)(D)) shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale of such federal covered security in this Commonwealth:
1. A notice on SEC Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
2. An executed consent to service of process (Form U-2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for service of process.
3. 2. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
B. An amendment filing shall contain a copy of the amended SEC Form D. No fee is required for an amendment.
C. For the purpose of this chapter, SEC "Form D" is the document, as adopted by the SEC and in effect on September 1, 1996 15, 2008, entitled "Form D; Notice of Sale of Securities pursuant to Regulation D, Section 4(6), and/or Uniform Limited Offering Exemption," including Part E and the Appendix. "Form D, Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities."
D. Pursuant to § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, an agent of an issuer who effects transactions in a security exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated under § 4(2) thereof (15 USC § 77d(2)) is exempt from the agent registration requirements of the Act.
Part I
Investment Advisor Registration, Notice Filing for Federal Covered Advisors, Expiration, Renewal, Updates and Amendments, Terminations and Merger or Consolidation
21VAC5-80-10. Application for registration as an investment advisor and notice filing as a federal covered advisor.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission and shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV Parts I and II submitted to the IARD system.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
3. A copy of the client agreement.
4. A copy of the firm’s supervisory and procedures manual as required by 21VAC5-80-170.
5. Copies of all advertising materials.
6. Copies of all stationary and business cards.
7. A signed affidavit stating that an investment advisor domiciled in Virginia has not conducted investment advisory business prior to registration, and for investment advisors domiciled outside of Virginia an affidavit stating that the advisor has fewer than six clients in any prior 12-month period.
8. The following financial statements:
a. A trial balance of all ledger account;
b. A statement of all client funds or securities that are not segregated;
c. A computation of the aggregate amount of client ledger debit balances;
d. A statement as to the number of client accounts;
e. Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that shall include a balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flow.
9. A copy of the firm’s disaster recovery plan as required by 21VAC5-80-160 F.
10. At least one qualified individual must have a registration pending on the IARD system on behalf of the investment advisor prior to the grant of registration.
3.11. Any other information the commission may require.
For purposes of this section, the term "net worth" means an excess of assets over liabilities, as determined by generally accepted accounting principles, but shall not include as assets: prepaid expenses (except as to items properly classified as assets under generally accepted accounting principles), deferred charges such as deferred income tax charges, goodwill, franchise rights, organizational expenses, patents, copyrights, marketing rights, unamortized debt discount and expense, all other assets of intangible nature, home furnishings, automobiles, and any other personal items not readily marketable in the case of an individual; advances or loans to stockholders and officers in the case of a corporation; and advances or loans to partners in the case of a partnership.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
D. Every person who transacts business in this Commonwealth as a federal covered advisor shall file a notice as prescribed in subsection E of this section in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system.
E. A notice filing for a federal covered advisor shall be deemed incomplete unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
Part II
Investment Advisor Representative Registration, Expiration, Updates and Amendments, Termination, and Changing Connection from One Investment Advisor to Another
21VAC5-80-70. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor representative unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-80-110. Termination of registration.
A. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with an investment advisor, or an investment advisor terminates connection with an investment advisor representative, the investment advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
B. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with a federal covered advisor, the federal covered advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
C. If a representative learns that the investment advisor has not filed the notice, the representative may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the representative’s registration if the commission determines that an investment advisor (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-80-130. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be required to provide evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66 and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who is currently has been registered as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in any state jurisdiction requiring the registration and qualification of investment advisors or investment advisor representatives within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to satisfy the examination requirements for continued registration set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Any individual who has not been registered in any state jurisdiction for a period of two years shall be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
C. The examination requirements shall not apply to an individual who currently holds one of the following professional designations:
1. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) issued by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.;
2. Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) awarded by The American College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania;
3. Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) granted by the Association for Investment Management and Research;
5. Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC) granted by the Investment Counsel Association of America; or
6. Such other professional designation, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, as the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
D. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subsection A of this section, an applicant who meets all the qualifications set forth below may file with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising an executed Affidavit for Waiver of Examination (Form S.A.3).
1. No more than one other individual connected with the applicant's investment advisor is utilizing the waiver at the time the applicant files Form S.A.3.
2. The applicant is, and has been for at least the five years immediately preceding the date on which the application for registration is filed, actively engaged in the investment advisory business.
3. The applicant has been for at least the two years immediately preceding the date on which the application is filed the president, chief executive officer or chairman of the board of directors of an investment advisor organized in corporate form or the managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary of an investment advisor organized in noncorporate form.
4. The investment advisor or advisors referred to in subdivision 3 of this subsection has been actively engaged in the investment advisory business and during the applicant's tenure as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board of directors, or managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary had at least $40 million under management.
5. The applicant verifies that he has read and is familiar with the investment advisor and investment advisor representative provisions of the Act and the provisions of Parts I through V of this chapter.
6. The applicant verifies that none of the questions in Item 22 14 (disciplinary history) on his Form U-4 have been, or need be, answered in the affirmative.
Part III
Investment Advisor, Federal Covered Advisor and Investment Advisor Representative Regulations
21VAC5-80-140. Custody of client funds or securities by investment advisors. (Repealed.)
An investment advisor who takes or has custody of any securities or funds of any client must comply with the following; provided that an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. An investment advisor with its principal place of business located in this Commonwealth shall notify the commission that it has or may have custody. Such notification may be given on Form ADV.
2. The securities of each client must be segregated, marked to identify the particular client having the beneficial interest therein and held in safekeeping in some place reasonably free from risk of destruction or other loss.
3. All client funds must be deposited in one or more bank accounts containing only clients' funds, such account or accounts must be maintained in the name of the investment advisor or agent or trustee for such clients, and the investment advisor must maintain a separate record for each such account showing the name and address of the bank where the account is maintained, the dates and amounts of deposits in and withdrawals from the account, and the exact amount of each client's beneficial interest in the account.
4. Immediately after accepting custody or possession of funds or securities from any client, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the place where and the manner in which the funds and securities will be maintained and subsequently, if and when there is a change in the place where or the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, the investment advisor must give written notice thereof to the client.
5. At least once every three months, the investment advisor must send each client an itemized statement showing the funds and securities in the investment advisor's custody at the end of such period and all debits, credits and transactions in the client's account during such period.
6. At least once every calendar year, an independent public accountant must verify all client funds and securities by actual examination at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice to the investment advisor. A certificate of such accountant stating that he or she has made an examination of such funds and securities, and describing the nature and extent of the examination, shall be filed with the commission promptly after each such examination.
7. This section shall not apply to an investment advisor also registered as a broker-dealer under § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o) if the broker-dealer is (i) subject to and in compliance with SEC Rule 15c3-1 (Net Capital Requirements for Brokers or Dealers) (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or (ii) a member of an exchange whose members are exempt from SEC Rule 15c3-1, (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) thereof, and the broker-dealer is in compliance with all regulations and settled practices of the exchange imposing requirements with respect to financial responsibility and the segregation of funds or securities carried for the account of customers.
21VAC5-80-145. Custody requirements for investment advisors.
A. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Custody" means holding directly or indirectly, client funds or securities, or having any authority to obtain possession of them.
a. Custody includes:
(1) Possession of client funds or securities unless received inadvertently and returned to the sender promptly, but in any case within three business days of receiving them;
(2) Any arrangement (including a general power of attorney) under which the investment advisor is permitted to withdraw client funds or securities maintained with a custodian upon the investment advisor’s instruction to the custodian; and
(3) Any capacity (such as general partner of a limited partnership, managing member of a limited liability company, or a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle, or trustee of a trust) that gives the investment advisor or the investment advisor’s supervised person legal ownership of or access to client funds or securities.
b. Receipt of client’s securities or checks drawn by clients and made payable to unrelated third parties will not meet the definition of custody if forwarded to the third party within 24 hours of receipt and the advisor maintains the following records:
(1) A ledger or other listing of all securities or funds held or obtained, including the following information:
(a) Issuer;
(b) Type of security and series;
(c) Date of issue;
(d) For debt instruments, the denomination, interest rate and maturity date;
(e) Certificate number, including alphabetical prefix or suffix;
(f) Name in which registered;
(g) Date given to the advisor;
(h) Date sent to client or sender;
(i) Form of delivery to client or sender, or copy of the form of delivery to client or sender; and
(j) Mail confirmation number, if applicable, or confirmation by client or sender of the fund’s or security’s return.
2. "Independent representative" means a person who:
a. Acts as agent for an advisory client, including in the case of a pooled investment vehicle, for limited partners of a limited partnership, members of a limited liability company, or other beneficial owners of another type of pooled investment vehicle and by law or contract is obliged to act in the best interest of the advisory client or the limited partners, members, or other beneficial owners;
b. Does not control, is not controlled by, and is not under common control with the investment advisor; and
c. Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
3. "Qualified custodian" means the following independent institutions or entities that are not affiliated with the advisor by any direct or indirect common control and have not had a material business relationship with the advisor in the previous two years:
a. A bank or savings association that has deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 USC § 1813;
b. A registered broker-dealer holding the client assets in customer accounts;
c. A registered futures commission merchant registered under § 4f(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 USC § 6f(a), holding the client assets in customer accounts, but only with respect to clients’ funds and security futures, or other securities incidental to transactions in contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery and options thereon; and
d. A foreign financial institution that customarily holds financial assets for its customers, provided that the foreign financial institution keeps the advisory clients’ assets in customer accounts segregated from its proprietary assets.
B. Requirements.
1. If the investment advisor is registered or required to be registered, it is unlawful and deemed to be a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice, or course of business under § 13.1-502 of the Virginia Securities Act for the investment advisor to have custody of client funds or securities unless:
a. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor has or may have custody. Such notification is required on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system;
b. A qualified custodian maintains those funds and securities in a separate account for each client under that client’s name or in accounts that contain only investment advisor’s clients’ funds and securities, under the investment advisor’s name as agent or trustee for the clients;
c. If the investment advisor opens an account with a qualified custodian on his client’s behalf, either under the client’s name or under the investment advisor’s name as agent, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the qualified custodian’s name, address, and the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, promptly when the account is opened and following any changes to this information;
d. At least quarterly, the investment advisor sends an account statement to each client for whom the investment advisor has custody of funds or securities, identifying the amount of funds and of each security of which the investment advisor has custody at the end of the period and setting forth all transactions during that period; and
(1) An independent certified public accountant verifies all client funds and securities by actual examination at least once during each calendar year at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice or announcement to the advisor and that is irregular from year to year, and files a copy of the auditor’s report and financial statements with the commission within 30 days after the completion of the examination, along with a letter stating that it has examined the funds and securities and describing the nature and extent of the examination.
(2) The independent certified public accountant, upon finding any material discrepancies during the course of the examination, notifies the commission within one business day of the finding, by means of a facsimile transmission or electronic mail, followed by first class mail, directed to the attention of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising.
(3) If the investment advisor is a general partner of a limited partnership (or managing member of a limited liability company, or holds a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle), the account statements required under subdivisions c and d of this subdivision must be sent to each limited partner (or member or other beneficial owner or their independent representative).
(4) A client may designate an independent representative to receive, on his behalf, notices and account statements as required under subdivisions 3 and 4 of this subsection.
2. An advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 a (2) of this section by having fees directly deducted from client accounts shall provide the following safeguards:
a. The investment advisor must have written authorization from the client to deduct advisory fees from the account held with the qualified custodian.
b. Each time a fee is directly deducted from a client account, the investment advisor must concurrently:
(1) Send the qualified custodian an invoice of the amount of the fee to be deducted from the client’s account; and
(2) Send the client an invoice itemizing the fee. Itemization includes the formula used to calculate the fee, the amount of assets under management the fee is based on, and the time period covered by the fee.
c. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
d. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
3. An investment advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who does not meet the exception provided under this subdivision 3 of this subsection must, in addition to the safeguards set forth in subdivision A 4 of this section, also comply with the following:
a. Hire an independent party to review all fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled accounts.
b. Send all invoices or receipts to the independent party, detailing the amount of the fee, expenses, or capital withdrawal and the method of calculation such that the independent party can:
(1) Determine that the payment is in accordance with the pooled investment vehicle standards (generally the partnership agreement or membership agreement); and
(2) Forward, to the qualified custodian, approval for payment of the invoice with a copy to the investment advisor.
c. For purposes of this section, an independent party means a person who:
(1) Is engaged by an investment advisor to act as a gatekeeper for the payment of fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled investment;
(2) Does not control and is not controlled by and is not under common control with the investment advisor, either directly or indirectly; and
(3) Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
d. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
e. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
4. When a trust retains an investment advisor, investment advisor representative, or employee, director, or owner of an investment advisor as trustee, and the investment advisor acts as the investment advisor to that trust, the investment advisor shall:
a. Notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided below. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system.
b. Send to the grantor of the trust, the attorney for the trust if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at the same time that it sends any invoice to the qualified custodian, an invoice showing the amount of the trustees' fee or investment management or advisory fee, the value of the assets on which the fees were based, and the specific manner in which the fees were calculated.
c. Enter into a written agreement with a qualified custodian that specifies the qualified custodian will not deliver trust securities to the investment advisor, any investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor, nor will transmit any funds to the investment advisor; any investment advisor representative or employee; director or owner of the investment advisor, except that the qualified custodian may pay trustees' fees to the trustee and investment management or advisory fees to investment advisor, provided that:
(1) The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust has authorized the qualified custodian in writing to pay those fees;
(2) The statements for those fees show the amount of the fees for the trustee and, in the case of statements for investment management or advisory fees, show the value of the trust assets on which the fee is based and the manner in which the fee was calculated; and
(3) The qualified custodian agrees to send to the grantor of the trust, the attorneys for a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at least quarterly, a statement of all disbursements from the account of the trust, including the amount of investment management fees paid to the investment advisor and the amount of trustees' fees paid to the trustee.
d. Except as otherwise set forth in subdivision 3 d (1) of this subsection, the qualified custodian may transfer funds or securities, or both, of the trust only upon the direction of the trustee (who may be the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor), who the investment advisor has duly accepted as an authorized signatory. The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, must designate the authorized signatory for management of the trust. The direction to transfer funds or securities, or both, can only be made to the following:
(1) To a trust company, bank trust department, or brokerage firm independent of the investment advisor for the account of the trust to which the assets relate;
(2) To the named grantors or to the named beneficiaries of the trust;
(3) To a third person independent of the investment advisor in payment of the fees or charges of the third person including, but not limited to:
(a) Attorney's, accountant's, or qualified custodian's fees for the trust; and
(b) Taxes, interest, maintenance, or other expenses, if there is property other than securities or cash owned by the trust;
(c) To third persons independent of the investment advisor for any other purpose legitimately associated with the management of the trust; or
(d) To a broker-dealer in the normal course of portfolio purchases and sales, provided that the transfer is made on payment against delivery basis or payment against trust receipt.
5. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection, will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
C. Exceptions.
1. With respect to shares of an open-end company as defined in § 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC § 80a-5(a)(1) (mutual fund), the investment advisor may use the mutual fund’s transfer agent in lieu of a qualified custodian for purposes of complying with subsection B of this section.
2. Certain privately offered securities.
a. An investment advisor is not required to comply with subsection B of this section with respect to securities that are:
(1 ) Acquired from the issuer in a transaction or chain of transactions not involving any public offering;
(2) Uncertificated, and ownership thereof is recorded only on books of the issuer or its transfer agent in the name of the client; and
(3) Transferable only with prior consent of the issuer or holders of the outstanding securities of the issuer.
b. Notwithstanding subdivision B 2 a of this section, the provisions of subdivision B 2 of this section are available with respect to securities held for the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or other type of pooled investment vehicle) only if the limited partnership is audited, the audited financial statements are distributed, as described in subdivision B 3 of this section and the investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to provide audited financial statements, as described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
3. The investment advisor is not required to comply with subdivision B 1 c of this section with respect to the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or another type of pooled investment vehicle) that is subject to audit at least annually and distributes its audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to all limited partners (or members or other beneficial owners) within 120 days of the end of its fiscal year. The investment advisor shall also notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to employ the use of the audit safeguards described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
4. The investment advisor is not required to comply with this section with respect to the account of an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC §§ 80a-1 to 80a-64.
5. The investment advisor is not required to comply with safekeeping requirements of subsection B of this section or the net worth and bonding requirements of 21VAC5-80-180 if the investment advisor has custody solely because the investment advisor, investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor is a trustee for a beneficial trust, if all of the following conditions are met for each trust:
a. The beneficial owner of the trust is a parent, a grandparent, a spouse, a sibling, a child, or a grandchild of the trustee. These relationships shall include "step" relationships.
b. For each account under subdivision 5 a of this subsection the investment advisor complies with the following:
(1) Provide a written statement to each beneficial owner of the account setting forth a description of the requirements of subsection B of this section and the reasons why the investment advisor will not be complying with those requirements.
(2) Obtain from each beneficial owner a signed and dated statement acknowledging the receipt of the written statement required under subdivision 5 a of this subsection.
(3) Maintain a copy of both documents described in subdivisions B 4 c and d of this section until the account is closed or the investment advisor is no longer trustee.
6. Any investment advisor who intends to have custody of client funds or securities but is not able to utilize a qualified custodian as defined in subdivision A 3 of this section shall first obtain approval from the commission and comply with all of the applicable safekeeping provisions under subsection B of this section including taking responsibility for those provisions that are designated to be performed by a qualified custodian.
21VAC5-80-160. Recordkeeping requirements for investment advisors.
A. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered under the Act shall make and keep true, accurate and current the following books, ledgers and records, except an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. A journal or journals, including cash receipts and disbursements records, and any other records of original entry forming the basis of entries in any ledger.
2. General and auxiliary ledgers (or other comparable records) reflecting asset, liability, reserve, capital, income and expense accounts.
3. A memorandum of each order given by the investment advisor for the purchase or sale of any security, of any instruction received by the investment advisor from the client concerning the purchase, sale, receipt or delivery of a particular security, and of any modification or cancellation of any such order or instruction. The memoranda shall show the terms and conditions of the order, instruction, modification or cancellation; shall identify the person connected with the investment advisor who recommended the transaction to the client and the person who placed the order; and shall show the account for which entered, the date of entry, and the bank, broker or dealer by or through whom executed where appropriate. Orders entered pursuant to the exercise of discretionary power shall be so designated.
4. All check books, bank statements, canceled checks and cash reconciliations of the investment advisor.
5. All bills or statements (or copies of), paid or unpaid, relating to the business as an investment advisor.
6. All trial balances, financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which shall include a balance sheet, income statement and such other statements as may be required pursuant to 21VAC5-80-180, and internal audit working papers relating to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
7. Originals of all written communications received and copies of all written communications sent by the investment advisor relating to (i) any recommendation made or proposed to be made and any advice given or proposed to be given; (ii) any receipt, disbursement or delivery of funds or securities; and (iii) the placing or execution of any order to purchase or sell any security; however, (a) the investment advisor shall not be required to keep any unsolicited market letters and other similar communications of general public distribution not prepared by or for the investment advisor, and (b) if the investment advisor sends any notice, circular or other advertisement offering any report, analysis, publication or other investment advisory service to more than 10 persons, the investment advisor shall not be required to keep a record of the names and addresses of the persons to whom it was sent; except that if the notice, circular or advertisement is distributed to persons named on any list, the investment advisor shall retain with a copy of the notice, circular or advertisement a memorandum describing the list and the source thereof.
8. A list or other record of all accounts which list identifies the accounts in which the investment advisor is vested with any discretionary power with respect to the funds, securities or transactions of any client.
9. All powers of attorney and other evidences of the granting of any discretionary authority by any client to the investment advisor, or copies thereof.
10. All written agreements (or copies thereof) entered into by the investment advisor with any client, and all other written agreements otherwise related to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
11. A file containing a copy of each notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes, directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor), and if the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media recommends the purchase or sale of a specific security and does not state the reasons for the recommendation, a memorandum of the investment adviser indicating the reasons for the recommendation.
12. a. A record of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has, or by reason of any transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. For purposes of this subdivision 12, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative" means any partner, officer or director of the investment advisor; any employee who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendations shall be made; any employee who, in connection with his duties, obtains any information concerning which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment adviser;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
"Control" means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Any person who owns beneficially, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the ownership interest of a company shall be presumed to control the company.
c. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 12 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if the investment advisor establishes that it instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
13. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 12 of this subsection, where the investment advisor is primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, a record must be maintained of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of such investment advisor has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. An investment advisor is "primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients" when, for each of its most recent three fiscal years or for the period of time since organization, whichever is less, the investment advisor derived, on an unconsolidated basis, more than 50% of (i) its total sales and revenues, and (ii) its income (or loss) before income taxes and extraordinary items, from such other business or businesses.
c. For purposes of this subdivision 13, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative," when used in connection with a company primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, means any partner, officer, director or employee of the investment advisor who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendation shall be made, or whose functions or duties relate to the determination of which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons, who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations or of the information concerning the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment advisor;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
d. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 13 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if he establishes that he instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
14. A copy of each written statement and each amendment or revision, given or sent to any client or prospective client of such investment advisor in accordance with the provisions of 21VAC5-80-190 and a record of the dates that each written statement, and each amendment or revision, was given, or offered to be given, to any client or prospective client who subsequently becomes a client.
15. For each client that was obtained by the advisor by means of a solicitor to whom a cash fee was paid by the advisor, the following:
a. Evidence of a written agreement to which the advisor is a party related to the payment of such fee;
b. A signed and dated acknowledgement of receipt from the client evidencing the client's receipt of the investment advisor's disclosure statement and a written disclosure statement of the solicitor; and,
c. A copy of the solicitor's written disclosure statement. The written agreement, acknowledgement and solicitor disclosure statement will be considered to be in compliance if such documents are in compliance with Rule 275.206(4)-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
For purposes of this regulation, the term "solicitor" means any person or entity who, for compensation, acts as an agent of an investment advisor in referring potential clients.
16. All accounts, books, internal working papers, and any other records or documents that are necessary to form the basis for or demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts or securities recommendations in any notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including but not limited to electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor); however, with respect to the performance of managed accounts, the retention of all account statements, if they reflect all debits, credits, and other transactions in a client's account for the period of the statement, and all worksheets necessary to demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision.
17. A file containing a copy of all written communications received or sent regarding any litigation involving the investment advisor or any investment advisor representative or employee, and regarding any written customer or client complaint.
18. Written information about each investment advisory client that is the basis for making any recommendation or providing any investment advice to the client.
19. Written procedures to supervise the activities of employees and investment advisor representatives that are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
20. A file containing a copy of each document (other than any notices of general dissemination) that was filed with or received from any state or federal agency or self regulatory organization and that pertains to the registrant or its investment advisor representatives, which file should contain, but is not limited to, all applications, amendments, renewal filings, and correspondence.
21. Any records documenting dates, locations and findings of the investment advisor's annual review of these policies and procedures conducted pursuant to subdivision E 2 of 21VAC5-80-170.
B. If an investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section has custody or possession of securities or funds of any client, the records required to be made and kept under subsection A of this section shall also include:
1. A journal or other record showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities (including certificate numbers) for such accounts and all other debits and credits to the accounts.
2. A separate ledger account for each client showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities, the date and price of each purchase and sale, and all debits and credits.
3. Copies of confirmations of all transactions effected by or for the account of any client.
4. A record for each security in which any client has a position, which record shall show the name of each client having any interest in each security, the amount or interest of each client, and the location of each security.
C. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section who renders any investment advisory or management service to any client shall, with respect to the portfolio being supervised or managed and to the extent that the information is reasonably available to or obtainable by the investment advisor, make and keep true, accurate and current:
1. Records showing separately for each client the securities purchased and sold, and the date, amount and price of each purchase and sale.
2. For each security in which any client has a current position, information from which the investment advisor can promptly furnish the name of each client and the current amount or interest of the client.
D. Any books or records required by this section may be maintained by the investment advisor in such manner that the identity of any client to whom the investment advisor renders investment advisory services is indicated by numerical or alphabetical code or some similar designation.
E. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section shall preserve the following records in the manner prescribed:
1. All books and records required to be made under the provisions of subsection A through subdivision C 1, inclusive, of this section, except for books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on record, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor.
2. Partnership articles and any amendments, articles of incorporation, charters, minute books, and stock certificate books of the investment advisor and of any predecessor, shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor and preserved until at least three years after termination of the enterprise.
3. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor, from the end of the fiscal year during which the investment advisor last published or otherwise disseminated, directly or indirectly, the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media.
4. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 17 through A 20, inclusive, of this section shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in the principal office of the investment advisor, or for the time period during which the investment advisor was registered or required to be registered in the state, if less.
5. Notwithstanding other record preservation requirements of this subsection, the following records or copies shall be required to be maintained at the business location of the investment advisor from which the customer or client is being provided or has been provided with investment advisory services: (i) records required to be preserved under subdivisions A 3, A 7 through A 10, A 14 and A 15, A 17 through A 19, subsections B and C, and (ii) the records or copies required under the provision of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section which records or related records identify the name of the investment advisor representative providing investment advice from that business location, or which identify the business locations' physical address, mailing address, electronic mailing address, or telephone number. The records will be maintained for the period described in this subsection.
F. Every investment advisor shall establish and maintain a written disaster recovery plan that shall address at a minimum:
1. The identity of individuals that will conduct business on behalf of the investment advisor in the event of death or incapacity of key persons;
2. Means to provide notification to clients of the investment advisor and to those states in which the advisor is registered of the death or incapacity of key persons;
a. Notification shall be provided to the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising via the IARD/CRD system within 24 hours of the death or incapacity of key persons.
b. Notification shall be given to clients within five business days from the death or incapacity of key persons.
3. Means for clients’ accounts to continue to be monitored until an orderly liquidation, distribution or transfer of the clients’ portfolio to another advisor can be achieved;
4. Means for the credit demands of the investment advisor to be met; and
5. Data backups sufficient to allow rapid resumption of the investment advisor’s activities.
G. An investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section, before ceasing to conduct or discontinuing business as an investment advisor, shall arrange for and be responsible for the preservation of the books and records required to be maintained and preserved under this section for the remainder of the period specified in this section, and shall notify the commission in writing of the exact address where the books and records will be maintained during such period.
G. H. 1. The records required to be maintained pursuant to this section may be immediately produced or reproduced by photograph on film or, as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection, on magnetic disk, tape or other computer storage medium, and be maintained for the required time in that form. If records are preserved or reproduced by photographic film or computer storage medium, the investment advisor shall:
a. Arrange the records and index the films or computer storage medium so as to permit the immediate location of any particular record;
b. Be ready at all times to promptly provide any facsimile enlargement of film or computer printout or copy of the computer storage medium which the commission by its examiners or other representatives may request;
c. Store separately from the original one other copy of the film or computer storage medium for the time required;
d. With respect to records stored on computer storage medium, maintain procedures for maintenance of, and access to, records so as to reasonably safeguard records from loss, alteration, or destruction; and
e. With respect to records stored on photographic film, at all times have available, for the commission's examination of its records, facilities for immediate, easily readable projection of the film and for producing easily readable facsimile enlargements.
2. Pursuant to subdivision 1 of this subsection, an advisor may maintain and preserve on computer tape or disk or other computer storage medium records which, in the ordinary course of the advisor's business, are created by the advisor on electronic media or are received by the advisor solely on electronic media or by electronic transmission.
H. I. Any book or record made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with SEC Rules 17a-3 (17 CFR 240.17a-3) and 17a-4 (17 CFR 240.17a-4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which is substantially the same as the book, or other record required to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved under this section shall be deemed to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with this section.
I. J. For purposes of this section, "investment supervisory services" means the giving of continuous advice as to the investment of funds on the basis of the individual needs of each client; and "discretionary power" shall not include discretion as to the price at which or the time when a transaction is or is to be effected if, before the order is given by the investment advisor, the client has directed or approved the purchase or sale of a definite amount of the particular security.
K. For purposes of this section, "principal place of business" and "principle office" mean the executive office of the investment advisor from which the officers, partners, or managers of the investment advisor direct, control, and coordinate the activities of the investment advisor.
J. L. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered in this Commonwealth and has its principal place of business in a state other than the Commonwealth shall be exempt from the requirements of this section to the extent provided by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104-290), provided the investment advisor is licensed in such state and is in compliance with such state's recordkeeping requirements.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1797; Filed April 7, 2009, 4:23 p.m.
TITLE 21. SECURITIES AND RETAIL FRANCHISING
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
Proposed Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Corporation Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 A 2 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts courts, any agency of the Supreme Court, and any agency that by the Constitution is expressly granted any of the powers of a court of record.
Titles of Regulations: 21VAC5-10. General Administration Securities Act (amending 21VAC5-10-40).
21VAC5-20. Broker-Dealers, Broker-Dealer Agents and Agents of the Issuer (amending 21VAC5-20-60, 21VAC5-20-70, 21VAC5-20-90, 21VAC5-20-130, 21VAC5-20-150, 21VAC5-20-160; adding 21VAC5-20-135).
21VAC5-30. Securities Registration (amending 21VAC5-30-80).
21VAC5-40. Exempt Securities (amending 21VAC5-40-30).
21VAC5-45. Federal Covered Securities (amending 21VAC5-45-20).
21VAC5-80. Investment Advisors (amending 21VAC5-80-10, 21VAC5-80-70, 21VAC5-80-110, 21VAC5-80-130, 21VAC5-80-160; adding 21VAC5-80-145; repealing 21VAC5-80-140).
Statutory Authority: §§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-523 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: A public hearing will be scheduled upon request.
Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 15, 2009.
Agency Contact: Alfred L. Hughes, Registration Chief, Securities Division, State Corporation Commission, Tyler Building, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-9610, FAX (804) 371-9912, or email al.hughes@scc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The proposed amendments (i) adopt by reference recent changes to certain North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (NASAA) securities registration statements of policy; (ii) adopt by reference the NASAA Corporate Securities Definitions statement of policy; (iii) make changes to the notice filing requirements for offerings conducted pursuant to Rules 505 and 506 of Federal Regulation D; (iv) expand the definition of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) to reflect its current name; (v) correct language for mergers and consolidations; (vi) eliminate the duplicative requirement to take the Series 7 exam and allow the Series 66 exam to qualify an individual as an agent; (vii) require individuals whose agent registration has lapsed for more than two years to requalify; (viii) provide relief for those individuals registered as agents or representatives with an entity that ceases to do business by allowing the individuals to make a termination request directly to the commission; (ix) allow retiring agents to continue to receive commissions without registration; (x) require additional documents be filed as part of the initial investment advisor application process, which will assist new investment advisors in setting up required records and increase protection for the investing public; (xi) require that all principals of investment advisors meet minimum qualification standards; (xii) clarify that all investment advisor representatives shall meet minimum standards; (xiii) adopt NASAA Custody rule; and (xiv) require investment advisors to develop a disaster recovery plan.
AT RICHMOND, APRIL 7, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ex rel.
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
CASE NO. SEC-2009-00022
Ex Parte: In the matter of
Adopting a Revision to the Rules
Governing the Virginia Securities Act
ORDER TO TAKE NOTICE
Section 12.1-13 of the Code of Virginia provides that the State Corporation Commission ("Commission") shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations in the enforcement and administration of all laws within its jurisdiction. Section 13.1-523 of the Virginia Securities Act ("Act"), § 13.1-501 et seq. of the Code of Virginia provides that the Commission may issue any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
The rules and regulations issued by the Commission pursuant to the Act are set forth in Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code. A copy also may be found at the Commission's website www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The Division of Securities and Retail Franchising ("Division") has submitted to the Commission proposed revisions to Chapter 10, Chapter 20, Chapter 30, Chapter 80, and Chapter 120 of Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code entitled "Rules and Forms Governing Virginia Securities Act" ("Rules").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-10-40 redefines the term "NASD" to include reference to the organization's successor, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-60 replaces the term "corporation" with the term "entity."
Proposed amendment to Rules 21 VAC 5-20-70, 21 VAC 5-20-90, 21 VAC 5-20-150 and 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminate the requirement to take the General Securities Representative Examination or Series 7, to qualify for registration as either a broker-dealer, broker-dealer agent, agent of an NASD member or agent of an issuer. These Rules are also amended to provide that any of the other acceptable examinations required for registration be taken within two years preceding the date of application for registration with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-70 is expanded to allow the Commission to accept the appropriate FINRA principal examination requirement for the type of business conducted in lieu of the other examination requirements for broker-dealer registration purposes. Furthermore, the Rule is amended to allow an individual registered in any state jurisdiction to forego the examination requirements in the Rule if they are registered as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-130 adds a subsection allowing a broker-dealer agent to file a notice of termination if the broker-dealer fails to file such notice on Form U‑5 in the thirty (30) day time period afforded by the Rule. The new subsection also allows the Commission to terminate an agent's registration if it is determined by the Commission that the broker-dealer is no longer in existence, has ceased conducting securities business or cannot be reasonably located.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminates the requirement to file an Inspection of Records Form in an application to register as an agent of an issuer.
New Rule 21 VAC 5-20-135 is added to allow agents terminating employment with registered broker-dealers by reason of retirement or disability to continue to receive compensation after such termination provided certain enumerated conditions are met. In the case of an agent's death, continued payment of compensation to spouses or other beneficiaries will also be permitted.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-30-80 is updated to adopt the most recent changes to the North American Securities Administrators Association's ("NASAA") statements of policy regarding options and warrants, underwriter's expenses, underwriter's warrants, selling expenses, selling security holders, real estate programs, oil and gas programs, real estate investment trust programs, and unsound financial condition. Additionally, this Rule adopts NASAA's statement of policy regarding corporate securities definitions.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-40-30 eliminates the requirement in subsection B 3 for an issuer seeking to qualify for exemption under the Rule to file Form U‑2, an executed consent to service of process appointing the Clerk of the Commission as its agent for purposes of service of process, and the requirement to furnish to the Commission all information provided by the issuer to offerees. The Rule will also allow such an issuer to file with the Commission the same notice Form D as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-45-20 will also eliminate the requirement to file Form U‑2 in Rule 506 offerings under Regulation D of the SEC's Rules, 17 C.F.R. § 230.506. The Rule also designates the SEC's most recently effective Form D as the appropriate notice form to be filed with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-10 adds requirements for an application for registration as an investment advisor or federal covered advisor to include additional information along with the requisite ADV forms and the statutory fee. This includes information pertaining to client agreements, supervisory and procedural manuals, advertising materials, stationary and business cards, affidavits, financial statements, a copy of the applicants disaster recovery plan and any other supplemental information the Commission may require.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-130 adds a two-year expiration period from the date of taking the required examination until the time of application for registration to qualify as a registered investment advisor representative. Investment advisors and investment advisor representatives registered in other jurisdictions with a similar two-year expiration period rule will be allowed to waive the examination requirements for registration purposes. The prior requirement mandating that individuals registered in other jurisdictions for less than a period of two years take the required examination has been eliminated.
Rule 21 VAC 5-80-140 is eliminated in its entirety and replaced with new Rule 21 VAC 5‑80‑145. Rule 21 VAC 5-80-145 adopts in its entirety NASAA's Model Custody Rule 102(e)(1)-1 to be in conformity with the majority of states.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-160 adds subsection F requiring investment advisors registered with the Commission to implement and maintain a written disaster recovery plan. Subsection K is also added defining the terms "principal place of business" and "principal office."
The Division has recommended to the Commission that the proposed revisions should be considered for adoption with an effective date of July 1, 2009. The Division also has recommended to the Commission that a hearing should be held only if requested by those interested parties who specifically indicate that a hearing is necessary and the reasons therefore.
A copy of the proposed revisions may be requested by interested parties from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail request and also can be found at the Division's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Any comments to the proposed rules must be received by May 15, 2009. If any request for hearing is received and granted, the hearing will be scheduled on June 3, 2009, by subsequent Commission order.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The proposed revisions are appended hereto and made a part of the record herein.
(2) Comments or requests for hearing on the proposed revisions must be submitted in writing to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218, on or before May 15, 2009. Requests for hearing shall state why a hearing is necessary and why the issues cannot be adequately addressed in written comments. All correspondence shall contain reference to Case No. SEC‑2008‑00026. Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so by following the instructions available at the Commission's website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
(3) If the Commission grants any request for hearing in connection with the proposed amendments to the Rules, it will enter a subsequent order scheduling the hearing on June 3, 2009, and that order will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. If no request for hearing is received, the Commission may consider the matter and enter an order based upon the papers filed herein.
(4) On or before May 27, 2009, the Division shall file a response to any comments that are filed in this proceeding and that response will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf.
(5) The proposed revisions shall be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Interested persons may also request a copy of the proposed revisions from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF, together with a copy of the proposed revisions, shall be sent to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register.
AN ATTESTED COPY hereof shall be sent to the Division's Director, who shall forthwith provide notice of this Order via US mail and email to any interested persons as he may designate.
21VAC5-10-40. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following regulations and forms pertaining to securities, instructions and orders of the commission, the following meanings shall apply:
"Act" means the Securities Act contained in Chapter 5 (§ 13.1-501 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Applicant" means a person on whose behalf an application for registration or a registration statement is filed.
"Application" means all information required by the forms prescribed by the commission as well as any additional information required by the commission and any required fees.
"Bank Holding Company Act of 1956" (12 USC § 1841 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Boiler room tactics" mean operations or high pressure tactics utilized in connection with the promotion of speculative offerings by means of an intensive telephone campaign or unsolicited calls to persons not known by or having an account with the salesmen or broker-dealer represented by him, whereby the prospective purchaser is encouraged to make a hasty decision to invest, irrespective of his investment needs and objectives.
"Breakpoint" means the dollar level of investment necessary to qualify a purchaser for a discounted sales charge on a quantity purchase of open-end management company shares.
"Commission" means State Corporation Commission.
"Federal covered advisor" means any person who is registered or required to be registered under § 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 as an "investment adviser."
"Investment Advisers Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80b-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
Notwithstanding the definition in § 13.1-501 of the Act, "investment advisor representative" as applied to a federal covered advisor only includes an individual who has a "place of business" (as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC) in this Commonwealth and who either:
1. Is an "investment advisor representative" as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC; or
2. a. Is not a "supervised person" as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and
b. Solicits, offers or negotiates for the sale of or sells investment advisory services on behalf of a federal covered advisor.
"Investment Company Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80a-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"NASAA" means the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
"NASD" means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or its successor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
"Notice" or "notice filing" means, with respect to a federal covered advisor or federal covered security, all information required by the regulations and forms prescribed by the commission and any required fee.
"Registrant" means an applicant for whom a registration or registration statement has been granted or declared effective by the commission.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act of 1933" (15 USC § 77a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934" (15 USC § 78a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
21VAC5-20-60. Broker-Dealer merger or consolidation.
A. When there is a merger or consolidation of two or more registrants, or the reorganization of a registrant, the surviving or new corporation entity shall amend or file, as the case may be, Form BD (the filing of Form BD requires the payment of a $200 fee) and shall file a copy of the following with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising upon its request:
1. The certificate of merger or consolidation.
2. The plan of merger or consolidation.
3. The amended or new charter and by-laws.
4. Any document of explanation.
5. The current financial statements of the surviving or new corporation entity and surety bond, if necessary.
B. Such amendment and/or filing shall be made immediately after the merger or consolidation becomes effective, except that the required financial statements shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the effective date of the merger or consolidation. The registration of the surviving or new corporation entity usually will be granted by the commission on the same date that the merger or consolidation becomes effective. Each agent of the nonsurviving or new corporation entity shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 before registration as an agent with his new employer becomes effective. Every other agent of the defunct corporation shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 or 21VAC5-20-130, whichever may be applicable.
21VAC5-20-70. Examinations/qualifications.
A. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are registered pursuant to § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o).
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application.
2. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subdivision 1 of this subsection A, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam (Series 24) or, in the case of a broker-dealer selling investment company securities only, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal Exam (Series 26) or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates Qualification Examination for Principals appropriate to the category of registration as specified by the type of business conducted by the broker-dealer within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the applications.
Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
For the purposes of this subsection A, the term "principal" means any person associated with a broker-dealer who is engaged directly (i) in the management, direction or supervision on a regular or continuous basis on behalf of such broker-dealer of the following activities: sales, training, research, investment advice, underwriting, private placements, advertising, public relations, trading, maintenance of books or records, financial operations; or (ii) in the training of persons associated with such broker-dealer for the management, direction, or supervision on a regular or continuous basis of any such activities.
3. Subsection A of this section is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are, or intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
B. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are not registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing:
a. The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application; and
b. Any additional securities-related examination that the commission deems appropriate in light of the business in which the applicant proposes to engage.; and
c. Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
2. This subsection is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are not, or do not intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Part II
Broker-Dealer Agents
21VAC5-20-90. Application for registration as a broker-dealer agent.
A. Application for registration as an agent of a NASD member shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with the forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
B. Application for registration for all other broker-dealer agents shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-20-130. Termination of registration.
A. When a broker-dealer agent terminates a connection with a broker-dealer, or a broker-dealer terminates connection with an agent, the broker-dealer shall file notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination. All filings shall be made with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system for agents of NASD member firms or with the commission for all other broker-dealer agents.
B. If an agent learns that the broker-dealer has not filed the notice, the agent may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the agent’s registration if the commission determines that a broker-dealer (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-20-135. Continuing commission by retiring agents.
The payment of compensation to a registered agent after he terminates his employment with a registered broker-dealer either by retirement, disability, death, or payment to his surviving spouse or other beneficiaries, will not be deemed to be a violation of commission regulations, provided the broker-dealer enters into a bona fide contract with either the retiring agent or the surviving spouse or beneficiaries, and the following conditions are met.
1. The retiring agent must have been continuously employed by or otherwise associated with the firm for a minimum of five years, as of the date of his retirement.
2. The sharing of commissions will be limited to commissions derived from accounts held for continuing customers of the retiring agent regardless of whether customer funds or securities are added to the accounts during the period after retirement.
3. The retiring agent must have demonstrated that he conducted himself in a manner exhibiting appropriate professional conduct. At a minimum, retirees must have been subject to no more than a low incidence of investment-related customer complaints and arbitrations settled or decided for more than $25,000 in the five years prior to the retirement date.
4. If the retiring agent has been subject to such complaints, the firm must have determined that the complaints did not require disciplinary action or heightened supervision, and that the retiree was not at fault for improper sales practices.
5. The retiring agent must not have been subject to a statutory disqualification during the five years prior to retirement.
6. The retiring agent must comply, to the extent applicable, with federal and state securities statutes and regulations, all policies, procedures, and rules of relevant regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, and must certify compliance with the policy at least annually.
7. The broker-dealer must establish parameters for a reasonable time period, not to exceed five years, following retirement and a percentage scale (that is either fixed or decreases the percentage the retiring agent receives each year) regarding the sharing of commissions by the retiring agent and the receiving registered agent.
8. The retiring agent must certify at least annually to the broker-dealer that he has adhered to the requirements and conditions of the agreement.
9. The broker-dealer must contact a representative sample of the account holders including a significant set of high grossing customer accounts subject to the agreement at least annually to confirm that the retiring agent has not provided investment advice or solicited trades in securities in any way. For example, the broker-dealer may contact annually: (i) holders of the top 10 highest grossing client accounts for that year; and (ii) holders of one-half of the next 25% highest grossing client accounts.
21VAC5-20-150. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent shall be required to show evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who has met the qualifications set forth in subsection A of this section, and has been registered in any state jurisdiction requiring registration within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirement set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Part III
Agents of the Issuer
21VAC5-20-160. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer.
A. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an agent of the issuer unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Completed Agreement for Inspection of Records Form.
4. 3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-30-80. Adoption of NASAA statements of policy.
The commission adopts the following NASAA statements of policy that shall apply to the registration of securities in the Commonwealth. It will be considered a basis for denial of an application if an offering fails to comply with an applicable statement of policy. While applications not conforming to a statement of policy shall be looked upon with disfavor, where good cause is shown, certain provisions may be modified or waived by the commission.
1. Options and Warrants, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
2. Underwriting Expenses, Underwriter's Warrants, Selling Expenses and Selling Security Holders, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
3. Real Estate Programs, as amended September 29, 1993 May 7, 2007.
4. Oil and Gas Programs, as amended October 24, 1991 May 7, 2007.
5. Cattle-Feeding Programs, as adopted September 17, 1980.
6. Unsound Financial Condition, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
7. Real Estate Investment Trusts, as adopted September 29, 1993 amended May 7, 2007.
8. Church Bonds, as adopted April 29, 1981.
9. Small Company Offering Registrations, as adopted April 28, 1996.
10. NASAA Guidelines Regarding Viatical Investment, as adopted October 1, 2002.
11. Corporate Securities Definitions, as amended March 31, 2008.
21VAC5-40-30. Uniform limited offering exemption.
A. Nothing in this exemption is intended to relieve, or should be construed as in any way relieving, issuers or persons acting on their behalf from providing disclosure to prospective investors adequate to satisfy the anti-fraud provisions of the Act.
In view of the objective of this section and the purpose and policies underlying the Act, this exemption is not available to an issuer with respect to a transaction which, although in technical compliance with this section, is part of a plan or scheme to evade registration or the conditions or limitations explicitly stated in this section.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt registered broker-dealers or agents from the due diligence standards otherwise applicable to such registered persons.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt a person from the broker-dealer or agent registration requirements of Article 3 (§ 13.1-504 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia, except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision B 2 of this section.
B. For the purpose of the limited offering exemption referred to in § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, the following securities are determined to be exempt from the securities registration requirements of Article 4 (§ 13.1-507 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Any securities offered or sold in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation D (Reg. D), Rules 230.501-230.503 and 230.505 as made effective in Release No. 33-6389 (47 FR 11251), and as amended in Release Nos. 33-6437 (47 FR 54764), 33-6663 (51 FR 36385), 33-6758 (53 FR 7866) and 33-6825 (54 FR 11369) and which satisfy the following further conditions and limitations:
1. The issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that all persons who offer or sell securities subject to this section are registered in accordance with § 13.1-505 of the Act except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision 2 of this subsection.
2. No exemption under this section shall be available for the securities of any issuer if any of the persons described in the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation A, Rule 230.262(a), (b), or (c) (17 CFR 230.262):
a. Has filed a registration statement which is the subject of a currently effective stop order entered pursuant to any state's securities law within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
b. Has been convicted within five years prior to the beginning of the offering of a felony or misdemeanor in connection with the purchase or sale of a security or a felony involving fraud or deceit, including but not limited to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, larceny or conspiracy to defraud.
c. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment entered by that state's securities administrator within five years prior to the beginning of the offering or is subject to a state's administrative order or judgment in which fraud or deceit, including but not limited to making untrue statements of material facts or omitting to state material facts, was found and the order or judgment was entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
d. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment which prohibits the use of any exemption from registration in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.
e. Is currently subject to an order, judgment, or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction temporarily or preliminarily restraining or enjoining, or is subject to an order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering, permanently restraining or enjoining such person from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or involving the making of a false filing with a state.
f. The prohibitions of subdivisions a, b, c and e of this subdivision shall not apply if the party subject to the disqualifying order, judgment or decree is duly licensed or registered to conduct securities related business in the state in which the administrative order, judgment or decree was entered against such party.
g. A disqualification caused by this subsection is automatically waived if the state securities administrator or agency of the state which created the basis for disqualification, or the State Corporation Commission, determines upon a showing of good cause that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the exemption under this section be denied.
3. The issuer shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale in this state from an offering being made in reliance upon this exemption:
a. A notice on Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
b. An undertaking by the issuer to promptly provide, upon written request, the information furnished by the issuer to offerees.
c. An executed consent to service of process (Form U2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for purpose of service of process, unless a currently effective consent to service of process is on file with the commission.
d. b. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
4. In sales to nonaccredited investors, the issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that the investment is suitable for the purchaser as to the purchaser's other security holdings and financial situation and needs.
5. Offers and sales of securities which are exempted by this section shall not be combined with offers and sales of securities exempted by another regulation or section of the Act; however, nothing in this limitation shall act as an election. The issuer may claim the availability of another applicable exemption should, for any reason, the securities or persons fail to comply with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.
6. In any proceeding involving this section, the burden of proving the exemption or an exception from a definition or condition is upon the person claiming it.
C. The exemption authorized by this section shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Limited Offering Exemption."
21VAC5-45-20. Offerings conducted pursuant to Rule 506 of federal Regulation D (17 CFR § 230.506): Filing requirements and issuer-agent exemption.
A. An issuer offering a security that is a covered security under § 18 (b)(4)(D) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 USC § 77r(b)(4)(D)) shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale of such federal covered security in this Commonwealth:
1. A notice on SEC Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
2. An executed consent to service of process (Form U-2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for service of process.
3. 2. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
B. An amendment filing shall contain a copy of the amended SEC Form D. No fee is required for an amendment.
C. For the purpose of this chapter, SEC "Form D" is the document, as adopted by the SEC and in effect on September 1, 1996 15, 2008, entitled "Form D; Notice of Sale of Securities pursuant to Regulation D, Section 4(6), and/or Uniform Limited Offering Exemption," including Part E and the Appendix. "Form D, Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities."
D. Pursuant to § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, an agent of an issuer who effects transactions in a security exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated under § 4(2) thereof (15 USC § 77d(2)) is exempt from the agent registration requirements of the Act.
Part I
Investment Advisor Registration, Notice Filing for Federal Covered Advisors, Expiration, Renewal, Updates and Amendments, Terminations and Merger or Consolidation
21VAC5-80-10. Application for registration as an investment advisor and notice filing as a federal covered advisor.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission and shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV Parts I and II submitted to the IARD system.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
3. A copy of the client agreement.
4. A copy of the firm’s supervisory and procedures manual as required by 21VAC5-80-170.
5. Copies of all advertising materials.
6. Copies of all stationary and business cards.
7. A signed affidavit stating that an investment advisor domiciled in Virginia has not conducted investment advisory business prior to registration, and for investment advisors domiciled outside of Virginia an affidavit stating that the advisor has fewer than six clients in any prior 12-month period.
8. The following financial statements:
a. A trial balance of all ledger account;
b. A statement of all client funds or securities that are not segregated;
c. A computation of the aggregate amount of client ledger debit balances;
d. A statement as to the number of client accounts;
e. Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that shall include a balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flow.
9. A copy of the firm’s disaster recovery plan as required by 21VAC5-80-160 F.
10. At least one qualified individual must have a registration pending on the IARD system on behalf of the investment advisor prior to the grant of registration.
3.11. Any other information the commission may require.
For purposes of this section, the term "net worth" means an excess of assets over liabilities, as determined by generally accepted accounting principles, but shall not include as assets: prepaid expenses (except as to items properly classified as assets under generally accepted accounting principles), deferred charges such as deferred income tax charges, goodwill, franchise rights, organizational expenses, patents, copyrights, marketing rights, unamortized debt discount and expense, all other assets of intangible nature, home furnishings, automobiles, and any other personal items not readily marketable in the case of an individual; advances or loans to stockholders and officers in the case of a corporation; and advances or loans to partners in the case of a partnership.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
D. Every person who transacts business in this Commonwealth as a federal covered advisor shall file a notice as prescribed in subsection E of this section in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system.
E. A notice filing for a federal covered advisor shall be deemed incomplete unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
Part II
Investment Advisor Representative Registration, Expiration, Updates and Amendments, Termination, and Changing Connection from One Investment Advisor to Another
21VAC5-80-70. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor representative unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-80-110. Termination of registration.
A. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with an investment advisor, or an investment advisor terminates connection with an investment advisor representative, the investment advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
B. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with a federal covered advisor, the federal covered advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
C. If a representative learns that the investment advisor has not filed the notice, the representative may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the representative’s registration if the commission determines that an investment advisor (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-80-130. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be required to provide evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66 and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who is currently has been registered as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in any state jurisdiction requiring the registration and qualification of investment advisors or investment advisor representatives within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to satisfy the examination requirements for continued registration set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Any individual who has not been registered in any state jurisdiction for a period of two years shall be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
C. The examination requirements shall not apply to an individual who currently holds one of the following professional designations:
1. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) issued by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.;
2. Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) awarded by The American College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania;
3. Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) granted by the Association for Investment Management and Research;
5. Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC) granted by the Investment Counsel Association of America; or
6. Such other professional designation, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, as the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
D. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subsection A of this section, an applicant who meets all the qualifications set forth below may file with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising an executed Affidavit for Waiver of Examination (Form S.A.3).
1. No more than one other individual connected with the applicant's investment advisor is utilizing the waiver at the time the applicant files Form S.A.3.
2. The applicant is, and has been for at least the five years immediately preceding the date on which the application for registration is filed, actively engaged in the investment advisory business.
3. The applicant has been for at least the two years immediately preceding the date on which the application is filed the president, chief executive officer or chairman of the board of directors of an investment advisor organized in corporate form or the managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary of an investment advisor organized in noncorporate form.
4. The investment advisor or advisors referred to in subdivision 3 of this subsection has been actively engaged in the investment advisory business and during the applicant's tenure as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board of directors, or managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary had at least $40 million under management.
5. The applicant verifies that he has read and is familiar with the investment advisor and investment advisor representative provisions of the Act and the provisions of Parts I through V of this chapter.
6. The applicant verifies that none of the questions in Item 22 14 (disciplinary history) on his Form U-4 have been, or need be, answered in the affirmative.
Part III
Investment Advisor, Federal Covered Advisor and Investment Advisor Representative Regulations
21VAC5-80-140. Custody of client funds or securities by investment advisors. (Repealed.)
An investment advisor who takes or has custody of any securities or funds of any client must comply with the following; provided that an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. An investment advisor with its principal place of business located in this Commonwealth shall notify the commission that it has or may have custody. Such notification may be given on Form ADV.
2. The securities of each client must be segregated, marked to identify the particular client having the beneficial interest therein and held in safekeeping in some place reasonably free from risk of destruction or other loss.
3. All client funds must be deposited in one or more bank accounts containing only clients' funds, such account or accounts must be maintained in the name of the investment advisor or agent or trustee for such clients, and the investment advisor must maintain a separate record for each such account showing the name and address of the bank where the account is maintained, the dates and amounts of deposits in and withdrawals from the account, and the exact amount of each client's beneficial interest in the account.
4. Immediately after accepting custody or possession of funds or securities from any client, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the place where and the manner in which the funds and securities will be maintained and subsequently, if and when there is a change in the place where or the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, the investment advisor must give written notice thereof to the client.
5. At least once every three months, the investment advisor must send each client an itemized statement showing the funds and securities in the investment advisor's custody at the end of such period and all debits, credits and transactions in the client's account during such period.
6. At least once every calendar year, an independent public accountant must verify all client funds and securities by actual examination at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice to the investment advisor. A certificate of such accountant stating that he or she has made an examination of such funds and securities, and describing the nature and extent of the examination, shall be filed with the commission promptly after each such examination.
7. This section shall not apply to an investment advisor also registered as a broker-dealer under § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o) if the broker-dealer is (i) subject to and in compliance with SEC Rule 15c3-1 (Net Capital Requirements for Brokers or Dealers) (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or (ii) a member of an exchange whose members are exempt from SEC Rule 15c3-1, (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) thereof, and the broker-dealer is in compliance with all regulations and settled practices of the exchange imposing requirements with respect to financial responsibility and the segregation of funds or securities carried for the account of customers.
21VAC5-80-145. Custody requirements for investment advisors.
A. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Custody" means holding directly or indirectly, client funds or securities, or having any authority to obtain possession of them.
a. Custody includes:
(1) Possession of client funds or securities unless received inadvertently and returned to the sender promptly, but in any case within three business days of receiving them;
(2) Any arrangement (including a general power of attorney) under which the investment advisor is permitted to withdraw client funds or securities maintained with a custodian upon the investment advisor’s instruction to the custodian; and
(3) Any capacity (such as general partner of a limited partnership, managing member of a limited liability company, or a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle, or trustee of a trust) that gives the investment advisor or the investment advisor’s supervised person legal ownership of or access to client funds or securities.
b. Receipt of client’s securities or checks drawn by clients and made payable to unrelated third parties will not meet the definition of custody if forwarded to the third party within 24 hours of receipt and the advisor maintains the following records:
(1) A ledger or other listing of all securities or funds held or obtained, including the following information:
(a) Issuer;
(b) Type of security and series;
(c) Date of issue;
(d) For debt instruments, the denomination, interest rate and maturity date;
(e) Certificate number, including alphabetical prefix or suffix;
(f) Name in which registered;
(g) Date given to the advisor;
(h) Date sent to client or sender;
(i) Form of delivery to client or sender, or copy of the form of delivery to client or sender; and
(j) Mail confirmation number, if applicable, or confirmation by client or sender of the fund’s or security’s return.
2. "Independent representative" means a person who:
a. Acts as agent for an advisory client, including in the case of a pooled investment vehicle, for limited partners of a limited partnership, members of a limited liability company, or other beneficial owners of another type of pooled investment vehicle and by law or contract is obliged to act in the best interest of the advisory client or the limited partners, members, or other beneficial owners;
b. Does not control, is not controlled by, and is not under common control with the investment advisor; and
c. Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
3. "Qualified custodian" means the following independent institutions or entities that are not affiliated with the advisor by any direct or indirect common control and have not had a material business relationship with the advisor in the previous two years:
a. A bank or savings association that has deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 USC § 1813;
b. A registered broker-dealer holding the client assets in customer accounts;
c. A registered futures commission merchant registered under § 4f(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 USC § 6f(a), holding the client assets in customer accounts, but only with respect to clients’ funds and security futures, or other securities incidental to transactions in contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery and options thereon; and
d. A foreign financial institution that customarily holds financial assets for its customers, provided that the foreign financial institution keeps the advisory clients’ assets in customer accounts segregated from its proprietary assets.
B. Requirements.
1. If the investment advisor is registered or required to be registered, it is unlawful and deemed to be a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice, or course of business under § 13.1-502 of the Virginia Securities Act for the investment advisor to have custody of client funds or securities unless:
a. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor has or may have custody. Such notification is required on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system;
b. A qualified custodian maintains those funds and securities in a separate account for each client under that client’s name or in accounts that contain only investment advisor’s clients’ funds and securities, under the investment advisor’s name as agent or trustee for the clients;
c. If the investment advisor opens an account with a qualified custodian on his client’s behalf, either under the client’s name or under the investment advisor’s name as agent, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the qualified custodian’s name, address, and the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, promptly when the account is opened and following any changes to this information;
d. At least quarterly, the investment advisor sends an account statement to each client for whom the investment advisor has custody of funds or securities, identifying the amount of funds and of each security of which the investment advisor has custody at the end of the period and setting forth all transactions during that period; and
(1) An independent certified public accountant verifies all client funds and securities by actual examination at least once during each calendar year at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice or announcement to the advisor and that is irregular from year to year, and files a copy of the auditor’s report and financial statements with the commission within 30 days after the completion of the examination, along with a letter stating that it has examined the funds and securities and describing the nature and extent of the examination.
(2) The independent certified public accountant, upon finding any material discrepancies during the course of the examination, notifies the commission within one business day of the finding, by means of a facsimile transmission or electronic mail, followed by first class mail, directed to the attention of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising.
(3) If the investment advisor is a general partner of a limited partnership (or managing member of a limited liability company, or holds a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle), the account statements required under subdivisions c and d of this subdivision must be sent to each limited partner (or member or other beneficial owner or their independent representative).
(4) A client may designate an independent representative to receive, on his behalf, notices and account statements as required under subdivisions 3 and 4 of this subsection.
2. An advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 a (2) of this section by having fees directly deducted from client accounts shall provide the following safeguards:
a. The investment advisor must have written authorization from the client to deduct advisory fees from the account held with the qualified custodian.
b. Each time a fee is directly deducted from a client account, the investment advisor must concurrently:
(1) Send the qualified custodian an invoice of the amount of the fee to be deducted from the client’s account; and
(2) Send the client an invoice itemizing the fee. Itemization includes the formula used to calculate the fee, the amount of assets under management the fee is based on, and the time period covered by the fee.
c. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
d. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
3. An investment advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who does not meet the exception provided under this subdivision 3 of this subsection must, in addition to the safeguards set forth in subdivision A 4 of this section, also comply with the following:
a. Hire an independent party to review all fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled accounts.
b. Send all invoices or receipts to the independent party, detailing the amount of the fee, expenses, or capital withdrawal and the method of calculation such that the independent party can:
(1) Determine that the payment is in accordance with the pooled investment vehicle standards (generally the partnership agreement or membership agreement); and
(2) Forward, to the qualified custodian, approval for payment of the invoice with a copy to the investment advisor.
c. For purposes of this section, an independent party means a person who:
(1) Is engaged by an investment advisor to act as a gatekeeper for the payment of fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled investment;
(2) Does not control and is not controlled by and is not under common control with the investment advisor, either directly or indirectly; and
(3) Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
d. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
e. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
4. When a trust retains an investment advisor, investment advisor representative, or employee, director, or owner of an investment advisor as trustee, and the investment advisor acts as the investment advisor to that trust, the investment advisor shall:
a. Notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided below. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system.
b. Send to the grantor of the trust, the attorney for the trust if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at the same time that it sends any invoice to the qualified custodian, an invoice showing the amount of the trustees' fee or investment management or advisory fee, the value of the assets on which the fees were based, and the specific manner in which the fees were calculated.
c. Enter into a written agreement with a qualified custodian that specifies the qualified custodian will not deliver trust securities to the investment advisor, any investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor, nor will transmit any funds to the investment advisor; any investment advisor representative or employee; director or owner of the investment advisor, except that the qualified custodian may pay trustees' fees to the trustee and investment management or advisory fees to investment advisor, provided that:
(1) The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust has authorized the qualified custodian in writing to pay those fees;
(2) The statements for those fees show the amount of the fees for the trustee and, in the case of statements for investment management or advisory fees, show the value of the trust assets on which the fee is based and the manner in which the fee was calculated; and
(3) The qualified custodian agrees to send to the grantor of the trust, the attorneys for a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at least quarterly, a statement of all disbursements from the account of the trust, including the amount of investment management fees paid to the investment advisor and the amount of trustees' fees paid to the trustee.
d. Except as otherwise set forth in subdivision 3 d (1) of this subsection, the qualified custodian may transfer funds or securities, or both, of the trust only upon the direction of the trustee (who may be the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor), who the investment advisor has duly accepted as an authorized signatory. The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, must designate the authorized signatory for management of the trust. The direction to transfer funds or securities, or both, can only be made to the following:
(1) To a trust company, bank trust department, or brokerage firm independent of the investment advisor for the account of the trust to which the assets relate;
(2) To the named grantors or to the named beneficiaries of the trust;
(3) To a third person independent of the investment advisor in payment of the fees or charges of the third person including, but not limited to:
(a) Attorney's, accountant's, or qualified custodian's fees for the trust; and
(b) Taxes, interest, maintenance, or other expenses, if there is property other than securities or cash owned by the trust;
(c) To third persons independent of the investment advisor for any other purpose legitimately associated with the management of the trust; or
(d) To a broker-dealer in the normal course of portfolio purchases and sales, provided that the transfer is made on payment against delivery basis or payment against trust receipt.
5. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection, will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
C. Exceptions.
1. With respect to shares of an open-end company as defined in § 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC § 80a-5(a)(1) (mutual fund), the investment advisor may use the mutual fund’s transfer agent in lieu of a qualified custodian for purposes of complying with subsection B of this section.
2. Certain privately offered securities.
a. An investment advisor is not required to comply with subsection B of this section with respect to securities that are:
(1 ) Acquired from the issuer in a transaction or chain of transactions not involving any public offering;
(2) Uncertificated, and ownership thereof is recorded only on books of the issuer or its transfer agent in the name of the client; and
(3) Transferable only with prior consent of the issuer or holders of the outstanding securities of the issuer.
b. Notwithstanding subdivision B 2 a of this section, the provisions of subdivision B 2 of this section are available with respect to securities held for the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or other type of pooled investment vehicle) only if the limited partnership is audited, the audited financial statements are distributed, as described in subdivision B 3 of this section and the investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to provide audited financial statements, as described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
3. The investment advisor is not required to comply with subdivision B 1 c of this section with respect to the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or another type of pooled investment vehicle) that is subject to audit at least annually and distributes its audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to all limited partners (or members or other beneficial owners) within 120 days of the end of its fiscal year. The investment advisor shall also notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to employ the use of the audit safeguards described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
4. The investment advisor is not required to comply with this section with respect to the account of an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC §§ 80a-1 to 80a-64.
5. The investment advisor is not required to comply with safekeeping requirements of subsection B of this section or the net worth and bonding requirements of 21VAC5-80-180 if the investment advisor has custody solely because the investment advisor, investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor is a trustee for a beneficial trust, if all of the following conditions are met for each trust:
a. The beneficial owner of the trust is a parent, a grandparent, a spouse, a sibling, a child, or a grandchild of the trustee. These relationships shall include "step" relationships.
b. For each account under subdivision 5 a of this subsection the investment advisor complies with the following:
(1) Provide a written statement to each beneficial owner of the account setting forth a description of the requirements of subsection B of this section and the reasons why the investment advisor will not be complying with those requirements.
(2) Obtain from each beneficial owner a signed and dated statement acknowledging the receipt of the written statement required under subdivision 5 a of this subsection.
(3) Maintain a copy of both documents described in subdivisions B 4 c and d of this section until the account is closed or the investment advisor is no longer trustee.
6. Any investment advisor who intends to have custody of client funds or securities but is not able to utilize a qualified custodian as defined in subdivision A 3 of this section shall first obtain approval from the commission and comply with all of the applicable safekeeping provisions under subsection B of this section including taking responsibility for those provisions that are designated to be performed by a qualified custodian.
21VAC5-80-160. Recordkeeping requirements for investment advisors.
A. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered under the Act shall make and keep true, accurate and current the following books, ledgers and records, except an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. A journal or journals, including cash receipts and disbursements records, and any other records of original entry forming the basis of entries in any ledger.
2. General and auxiliary ledgers (or other comparable records) reflecting asset, liability, reserve, capital, income and expense accounts.
3. A memorandum of each order given by the investment advisor for the purchase or sale of any security, of any instruction received by the investment advisor from the client concerning the purchase, sale, receipt or delivery of a particular security, and of any modification or cancellation of any such order or instruction. The memoranda shall show the terms and conditions of the order, instruction, modification or cancellation; shall identify the person connected with the investment advisor who recommended the transaction to the client and the person who placed the order; and shall show the account for which entered, the date of entry, and the bank, broker or dealer by or through whom executed where appropriate. Orders entered pursuant to the exercise of discretionary power shall be so designated.
4. All check books, bank statements, canceled checks and cash reconciliations of the investment advisor.
5. All bills or statements (or copies of), paid or unpaid, relating to the business as an investment advisor.
6. All trial balances, financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which shall include a balance sheet, income statement and such other statements as may be required pursuant to 21VAC5-80-180, and internal audit working papers relating to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
7. Originals of all written communications received and copies of all written communications sent by the investment advisor relating to (i) any recommendation made or proposed to be made and any advice given or proposed to be given; (ii) any receipt, disbursement or delivery of funds or securities; and (iii) the placing or execution of any order to purchase or sell any security; however, (a) the investment advisor shall not be required to keep any unsolicited market letters and other similar communications of general public distribution not prepared by or for the investment advisor, and (b) if the investment advisor sends any notice, circular or other advertisement offering any report, analysis, publication or other investment advisory service to more than 10 persons, the investment advisor shall not be required to keep a record of the names and addresses of the persons to whom it was sent; except that if the notice, circular or advertisement is distributed to persons named on any list, the investment advisor shall retain with a copy of the notice, circular or advertisement a memorandum describing the list and the source thereof.
8. A list or other record of all accounts which list identifies the accounts in which the investment advisor is vested with any discretionary power with respect to the funds, securities or transactions of any client.
9. All powers of attorney and other evidences of the granting of any discretionary authority by any client to the investment advisor, or copies thereof.
10. All written agreements (or copies thereof) entered into by the investment advisor with any client, and all other written agreements otherwise related to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
11. A file containing a copy of each notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes, directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor), and if the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media recommends the purchase or sale of a specific security and does not state the reasons for the recommendation, a memorandum of the investment adviser indicating the reasons for the recommendation.
12. a. A record of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has, or by reason of any transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. For purposes of this subdivision 12, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative" means any partner, officer or director of the investment advisor; any employee who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendations shall be made; any employee who, in connection with his duties, obtains any information concerning which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment adviser;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
"Control" means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Any person who owns beneficially, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the ownership interest of a company shall be presumed to control the company.
c. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 12 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if the investment advisor establishes that it instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
13. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 12 of this subsection, where the investment advisor is primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, a record must be maintained of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of such investment advisor has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. An investment advisor is "primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients" when, for each of its most recent three fiscal years or for the period of time since organization, whichever is less, the investment advisor derived, on an unconsolidated basis, more than 50% of (i) its total sales and revenues, and (ii) its income (or loss) before income taxes and extraordinary items, from such other business or businesses.
c. For purposes of this subdivision 13, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative," when used in connection with a company primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, means any partner, officer, director or employee of the investment advisor who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendation shall be made, or whose functions or duties relate to the determination of which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons, who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations or of the information concerning the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment advisor;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
d. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 13 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if he establishes that he instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
14. A copy of each written statement and each amendment or revision, given or sent to any client or prospective client of such investment advisor in accordance with the provisions of 21VAC5-80-190 and a record of the dates that each written statement, and each amendment or revision, was given, or offered to be given, to any client or prospective client who subsequently becomes a client.
15. For each client that was obtained by the advisor by means of a solicitor to whom a cash fee was paid by the advisor, the following:
a. Evidence of a written agreement to which the advisor is a party related to the payment of such fee;
b. A signed and dated acknowledgement of receipt from the client evidencing the client's receipt of the investment advisor's disclosure statement and a written disclosure statement of the solicitor; and,
c. A copy of the solicitor's written disclosure statement. The written agreement, acknowledgement and solicitor disclosure statement will be considered to be in compliance if such documents are in compliance with Rule 275.206(4)-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
For purposes of this regulation, the term "solicitor" means any person or entity who, for compensation, acts as an agent of an investment advisor in referring potential clients.
16. All accounts, books, internal working papers, and any other records or documents that are necessary to form the basis for or demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts or securities recommendations in any notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including but not limited to electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor); however, with respect to the performance of managed accounts, the retention of all account statements, if they reflect all debits, credits, and other transactions in a client's account for the period of the statement, and all worksheets necessary to demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision.
17. A file containing a copy of all written communications received or sent regarding any litigation involving the investment advisor or any investment advisor representative or employee, and regarding any written customer or client complaint.
18. Written information about each investment advisory client that is the basis for making any recommendation or providing any investment advice to the client.
19. Written procedures to supervise the activities of employees and investment advisor representatives that are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
20. A file containing a copy of each document (other than any notices of general dissemination) that was filed with or received from any state or federal agency or self regulatory organization and that pertains to the registrant or its investment advisor representatives, which file should contain, but is not limited to, all applications, amendments, renewal filings, and correspondence.
21. Any records documenting dates, locations and findings of the investment advisor's annual review of these policies and procedures conducted pursuant to subdivision E 2 of 21VAC5-80-170.
B. If an investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section has custody or possession of securities or funds of any client, the records required to be made and kept under subsection A of this section shall also include:
1. A journal or other record showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities (including certificate numbers) for such accounts and all other debits and credits to the accounts.
2. A separate ledger account for each client showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities, the date and price of each purchase and sale, and all debits and credits.
3. Copies of confirmations of all transactions effected by or for the account of any client.
4. A record for each security in which any client has a position, which record shall show the name of each client having any interest in each security, the amount or interest of each client, and the location of each security.
C. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section who renders any investment advisory or management service to any client shall, with respect to the portfolio being supervised or managed and to the extent that the information is reasonably available to or obtainable by the investment advisor, make and keep true, accurate and current:
1. Records showing separately for each client the securities purchased and sold, and the date, amount and price of each purchase and sale.
2. For each security in which any client has a current position, information from which the investment advisor can promptly furnish the name of each client and the current amount or interest of the client.
D. Any books or records required by this section may be maintained by the investment advisor in such manner that the identity of any client to whom the investment advisor renders investment advisory services is indicated by numerical or alphabetical code or some similar designation.
E. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section shall preserve the following records in the manner prescribed:
1. All books and records required to be made under the provisions of subsection A through subdivision C 1, inclusive, of this section, except for books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on record, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor.
2. Partnership articles and any amendments, articles of incorporation, charters, minute books, and stock certificate books of the investment advisor and of any predecessor, shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor and preserved until at least three years after termination of the enterprise.
3. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor, from the end of the fiscal year during which the investment advisor last published or otherwise disseminated, directly or indirectly, the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media.
4. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 17 through A 20, inclusive, of this section shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in the principal office of the investment advisor, or for the time period during which the investment advisor was registered or required to be registered in the state, if less.
5. Notwithstanding other record preservation requirements of this subsection, the following records or copies shall be required to be maintained at the business location of the investment advisor from which the customer or client is being provided or has been provided with investment advisory services: (i) records required to be preserved under subdivisions A 3, A 7 through A 10, A 14 and A 15, A 17 through A 19, subsections B and C, and (ii) the records or copies required under the provision of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section which records or related records identify the name of the investment advisor representative providing investment advice from that business location, or which identify the business locations' physical address, mailing address, electronic mailing address, or telephone number. The records will be maintained for the period described in this subsection.
F. Every investment advisor shall establish and maintain a written disaster recovery plan that shall address at a minimum:
1. The identity of individuals that will conduct business on behalf of the investment advisor in the event of death or incapacity of key persons;
2. Means to provide notification to clients of the investment advisor and to those states in which the advisor is registered of the death or incapacity of key persons;
a. Notification shall be provided to the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising via the IARD/CRD system within 24 hours of the death or incapacity of key persons.
b. Notification shall be given to clients within five business days from the death or incapacity of key persons.
3. Means for clients’ accounts to continue to be monitored until an orderly liquidation, distribution or transfer of the clients’ portfolio to another advisor can be achieved;
4. Means for the credit demands of the investment advisor to be met; and
5. Data backups sufficient to allow rapid resumption of the investment advisor’s activities.
G. An investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section, before ceasing to conduct or discontinuing business as an investment advisor, shall arrange for and be responsible for the preservation of the books and records required to be maintained and preserved under this section for the remainder of the period specified in this section, and shall notify the commission in writing of the exact address where the books and records will be maintained during such period.
G. H. 1. The records required to be maintained pursuant to this section may be immediately produced or reproduced by photograph on film or, as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection, on magnetic disk, tape or other computer storage medium, and be maintained for the required time in that form. If records are preserved or reproduced by photographic film or computer storage medium, the investment advisor shall:
a. Arrange the records and index the films or computer storage medium so as to permit the immediate location of any particular record;
b. Be ready at all times to promptly provide any facsimile enlargement of film or computer printout or copy of the computer storage medium which the commission by its examiners or other representatives may request;
c. Store separately from the original one other copy of the film or computer storage medium for the time required;
d. With respect to records stored on computer storage medium, maintain procedures for maintenance of, and access to, records so as to reasonably safeguard records from loss, alteration, or destruction; and
e. With respect to records stored on photographic film, at all times have available, for the commission's examination of its records, facilities for immediate, easily readable projection of the film and for producing easily readable facsimile enlargements.
2. Pursuant to subdivision 1 of this subsection, an advisor may maintain and preserve on computer tape or disk or other computer storage medium records which, in the ordinary course of the advisor's business, are created by the advisor on electronic media or are received by the advisor solely on electronic media or by electronic transmission.
H. I. Any book or record made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with SEC Rules 17a-3 (17 CFR 240.17a-3) and 17a-4 (17 CFR 240.17a-4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which is substantially the same as the book, or other record required to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved under this section shall be deemed to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with this section.
I. J. For purposes of this section, "investment supervisory services" means the giving of continuous advice as to the investment of funds on the basis of the individual needs of each client; and "discretionary power" shall not include discretion as to the price at which or the time when a transaction is or is to be effected if, before the order is given by the investment advisor, the client has directed or approved the purchase or sale of a definite amount of the particular security.
K. For purposes of this section, "principal place of business" and "principle office" mean the executive office of the investment advisor from which the officers, partners, or managers of the investment advisor direct, control, and coordinate the activities of the investment advisor.
J. L. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered in this Commonwealth and has its principal place of business in a state other than the Commonwealth shall be exempt from the requirements of this section to the extent provided by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104-290), provided the investment advisor is licensed in such state and is in compliance with such state's recordkeeping requirements.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1797; Filed April 7, 2009, 4:23 p.m.
TITLE 21. SECURITIES AND RETAIL FRANCHISING
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
Proposed Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Corporation Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 A 2 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts courts, any agency of the Supreme Court, and any agency that by the Constitution is expressly granted any of the powers of a court of record.
Titles of Regulations: 21VAC5-10. General Administration Securities Act (amending 21VAC5-10-40).
21VAC5-20. Broker-Dealers, Broker-Dealer Agents and Agents of the Issuer (amending 21VAC5-20-60, 21VAC5-20-70, 21VAC5-20-90, 21VAC5-20-130, 21VAC5-20-150, 21VAC5-20-160; adding 21VAC5-20-135).
21VAC5-30. Securities Registration (amending 21VAC5-30-80).
21VAC5-40. Exempt Securities (amending 21VAC5-40-30).
21VAC5-45. Federal Covered Securities (amending 21VAC5-45-20).
21VAC5-80. Investment Advisors (amending 21VAC5-80-10, 21VAC5-80-70, 21VAC5-80-110, 21VAC5-80-130, 21VAC5-80-160; adding 21VAC5-80-145; repealing 21VAC5-80-140).
Statutory Authority: §§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-523 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: A public hearing will be scheduled upon request.
Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 15, 2009.
Agency Contact: Alfred L. Hughes, Registration Chief, Securities Division, State Corporation Commission, Tyler Building, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-9610, FAX (804) 371-9912, or email al.hughes@scc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The proposed amendments (i) adopt by reference recent changes to certain North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (NASAA) securities registration statements of policy; (ii) adopt by reference the NASAA Corporate Securities Definitions statement of policy; (iii) make changes to the notice filing requirements for offerings conducted pursuant to Rules 505 and 506 of Federal Regulation D; (iv) expand the definition of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) to reflect its current name; (v) correct language for mergers and consolidations; (vi) eliminate the duplicative requirement to take the Series 7 exam and allow the Series 66 exam to qualify an individual as an agent; (vii) require individuals whose agent registration has lapsed for more than two years to requalify; (viii) provide relief for those individuals registered as agents or representatives with an entity that ceases to do business by allowing the individuals to make a termination request directly to the commission; (ix) allow retiring agents to continue to receive commissions without registration; (x) require additional documents be filed as part of the initial investment advisor application process, which will assist new investment advisors in setting up required records and increase protection for the investing public; (xi) require that all principals of investment advisors meet minimum qualification standards; (xii) clarify that all investment advisor representatives shall meet minimum standards; (xiii) adopt NASAA Custody rule; and (xiv) require investment advisors to develop a disaster recovery plan.
AT RICHMOND, APRIL 7, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ex rel.
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
CASE NO. SEC-2009-00022
Ex Parte: In the matter of
Adopting a Revision to the Rules
Governing the Virginia Securities Act
ORDER TO TAKE NOTICE
Section 12.1-13 of the Code of Virginia provides that the State Corporation Commission ("Commission") shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations in the enforcement and administration of all laws within its jurisdiction. Section 13.1-523 of the Virginia Securities Act ("Act"), § 13.1-501 et seq. of the Code of Virginia provides that the Commission may issue any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
The rules and regulations issued by the Commission pursuant to the Act are set forth in Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code. A copy also may be found at the Commission's website www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The Division of Securities and Retail Franchising ("Division") has submitted to the Commission proposed revisions to Chapter 10, Chapter 20, Chapter 30, Chapter 80, and Chapter 120 of Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code entitled "Rules and Forms Governing Virginia Securities Act" ("Rules").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-10-40 redefines the term "NASD" to include reference to the organization's successor, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-60 replaces the term "corporation" with the term "entity."
Proposed amendment to Rules 21 VAC 5-20-70, 21 VAC 5-20-90, 21 VAC 5-20-150 and 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminate the requirement to take the General Securities Representative Examination or Series 7, to qualify for registration as either a broker-dealer, broker-dealer agent, agent of an NASD member or agent of an issuer. These Rules are also amended to provide that any of the other acceptable examinations required for registration be taken within two years preceding the date of application for registration with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-70 is expanded to allow the Commission to accept the appropriate FINRA principal examination requirement for the type of business conducted in lieu of the other examination requirements for broker-dealer registration purposes. Furthermore, the Rule is amended to allow an individual registered in any state jurisdiction to forego the examination requirements in the Rule if they are registered as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-130 adds a subsection allowing a broker-dealer agent to file a notice of termination if the broker-dealer fails to file such notice on Form U‑5 in the thirty (30) day time period afforded by the Rule. The new subsection also allows the Commission to terminate an agent's registration if it is determined by the Commission that the broker-dealer is no longer in existence, has ceased conducting securities business or cannot be reasonably located.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminates the requirement to file an Inspection of Records Form in an application to register as an agent of an issuer.
New Rule 21 VAC 5-20-135 is added to allow agents terminating employment with registered broker-dealers by reason of retirement or disability to continue to receive compensation after such termination provided certain enumerated conditions are met. In the case of an agent's death, continued payment of compensation to spouses or other beneficiaries will also be permitted.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-30-80 is updated to adopt the most recent changes to the North American Securities Administrators Association's ("NASAA") statements of policy regarding options and warrants, underwriter's expenses, underwriter's warrants, selling expenses, selling security holders, real estate programs, oil and gas programs, real estate investment trust programs, and unsound financial condition. Additionally, this Rule adopts NASAA's statement of policy regarding corporate securities definitions.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-40-30 eliminates the requirement in subsection B 3 for an issuer seeking to qualify for exemption under the Rule to file Form U‑2, an executed consent to service of process appointing the Clerk of the Commission as its agent for purposes of service of process, and the requirement to furnish to the Commission all information provided by the issuer to offerees. The Rule will also allow such an issuer to file with the Commission the same notice Form D as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-45-20 will also eliminate the requirement to file Form U‑2 in Rule 506 offerings under Regulation D of the SEC's Rules, 17 C.F.R. § 230.506. The Rule also designates the SEC's most recently effective Form D as the appropriate notice form to be filed with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-10 adds requirements for an application for registration as an investment advisor or federal covered advisor to include additional information along with the requisite ADV forms and the statutory fee. This includes information pertaining to client agreements, supervisory and procedural manuals, advertising materials, stationary and business cards, affidavits, financial statements, a copy of the applicants disaster recovery plan and any other supplemental information the Commission may require.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-130 adds a two-year expiration period from the date of taking the required examination until the time of application for registration to qualify as a registered investment advisor representative. Investment advisors and investment advisor representatives registered in other jurisdictions with a similar two-year expiration period rule will be allowed to waive the examination requirements for registration purposes. The prior requirement mandating that individuals registered in other jurisdictions for less than a period of two years take the required examination has been eliminated.
Rule 21 VAC 5-80-140 is eliminated in its entirety and replaced with new Rule 21 VAC 5‑80‑145. Rule 21 VAC 5-80-145 adopts in its entirety NASAA's Model Custody Rule 102(e)(1)-1 to be in conformity with the majority of states.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-160 adds subsection F requiring investment advisors registered with the Commission to implement and maintain a written disaster recovery plan. Subsection K is also added defining the terms "principal place of business" and "principal office."
The Division has recommended to the Commission that the proposed revisions should be considered for adoption with an effective date of July 1, 2009. The Division also has recommended to the Commission that a hearing should be held only if requested by those interested parties who specifically indicate that a hearing is necessary and the reasons therefore.
A copy of the proposed revisions may be requested by interested parties from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail request and also can be found at the Division's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Any comments to the proposed rules must be received by May 15, 2009. If any request for hearing is received and granted, the hearing will be scheduled on June 3, 2009, by subsequent Commission order.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The proposed revisions are appended hereto and made a part of the record herein.
(2) Comments or requests for hearing on the proposed revisions must be submitted in writing to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218, on or before May 15, 2009. Requests for hearing shall state why a hearing is necessary and why the issues cannot be adequately addressed in written comments. All correspondence shall contain reference to Case No. SEC‑2008‑00026. Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so by following the instructions available at the Commission's website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
(3) If the Commission grants any request for hearing in connection with the proposed amendments to the Rules, it will enter a subsequent order scheduling the hearing on June 3, 2009, and that order will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. If no request for hearing is received, the Commission may consider the matter and enter an order based upon the papers filed herein.
(4) On or before May 27, 2009, the Division shall file a response to any comments that are filed in this proceeding and that response will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf.
(5) The proposed revisions shall be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Interested persons may also request a copy of the proposed revisions from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF, together with a copy of the proposed revisions, shall be sent to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register.
AN ATTESTED COPY hereof shall be sent to the Division's Director, who shall forthwith provide notice of this Order via US mail and email to any interested persons as he may designate.
21VAC5-10-40. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following regulations and forms pertaining to securities, instructions and orders of the commission, the following meanings shall apply:
"Act" means the Securities Act contained in Chapter 5 (§ 13.1-501 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Applicant" means a person on whose behalf an application for registration or a registration statement is filed.
"Application" means all information required by the forms prescribed by the commission as well as any additional information required by the commission and any required fees.
"Bank Holding Company Act of 1956" (12 USC § 1841 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Boiler room tactics" mean operations or high pressure tactics utilized in connection with the promotion of speculative offerings by means of an intensive telephone campaign or unsolicited calls to persons not known by or having an account with the salesmen or broker-dealer represented by him, whereby the prospective purchaser is encouraged to make a hasty decision to invest, irrespective of his investment needs and objectives.
"Breakpoint" means the dollar level of investment necessary to qualify a purchaser for a discounted sales charge on a quantity purchase of open-end management company shares.
"Commission" means State Corporation Commission.
"Federal covered advisor" means any person who is registered or required to be registered under § 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 as an "investment adviser."
"Investment Advisers Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80b-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
Notwithstanding the definition in § 13.1-501 of the Act, "investment advisor representative" as applied to a federal covered advisor only includes an individual who has a "place of business" (as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC) in this Commonwealth and who either:
1. Is an "investment advisor representative" as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC; or
2. a. Is not a "supervised person" as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and
b. Solicits, offers or negotiates for the sale of or sells investment advisory services on behalf of a federal covered advisor.
"Investment Company Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80a-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"NASAA" means the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
"NASD" means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or its successor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
"Notice" or "notice filing" means, with respect to a federal covered advisor or federal covered security, all information required by the regulations and forms prescribed by the commission and any required fee.
"Registrant" means an applicant for whom a registration or registration statement has been granted or declared effective by the commission.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act of 1933" (15 USC § 77a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934" (15 USC § 78a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
21VAC5-20-60. Broker-Dealer merger or consolidation.
A. When there is a merger or consolidation of two or more registrants, or the reorganization of a registrant, the surviving or new corporation entity shall amend or file, as the case may be, Form BD (the filing of Form BD requires the payment of a $200 fee) and shall file a copy of the following with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising upon its request:
1. The certificate of merger or consolidation.
2. The plan of merger or consolidation.
3. The amended or new charter and by-laws.
4. Any document of explanation.
5. The current financial statements of the surviving or new corporation entity and surety bond, if necessary.
B. Such amendment and/or filing shall be made immediately after the merger or consolidation becomes effective, except that the required financial statements shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the effective date of the merger or consolidation. The registration of the surviving or new corporation entity usually will be granted by the commission on the same date that the merger or consolidation becomes effective. Each agent of the nonsurviving or new corporation entity shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 before registration as an agent with his new employer becomes effective. Every other agent of the defunct corporation shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 or 21VAC5-20-130, whichever may be applicable.
21VAC5-20-70. Examinations/qualifications.
A. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are registered pursuant to § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o).
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application.
2. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subdivision 1 of this subsection A, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam (Series 24) or, in the case of a broker-dealer selling investment company securities only, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal Exam (Series 26) or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates Qualification Examination for Principals appropriate to the category of registration as specified by the type of business conducted by the broker-dealer within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the applications.
Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
For the purposes of this subsection A, the term "principal" means any person associated with a broker-dealer who is engaged directly (i) in the management, direction or supervision on a regular or continuous basis on behalf of such broker-dealer of the following activities: sales, training, research, investment advice, underwriting, private placements, advertising, public relations, trading, maintenance of books or records, financial operations; or (ii) in the training of persons associated with such broker-dealer for the management, direction, or supervision on a regular or continuous basis of any such activities.
3. Subsection A of this section is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are, or intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
B. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are not registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing:
a. The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application; and
b. Any additional securities-related examination that the commission deems appropriate in light of the business in which the applicant proposes to engage.; and
c. Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
2. This subsection is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are not, or do not intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Part II
Broker-Dealer Agents
21VAC5-20-90. Application for registration as a broker-dealer agent.
A. Application for registration as an agent of a NASD member shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with the forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
B. Application for registration for all other broker-dealer agents shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-20-130. Termination of registration.
A. When a broker-dealer agent terminates a connection with a broker-dealer, or a broker-dealer terminates connection with an agent, the broker-dealer shall file notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination. All filings shall be made with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system for agents of NASD member firms or with the commission for all other broker-dealer agents.
B. If an agent learns that the broker-dealer has not filed the notice, the agent may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the agent’s registration if the commission determines that a broker-dealer (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-20-135. Continuing commission by retiring agents.
The payment of compensation to a registered agent after he terminates his employment with a registered broker-dealer either by retirement, disability, death, or payment to his surviving spouse or other beneficiaries, will not be deemed to be a violation of commission regulations, provided the broker-dealer enters into a bona fide contract with either the retiring agent or the surviving spouse or beneficiaries, and the following conditions are met.
1. The retiring agent must have been continuously employed by or otherwise associated with the firm for a minimum of five years, as of the date of his retirement.
2. The sharing of commissions will be limited to commissions derived from accounts held for continuing customers of the retiring agent regardless of whether customer funds or securities are added to the accounts during the period after retirement.
3. The retiring agent must have demonstrated that he conducted himself in a manner exhibiting appropriate professional conduct. At a minimum, retirees must have been subject to no more than a low incidence of investment-related customer complaints and arbitrations settled or decided for more than $25,000 in the five years prior to the retirement date.
4. If the retiring agent has been subject to such complaints, the firm must have determined that the complaints did not require disciplinary action or heightened supervision, and that the retiree was not at fault for improper sales practices.
5. The retiring agent must not have been subject to a statutory disqualification during the five years prior to retirement.
6. The retiring agent must comply, to the extent applicable, with federal and state securities statutes and regulations, all policies, procedures, and rules of relevant regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, and must certify compliance with the policy at least annually.
7. The broker-dealer must establish parameters for a reasonable time period, not to exceed five years, following retirement and a percentage scale (that is either fixed or decreases the percentage the retiring agent receives each year) regarding the sharing of commissions by the retiring agent and the receiving registered agent.
8. The retiring agent must certify at least annually to the broker-dealer that he has adhered to the requirements and conditions of the agreement.
9. The broker-dealer must contact a representative sample of the account holders including a significant set of high grossing customer accounts subject to the agreement at least annually to confirm that the retiring agent has not provided investment advice or solicited trades in securities in any way. For example, the broker-dealer may contact annually: (i) holders of the top 10 highest grossing client accounts for that year; and (ii) holders of one-half of the next 25% highest grossing client accounts.
21VAC5-20-150. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent shall be required to show evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who has met the qualifications set forth in subsection A of this section, and has been registered in any state jurisdiction requiring registration within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirement set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Part III
Agents of the Issuer
21VAC5-20-160. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer.
A. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an agent of the issuer unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Completed Agreement for Inspection of Records Form.
4. 3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-30-80. Adoption of NASAA statements of policy.
The commission adopts the following NASAA statements of policy that shall apply to the registration of securities in the Commonwealth. It will be considered a basis for denial of an application if an offering fails to comply with an applicable statement of policy. While applications not conforming to a statement of policy shall be looked upon with disfavor, where good cause is shown, certain provisions may be modified or waived by the commission.
1. Options and Warrants, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
2. Underwriting Expenses, Underwriter's Warrants, Selling Expenses and Selling Security Holders, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
3. Real Estate Programs, as amended September 29, 1993 May 7, 2007.
4. Oil and Gas Programs, as amended October 24, 1991 May 7, 2007.
5. Cattle-Feeding Programs, as adopted September 17, 1980.
6. Unsound Financial Condition, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
7. Real Estate Investment Trusts, as adopted September 29, 1993 amended May 7, 2007.
8. Church Bonds, as adopted April 29, 1981.
9. Small Company Offering Registrations, as adopted April 28, 1996.
10. NASAA Guidelines Regarding Viatical Investment, as adopted October 1, 2002.
11. Corporate Securities Definitions, as amended March 31, 2008.
21VAC5-40-30. Uniform limited offering exemption.
A. Nothing in this exemption is intended to relieve, or should be construed as in any way relieving, issuers or persons acting on their behalf from providing disclosure to prospective investors adequate to satisfy the anti-fraud provisions of the Act.
In view of the objective of this section and the purpose and policies underlying the Act, this exemption is not available to an issuer with respect to a transaction which, although in technical compliance with this section, is part of a plan or scheme to evade registration or the conditions or limitations explicitly stated in this section.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt registered broker-dealers or agents from the due diligence standards otherwise applicable to such registered persons.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt a person from the broker-dealer or agent registration requirements of Article 3 (§ 13.1-504 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia, except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision B 2 of this section.
B. For the purpose of the limited offering exemption referred to in § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, the following securities are determined to be exempt from the securities registration requirements of Article 4 (§ 13.1-507 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Any securities offered or sold in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation D (Reg. D), Rules 230.501-230.503 and 230.505 as made effective in Release No. 33-6389 (47 FR 11251), and as amended in Release Nos. 33-6437 (47 FR 54764), 33-6663 (51 FR 36385), 33-6758 (53 FR 7866) and 33-6825 (54 FR 11369) and which satisfy the following further conditions and limitations:
1. The issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that all persons who offer or sell securities subject to this section are registered in accordance with § 13.1-505 of the Act except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision 2 of this subsection.
2. No exemption under this section shall be available for the securities of any issuer if any of the persons described in the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation A, Rule 230.262(a), (b), or (c) (17 CFR 230.262):
a. Has filed a registration statement which is the subject of a currently effective stop order entered pursuant to any state's securities law within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
b. Has been convicted within five years prior to the beginning of the offering of a felony or misdemeanor in connection with the purchase or sale of a security or a felony involving fraud or deceit, including but not limited to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, larceny or conspiracy to defraud.
c. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment entered by that state's securities administrator within five years prior to the beginning of the offering or is subject to a state's administrative order or judgment in which fraud or deceit, including but not limited to making untrue statements of material facts or omitting to state material facts, was found and the order or judgment was entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
d. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment which prohibits the use of any exemption from registration in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.
e. Is currently subject to an order, judgment, or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction temporarily or preliminarily restraining or enjoining, or is subject to an order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering, permanently restraining or enjoining such person from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or involving the making of a false filing with a state.
f. The prohibitions of subdivisions a, b, c and e of this subdivision shall not apply if the party subject to the disqualifying order, judgment or decree is duly licensed or registered to conduct securities related business in the state in which the administrative order, judgment or decree was entered against such party.
g. A disqualification caused by this subsection is automatically waived if the state securities administrator or agency of the state which created the basis for disqualification, or the State Corporation Commission, determines upon a showing of good cause that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the exemption under this section be denied.
3. The issuer shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale in this state from an offering being made in reliance upon this exemption:
a. A notice on Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
b. An undertaking by the issuer to promptly provide, upon written request, the information furnished by the issuer to offerees.
c. An executed consent to service of process (Form U2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for purpose of service of process, unless a currently effective consent to service of process is on file with the commission.
d. b. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
4. In sales to nonaccredited investors, the issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that the investment is suitable for the purchaser as to the purchaser's other security holdings and financial situation and needs.
5. Offers and sales of securities which are exempted by this section shall not be combined with offers and sales of securities exempted by another regulation or section of the Act; however, nothing in this limitation shall act as an election. The issuer may claim the availability of another applicable exemption should, for any reason, the securities or persons fail to comply with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.
6. In any proceeding involving this section, the burden of proving the exemption or an exception from a definition or condition is upon the person claiming it.
C. The exemption authorized by this section shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Limited Offering Exemption."
21VAC5-45-20. Offerings conducted pursuant to Rule 506 of federal Regulation D (17 CFR § 230.506): Filing requirements and issuer-agent exemption.
A. An issuer offering a security that is a covered security under § 18 (b)(4)(D) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 USC § 77r(b)(4)(D)) shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale of such federal covered security in this Commonwealth:
1. A notice on SEC Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
2. An executed consent to service of process (Form U-2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for service of process.
3. 2. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
B. An amendment filing shall contain a copy of the amended SEC Form D. No fee is required for an amendment.
C. For the purpose of this chapter, SEC "Form D" is the document, as adopted by the SEC and in effect on September 1, 1996 15, 2008, entitled "Form D; Notice of Sale of Securities pursuant to Regulation D, Section 4(6), and/or Uniform Limited Offering Exemption," including Part E and the Appendix. "Form D, Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities."
D. Pursuant to § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, an agent of an issuer who effects transactions in a security exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated under § 4(2) thereof (15 USC § 77d(2)) is exempt from the agent registration requirements of the Act.
Part I
Investment Advisor Registration, Notice Filing for Federal Covered Advisors, Expiration, Renewal, Updates and Amendments, Terminations and Merger or Consolidation
21VAC5-80-10. Application for registration as an investment advisor and notice filing as a federal covered advisor.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission and shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV Parts I and II submitted to the IARD system.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
3. A copy of the client agreement.
4. A copy of the firm’s supervisory and procedures manual as required by 21VAC5-80-170.
5. Copies of all advertising materials.
6. Copies of all stationary and business cards.
7. A signed affidavit stating that an investment advisor domiciled in Virginia has not conducted investment advisory business prior to registration, and for investment advisors domiciled outside of Virginia an affidavit stating that the advisor has fewer than six clients in any prior 12-month period.
8. The following financial statements:
a. A trial balance of all ledger account;
b. A statement of all client funds or securities that are not segregated;
c. A computation of the aggregate amount of client ledger debit balances;
d. A statement as to the number of client accounts;
e. Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that shall include a balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flow.
9. A copy of the firm’s disaster recovery plan as required by 21VAC5-80-160 F.
10. At least one qualified individual must have a registration pending on the IARD system on behalf of the investment advisor prior to the grant of registration.
3.11. Any other information the commission may require.
For purposes of this section, the term "net worth" means an excess of assets over liabilities, as determined by generally accepted accounting principles, but shall not include as assets: prepaid expenses (except as to items properly classified as assets under generally accepted accounting principles), deferred charges such as deferred income tax charges, goodwill, franchise rights, organizational expenses, patents, copyrights, marketing rights, unamortized debt discount and expense, all other assets of intangible nature, home furnishings, automobiles, and any other personal items not readily marketable in the case of an individual; advances or loans to stockholders and officers in the case of a corporation; and advances or loans to partners in the case of a partnership.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
D. Every person who transacts business in this Commonwealth as a federal covered advisor shall file a notice as prescribed in subsection E of this section in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system.
E. A notice filing for a federal covered advisor shall be deemed incomplete unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
Part II
Investment Advisor Representative Registration, Expiration, Updates and Amendments, Termination, and Changing Connection from One Investment Advisor to Another
21VAC5-80-70. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor representative unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-80-110. Termination of registration.
A. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with an investment advisor, or an investment advisor terminates connection with an investment advisor representative, the investment advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
B. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with a federal covered advisor, the federal covered advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
C. If a representative learns that the investment advisor has not filed the notice, the representative may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the representative’s registration if the commission determines that an investment advisor (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-80-130. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be required to provide evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66 and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who is currently has been registered as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in any state jurisdiction requiring the registration and qualification of investment advisors or investment advisor representatives within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to satisfy the examination requirements for continued registration set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Any individual who has not been registered in any state jurisdiction for a period of two years shall be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
C. The examination requirements shall not apply to an individual who currently holds one of the following professional designations:
1. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) issued by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.;
2. Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) awarded by The American College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania;
3. Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) granted by the Association for Investment Management and Research;
5. Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC) granted by the Investment Counsel Association of America; or
6. Such other professional designation, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, as the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
D. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subsection A of this section, an applicant who meets all the qualifications set forth below may file with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising an executed Affidavit for Waiver of Examination (Form S.A.3).
1. No more than one other individual connected with the applicant's investment advisor is utilizing the waiver at the time the applicant files Form S.A.3.
2. The applicant is, and has been for at least the five years immediately preceding the date on which the application for registration is filed, actively engaged in the investment advisory business.
3. The applicant has been for at least the two years immediately preceding the date on which the application is filed the president, chief executive officer or chairman of the board of directors of an investment advisor organized in corporate form or the managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary of an investment advisor organized in noncorporate form.
4. The investment advisor or advisors referred to in subdivision 3 of this subsection has been actively engaged in the investment advisory business and during the applicant's tenure as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board of directors, or managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary had at least $40 million under management.
5. The applicant verifies that he has read and is familiar with the investment advisor and investment advisor representative provisions of the Act and the provisions of Parts I through V of this chapter.
6. The applicant verifies that none of the questions in Item 22 14 (disciplinary history) on his Form U-4 have been, or need be, answered in the affirmative.
Part III
Investment Advisor, Federal Covered Advisor and Investment Advisor Representative Regulations
21VAC5-80-140. Custody of client funds or securities by investment advisors. (Repealed.)
An investment advisor who takes or has custody of any securities or funds of any client must comply with the following; provided that an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. An investment advisor with its principal place of business located in this Commonwealth shall notify the commission that it has or may have custody. Such notification may be given on Form ADV.
2. The securities of each client must be segregated, marked to identify the particular client having the beneficial interest therein and held in safekeeping in some place reasonably free from risk of destruction or other loss.
3. All client funds must be deposited in one or more bank accounts containing only clients' funds, such account or accounts must be maintained in the name of the investment advisor or agent or trustee for such clients, and the investment advisor must maintain a separate record for each such account showing the name and address of the bank where the account is maintained, the dates and amounts of deposits in and withdrawals from the account, and the exact amount of each client's beneficial interest in the account.
4. Immediately after accepting custody or possession of funds or securities from any client, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the place where and the manner in which the funds and securities will be maintained and subsequently, if and when there is a change in the place where or the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, the investment advisor must give written notice thereof to the client.
5. At least once every three months, the investment advisor must send each client an itemized statement showing the funds and securities in the investment advisor's custody at the end of such period and all debits, credits and transactions in the client's account during such period.
6. At least once every calendar year, an independent public accountant must verify all client funds and securities by actual examination at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice to the investment advisor. A certificate of such accountant stating that he or she has made an examination of such funds and securities, and describing the nature and extent of the examination, shall be filed with the commission promptly after each such examination.
7. This section shall not apply to an investment advisor also registered as a broker-dealer under § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o) if the broker-dealer is (i) subject to and in compliance with SEC Rule 15c3-1 (Net Capital Requirements for Brokers or Dealers) (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or (ii) a member of an exchange whose members are exempt from SEC Rule 15c3-1, (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) thereof, and the broker-dealer is in compliance with all regulations and settled practices of the exchange imposing requirements with respect to financial responsibility and the segregation of funds or securities carried for the account of customers.
21VAC5-80-145. Custody requirements for investment advisors.
A. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Custody" means holding directly or indirectly, client funds or securities, or having any authority to obtain possession of them.
a. Custody includes:
(1) Possession of client funds or securities unless received inadvertently and returned to the sender promptly, but in any case within three business days of receiving them;
(2) Any arrangement (including a general power of attorney) under which the investment advisor is permitted to withdraw client funds or securities maintained with a custodian upon the investment advisor’s instruction to the custodian; and
(3) Any capacity (such as general partner of a limited partnership, managing member of a limited liability company, or a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle, or trustee of a trust) that gives the investment advisor or the investment advisor’s supervised person legal ownership of or access to client funds or securities.
b. Receipt of client’s securities or checks drawn by clients and made payable to unrelated third parties will not meet the definition of custody if forwarded to the third party within 24 hours of receipt and the advisor maintains the following records:
(1) A ledger or other listing of all securities or funds held or obtained, including the following information:
(a) Issuer;
(b) Type of security and series;
(c) Date of issue;
(d) For debt instruments, the denomination, interest rate and maturity date;
(e) Certificate number, including alphabetical prefix or suffix;
(f) Name in which registered;
(g) Date given to the advisor;
(h) Date sent to client or sender;
(i) Form of delivery to client or sender, or copy of the form of delivery to client or sender; and
(j) Mail confirmation number, if applicable, or confirmation by client or sender of the fund’s or security’s return.
2. "Independent representative" means a person who:
a. Acts as agent for an advisory client, including in the case of a pooled investment vehicle, for limited partners of a limited partnership, members of a limited liability company, or other beneficial owners of another type of pooled investment vehicle and by law or contract is obliged to act in the best interest of the advisory client or the limited partners, members, or other beneficial owners;
b. Does not control, is not controlled by, and is not under common control with the investment advisor; and
c. Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
3. "Qualified custodian" means the following independent institutions or entities that are not affiliated with the advisor by any direct or indirect common control and have not had a material business relationship with the advisor in the previous two years:
a. A bank or savings association that has deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 USC § 1813;
b. A registered broker-dealer holding the client assets in customer accounts;
c. A registered futures commission merchant registered under § 4f(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 USC § 6f(a), holding the client assets in customer accounts, but only with respect to clients’ funds and security futures, or other securities incidental to transactions in contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery and options thereon; and
d. A foreign financial institution that customarily holds financial assets for its customers, provided that the foreign financial institution keeps the advisory clients’ assets in customer accounts segregated from its proprietary assets.
B. Requirements.
1. If the investment advisor is registered or required to be registered, it is unlawful and deemed to be a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice, or course of business under § 13.1-502 of the Virginia Securities Act for the investment advisor to have custody of client funds or securities unless:
a. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor has or may have custody. Such notification is required on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system;
b. A qualified custodian maintains those funds and securities in a separate account for each client under that client’s name or in accounts that contain only investment advisor’s clients’ funds and securities, under the investment advisor’s name as agent or trustee for the clients;
c. If the investment advisor opens an account with a qualified custodian on his client’s behalf, either under the client’s name or under the investment advisor’s name as agent, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the qualified custodian’s name, address, and the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, promptly when the account is opened and following any changes to this information;
d. At least quarterly, the investment advisor sends an account statement to each client for whom the investment advisor has custody of funds or securities, identifying the amount of funds and of each security of which the investment advisor has custody at the end of the period and setting forth all transactions during that period; and
(1) An independent certified public accountant verifies all client funds and securities by actual examination at least once during each calendar year at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice or announcement to the advisor and that is irregular from year to year, and files a copy of the auditor’s report and financial statements with the commission within 30 days after the completion of the examination, along with a letter stating that it has examined the funds and securities and describing the nature and extent of the examination.
(2) The independent certified public accountant, upon finding any material discrepancies during the course of the examination, notifies the commission within one business day of the finding, by means of a facsimile transmission or electronic mail, followed by first class mail, directed to the attention of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising.
(3) If the investment advisor is a general partner of a limited partnership (or managing member of a limited liability company, or holds a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle), the account statements required under subdivisions c and d of this subdivision must be sent to each limited partner (or member or other beneficial owner or their independent representative).
(4) A client may designate an independent representative to receive, on his behalf, notices and account statements as required under subdivisions 3 and 4 of this subsection.
2. An advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 a (2) of this section by having fees directly deducted from client accounts shall provide the following safeguards:
a. The investment advisor must have written authorization from the client to deduct advisory fees from the account held with the qualified custodian.
b. Each time a fee is directly deducted from a client account, the investment advisor must concurrently:
(1) Send the qualified custodian an invoice of the amount of the fee to be deducted from the client’s account; and
(2) Send the client an invoice itemizing the fee. Itemization includes the formula used to calculate the fee, the amount of assets under management the fee is based on, and the time period covered by the fee.
c. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
d. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
3. An investment advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who does not meet the exception provided under this subdivision 3 of this subsection must, in addition to the safeguards set forth in subdivision A 4 of this section, also comply with the following:
a. Hire an independent party to review all fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled accounts.
b. Send all invoices or receipts to the independent party, detailing the amount of the fee, expenses, or capital withdrawal and the method of calculation such that the independent party can:
(1) Determine that the payment is in accordance with the pooled investment vehicle standards (generally the partnership agreement or membership agreement); and
(2) Forward, to the qualified custodian, approval for payment of the invoice with a copy to the investment advisor.
c. For purposes of this section, an independent party means a person who:
(1) Is engaged by an investment advisor to act as a gatekeeper for the payment of fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled investment;
(2) Does not control and is not controlled by and is not under common control with the investment advisor, either directly or indirectly; and
(3) Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
d. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
e. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
4. When a trust retains an investment advisor, investment advisor representative, or employee, director, or owner of an investment advisor as trustee, and the investment advisor acts as the investment advisor to that trust, the investment advisor shall:
a. Notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided below. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system.
b. Send to the grantor of the trust, the attorney for the trust if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at the same time that it sends any invoice to the qualified custodian, an invoice showing the amount of the trustees' fee or investment management or advisory fee, the value of the assets on which the fees were based, and the specific manner in which the fees were calculated.
c. Enter into a written agreement with a qualified custodian that specifies the qualified custodian will not deliver trust securities to the investment advisor, any investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor, nor will transmit any funds to the investment advisor; any investment advisor representative or employee; director or owner of the investment advisor, except that the qualified custodian may pay trustees' fees to the trustee and investment management or advisory fees to investment advisor, provided that:
(1) The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust has authorized the qualified custodian in writing to pay those fees;
(2) The statements for those fees show the amount of the fees for the trustee and, in the case of statements for investment management or advisory fees, show the value of the trust assets on which the fee is based and the manner in which the fee was calculated; and
(3) The qualified custodian agrees to send to the grantor of the trust, the attorneys for a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at least quarterly, a statement of all disbursements from the account of the trust, including the amount of investment management fees paid to the investment advisor and the amount of trustees' fees paid to the trustee.
d. Except as otherwise set forth in subdivision 3 d (1) of this subsection, the qualified custodian may transfer funds or securities, or both, of the trust only upon the direction of the trustee (who may be the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor), who the investment advisor has duly accepted as an authorized signatory. The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, must designate the authorized signatory for management of the trust. The direction to transfer funds or securities, or both, can only be made to the following:
(1) To a trust company, bank trust department, or brokerage firm independent of the investment advisor for the account of the trust to which the assets relate;
(2) To the named grantors or to the named beneficiaries of the trust;
(3) To a third person independent of the investment advisor in payment of the fees or charges of the third person including, but not limited to:
(a) Attorney's, accountant's, or qualified custodian's fees for the trust; and
(b) Taxes, interest, maintenance, or other expenses, if there is property other than securities or cash owned by the trust;
(c) To third persons independent of the investment advisor for any other purpose legitimately associated with the management of the trust; or
(d) To a broker-dealer in the normal course of portfolio purchases and sales, provided that the transfer is made on payment against delivery basis or payment against trust receipt.
5. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection, will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
C. Exceptions.
1. With respect to shares of an open-end company as defined in § 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC § 80a-5(a)(1) (mutual fund), the investment advisor may use the mutual fund’s transfer agent in lieu of a qualified custodian for purposes of complying with subsection B of this section.
2. Certain privately offered securities.
a. An investment advisor is not required to comply with subsection B of this section with respect to securities that are:
(1 ) Acquired from the issuer in a transaction or chain of transactions not involving any public offering;
(2) Uncertificated, and ownership thereof is recorded only on books of the issuer or its transfer agent in the name of the client; and
(3) Transferable only with prior consent of the issuer or holders of the outstanding securities of the issuer.
b. Notwithstanding subdivision B 2 a of this section, the provisions of subdivision B 2 of this section are available with respect to securities held for the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or other type of pooled investment vehicle) only if the limited partnership is audited, the audited financial statements are distributed, as described in subdivision B 3 of this section and the investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to provide audited financial statements, as described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
3. The investment advisor is not required to comply with subdivision B 1 c of this section with respect to the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or another type of pooled investment vehicle) that is subject to audit at least annually and distributes its audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to all limited partners (or members or other beneficial owners) within 120 days of the end of its fiscal year. The investment advisor shall also notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to employ the use of the audit safeguards described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
4. The investment advisor is not required to comply with this section with respect to the account of an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC §§ 80a-1 to 80a-64.
5. The investment advisor is not required to comply with safekeeping requirements of subsection B of this section or the net worth and bonding requirements of 21VAC5-80-180 if the investment advisor has custody solely because the investment advisor, investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor is a trustee for a beneficial trust, if all of the following conditions are met for each trust:
a. The beneficial owner of the trust is a parent, a grandparent, a spouse, a sibling, a child, or a grandchild of the trustee. These relationships shall include "step" relationships.
b. For each account under subdivision 5 a of this subsection the investment advisor complies with the following:
(1) Provide a written statement to each beneficial owner of the account setting forth a description of the requirements of subsection B of this section and the reasons why the investment advisor will not be complying with those requirements.
(2) Obtain from each beneficial owner a signed and dated statement acknowledging the receipt of the written statement required under subdivision 5 a of this subsection.
(3) Maintain a copy of both documents described in subdivisions B 4 c and d of this section until the account is closed or the investment advisor is no longer trustee.
6. Any investment advisor who intends to have custody of client funds or securities but is not able to utilize a qualified custodian as defined in subdivision A 3 of this section shall first obtain approval from the commission and comply with all of the applicable safekeeping provisions under subsection B of this section including taking responsibility for those provisions that are designated to be performed by a qualified custodian.
21VAC5-80-160. Recordkeeping requirements for investment advisors.
A. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered under the Act shall make and keep true, accurate and current the following books, ledgers and records, except an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. A journal or journals, including cash receipts and disbursements records, and any other records of original entry forming the basis of entries in any ledger.
2. General and auxiliary ledgers (or other comparable records) reflecting asset, liability, reserve, capital, income and expense accounts.
3. A memorandum of each order given by the investment advisor for the purchase or sale of any security, of any instruction received by the investment advisor from the client concerning the purchase, sale, receipt or delivery of a particular security, and of any modification or cancellation of any such order or instruction. The memoranda shall show the terms and conditions of the order, instruction, modification or cancellation; shall identify the person connected with the investment advisor who recommended the transaction to the client and the person who placed the order; and shall show the account for which entered, the date of entry, and the bank, broker or dealer by or through whom executed where appropriate. Orders entered pursuant to the exercise of discretionary power shall be so designated.
4. All check books, bank statements, canceled checks and cash reconciliations of the investment advisor.
5. All bills or statements (or copies of), paid or unpaid, relating to the business as an investment advisor.
6. All trial balances, financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which shall include a balance sheet, income statement and such other statements as may be required pursuant to 21VAC5-80-180, and internal audit working papers relating to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
7. Originals of all written communications received and copies of all written communications sent by the investment advisor relating to (i) any recommendation made or proposed to be made and any advice given or proposed to be given; (ii) any receipt, disbursement or delivery of funds or securities; and (iii) the placing or execution of any order to purchase or sell any security; however, (a) the investment advisor shall not be required to keep any unsolicited market letters and other similar communications of general public distribution not prepared by or for the investment advisor, and (b) if the investment advisor sends any notice, circular or other advertisement offering any report, analysis, publication or other investment advisory service to more than 10 persons, the investment advisor shall not be required to keep a record of the names and addresses of the persons to whom it was sent; except that if the notice, circular or advertisement is distributed to persons named on any list, the investment advisor shall retain with a copy of the notice, circular or advertisement a memorandum describing the list and the source thereof.
8. A list or other record of all accounts which list identifies the accounts in which the investment advisor is vested with any discretionary power with respect to the funds, securities or transactions of any client.
9. All powers of attorney and other evidences of the granting of any discretionary authority by any client to the investment advisor, or copies thereof.
10. All written agreements (or copies thereof) entered into by the investment advisor with any client, and all other written agreements otherwise related to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
11. A file containing a copy of each notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes, directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor), and if the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media recommends the purchase or sale of a specific security and does not state the reasons for the recommendation, a memorandum of the investment adviser indicating the reasons for the recommendation.
12. a. A record of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has, or by reason of any transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. For purposes of this subdivision 12, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative" means any partner, officer or director of the investment advisor; any employee who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendations shall be made; any employee who, in connection with his duties, obtains any information concerning which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment adviser;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
"Control" means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Any person who owns beneficially, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the ownership interest of a company shall be presumed to control the company.
c. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 12 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if the investment advisor establishes that it instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
13. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 12 of this subsection, where the investment advisor is primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, a record must be maintained of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of such investment advisor has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. An investment advisor is "primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients" when, for each of its most recent three fiscal years or for the period of time since organization, whichever is less, the investment advisor derived, on an unconsolidated basis, more than 50% of (i) its total sales and revenues, and (ii) its income (or loss) before income taxes and extraordinary items, from such other business or businesses.
c. For purposes of this subdivision 13, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative," when used in connection with a company primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, means any partner, officer, director or employee of the investment advisor who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendation shall be made, or whose functions or duties relate to the determination of which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons, who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations or of the information concerning the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment advisor;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
d. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 13 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if he establishes that he instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
14. A copy of each written statement and each amendment or revision, given or sent to any client or prospective client of such investment advisor in accordance with the provisions of 21VAC5-80-190 and a record of the dates that each written statement, and each amendment or revision, was given, or offered to be given, to any client or prospective client who subsequently becomes a client.
15. For each client that was obtained by the advisor by means of a solicitor to whom a cash fee was paid by the advisor, the following:
a. Evidence of a written agreement to which the advisor is a party related to the payment of such fee;
b. A signed and dated acknowledgement of receipt from the client evidencing the client's receipt of the investment advisor's disclosure statement and a written disclosure statement of the solicitor; and,
c. A copy of the solicitor's written disclosure statement. The written agreement, acknowledgement and solicitor disclosure statement will be considered to be in compliance if such documents are in compliance with Rule 275.206(4)-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
For purposes of this regulation, the term "solicitor" means any person or entity who, for compensation, acts as an agent of an investment advisor in referring potential clients.
16. All accounts, books, internal working papers, and any other records or documents that are necessary to form the basis for or demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts or securities recommendations in any notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including but not limited to electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor); however, with respect to the performance of managed accounts, the retention of all account statements, if they reflect all debits, credits, and other transactions in a client's account for the period of the statement, and all worksheets necessary to demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision.
17. A file containing a copy of all written communications received or sent regarding any litigation involving the investment advisor or any investment advisor representative or employee, and regarding any written customer or client complaint.
18. Written information about each investment advisory client that is the basis for making any recommendation or providing any investment advice to the client.
19. Written procedures to supervise the activities of employees and investment advisor representatives that are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
20. A file containing a copy of each document (other than any notices of general dissemination) that was filed with or received from any state or federal agency or self regulatory organization and that pertains to the registrant or its investment advisor representatives, which file should contain, but is not limited to, all applications, amendments, renewal filings, and correspondence.
21. Any records documenting dates, locations and findings of the investment advisor's annual review of these policies and procedures conducted pursuant to subdivision E 2 of 21VAC5-80-170.
B. If an investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section has custody or possession of securities or funds of any client, the records required to be made and kept under subsection A of this section shall also include:
1. A journal or other record showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities (including certificate numbers) for such accounts and all other debits and credits to the accounts.
2. A separate ledger account for each client showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities, the date and price of each purchase and sale, and all debits and credits.
3. Copies of confirmations of all transactions effected by or for the account of any client.
4. A record for each security in which any client has a position, which record shall show the name of each client having any interest in each security, the amount or interest of each client, and the location of each security.
C. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section who renders any investment advisory or management service to any client shall, with respect to the portfolio being supervised or managed and to the extent that the information is reasonably available to or obtainable by the investment advisor, make and keep true, accurate and current:
1. Records showing separately for each client the securities purchased and sold, and the date, amount and price of each purchase and sale.
2. For each security in which any client has a current position, information from which the investment advisor can promptly furnish the name of each client and the current amount or interest of the client.
D. Any books or records required by this section may be maintained by the investment advisor in such manner that the identity of any client to whom the investment advisor renders investment advisory services is indicated by numerical or alphabetical code or some similar designation.
E. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section shall preserve the following records in the manner prescribed:
1. All books and records required to be made under the provisions of subsection A through subdivision C 1, inclusive, of this section, except for books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on record, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor.
2. Partnership articles and any amendments, articles of incorporation, charters, minute books, and stock certificate books of the investment advisor and of any predecessor, shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor and preserved until at least three years after termination of the enterprise.
3. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor, from the end of the fiscal year during which the investment advisor last published or otherwise disseminated, directly or indirectly, the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media.
4. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 17 through A 20, inclusive, of this section shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in the principal office of the investment advisor, or for the time period during which the investment advisor was registered or required to be registered in the state, if less.
5. Notwithstanding other record preservation requirements of this subsection, the following records or copies shall be required to be maintained at the business location of the investment advisor from which the customer or client is being provided or has been provided with investment advisory services: (i) records required to be preserved under subdivisions A 3, A 7 through A 10, A 14 and A 15, A 17 through A 19, subsections B and C, and (ii) the records or copies required under the provision of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section which records or related records identify the name of the investment advisor representative providing investment advice from that business location, or which identify the business locations' physical address, mailing address, electronic mailing address, or telephone number. The records will be maintained for the period described in this subsection.
F. Every investment advisor shall establish and maintain a written disaster recovery plan that shall address at a minimum:
1. The identity of individuals that will conduct business on behalf of the investment advisor in the event of death or incapacity of key persons;
2. Means to provide notification to clients of the investment advisor and to those states in which the advisor is registered of the death or incapacity of key persons;
a. Notification shall be provided to the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising via the IARD/CRD system within 24 hours of the death or incapacity of key persons.
b. Notification shall be given to clients within five business days from the death or incapacity of key persons.
3. Means for clients’ accounts to continue to be monitored until an orderly liquidation, distribution or transfer of the clients’ portfolio to another advisor can be achieved;
4. Means for the credit demands of the investment advisor to be met; and
5. Data backups sufficient to allow rapid resumption of the investment advisor’s activities.
G. An investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section, before ceasing to conduct or discontinuing business as an investment advisor, shall arrange for and be responsible for the preservation of the books and records required to be maintained and preserved under this section for the remainder of the period specified in this section, and shall notify the commission in writing of the exact address where the books and records will be maintained during such period.
G. H. 1. The records required to be maintained pursuant to this section may be immediately produced or reproduced by photograph on film or, as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection, on magnetic disk, tape or other computer storage medium, and be maintained for the required time in that form. If records are preserved or reproduced by photographic film or computer storage medium, the investment advisor shall:
a. Arrange the records and index the films or computer storage medium so as to permit the immediate location of any particular record;
b. Be ready at all times to promptly provide any facsimile enlargement of film or computer printout or copy of the computer storage medium which the commission by its examiners or other representatives may request;
c. Store separately from the original one other copy of the film or computer storage medium for the time required;
d. With respect to records stored on computer storage medium, maintain procedures for maintenance of, and access to, records so as to reasonably safeguard records from loss, alteration, or destruction; and
e. With respect to records stored on photographic film, at all times have available, for the commission's examination of its records, facilities for immediate, easily readable projection of the film and for producing easily readable facsimile enlargements.
2. Pursuant to subdivision 1 of this subsection, an advisor may maintain and preserve on computer tape or disk or other computer storage medium records which, in the ordinary course of the advisor's business, are created by the advisor on electronic media or are received by the advisor solely on electronic media or by electronic transmission.
H. I. Any book or record made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with SEC Rules 17a-3 (17 CFR 240.17a-3) and 17a-4 (17 CFR 240.17a-4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which is substantially the same as the book, or other record required to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved under this section shall be deemed to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with this section.
I. J. For purposes of this section, "investment supervisory services" means the giving of continuous advice as to the investment of funds on the basis of the individual needs of each client; and "discretionary power" shall not include discretion as to the price at which or the time when a transaction is or is to be effected if, before the order is given by the investment advisor, the client has directed or approved the purchase or sale of a definite amount of the particular security.
K. For purposes of this section, "principal place of business" and "principle office" mean the executive office of the investment advisor from which the officers, partners, or managers of the investment advisor direct, control, and coordinate the activities of the investment advisor.
J. L. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered in this Commonwealth and has its principal place of business in a state other than the Commonwealth shall be exempt from the requirements of this section to the extent provided by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104-290), provided the investment advisor is licensed in such state and is in compliance with such state's recordkeeping requirements.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1797; Filed April 7, 2009, 4:23 p.m.
TITLE 21. SECURITIES AND RETAIL FRANCHISING
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
Proposed Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Corporation Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 A 2 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts courts, any agency of the Supreme Court, and any agency that by the Constitution is expressly granted any of the powers of a court of record.
Titles of Regulations: 21VAC5-10. General Administration Securities Act (amending 21VAC5-10-40).
21VAC5-20. Broker-Dealers, Broker-Dealer Agents and Agents of the Issuer (amending 21VAC5-20-60, 21VAC5-20-70, 21VAC5-20-90, 21VAC5-20-130, 21VAC5-20-150, 21VAC5-20-160; adding 21VAC5-20-135).
21VAC5-30. Securities Registration (amending 21VAC5-30-80).
21VAC5-40. Exempt Securities (amending 21VAC5-40-30).
21VAC5-45. Federal Covered Securities (amending 21VAC5-45-20).
21VAC5-80. Investment Advisors (amending 21VAC5-80-10, 21VAC5-80-70, 21VAC5-80-110, 21VAC5-80-130, 21VAC5-80-160; adding 21VAC5-80-145; repealing 21VAC5-80-140).
Statutory Authority: §§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-523 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: A public hearing will be scheduled upon request.
Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 15, 2009.
Agency Contact: Alfred L. Hughes, Registration Chief, Securities Division, State Corporation Commission, Tyler Building, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-9610, FAX (804) 371-9912, or email al.hughes@scc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The proposed amendments (i) adopt by reference recent changes to certain North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (NASAA) securities registration statements of policy; (ii) adopt by reference the NASAA Corporate Securities Definitions statement of policy; (iii) make changes to the notice filing requirements for offerings conducted pursuant to Rules 505 and 506 of Federal Regulation D; (iv) expand the definition of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) to reflect its current name; (v) correct language for mergers and consolidations; (vi) eliminate the duplicative requirement to take the Series 7 exam and allow the Series 66 exam to qualify an individual as an agent; (vii) require individuals whose agent registration has lapsed for more than two years to requalify; (viii) provide relief for those individuals registered as agents or representatives with an entity that ceases to do business by allowing the individuals to make a termination request directly to the commission; (ix) allow retiring agents to continue to receive commissions without registration; (x) require additional documents be filed as part of the initial investment advisor application process, which will assist new investment advisors in setting up required records and increase protection for the investing public; (xi) require that all principals of investment advisors meet minimum qualification standards; (xii) clarify that all investment advisor representatives shall meet minimum standards; (xiii) adopt NASAA Custody rule; and (xiv) require investment advisors to develop a disaster recovery plan.
AT RICHMOND, APRIL 7, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ex rel.
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
CASE NO. SEC-2009-00022
Ex Parte: In the matter of
Adopting a Revision to the Rules
Governing the Virginia Securities Act
ORDER TO TAKE NOTICE
Section 12.1-13 of the Code of Virginia provides that the State Corporation Commission ("Commission") shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations in the enforcement and administration of all laws within its jurisdiction. Section 13.1-523 of the Virginia Securities Act ("Act"), § 13.1-501 et seq. of the Code of Virginia provides that the Commission may issue any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
The rules and regulations issued by the Commission pursuant to the Act are set forth in Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code. A copy also may be found at the Commission's website www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The Division of Securities and Retail Franchising ("Division") has submitted to the Commission proposed revisions to Chapter 10, Chapter 20, Chapter 30, Chapter 80, and Chapter 120 of Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code entitled "Rules and Forms Governing Virginia Securities Act" ("Rules").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-10-40 redefines the term "NASD" to include reference to the organization's successor, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-60 replaces the term "corporation" with the term "entity."
Proposed amendment to Rules 21 VAC 5-20-70, 21 VAC 5-20-90, 21 VAC 5-20-150 and 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminate the requirement to take the General Securities Representative Examination or Series 7, to qualify for registration as either a broker-dealer, broker-dealer agent, agent of an NASD member or agent of an issuer. These Rules are also amended to provide that any of the other acceptable examinations required for registration be taken within two years preceding the date of application for registration with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-70 is expanded to allow the Commission to accept the appropriate FINRA principal examination requirement for the type of business conducted in lieu of the other examination requirements for broker-dealer registration purposes. Furthermore, the Rule is amended to allow an individual registered in any state jurisdiction to forego the examination requirements in the Rule if they are registered as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-130 adds a subsection allowing a broker-dealer agent to file a notice of termination if the broker-dealer fails to file such notice on Form U‑5 in the thirty (30) day time period afforded by the Rule. The new subsection also allows the Commission to terminate an agent's registration if it is determined by the Commission that the broker-dealer is no longer in existence, has ceased conducting securities business or cannot be reasonably located.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminates the requirement to file an Inspection of Records Form in an application to register as an agent of an issuer.
New Rule 21 VAC 5-20-135 is added to allow agents terminating employment with registered broker-dealers by reason of retirement or disability to continue to receive compensation after such termination provided certain enumerated conditions are met. In the case of an agent's death, continued payment of compensation to spouses or other beneficiaries will also be permitted.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-30-80 is updated to adopt the most recent changes to the North American Securities Administrators Association's ("NASAA") statements of policy regarding options and warrants, underwriter's expenses, underwriter's warrants, selling expenses, selling security holders, real estate programs, oil and gas programs, real estate investment trust programs, and unsound financial condition. Additionally, this Rule adopts NASAA's statement of policy regarding corporate securities definitions.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-40-30 eliminates the requirement in subsection B 3 for an issuer seeking to qualify for exemption under the Rule to file Form U‑2, an executed consent to service of process appointing the Clerk of the Commission as its agent for purposes of service of process, and the requirement to furnish to the Commission all information provided by the issuer to offerees. The Rule will also allow such an issuer to file with the Commission the same notice Form D as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-45-20 will also eliminate the requirement to file Form U‑2 in Rule 506 offerings under Regulation D of the SEC's Rules, 17 C.F.R. § 230.506. The Rule also designates the SEC's most recently effective Form D as the appropriate notice form to be filed with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-10 adds requirements for an application for registration as an investment advisor or federal covered advisor to include additional information along with the requisite ADV forms and the statutory fee. This includes information pertaining to client agreements, supervisory and procedural manuals, advertising materials, stationary and business cards, affidavits, financial statements, a copy of the applicants disaster recovery plan and any other supplemental information the Commission may require.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-130 adds a two-year expiration period from the date of taking the required examination until the time of application for registration to qualify as a registered investment advisor representative. Investment advisors and investment advisor representatives registered in other jurisdictions with a similar two-year expiration period rule will be allowed to waive the examination requirements for registration purposes. The prior requirement mandating that individuals registered in other jurisdictions for less than a period of two years take the required examination has been eliminated.
Rule 21 VAC 5-80-140 is eliminated in its entirety and replaced with new Rule 21 VAC 5‑80‑145. Rule 21 VAC 5-80-145 adopts in its entirety NASAA's Model Custody Rule 102(e)(1)-1 to be in conformity with the majority of states.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-160 adds subsection F requiring investment advisors registered with the Commission to implement and maintain a written disaster recovery plan. Subsection K is also added defining the terms "principal place of business" and "principal office."
The Division has recommended to the Commission that the proposed revisions should be considered for adoption with an effective date of July 1, 2009. The Division also has recommended to the Commission that a hearing should be held only if requested by those interested parties who specifically indicate that a hearing is necessary and the reasons therefore.
A copy of the proposed revisions may be requested by interested parties from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail request and also can be found at the Division's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Any comments to the proposed rules must be received by May 15, 2009. If any request for hearing is received and granted, the hearing will be scheduled on June 3, 2009, by subsequent Commission order.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The proposed revisions are appended hereto and made a part of the record herein.
(2) Comments or requests for hearing on the proposed revisions must be submitted in writing to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218, on or before May 15, 2009. Requests for hearing shall state why a hearing is necessary and why the issues cannot be adequately addressed in written comments. All correspondence shall contain reference to Case No. SEC‑2008‑00026. Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so by following the instructions available at the Commission's website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
(3) If the Commission grants any request for hearing in connection with the proposed amendments to the Rules, it will enter a subsequent order scheduling the hearing on June 3, 2009, and that order will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. If no request for hearing is received, the Commission may consider the matter and enter an order based upon the papers filed herein.
(4) On or before May 27, 2009, the Division shall file a response to any comments that are filed in this proceeding and that response will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf.
(5) The proposed revisions shall be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Interested persons may also request a copy of the proposed revisions from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF, together with a copy of the proposed revisions, shall be sent to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register.
AN ATTESTED COPY hereof shall be sent to the Division's Director, who shall forthwith provide notice of this Order via US mail and email to any interested persons as he may designate.
21VAC5-10-40. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following regulations and forms pertaining to securities, instructions and orders of the commission, the following meanings shall apply:
"Act" means the Securities Act contained in Chapter 5 (§ 13.1-501 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Applicant" means a person on whose behalf an application for registration or a registration statement is filed.
"Application" means all information required by the forms prescribed by the commission as well as any additional information required by the commission and any required fees.
"Bank Holding Company Act of 1956" (12 USC § 1841 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Boiler room tactics" mean operations or high pressure tactics utilized in connection with the promotion of speculative offerings by means of an intensive telephone campaign or unsolicited calls to persons not known by or having an account with the salesmen or broker-dealer represented by him, whereby the prospective purchaser is encouraged to make a hasty decision to invest, irrespective of his investment needs and objectives.
"Breakpoint" means the dollar level of investment necessary to qualify a purchaser for a discounted sales charge on a quantity purchase of open-end management company shares.
"Commission" means State Corporation Commission.
"Federal covered advisor" means any person who is registered or required to be registered under § 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 as an "investment adviser."
"Investment Advisers Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80b-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
Notwithstanding the definition in § 13.1-501 of the Act, "investment advisor representative" as applied to a federal covered advisor only includes an individual who has a "place of business" (as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC) in this Commonwealth and who either:
1. Is an "investment advisor representative" as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC; or
2. a. Is not a "supervised person" as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and
b. Solicits, offers or negotiates for the sale of or sells investment advisory services on behalf of a federal covered advisor.
"Investment Company Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80a-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"NASAA" means the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
"NASD" means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or its successor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
"Notice" or "notice filing" means, with respect to a federal covered advisor or federal covered security, all information required by the regulations and forms prescribed by the commission and any required fee.
"Registrant" means an applicant for whom a registration or registration statement has been granted or declared effective by the commission.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act of 1933" (15 USC § 77a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934" (15 USC § 78a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
21VAC5-20-60. Broker-Dealer merger or consolidation.
A. When there is a merger or consolidation of two or more registrants, or the reorganization of a registrant, the surviving or new corporation entity shall amend or file, as the case may be, Form BD (the filing of Form BD requires the payment of a $200 fee) and shall file a copy of the following with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising upon its request:
1. The certificate of merger or consolidation.
2. The plan of merger or consolidation.
3. The amended or new charter and by-laws.
4. Any document of explanation.
5. The current financial statements of the surviving or new corporation entity and surety bond, if necessary.
B. Such amendment and/or filing shall be made immediately after the merger or consolidation becomes effective, except that the required financial statements shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the effective date of the merger or consolidation. The registration of the surviving or new corporation entity usually will be granted by the commission on the same date that the merger or consolidation becomes effective. Each agent of the nonsurviving or new corporation entity shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 before registration as an agent with his new employer becomes effective. Every other agent of the defunct corporation shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 or 21VAC5-20-130, whichever may be applicable.
21VAC5-20-70. Examinations/qualifications.
A. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are registered pursuant to § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o).
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application.
2. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subdivision 1 of this subsection A, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam (Series 24) or, in the case of a broker-dealer selling investment company securities only, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal Exam (Series 26) or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates Qualification Examination for Principals appropriate to the category of registration as specified by the type of business conducted by the broker-dealer within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the applications.
Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
For the purposes of this subsection A, the term "principal" means any person associated with a broker-dealer who is engaged directly (i) in the management, direction or supervision on a regular or continuous basis on behalf of such broker-dealer of the following activities: sales, training, research, investment advice, underwriting, private placements, advertising, public relations, trading, maintenance of books or records, financial operations; or (ii) in the training of persons associated with such broker-dealer for the management, direction, or supervision on a regular or continuous basis of any such activities.
3. Subsection A of this section is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are, or intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
B. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are not registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing:
a. The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application; and
b. Any additional securities-related examination that the commission deems appropriate in light of the business in which the applicant proposes to engage.; and
c. Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
2. This subsection is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are not, or do not intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Part II
Broker-Dealer Agents
21VAC5-20-90. Application for registration as a broker-dealer agent.
A. Application for registration as an agent of a NASD member shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with the forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
B. Application for registration for all other broker-dealer agents shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-20-130. Termination of registration.
A. When a broker-dealer agent terminates a connection with a broker-dealer, or a broker-dealer terminates connection with an agent, the broker-dealer shall file notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination. All filings shall be made with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system for agents of NASD member firms or with the commission for all other broker-dealer agents.
B. If an agent learns that the broker-dealer has not filed the notice, the agent may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the agent’s registration if the commission determines that a broker-dealer (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-20-135. Continuing commission by retiring agents.
The payment of compensation to a registered agent after he terminates his employment with a registered broker-dealer either by retirement, disability, death, or payment to his surviving spouse or other beneficiaries, will not be deemed to be a violation of commission regulations, provided the broker-dealer enters into a bona fide contract with either the retiring agent or the surviving spouse or beneficiaries, and the following conditions are met.
1. The retiring agent must have been continuously employed by or otherwise associated with the firm for a minimum of five years, as of the date of his retirement.
2. The sharing of commissions will be limited to commissions derived from accounts held for continuing customers of the retiring agent regardless of whether customer funds or securities are added to the accounts during the period after retirement.
3. The retiring agent must have demonstrated that he conducted himself in a manner exhibiting appropriate professional conduct. At a minimum, retirees must have been subject to no more than a low incidence of investment-related customer complaints and arbitrations settled or decided for more than $25,000 in the five years prior to the retirement date.
4. If the retiring agent has been subject to such complaints, the firm must have determined that the complaints did not require disciplinary action or heightened supervision, and that the retiree was not at fault for improper sales practices.
5. The retiring agent must not have been subject to a statutory disqualification during the five years prior to retirement.
6. The retiring agent must comply, to the extent applicable, with federal and state securities statutes and regulations, all policies, procedures, and rules of relevant regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, and must certify compliance with the policy at least annually.
7. The broker-dealer must establish parameters for a reasonable time period, not to exceed five years, following retirement and a percentage scale (that is either fixed or decreases the percentage the retiring agent receives each year) regarding the sharing of commissions by the retiring agent and the receiving registered agent.
8. The retiring agent must certify at least annually to the broker-dealer that he has adhered to the requirements and conditions of the agreement.
9. The broker-dealer must contact a representative sample of the account holders including a significant set of high grossing customer accounts subject to the agreement at least annually to confirm that the retiring agent has not provided investment advice or solicited trades in securities in any way. For example, the broker-dealer may contact annually: (i) holders of the top 10 highest grossing client accounts for that year; and (ii) holders of one-half of the next 25% highest grossing client accounts.
21VAC5-20-150. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent shall be required to show evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who has met the qualifications set forth in subsection A of this section, and has been registered in any state jurisdiction requiring registration within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirement set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Part III
Agents of the Issuer
21VAC5-20-160. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer.
A. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an agent of the issuer unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Completed Agreement for Inspection of Records Form.
4. 3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-30-80. Adoption of NASAA statements of policy.
The commission adopts the following NASAA statements of policy that shall apply to the registration of securities in the Commonwealth. It will be considered a basis for denial of an application if an offering fails to comply with an applicable statement of policy. While applications not conforming to a statement of policy shall be looked upon with disfavor, where good cause is shown, certain provisions may be modified or waived by the commission.
1. Options and Warrants, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
2. Underwriting Expenses, Underwriter's Warrants, Selling Expenses and Selling Security Holders, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
3. Real Estate Programs, as amended September 29, 1993 May 7, 2007.
4. Oil and Gas Programs, as amended October 24, 1991 May 7, 2007.
5. Cattle-Feeding Programs, as adopted September 17, 1980.
6. Unsound Financial Condition, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
7. Real Estate Investment Trusts, as adopted September 29, 1993 amended May 7, 2007.
8. Church Bonds, as adopted April 29, 1981.
9. Small Company Offering Registrations, as adopted April 28, 1996.
10. NASAA Guidelines Regarding Viatical Investment, as adopted October 1, 2002.
11. Corporate Securities Definitions, as amended March 31, 2008.
21VAC5-40-30. Uniform limited offering exemption.
A. Nothing in this exemption is intended to relieve, or should be construed as in any way relieving, issuers or persons acting on their behalf from providing disclosure to prospective investors adequate to satisfy the anti-fraud provisions of the Act.
In view of the objective of this section and the purpose and policies underlying the Act, this exemption is not available to an issuer with respect to a transaction which, although in technical compliance with this section, is part of a plan or scheme to evade registration or the conditions or limitations explicitly stated in this section.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt registered broker-dealers or agents from the due diligence standards otherwise applicable to such registered persons.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt a person from the broker-dealer or agent registration requirements of Article 3 (§ 13.1-504 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia, except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision B 2 of this section.
B. For the purpose of the limited offering exemption referred to in § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, the following securities are determined to be exempt from the securities registration requirements of Article 4 (§ 13.1-507 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Any securities offered or sold in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation D (Reg. D), Rules 230.501-230.503 and 230.505 as made effective in Release No. 33-6389 (47 FR 11251), and as amended in Release Nos. 33-6437 (47 FR 54764), 33-6663 (51 FR 36385), 33-6758 (53 FR 7866) and 33-6825 (54 FR 11369) and which satisfy the following further conditions and limitations:
1. The issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that all persons who offer or sell securities subject to this section are registered in accordance with § 13.1-505 of the Act except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision 2 of this subsection.
2. No exemption under this section shall be available for the securities of any issuer if any of the persons described in the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation A, Rule 230.262(a), (b), or (c) (17 CFR 230.262):
a. Has filed a registration statement which is the subject of a currently effective stop order entered pursuant to any state's securities law within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
b. Has been convicted within five years prior to the beginning of the offering of a felony or misdemeanor in connection with the purchase or sale of a security or a felony involving fraud or deceit, including but not limited to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, larceny or conspiracy to defraud.
c. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment entered by that state's securities administrator within five years prior to the beginning of the offering or is subject to a state's administrative order or judgment in which fraud or deceit, including but not limited to making untrue statements of material facts or omitting to state material facts, was found and the order or judgment was entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
d. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment which prohibits the use of any exemption from registration in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.
e. Is currently subject to an order, judgment, or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction temporarily or preliminarily restraining or enjoining, or is subject to an order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering, permanently restraining or enjoining such person from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or involving the making of a false filing with a state.
f. The prohibitions of subdivisions a, b, c and e of this subdivision shall not apply if the party subject to the disqualifying order, judgment or decree is duly licensed or registered to conduct securities related business in the state in which the administrative order, judgment or decree was entered against such party.
g. A disqualification caused by this subsection is automatically waived if the state securities administrator or agency of the state which created the basis for disqualification, or the State Corporation Commission, determines upon a showing of good cause that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the exemption under this section be denied.
3. The issuer shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale in this state from an offering being made in reliance upon this exemption:
a. A notice on Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
b. An undertaking by the issuer to promptly provide, upon written request, the information furnished by the issuer to offerees.
c. An executed consent to service of process (Form U2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for purpose of service of process, unless a currently effective consent to service of process is on file with the commission.
d. b. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
4. In sales to nonaccredited investors, the issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that the investment is suitable for the purchaser as to the purchaser's other security holdings and financial situation and needs.
5. Offers and sales of securities which are exempted by this section shall not be combined with offers and sales of securities exempted by another regulation or section of the Act; however, nothing in this limitation shall act as an election. The issuer may claim the availability of another applicable exemption should, for any reason, the securities or persons fail to comply with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.
6. In any proceeding involving this section, the burden of proving the exemption or an exception from a definition or condition is upon the person claiming it.
C. The exemption authorized by this section shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Limited Offering Exemption."
21VAC5-45-20. Offerings conducted pursuant to Rule 506 of federal Regulation D (17 CFR § 230.506): Filing requirements and issuer-agent exemption.
A. An issuer offering a security that is a covered security under § 18 (b)(4)(D) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 USC § 77r(b)(4)(D)) shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale of such federal covered security in this Commonwealth:
1. A notice on SEC Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
2. An executed consent to service of process (Form U-2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for service of process.
3. 2. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
B. An amendment filing shall contain a copy of the amended SEC Form D. No fee is required for an amendment.
C. For the purpose of this chapter, SEC "Form D" is the document, as adopted by the SEC and in effect on September 1, 1996 15, 2008, entitled "Form D; Notice of Sale of Securities pursuant to Regulation D, Section 4(6), and/or Uniform Limited Offering Exemption," including Part E and the Appendix. "Form D, Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities."
D. Pursuant to § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, an agent of an issuer who effects transactions in a security exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated under § 4(2) thereof (15 USC § 77d(2)) is exempt from the agent registration requirements of the Act.
Part I
Investment Advisor Registration, Notice Filing for Federal Covered Advisors, Expiration, Renewal, Updates and Amendments, Terminations and Merger or Consolidation
21VAC5-80-10. Application for registration as an investment advisor and notice filing as a federal covered advisor.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission and shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV Parts I and II submitted to the IARD system.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
3. A copy of the client agreement.
4. A copy of the firm’s supervisory and procedures manual as required by 21VAC5-80-170.
5. Copies of all advertising materials.
6. Copies of all stationary and business cards.
7. A signed affidavit stating that an investment advisor domiciled in Virginia has not conducted investment advisory business prior to registration, and for investment advisors domiciled outside of Virginia an affidavit stating that the advisor has fewer than six clients in any prior 12-month period.
8. The following financial statements:
a. A trial balance of all ledger account;
b. A statement of all client funds or securities that are not segregated;
c. A computation of the aggregate amount of client ledger debit balances;
d. A statement as to the number of client accounts;
e. Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that shall include a balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flow.
9. A copy of the firm’s disaster recovery plan as required by 21VAC5-80-160 F.
10. At least one qualified individual must have a registration pending on the IARD system on behalf of the investment advisor prior to the grant of registration.
3.11. Any other information the commission may require.
For purposes of this section, the term "net worth" means an excess of assets over liabilities, as determined by generally accepted accounting principles, but shall not include as assets: prepaid expenses (except as to items properly classified as assets under generally accepted accounting principles), deferred charges such as deferred income tax charges, goodwill, franchise rights, organizational expenses, patents, copyrights, marketing rights, unamortized debt discount and expense, all other assets of intangible nature, home furnishings, automobiles, and any other personal items not readily marketable in the case of an individual; advances or loans to stockholders and officers in the case of a corporation; and advances or loans to partners in the case of a partnership.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
D. Every person who transacts business in this Commonwealth as a federal covered advisor shall file a notice as prescribed in subsection E of this section in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system.
E. A notice filing for a federal covered advisor shall be deemed incomplete unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
Part II
Investment Advisor Representative Registration, Expiration, Updates and Amendments, Termination, and Changing Connection from One Investment Advisor to Another
21VAC5-80-70. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor representative unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-80-110. Termination of registration.
A. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with an investment advisor, or an investment advisor terminates connection with an investment advisor representative, the investment advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
B. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with a federal covered advisor, the federal covered advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
C. If a representative learns that the investment advisor has not filed the notice, the representative may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the representative’s registration if the commission determines that an investment advisor (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-80-130. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be required to provide evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66 and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who is currently has been registered as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in any state jurisdiction requiring the registration and qualification of investment advisors or investment advisor representatives within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to satisfy the examination requirements for continued registration set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Any individual who has not been registered in any state jurisdiction for a period of two years shall be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
C. The examination requirements shall not apply to an individual who currently holds one of the following professional designations:
1. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) issued by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.;
2. Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) awarded by The American College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania;
3. Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) granted by the Association for Investment Management and Research;
5. Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC) granted by the Investment Counsel Association of America; or
6. Such other professional designation, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, as the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
D. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subsection A of this section, an applicant who meets all the qualifications set forth below may file with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising an executed Affidavit for Waiver of Examination (Form S.A.3).
1. No more than one other individual connected with the applicant's investment advisor is utilizing the waiver at the time the applicant files Form S.A.3.
2. The applicant is, and has been for at least the five years immediately preceding the date on which the application for registration is filed, actively engaged in the investment advisory business.
3. The applicant has been for at least the two years immediately preceding the date on which the application is filed the president, chief executive officer or chairman of the board of directors of an investment advisor organized in corporate form or the managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary of an investment advisor organized in noncorporate form.
4. The investment advisor or advisors referred to in subdivision 3 of this subsection has been actively engaged in the investment advisory business and during the applicant's tenure as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board of directors, or managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary had at least $40 million under management.
5. The applicant verifies that he has read and is familiar with the investment advisor and investment advisor representative provisions of the Act and the provisions of Parts I through V of this chapter.
6. The applicant verifies that none of the questions in Item 22 14 (disciplinary history) on his Form U-4 have been, or need be, answered in the affirmative.
Part III
Investment Advisor, Federal Covered Advisor and Investment Advisor Representative Regulations
21VAC5-80-140. Custody of client funds or securities by investment advisors. (Repealed.)
An investment advisor who takes or has custody of any securities or funds of any client must comply with the following; provided that an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. An investment advisor with its principal place of business located in this Commonwealth shall notify the commission that it has or may have custody. Such notification may be given on Form ADV.
2. The securities of each client must be segregated, marked to identify the particular client having the beneficial interest therein and held in safekeeping in some place reasonably free from risk of destruction or other loss.
3. All client funds must be deposited in one or more bank accounts containing only clients' funds, such account or accounts must be maintained in the name of the investment advisor or agent or trustee for such clients, and the investment advisor must maintain a separate record for each such account showing the name and address of the bank where the account is maintained, the dates and amounts of deposits in and withdrawals from the account, and the exact amount of each client's beneficial interest in the account.
4. Immediately after accepting custody or possession of funds or securities from any client, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the place where and the manner in which the funds and securities will be maintained and subsequently, if and when there is a change in the place where or the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, the investment advisor must give written notice thereof to the client.
5. At least once every three months, the investment advisor must send each client an itemized statement showing the funds and securities in the investment advisor's custody at the end of such period and all debits, credits and transactions in the client's account during such period.
6. At least once every calendar year, an independent public accountant must verify all client funds and securities by actual examination at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice to the investment advisor. A certificate of such accountant stating that he or she has made an examination of such funds and securities, and describing the nature and extent of the examination, shall be filed with the commission promptly after each such examination.
7. This section shall not apply to an investment advisor also registered as a broker-dealer under § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o) if the broker-dealer is (i) subject to and in compliance with SEC Rule 15c3-1 (Net Capital Requirements for Brokers or Dealers) (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or (ii) a member of an exchange whose members are exempt from SEC Rule 15c3-1, (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) thereof, and the broker-dealer is in compliance with all regulations and settled practices of the exchange imposing requirements with respect to financial responsibility and the segregation of funds or securities carried for the account of customers.
21VAC5-80-145. Custody requirements for investment advisors.
A. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Custody" means holding directly or indirectly, client funds or securities, or having any authority to obtain possession of them.
a. Custody includes:
(1) Possession of client funds or securities unless received inadvertently and returned to the sender promptly, but in any case within three business days of receiving them;
(2) Any arrangement (including a general power of attorney) under which the investment advisor is permitted to withdraw client funds or securities maintained with a custodian upon the investment advisor’s instruction to the custodian; and
(3) Any capacity (such as general partner of a limited partnership, managing member of a limited liability company, or a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle, or trustee of a trust) that gives the investment advisor or the investment advisor’s supervised person legal ownership of or access to client funds or securities.
b. Receipt of client’s securities or checks drawn by clients and made payable to unrelated third parties will not meet the definition of custody if forwarded to the third party within 24 hours of receipt and the advisor maintains the following records:
(1) A ledger or other listing of all securities or funds held or obtained, including the following information:
(a) Issuer;
(b) Type of security and series;
(c) Date of issue;
(d) For debt instruments, the denomination, interest rate and maturity date;
(e) Certificate number, including alphabetical prefix or suffix;
(f) Name in which registered;
(g) Date given to the advisor;
(h) Date sent to client or sender;
(i) Form of delivery to client or sender, or copy of the form of delivery to client or sender; and
(j) Mail confirmation number, if applicable, or confirmation by client or sender of the fund’s or security’s return.
2. "Independent representative" means a person who:
a. Acts as agent for an advisory client, including in the case of a pooled investment vehicle, for limited partners of a limited partnership, members of a limited liability company, or other beneficial owners of another type of pooled investment vehicle and by law or contract is obliged to act in the best interest of the advisory client or the limited partners, members, or other beneficial owners;
b. Does not control, is not controlled by, and is not under common control with the investment advisor; and
c. Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
3. "Qualified custodian" means the following independent institutions or entities that are not affiliated with the advisor by any direct or indirect common control and have not had a material business relationship with the advisor in the previous two years:
a. A bank or savings association that has deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 USC § 1813;
b. A registered broker-dealer holding the client assets in customer accounts;
c. A registered futures commission merchant registered under § 4f(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 USC § 6f(a), holding the client assets in customer accounts, but only with respect to clients’ funds and security futures, or other securities incidental to transactions in contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery and options thereon; and
d. A foreign financial institution that customarily holds financial assets for its customers, provided that the foreign financial institution keeps the advisory clients’ assets in customer accounts segregated from its proprietary assets.
B. Requirements.
1. If the investment advisor is registered or required to be registered, it is unlawful and deemed to be a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice, or course of business under § 13.1-502 of the Virginia Securities Act for the investment advisor to have custody of client funds or securities unless:
a. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor has or may have custody. Such notification is required on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system;
b. A qualified custodian maintains those funds and securities in a separate account for each client under that client’s name or in accounts that contain only investment advisor’s clients’ funds and securities, under the investment advisor’s name as agent or trustee for the clients;
c. If the investment advisor opens an account with a qualified custodian on his client’s behalf, either under the client’s name or under the investment advisor’s name as agent, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the qualified custodian’s name, address, and the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, promptly when the account is opened and following any changes to this information;
d. At least quarterly, the investment advisor sends an account statement to each client for whom the investment advisor has custody of funds or securities, identifying the amount of funds and of each security of which the investment advisor has custody at the end of the period and setting forth all transactions during that period; and
(1) An independent certified public accountant verifies all client funds and securities by actual examination at least once during each calendar year at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice or announcement to the advisor and that is irregular from year to year, and files a copy of the auditor’s report and financial statements with the commission within 30 days after the completion of the examination, along with a letter stating that it has examined the funds and securities and describing the nature and extent of the examination.
(2) The independent certified public accountant, upon finding any material discrepancies during the course of the examination, notifies the commission within one business day of the finding, by means of a facsimile transmission or electronic mail, followed by first class mail, directed to the attention of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising.
(3) If the investment advisor is a general partner of a limited partnership (or managing member of a limited liability company, or holds a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle), the account statements required under subdivisions c and d of this subdivision must be sent to each limited partner (or member or other beneficial owner or their independent representative).
(4) A client may designate an independent representative to receive, on his behalf, notices and account statements as required under subdivisions 3 and 4 of this subsection.
2. An advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 a (2) of this section by having fees directly deducted from client accounts shall provide the following safeguards:
a. The investment advisor must have written authorization from the client to deduct advisory fees from the account held with the qualified custodian.
b. Each time a fee is directly deducted from a client account, the investment advisor must concurrently:
(1) Send the qualified custodian an invoice of the amount of the fee to be deducted from the client’s account; and
(2) Send the client an invoice itemizing the fee. Itemization includes the formula used to calculate the fee, the amount of assets under management the fee is based on, and the time period covered by the fee.
c. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
d. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
3. An investment advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who does not meet the exception provided under this subdivision 3 of this subsection must, in addition to the safeguards set forth in subdivision A 4 of this section, also comply with the following:
a. Hire an independent party to review all fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled accounts.
b. Send all invoices or receipts to the independent party, detailing the amount of the fee, expenses, or capital withdrawal and the method of calculation such that the independent party can:
(1) Determine that the payment is in accordance with the pooled investment vehicle standards (generally the partnership agreement or membership agreement); and
(2) Forward, to the qualified custodian, approval for payment of the invoice with a copy to the investment advisor.
c. For purposes of this section, an independent party means a person who:
(1) Is engaged by an investment advisor to act as a gatekeeper for the payment of fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled investment;
(2) Does not control and is not controlled by and is not under common control with the investment advisor, either directly or indirectly; and
(3) Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
d. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
e. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
4. When a trust retains an investment advisor, investment advisor representative, or employee, director, or owner of an investment advisor as trustee, and the investment advisor acts as the investment advisor to that trust, the investment advisor shall:
a. Notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided below. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system.
b. Send to the grantor of the trust, the attorney for the trust if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at the same time that it sends any invoice to the qualified custodian, an invoice showing the amount of the trustees' fee or investment management or advisory fee, the value of the assets on which the fees were based, and the specific manner in which the fees were calculated.
c. Enter into a written agreement with a qualified custodian that specifies the qualified custodian will not deliver trust securities to the investment advisor, any investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor, nor will transmit any funds to the investment advisor; any investment advisor representative or employee; director or owner of the investment advisor, except that the qualified custodian may pay trustees' fees to the trustee and investment management or advisory fees to investment advisor, provided that:
(1) The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust has authorized the qualified custodian in writing to pay those fees;
(2) The statements for those fees show the amount of the fees for the trustee and, in the case of statements for investment management or advisory fees, show the value of the trust assets on which the fee is based and the manner in which the fee was calculated; and
(3) The qualified custodian agrees to send to the grantor of the trust, the attorneys for a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at least quarterly, a statement of all disbursements from the account of the trust, including the amount of investment management fees paid to the investment advisor and the amount of trustees' fees paid to the trustee.
d. Except as otherwise set forth in subdivision 3 d (1) of this subsection, the qualified custodian may transfer funds or securities, or both, of the trust only upon the direction of the trustee (who may be the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor), who the investment advisor has duly accepted as an authorized signatory. The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, must designate the authorized signatory for management of the trust. The direction to transfer funds or securities, or both, can only be made to the following:
(1) To a trust company, bank trust department, or brokerage firm independent of the investment advisor for the account of the trust to which the assets relate;
(2) To the named grantors or to the named beneficiaries of the trust;
(3) To a third person independent of the investment advisor in payment of the fees or charges of the third person including, but not limited to:
(a) Attorney's, accountant's, or qualified custodian's fees for the trust; and
(b) Taxes, interest, maintenance, or other expenses, if there is property other than securities or cash owned by the trust;
(c) To third persons independent of the investment advisor for any other purpose legitimately associated with the management of the trust; or
(d) To a broker-dealer in the normal course of portfolio purchases and sales, provided that the transfer is made on payment against delivery basis or payment against trust receipt.
5. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection, will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
C. Exceptions.
1. With respect to shares of an open-end company as defined in § 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC § 80a-5(a)(1) (mutual fund), the investment advisor may use the mutual fund’s transfer agent in lieu of a qualified custodian for purposes of complying with subsection B of this section.
2. Certain privately offered securities.
a. An investment advisor is not required to comply with subsection B of this section with respect to securities that are:
(1 ) Acquired from the issuer in a transaction or chain of transactions not involving any public offering;
(2) Uncertificated, and ownership thereof is recorded only on books of the issuer or its transfer agent in the name of the client; and
(3) Transferable only with prior consent of the issuer or holders of the outstanding securities of the issuer.
b. Notwithstanding subdivision B 2 a of this section, the provisions of subdivision B 2 of this section are available with respect to securities held for the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or other type of pooled investment vehicle) only if the limited partnership is audited, the audited financial statements are distributed, as described in subdivision B 3 of this section and the investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to provide audited financial statements, as described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
3. The investment advisor is not required to comply with subdivision B 1 c of this section with respect to the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or another type of pooled investment vehicle) that is subject to audit at least annually and distributes its audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to all limited partners (or members or other beneficial owners) within 120 days of the end of its fiscal year. The investment advisor shall also notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to employ the use of the audit safeguards described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
4. The investment advisor is not required to comply with this section with respect to the account of an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC §§ 80a-1 to 80a-64.
5. The investment advisor is not required to comply with safekeeping requirements of subsection B of this section or the net worth and bonding requirements of 21VAC5-80-180 if the investment advisor has custody solely because the investment advisor, investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor is a trustee for a beneficial trust, if all of the following conditions are met for each trust:
a. The beneficial owner of the trust is a parent, a grandparent, a spouse, a sibling, a child, or a grandchild of the trustee. These relationships shall include "step" relationships.
b. For each account under subdivision 5 a of this subsection the investment advisor complies with the following:
(1) Provide a written statement to each beneficial owner of the account setting forth a description of the requirements of subsection B of this section and the reasons why the investment advisor will not be complying with those requirements.
(2) Obtain from each beneficial owner a signed and dated statement acknowledging the receipt of the written statement required under subdivision 5 a of this subsection.
(3) Maintain a copy of both documents described in subdivisions B 4 c and d of this section until the account is closed or the investment advisor is no longer trustee.
6. Any investment advisor who intends to have custody of client funds or securities but is not able to utilize a qualified custodian as defined in subdivision A 3 of this section shall first obtain approval from the commission and comply with all of the applicable safekeeping provisions under subsection B of this section including taking responsibility for those provisions that are designated to be performed by a qualified custodian.
21VAC5-80-160. Recordkeeping requirements for investment advisors.
A. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered under the Act shall make and keep true, accurate and current the following books, ledgers and records, except an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. A journal or journals, including cash receipts and disbursements records, and any other records of original entry forming the basis of entries in any ledger.
2. General and auxiliary ledgers (or other comparable records) reflecting asset, liability, reserve, capital, income and expense accounts.
3. A memorandum of each order given by the investment advisor for the purchase or sale of any security, of any instruction received by the investment advisor from the client concerning the purchase, sale, receipt or delivery of a particular security, and of any modification or cancellation of any such order or instruction. The memoranda shall show the terms and conditions of the order, instruction, modification or cancellation; shall identify the person connected with the investment advisor who recommended the transaction to the client and the person who placed the order; and shall show the account for which entered, the date of entry, and the bank, broker or dealer by or through whom executed where appropriate. Orders entered pursuant to the exercise of discretionary power shall be so designated.
4. All check books, bank statements, canceled checks and cash reconciliations of the investment advisor.
5. All bills or statements (or copies of), paid or unpaid, relating to the business as an investment advisor.
6. All trial balances, financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which shall include a balance sheet, income statement and such other statements as may be required pursuant to 21VAC5-80-180, and internal audit working papers relating to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
7. Originals of all written communications received and copies of all written communications sent by the investment advisor relating to (i) any recommendation made or proposed to be made and any advice given or proposed to be given; (ii) any receipt, disbursement or delivery of funds or securities; and (iii) the placing or execution of any order to purchase or sell any security; however, (a) the investment advisor shall not be required to keep any unsolicited market letters and other similar communications of general public distribution not prepared by or for the investment advisor, and (b) if the investment advisor sends any notice, circular or other advertisement offering any report, analysis, publication or other investment advisory service to more than 10 persons, the investment advisor shall not be required to keep a record of the names and addresses of the persons to whom it was sent; except that if the notice, circular or advertisement is distributed to persons named on any list, the investment advisor shall retain with a copy of the notice, circular or advertisement a memorandum describing the list and the source thereof.
8. A list or other record of all accounts which list identifies the accounts in which the investment advisor is vested with any discretionary power with respect to the funds, securities or transactions of any client.
9. All powers of attorney and other evidences of the granting of any discretionary authority by any client to the investment advisor, or copies thereof.
10. All written agreements (or copies thereof) entered into by the investment advisor with any client, and all other written agreements otherwise related to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
11. A file containing a copy of each notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes, directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor), and if the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media recommends the purchase or sale of a specific security and does not state the reasons for the recommendation, a memorandum of the investment adviser indicating the reasons for the recommendation.
12. a. A record of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has, or by reason of any transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. For purposes of this subdivision 12, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative" means any partner, officer or director of the investment advisor; any employee who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendations shall be made; any employee who, in connection with his duties, obtains any information concerning which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment adviser;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
"Control" means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Any person who owns beneficially, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the ownership interest of a company shall be presumed to control the company.
c. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 12 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if the investment advisor establishes that it instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
13. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 12 of this subsection, where the investment advisor is primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, a record must be maintained of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of such investment advisor has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. An investment advisor is "primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients" when, for each of its most recent three fiscal years or for the period of time since organization, whichever is less, the investment advisor derived, on an unconsolidated basis, more than 50% of (i) its total sales and revenues, and (ii) its income (or loss) before income taxes and extraordinary items, from such other business or businesses.
c. For purposes of this subdivision 13, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative," when used in connection with a company primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, means any partner, officer, director or employee of the investment advisor who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendation shall be made, or whose functions or duties relate to the determination of which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons, who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations or of the information concerning the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment advisor;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
d. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 13 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if he establishes that he instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
14. A copy of each written statement and each amendment or revision, given or sent to any client or prospective client of such investment advisor in accordance with the provisions of 21VAC5-80-190 and a record of the dates that each written statement, and each amendment or revision, was given, or offered to be given, to any client or prospective client who subsequently becomes a client.
15. For each client that was obtained by the advisor by means of a solicitor to whom a cash fee was paid by the advisor, the following:
a. Evidence of a written agreement to which the advisor is a party related to the payment of such fee;
b. A signed and dated acknowledgement of receipt from the client evidencing the client's receipt of the investment advisor's disclosure statement and a written disclosure statement of the solicitor; and,
c. A copy of the solicitor's written disclosure statement. The written agreement, acknowledgement and solicitor disclosure statement will be considered to be in compliance if such documents are in compliance with Rule 275.206(4)-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
For purposes of this regulation, the term "solicitor" means any person or entity who, for compensation, acts as an agent of an investment advisor in referring potential clients.
16. All accounts, books, internal working papers, and any other records or documents that are necessary to form the basis for or demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts or securities recommendations in any notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including but not limited to electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor); however, with respect to the performance of managed accounts, the retention of all account statements, if they reflect all debits, credits, and other transactions in a client's account for the period of the statement, and all worksheets necessary to demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision.
17. A file containing a copy of all written communications received or sent regarding any litigation involving the investment advisor or any investment advisor representative or employee, and regarding any written customer or client complaint.
18. Written information about each investment advisory client that is the basis for making any recommendation or providing any investment advice to the client.
19. Written procedures to supervise the activities of employees and investment advisor representatives that are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
20. A file containing a copy of each document (other than any notices of general dissemination) that was filed with or received from any state or federal agency or self regulatory organization and that pertains to the registrant or its investment advisor representatives, which file should contain, but is not limited to, all applications, amendments, renewal filings, and correspondence.
21. Any records documenting dates, locations and findings of the investment advisor's annual review of these policies and procedures conducted pursuant to subdivision E 2 of 21VAC5-80-170.
B. If an investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section has custody or possession of securities or funds of any client, the records required to be made and kept under subsection A of this section shall also include:
1. A journal or other record showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities (including certificate numbers) for such accounts and all other debits and credits to the accounts.
2. A separate ledger account for each client showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities, the date and price of each purchase and sale, and all debits and credits.
3. Copies of confirmations of all transactions effected by or for the account of any client.
4. A record for each security in which any client has a position, which record shall show the name of each client having any interest in each security, the amount or interest of each client, and the location of each security.
C. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section who renders any investment advisory or management service to any client shall, with respect to the portfolio being supervised or managed and to the extent that the information is reasonably available to or obtainable by the investment advisor, make and keep true, accurate and current:
1. Records showing separately for each client the securities purchased and sold, and the date, amount and price of each purchase and sale.
2. For each security in which any client has a current position, information from which the investment advisor can promptly furnish the name of each client and the current amount or interest of the client.
D. Any books or records required by this section may be maintained by the investment advisor in such manner that the identity of any client to whom the investment advisor renders investment advisory services is indicated by numerical or alphabetical code or some similar designation.
E. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section shall preserve the following records in the manner prescribed:
1. All books and records required to be made under the provisions of subsection A through subdivision C 1, inclusive, of this section, except for books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on record, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor.
2. Partnership articles and any amendments, articles of incorporation, charters, minute books, and stock certificate books of the investment advisor and of any predecessor, shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor and preserved until at least three years after termination of the enterprise.
3. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor, from the end of the fiscal year during which the investment advisor last published or otherwise disseminated, directly or indirectly, the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media.
4. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 17 through A 20, inclusive, of this section shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in the principal office of the investment advisor, or for the time period during which the investment advisor was registered or required to be registered in the state, if less.
5. Notwithstanding other record preservation requirements of this subsection, the following records or copies shall be required to be maintained at the business location of the investment advisor from which the customer or client is being provided or has been provided with investment advisory services: (i) records required to be preserved under subdivisions A 3, A 7 through A 10, A 14 and A 15, A 17 through A 19, subsections B and C, and (ii) the records or copies required under the provision of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section which records or related records identify the name of the investment advisor representative providing investment advice from that business location, or which identify the business locations' physical address, mailing address, electronic mailing address, or telephone number. The records will be maintained for the period described in this subsection.
F. Every investment advisor shall establish and maintain a written disaster recovery plan that shall address at a minimum:
1. The identity of individuals that will conduct business on behalf of the investment advisor in the event of death or incapacity of key persons;
2. Means to provide notification to clients of the investment advisor and to those states in which the advisor is registered of the death or incapacity of key persons;
a. Notification shall be provided to the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising via the IARD/CRD system within 24 hours of the death or incapacity of key persons.
b. Notification shall be given to clients within five business days from the death or incapacity of key persons.
3. Means for clients’ accounts to continue to be monitored until an orderly liquidation, distribution or transfer of the clients’ portfolio to another advisor can be achieved;
4. Means for the credit demands of the investment advisor to be met; and
5. Data backups sufficient to allow rapid resumption of the investment advisor’s activities.
G. An investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section, before ceasing to conduct or discontinuing business as an investment advisor, shall arrange for and be responsible for the preservation of the books and records required to be maintained and preserved under this section for the remainder of the period specified in this section, and shall notify the commission in writing of the exact address where the books and records will be maintained during such period.
G. H. 1. The records required to be maintained pursuant to this section may be immediately produced or reproduced by photograph on film or, as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection, on magnetic disk, tape or other computer storage medium, and be maintained for the required time in that form. If records are preserved or reproduced by photographic film or computer storage medium, the investment advisor shall:
a. Arrange the records and index the films or computer storage medium so as to permit the immediate location of any particular record;
b. Be ready at all times to promptly provide any facsimile enlargement of film or computer printout or copy of the computer storage medium which the commission by its examiners or other representatives may request;
c. Store separately from the original one other copy of the film or computer storage medium for the time required;
d. With respect to records stored on computer storage medium, maintain procedures for maintenance of, and access to, records so as to reasonably safeguard records from loss, alteration, or destruction; and
e. With respect to records stored on photographic film, at all times have available, for the commission's examination of its records, facilities for immediate, easily readable projection of the film and for producing easily readable facsimile enlargements.
2. Pursuant to subdivision 1 of this subsection, an advisor may maintain and preserve on computer tape or disk or other computer storage medium records which, in the ordinary course of the advisor's business, are created by the advisor on electronic media or are received by the advisor solely on electronic media or by electronic transmission.
H. I. Any book or record made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with SEC Rules 17a-3 (17 CFR 240.17a-3) and 17a-4 (17 CFR 240.17a-4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which is substantially the same as the book, or other record required to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved under this section shall be deemed to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with this section.
I. J. For purposes of this section, "investment supervisory services" means the giving of continuous advice as to the investment of funds on the basis of the individual needs of each client; and "discretionary power" shall not include discretion as to the price at which or the time when a transaction is or is to be effected if, before the order is given by the investment advisor, the client has directed or approved the purchase or sale of a definite amount of the particular security.
K. For purposes of this section, "principal place of business" and "principle office" mean the executive office of the investment advisor from which the officers, partners, or managers of the investment advisor direct, control, and coordinate the activities of the investment advisor.
J. L. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered in this Commonwealth and has its principal place of business in a state other than the Commonwealth shall be exempt from the requirements of this section to the extent provided by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104-290), provided the investment advisor is licensed in such state and is in compliance with such state's recordkeeping requirements.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1797; Filed April 7, 2009, 4:23 p.m.
TITLE 21. SECURITIES AND RETAIL FRANCHISING
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
Proposed Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Corporation Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 A 2 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts courts, any agency of the Supreme Court, and any agency that by the Constitution is expressly granted any of the powers of a court of record.
Titles of Regulations: 21VAC5-10. General Administration Securities Act (amending 21VAC5-10-40).
21VAC5-20. Broker-Dealers, Broker-Dealer Agents and Agents of the Issuer (amending 21VAC5-20-60, 21VAC5-20-70, 21VAC5-20-90, 21VAC5-20-130, 21VAC5-20-150, 21VAC5-20-160; adding 21VAC5-20-135).
21VAC5-30. Securities Registration (amending 21VAC5-30-80).
21VAC5-40. Exempt Securities (amending 21VAC5-40-30).
21VAC5-45. Federal Covered Securities (amending 21VAC5-45-20).
21VAC5-80. Investment Advisors (amending 21VAC5-80-10, 21VAC5-80-70, 21VAC5-80-110, 21VAC5-80-130, 21VAC5-80-160; adding 21VAC5-80-145; repealing 21VAC5-80-140).
Statutory Authority: §§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-523 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: A public hearing will be scheduled upon request.
Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 15, 2009.
Agency Contact: Alfred L. Hughes, Registration Chief, Securities Division, State Corporation Commission, Tyler Building, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-9610, FAX (804) 371-9912, or email al.hughes@scc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The proposed amendments (i) adopt by reference recent changes to certain North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (NASAA) securities registration statements of policy; (ii) adopt by reference the NASAA Corporate Securities Definitions statement of policy; (iii) make changes to the notice filing requirements for offerings conducted pursuant to Rules 505 and 506 of Federal Regulation D; (iv) expand the definition of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) to reflect its current name; (v) correct language for mergers and consolidations; (vi) eliminate the duplicative requirement to take the Series 7 exam and allow the Series 66 exam to qualify an individual as an agent; (vii) require individuals whose agent registration has lapsed for more than two years to requalify; (viii) provide relief for those individuals registered as agents or representatives with an entity that ceases to do business by allowing the individuals to make a termination request directly to the commission; (ix) allow retiring agents to continue to receive commissions without registration; (x) require additional documents be filed as part of the initial investment advisor application process, which will assist new investment advisors in setting up required records and increase protection for the investing public; (xi) require that all principals of investment advisors meet minimum qualification standards; (xii) clarify that all investment advisor representatives shall meet minimum standards; (xiii) adopt NASAA Custody rule; and (xiv) require investment advisors to develop a disaster recovery plan.
AT RICHMOND, APRIL 7, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ex rel.
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
CASE NO. SEC-2009-00022
Ex Parte: In the matter of
Adopting a Revision to the Rules
Governing the Virginia Securities Act
ORDER TO TAKE NOTICE
Section 12.1-13 of the Code of Virginia provides that the State Corporation Commission ("Commission") shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations in the enforcement and administration of all laws within its jurisdiction. Section 13.1-523 of the Virginia Securities Act ("Act"), § 13.1-501 et seq. of the Code of Virginia provides that the Commission may issue any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
The rules and regulations issued by the Commission pursuant to the Act are set forth in Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code. A copy also may be found at the Commission's website www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The Division of Securities and Retail Franchising ("Division") has submitted to the Commission proposed revisions to Chapter 10, Chapter 20, Chapter 30, Chapter 80, and Chapter 120 of Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code entitled "Rules and Forms Governing Virginia Securities Act" ("Rules").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-10-40 redefines the term "NASD" to include reference to the organization's successor, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-60 replaces the term "corporation" with the term "entity."
Proposed amendment to Rules 21 VAC 5-20-70, 21 VAC 5-20-90, 21 VAC 5-20-150 and 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminate the requirement to take the General Securities Representative Examination or Series 7, to qualify for registration as either a broker-dealer, broker-dealer agent, agent of an NASD member or agent of an issuer. These Rules are also amended to provide that any of the other acceptable examinations required for registration be taken within two years preceding the date of application for registration with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-70 is expanded to allow the Commission to accept the appropriate FINRA principal examination requirement for the type of business conducted in lieu of the other examination requirements for broker-dealer registration purposes. Furthermore, the Rule is amended to allow an individual registered in any state jurisdiction to forego the examination requirements in the Rule if they are registered as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-130 adds a subsection allowing a broker-dealer agent to file a notice of termination if the broker-dealer fails to file such notice on Form U‑5 in the thirty (30) day time period afforded by the Rule. The new subsection also allows the Commission to terminate an agent's registration if it is determined by the Commission that the broker-dealer is no longer in existence, has ceased conducting securities business or cannot be reasonably located.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminates the requirement to file an Inspection of Records Form in an application to register as an agent of an issuer.
New Rule 21 VAC 5-20-135 is added to allow agents terminating employment with registered broker-dealers by reason of retirement or disability to continue to receive compensation after such termination provided certain enumerated conditions are met. In the case of an agent's death, continued payment of compensation to spouses or other beneficiaries will also be permitted.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-30-80 is updated to adopt the most recent changes to the North American Securities Administrators Association's ("NASAA") statements of policy regarding options and warrants, underwriter's expenses, underwriter's warrants, selling expenses, selling security holders, real estate programs, oil and gas programs, real estate investment trust programs, and unsound financial condition. Additionally, this Rule adopts NASAA's statement of policy regarding corporate securities definitions.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-40-30 eliminates the requirement in subsection B 3 for an issuer seeking to qualify for exemption under the Rule to file Form U‑2, an executed consent to service of process appointing the Clerk of the Commission as its agent for purposes of service of process, and the requirement to furnish to the Commission all information provided by the issuer to offerees. The Rule will also allow such an issuer to file with the Commission the same notice Form D as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-45-20 will also eliminate the requirement to file Form U‑2 in Rule 506 offerings under Regulation D of the SEC's Rules, 17 C.F.R. § 230.506. The Rule also designates the SEC's most recently effective Form D as the appropriate notice form to be filed with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-10 adds requirements for an application for registration as an investment advisor or federal covered advisor to include additional information along with the requisite ADV forms and the statutory fee. This includes information pertaining to client agreements, supervisory and procedural manuals, advertising materials, stationary and business cards, affidavits, financial statements, a copy of the applicants disaster recovery plan and any other supplemental information the Commission may require.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-130 adds a two-year expiration period from the date of taking the required examination until the time of application for registration to qualify as a registered investment advisor representative. Investment advisors and investment advisor representatives registered in other jurisdictions with a similar two-year expiration period rule will be allowed to waive the examination requirements for registration purposes. The prior requirement mandating that individuals registered in other jurisdictions for less than a period of two years take the required examination has been eliminated.
Rule 21 VAC 5-80-140 is eliminated in its entirety and replaced with new Rule 21 VAC 5‑80‑145. Rule 21 VAC 5-80-145 adopts in its entirety NASAA's Model Custody Rule 102(e)(1)-1 to be in conformity with the majority of states.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-160 adds subsection F requiring investment advisors registered with the Commission to implement and maintain a written disaster recovery plan. Subsection K is also added defining the terms "principal place of business" and "principal office."
The Division has recommended to the Commission that the proposed revisions should be considered for adoption with an effective date of July 1, 2009. The Division also has recommended to the Commission that a hearing should be held only if requested by those interested parties who specifically indicate that a hearing is necessary and the reasons therefore.
A copy of the proposed revisions may be requested by interested parties from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail request and also can be found at the Division's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Any comments to the proposed rules must be received by May 15, 2009. If any request for hearing is received and granted, the hearing will be scheduled on June 3, 2009, by subsequent Commission order.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The proposed revisions are appended hereto and made a part of the record herein.
(2) Comments or requests for hearing on the proposed revisions must be submitted in writing to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218, on or before May 15, 2009. Requests for hearing shall state why a hearing is necessary and why the issues cannot be adequately addressed in written comments. All correspondence shall contain reference to Case No. SEC‑2008‑00026. Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so by following the instructions available at the Commission's website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
(3) If the Commission grants any request for hearing in connection with the proposed amendments to the Rules, it will enter a subsequent order scheduling the hearing on June 3, 2009, and that order will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. If no request for hearing is received, the Commission may consider the matter and enter an order based upon the papers filed herein.
(4) On or before May 27, 2009, the Division shall file a response to any comments that are filed in this proceeding and that response will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf.
(5) The proposed revisions shall be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Interested persons may also request a copy of the proposed revisions from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF, together with a copy of the proposed revisions, shall be sent to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register.
AN ATTESTED COPY hereof shall be sent to the Division's Director, who shall forthwith provide notice of this Order via US mail and email to any interested persons as he may designate.
21VAC5-10-40. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following regulations and forms pertaining to securities, instructions and orders of the commission, the following meanings shall apply:
"Act" means the Securities Act contained in Chapter 5 (§ 13.1-501 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Applicant" means a person on whose behalf an application for registration or a registration statement is filed.
"Application" means all information required by the forms prescribed by the commission as well as any additional information required by the commission and any required fees.
"Bank Holding Company Act of 1956" (12 USC § 1841 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Boiler room tactics" mean operations or high pressure tactics utilized in connection with the promotion of speculative offerings by means of an intensive telephone campaign or unsolicited calls to persons not known by or having an account with the salesmen or broker-dealer represented by him, whereby the prospective purchaser is encouraged to make a hasty decision to invest, irrespective of his investment needs and objectives.
"Breakpoint" means the dollar level of investment necessary to qualify a purchaser for a discounted sales charge on a quantity purchase of open-end management company shares.
"Commission" means State Corporation Commission.
"Federal covered advisor" means any person who is registered or required to be registered under § 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 as an "investment adviser."
"Investment Advisers Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80b-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
Notwithstanding the definition in § 13.1-501 of the Act, "investment advisor representative" as applied to a federal covered advisor only includes an individual who has a "place of business" (as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC) in this Commonwealth and who either:
1. Is an "investment advisor representative" as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC; or
2. a. Is not a "supervised person" as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and
b. Solicits, offers or negotiates for the sale of or sells investment advisory services on behalf of a federal covered advisor.
"Investment Company Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80a-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"NASAA" means the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
"NASD" means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or its successor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
"Notice" or "notice filing" means, with respect to a federal covered advisor or federal covered security, all information required by the regulations and forms prescribed by the commission and any required fee.
"Registrant" means an applicant for whom a registration or registration statement has been granted or declared effective by the commission.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act of 1933" (15 USC § 77a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934" (15 USC § 78a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
21VAC5-20-60. Broker-Dealer merger or consolidation.
A. When there is a merger or consolidation of two or more registrants, or the reorganization of a registrant, the surviving or new corporation entity shall amend or file, as the case may be, Form BD (the filing of Form BD requires the payment of a $200 fee) and shall file a copy of the following with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising upon its request:
1. The certificate of merger or consolidation.
2. The plan of merger or consolidation.
3. The amended or new charter and by-laws.
4. Any document of explanation.
5. The current financial statements of the surviving or new corporation entity and surety bond, if necessary.
B. Such amendment and/or filing shall be made immediately after the merger or consolidation becomes effective, except that the required financial statements shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the effective date of the merger or consolidation. The registration of the surviving or new corporation entity usually will be granted by the commission on the same date that the merger or consolidation becomes effective. Each agent of the nonsurviving or new corporation entity shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 before registration as an agent with his new employer becomes effective. Every other agent of the defunct corporation shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 or 21VAC5-20-130, whichever may be applicable.
21VAC5-20-70. Examinations/qualifications.
A. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are registered pursuant to § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o).
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application.
2. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subdivision 1 of this subsection A, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam (Series 24) or, in the case of a broker-dealer selling investment company securities only, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal Exam (Series 26) or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates Qualification Examination for Principals appropriate to the category of registration as specified by the type of business conducted by the broker-dealer within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the applications.
Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
For the purposes of this subsection A, the term "principal" means any person associated with a broker-dealer who is engaged directly (i) in the management, direction or supervision on a regular or continuous basis on behalf of such broker-dealer of the following activities: sales, training, research, investment advice, underwriting, private placements, advertising, public relations, trading, maintenance of books or records, financial operations; or (ii) in the training of persons associated with such broker-dealer for the management, direction, or supervision on a regular or continuous basis of any such activities.
3. Subsection A of this section is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are, or intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
B. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are not registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing:
a. The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application; and
b. Any additional securities-related examination that the commission deems appropriate in light of the business in which the applicant proposes to engage.; and
c. Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
2. This subsection is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are not, or do not intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Part II
Broker-Dealer Agents
21VAC5-20-90. Application for registration as a broker-dealer agent.
A. Application for registration as an agent of a NASD member shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with the forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
B. Application for registration for all other broker-dealer agents shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-20-130. Termination of registration.
A. When a broker-dealer agent terminates a connection with a broker-dealer, or a broker-dealer terminates connection with an agent, the broker-dealer shall file notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination. All filings shall be made with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system for agents of NASD member firms or with the commission for all other broker-dealer agents.
B. If an agent learns that the broker-dealer has not filed the notice, the agent may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the agent’s registration if the commission determines that a broker-dealer (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-20-135. Continuing commission by retiring agents.
The payment of compensation to a registered agent after he terminates his employment with a registered broker-dealer either by retirement, disability, death, or payment to his surviving spouse or other beneficiaries, will not be deemed to be a violation of commission regulations, provided the broker-dealer enters into a bona fide contract with either the retiring agent or the surviving spouse or beneficiaries, and the following conditions are met.
1. The retiring agent must have been continuously employed by or otherwise associated with the firm for a minimum of five years, as of the date of his retirement.
2. The sharing of commissions will be limited to commissions derived from accounts held for continuing customers of the retiring agent regardless of whether customer funds or securities are added to the accounts during the period after retirement.
3. The retiring agent must have demonstrated that he conducted himself in a manner exhibiting appropriate professional conduct. At a minimum, retirees must have been subject to no more than a low incidence of investment-related customer complaints and arbitrations settled or decided for more than $25,000 in the five years prior to the retirement date.
4. If the retiring agent has been subject to such complaints, the firm must have determined that the complaints did not require disciplinary action or heightened supervision, and that the retiree was not at fault for improper sales practices.
5. The retiring agent must not have been subject to a statutory disqualification during the five years prior to retirement.
6. The retiring agent must comply, to the extent applicable, with federal and state securities statutes and regulations, all policies, procedures, and rules of relevant regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, and must certify compliance with the policy at least annually.
7. The broker-dealer must establish parameters for a reasonable time period, not to exceed five years, following retirement and a percentage scale (that is either fixed or decreases the percentage the retiring agent receives each year) regarding the sharing of commissions by the retiring agent and the receiving registered agent.
8. The retiring agent must certify at least annually to the broker-dealer that he has adhered to the requirements and conditions of the agreement.
9. The broker-dealer must contact a representative sample of the account holders including a significant set of high grossing customer accounts subject to the agreement at least annually to confirm that the retiring agent has not provided investment advice or solicited trades in securities in any way. For example, the broker-dealer may contact annually: (i) holders of the top 10 highest grossing client accounts for that year; and (ii) holders of one-half of the next 25% highest grossing client accounts.
21VAC5-20-150. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent shall be required to show evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who has met the qualifications set forth in subsection A of this section, and has been registered in any state jurisdiction requiring registration within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirement set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Part III
Agents of the Issuer
21VAC5-20-160. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer.
A. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an agent of the issuer unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Completed Agreement for Inspection of Records Form.
4. 3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-30-80. Adoption of NASAA statements of policy.
The commission adopts the following NASAA statements of policy that shall apply to the registration of securities in the Commonwealth. It will be considered a basis for denial of an application if an offering fails to comply with an applicable statement of policy. While applications not conforming to a statement of policy shall be looked upon with disfavor, where good cause is shown, certain provisions may be modified or waived by the commission.
1. Options and Warrants, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
2. Underwriting Expenses, Underwriter's Warrants, Selling Expenses and Selling Security Holders, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
3. Real Estate Programs, as amended September 29, 1993 May 7, 2007.
4. Oil and Gas Programs, as amended October 24, 1991 May 7, 2007.
5. Cattle-Feeding Programs, as adopted September 17, 1980.
6. Unsound Financial Condition, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
7. Real Estate Investment Trusts, as adopted September 29, 1993 amended May 7, 2007.
8. Church Bonds, as adopted April 29, 1981.
9. Small Company Offering Registrations, as adopted April 28, 1996.
10. NASAA Guidelines Regarding Viatical Investment, as adopted October 1, 2002.
11. Corporate Securities Definitions, as amended March 31, 2008.
21VAC5-40-30. Uniform limited offering exemption.
A. Nothing in this exemption is intended to relieve, or should be construed as in any way relieving, issuers or persons acting on their behalf from providing disclosure to prospective investors adequate to satisfy the anti-fraud provisions of the Act.
In view of the objective of this section and the purpose and policies underlying the Act, this exemption is not available to an issuer with respect to a transaction which, although in technical compliance with this section, is part of a plan or scheme to evade registration or the conditions or limitations explicitly stated in this section.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt registered broker-dealers or agents from the due diligence standards otherwise applicable to such registered persons.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt a person from the broker-dealer or agent registration requirements of Article 3 (§ 13.1-504 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia, except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision B 2 of this section.
B. For the purpose of the limited offering exemption referred to in § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, the following securities are determined to be exempt from the securities registration requirements of Article 4 (§ 13.1-507 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Any securities offered or sold in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation D (Reg. D), Rules 230.501-230.503 and 230.505 as made effective in Release No. 33-6389 (47 FR 11251), and as amended in Release Nos. 33-6437 (47 FR 54764), 33-6663 (51 FR 36385), 33-6758 (53 FR 7866) and 33-6825 (54 FR 11369) and which satisfy the following further conditions and limitations:
1. The issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that all persons who offer or sell securities subject to this section are registered in accordance with § 13.1-505 of the Act except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision 2 of this subsection.
2. No exemption under this section shall be available for the securities of any issuer if any of the persons described in the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation A, Rule 230.262(a), (b), or (c) (17 CFR 230.262):
a. Has filed a registration statement which is the subject of a currently effective stop order entered pursuant to any state's securities law within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
b. Has been convicted within five years prior to the beginning of the offering of a felony or misdemeanor in connection with the purchase or sale of a security or a felony involving fraud or deceit, including but not limited to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, larceny or conspiracy to defraud.
c. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment entered by that state's securities administrator within five years prior to the beginning of the offering or is subject to a state's administrative order or judgment in which fraud or deceit, including but not limited to making untrue statements of material facts or omitting to state material facts, was found and the order or judgment was entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
d. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment which prohibits the use of any exemption from registration in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.
e. Is currently subject to an order, judgment, or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction temporarily or preliminarily restraining or enjoining, or is subject to an order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering, permanently restraining or enjoining such person from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or involving the making of a false filing with a state.
f. The prohibitions of subdivisions a, b, c and e of this subdivision shall not apply if the party subject to the disqualifying order, judgment or decree is duly licensed or registered to conduct securities related business in the state in which the administrative order, judgment or decree was entered against such party.
g. A disqualification caused by this subsection is automatically waived if the state securities administrator or agency of the state which created the basis for disqualification, or the State Corporation Commission, determines upon a showing of good cause that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the exemption under this section be denied.
3. The issuer shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale in this state from an offering being made in reliance upon this exemption:
a. A notice on Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
b. An undertaking by the issuer to promptly provide, upon written request, the information furnished by the issuer to offerees.
c. An executed consent to service of process (Form U2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for purpose of service of process, unless a currently effective consent to service of process is on file with the commission.
d. b. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
4. In sales to nonaccredited investors, the issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that the investment is suitable for the purchaser as to the purchaser's other security holdings and financial situation and needs.
5. Offers and sales of securities which are exempted by this section shall not be combined with offers and sales of securities exempted by another regulation or section of the Act; however, nothing in this limitation shall act as an election. The issuer may claim the availability of another applicable exemption should, for any reason, the securities or persons fail to comply with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.
6. In any proceeding involving this section, the burden of proving the exemption or an exception from a definition or condition is upon the person claiming it.
C. The exemption authorized by this section shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Limited Offering Exemption."
21VAC5-45-20. Offerings conducted pursuant to Rule 506 of federal Regulation D (17 CFR § 230.506): Filing requirements and issuer-agent exemption.
A. An issuer offering a security that is a covered security under § 18 (b)(4)(D) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 USC § 77r(b)(4)(D)) shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale of such federal covered security in this Commonwealth:
1. A notice on SEC Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
2. An executed consent to service of process (Form U-2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for service of process.
3. 2. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
B. An amendment filing shall contain a copy of the amended SEC Form D. No fee is required for an amendment.
C. For the purpose of this chapter, SEC "Form D" is the document, as adopted by the SEC and in effect on September 1, 1996 15, 2008, entitled "Form D; Notice of Sale of Securities pursuant to Regulation D, Section 4(6), and/or Uniform Limited Offering Exemption," including Part E and the Appendix. "Form D, Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities."
D. Pursuant to § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, an agent of an issuer who effects transactions in a security exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated under § 4(2) thereof (15 USC § 77d(2)) is exempt from the agent registration requirements of the Act.
Part I
Investment Advisor Registration, Notice Filing for Federal Covered Advisors, Expiration, Renewal, Updates and Amendments, Terminations and Merger or Consolidation
21VAC5-80-10. Application for registration as an investment advisor and notice filing as a federal covered advisor.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission and shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV Parts I and II submitted to the IARD system.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
3. A copy of the client agreement.
4. A copy of the firm’s supervisory and procedures manual as required by 21VAC5-80-170.
5. Copies of all advertising materials.
6. Copies of all stationary and business cards.
7. A signed affidavit stating that an investment advisor domiciled in Virginia has not conducted investment advisory business prior to registration, and for investment advisors domiciled outside of Virginia an affidavit stating that the advisor has fewer than six clients in any prior 12-month period.
8. The following financial statements:
a. A trial balance of all ledger account;
b. A statement of all client funds or securities that are not segregated;
c. A computation of the aggregate amount of client ledger debit balances;
d. A statement as to the number of client accounts;
e. Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that shall include a balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flow.
9. A copy of the firm’s disaster recovery plan as required by 21VAC5-80-160 F.
10. At least one qualified individual must have a registration pending on the IARD system on behalf of the investment advisor prior to the grant of registration.
3.11. Any other information the commission may require.
For purposes of this section, the term "net worth" means an excess of assets over liabilities, as determined by generally accepted accounting principles, but shall not include as assets: prepaid expenses (except as to items properly classified as assets under generally accepted accounting principles), deferred charges such as deferred income tax charges, goodwill, franchise rights, organizational expenses, patents, copyrights, marketing rights, unamortized debt discount and expense, all other assets of intangible nature, home furnishings, automobiles, and any other personal items not readily marketable in the case of an individual; advances or loans to stockholders and officers in the case of a corporation; and advances or loans to partners in the case of a partnership.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
D. Every person who transacts business in this Commonwealth as a federal covered advisor shall file a notice as prescribed in subsection E of this section in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system.
E. A notice filing for a federal covered advisor shall be deemed incomplete unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
Part II
Investment Advisor Representative Registration, Expiration, Updates and Amendments, Termination, and Changing Connection from One Investment Advisor to Another
21VAC5-80-70. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor representative unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-80-110. Termination of registration.
A. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with an investment advisor, or an investment advisor terminates connection with an investment advisor representative, the investment advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
B. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with a federal covered advisor, the federal covered advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
C. If a representative learns that the investment advisor has not filed the notice, the representative may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the representative’s registration if the commission determines that an investment advisor (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-80-130. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be required to provide evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66 and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who is currently has been registered as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in any state jurisdiction requiring the registration and qualification of investment advisors or investment advisor representatives within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to satisfy the examination requirements for continued registration set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Any individual who has not been registered in any state jurisdiction for a period of two years shall be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
C. The examination requirements shall not apply to an individual who currently holds one of the following professional designations:
1. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) issued by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.;
2. Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) awarded by The American College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania;
3. Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) granted by the Association for Investment Management and Research;
5. Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC) granted by the Investment Counsel Association of America; or
6. Such other professional designation, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, as the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
D. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subsection A of this section, an applicant who meets all the qualifications set forth below may file with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising an executed Affidavit for Waiver of Examination (Form S.A.3).
1. No more than one other individual connected with the applicant's investment advisor is utilizing the waiver at the time the applicant files Form S.A.3.
2. The applicant is, and has been for at least the five years immediately preceding the date on which the application for registration is filed, actively engaged in the investment advisory business.
3. The applicant has been for at least the two years immediately preceding the date on which the application is filed the president, chief executive officer or chairman of the board of directors of an investment advisor organized in corporate form or the managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary of an investment advisor organized in noncorporate form.
4. The investment advisor or advisors referred to in subdivision 3 of this subsection has been actively engaged in the investment advisory business and during the applicant's tenure as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board of directors, or managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary had at least $40 million under management.
5. The applicant verifies that he has read and is familiar with the investment advisor and investment advisor representative provisions of the Act and the provisions of Parts I through V of this chapter.
6. The applicant verifies that none of the questions in Item 22 14 (disciplinary history) on his Form U-4 have been, or need be, answered in the affirmative.
Part III
Investment Advisor, Federal Covered Advisor and Investment Advisor Representative Regulations
21VAC5-80-140. Custody of client funds or securities by investment advisors. (Repealed.)
An investment advisor who takes or has custody of any securities or funds of any client must comply with the following; provided that an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. An investment advisor with its principal place of business located in this Commonwealth shall notify the commission that it has or may have custody. Such notification may be given on Form ADV.
2. The securities of each client must be segregated, marked to identify the particular client having the beneficial interest therein and held in safekeeping in some place reasonably free from risk of destruction or other loss.
3. All client funds must be deposited in one or more bank accounts containing only clients' funds, such account or accounts must be maintained in the name of the investment advisor or agent or trustee for such clients, and the investment advisor must maintain a separate record for each such account showing the name and address of the bank where the account is maintained, the dates and amounts of deposits in and withdrawals from the account, and the exact amount of each client's beneficial interest in the account.
4. Immediately after accepting custody or possession of funds or securities from any client, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the place where and the manner in which the funds and securities will be maintained and subsequently, if and when there is a change in the place where or the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, the investment advisor must give written notice thereof to the client.
5. At least once every three months, the investment advisor must send each client an itemized statement showing the funds and securities in the investment advisor's custody at the end of such period and all debits, credits and transactions in the client's account during such period.
6. At least once every calendar year, an independent public accountant must verify all client funds and securities by actual examination at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice to the investment advisor. A certificate of such accountant stating that he or she has made an examination of such funds and securities, and describing the nature and extent of the examination, shall be filed with the commission promptly after each such examination.
7. This section shall not apply to an investment advisor also registered as a broker-dealer under § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o) if the broker-dealer is (i) subject to and in compliance with SEC Rule 15c3-1 (Net Capital Requirements for Brokers or Dealers) (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or (ii) a member of an exchange whose members are exempt from SEC Rule 15c3-1, (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) thereof, and the broker-dealer is in compliance with all regulations and settled practices of the exchange imposing requirements with respect to financial responsibility and the segregation of funds or securities carried for the account of customers.
21VAC5-80-145. Custody requirements for investment advisors.
A. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Custody" means holding directly or indirectly, client funds or securities, or having any authority to obtain possession of them.
a. Custody includes:
(1) Possession of client funds or securities unless received inadvertently and returned to the sender promptly, but in any case within three business days of receiving them;
(2) Any arrangement (including a general power of attorney) under which the investment advisor is permitted to withdraw client funds or securities maintained with a custodian upon the investment advisor’s instruction to the custodian; and
(3) Any capacity (such as general partner of a limited partnership, managing member of a limited liability company, or a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle, or trustee of a trust) that gives the investment advisor or the investment advisor’s supervised person legal ownership of or access to client funds or securities.
b. Receipt of client’s securities or checks drawn by clients and made payable to unrelated third parties will not meet the definition of custody if forwarded to the third party within 24 hours of receipt and the advisor maintains the following records:
(1) A ledger or other listing of all securities or funds held or obtained, including the following information:
(a) Issuer;
(b) Type of security and series;
(c) Date of issue;
(d) For debt instruments, the denomination, interest rate and maturity date;
(e) Certificate number, including alphabetical prefix or suffix;
(f) Name in which registered;
(g) Date given to the advisor;
(h) Date sent to client or sender;
(i) Form of delivery to client or sender, or copy of the form of delivery to client or sender; and
(j) Mail confirmation number, if applicable, or confirmation by client or sender of the fund’s or security’s return.
2. "Independent representative" means a person who:
a. Acts as agent for an advisory client, including in the case of a pooled investment vehicle, for limited partners of a limited partnership, members of a limited liability company, or other beneficial owners of another type of pooled investment vehicle and by law or contract is obliged to act in the best interest of the advisory client or the limited partners, members, or other beneficial owners;
b. Does not control, is not controlled by, and is not under common control with the investment advisor; and
c. Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
3. "Qualified custodian" means the following independent institutions or entities that are not affiliated with the advisor by any direct or indirect common control and have not had a material business relationship with the advisor in the previous two years:
a. A bank or savings association that has deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 USC § 1813;
b. A registered broker-dealer holding the client assets in customer accounts;
c. A registered futures commission merchant registered under § 4f(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 USC § 6f(a), holding the client assets in customer accounts, but only with respect to clients’ funds and security futures, or other securities incidental to transactions in contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery and options thereon; and
d. A foreign financial institution that customarily holds financial assets for its customers, provided that the foreign financial institution keeps the advisory clients’ assets in customer accounts segregated from its proprietary assets.
B. Requirements.
1. If the investment advisor is registered or required to be registered, it is unlawful and deemed to be a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice, or course of business under § 13.1-502 of the Virginia Securities Act for the investment advisor to have custody of client funds or securities unless:
a. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor has or may have custody. Such notification is required on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system;
b. A qualified custodian maintains those funds and securities in a separate account for each client under that client’s name or in accounts that contain only investment advisor’s clients’ funds and securities, under the investment advisor’s name as agent or trustee for the clients;
c. If the investment advisor opens an account with a qualified custodian on his client’s behalf, either under the client’s name or under the investment advisor’s name as agent, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the qualified custodian’s name, address, and the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, promptly when the account is opened and following any changes to this information;
d. At least quarterly, the investment advisor sends an account statement to each client for whom the investment advisor has custody of funds or securities, identifying the amount of funds and of each security of which the investment advisor has custody at the end of the period and setting forth all transactions during that period; and
(1) An independent certified public accountant verifies all client funds and securities by actual examination at least once during each calendar year at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice or announcement to the advisor and that is irregular from year to year, and files a copy of the auditor’s report and financial statements with the commission within 30 days after the completion of the examination, along with a letter stating that it has examined the funds and securities and describing the nature and extent of the examination.
(2) The independent certified public accountant, upon finding any material discrepancies during the course of the examination, notifies the commission within one business day of the finding, by means of a facsimile transmission or electronic mail, followed by first class mail, directed to the attention of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising.
(3) If the investment advisor is a general partner of a limited partnership (or managing member of a limited liability company, or holds a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle), the account statements required under subdivisions c and d of this subdivision must be sent to each limited partner (or member or other beneficial owner or their independent representative).
(4) A client may designate an independent representative to receive, on his behalf, notices and account statements as required under subdivisions 3 and 4 of this subsection.
2. An advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 a (2) of this section by having fees directly deducted from client accounts shall provide the following safeguards:
a. The investment advisor must have written authorization from the client to deduct advisory fees from the account held with the qualified custodian.
b. Each time a fee is directly deducted from a client account, the investment advisor must concurrently:
(1) Send the qualified custodian an invoice of the amount of the fee to be deducted from the client’s account; and
(2) Send the client an invoice itemizing the fee. Itemization includes the formula used to calculate the fee, the amount of assets under management the fee is based on, and the time period covered by the fee.
c. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
d. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
3. An investment advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who does not meet the exception provided under this subdivision 3 of this subsection must, in addition to the safeguards set forth in subdivision A 4 of this section, also comply with the following:
a. Hire an independent party to review all fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled accounts.
b. Send all invoices or receipts to the independent party, detailing the amount of the fee, expenses, or capital withdrawal and the method of calculation such that the independent party can:
(1) Determine that the payment is in accordance with the pooled investment vehicle standards (generally the partnership agreement or membership agreement); and
(2) Forward, to the qualified custodian, approval for payment of the invoice with a copy to the investment advisor.
c. For purposes of this section, an independent party means a person who:
(1) Is engaged by an investment advisor to act as a gatekeeper for the payment of fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled investment;
(2) Does not control and is not controlled by and is not under common control with the investment advisor, either directly or indirectly; and
(3) Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
d. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
e. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
4. When a trust retains an investment advisor, investment advisor representative, or employee, director, or owner of an investment advisor as trustee, and the investment advisor acts as the investment advisor to that trust, the investment advisor shall:
a. Notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided below. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system.
b. Send to the grantor of the trust, the attorney for the trust if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at the same time that it sends any invoice to the qualified custodian, an invoice showing the amount of the trustees' fee or investment management or advisory fee, the value of the assets on which the fees were based, and the specific manner in which the fees were calculated.
c. Enter into a written agreement with a qualified custodian that specifies the qualified custodian will not deliver trust securities to the investment advisor, any investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor, nor will transmit any funds to the investment advisor; any investment advisor representative or employee; director or owner of the investment advisor, except that the qualified custodian may pay trustees' fees to the trustee and investment management or advisory fees to investment advisor, provided that:
(1) The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust has authorized the qualified custodian in writing to pay those fees;
(2) The statements for those fees show the amount of the fees for the trustee and, in the case of statements for investment management or advisory fees, show the value of the trust assets on which the fee is based and the manner in which the fee was calculated; and
(3) The qualified custodian agrees to send to the grantor of the trust, the attorneys for a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at least quarterly, a statement of all disbursements from the account of the trust, including the amount of investment management fees paid to the investment advisor and the amount of trustees' fees paid to the trustee.
d. Except as otherwise set forth in subdivision 3 d (1) of this subsection, the qualified custodian may transfer funds or securities, or both, of the trust only upon the direction of the trustee (who may be the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor), who the investment advisor has duly accepted as an authorized signatory. The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, must designate the authorized signatory for management of the trust. The direction to transfer funds or securities, or both, can only be made to the following:
(1) To a trust company, bank trust department, or brokerage firm independent of the investment advisor for the account of the trust to which the assets relate;
(2) To the named grantors or to the named beneficiaries of the trust;
(3) To a third person independent of the investment advisor in payment of the fees or charges of the third person including, but not limited to:
(a) Attorney's, accountant's, or qualified custodian's fees for the trust; and
(b) Taxes, interest, maintenance, or other expenses, if there is property other than securities or cash owned by the trust;
(c) To third persons independent of the investment advisor for any other purpose legitimately associated with the management of the trust; or
(d) To a broker-dealer in the normal course of portfolio purchases and sales, provided that the transfer is made on payment against delivery basis or payment against trust receipt.
5. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection, will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
C. Exceptions.
1. With respect to shares of an open-end company as defined in § 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC § 80a-5(a)(1) (mutual fund), the investment advisor may use the mutual fund’s transfer agent in lieu of a qualified custodian for purposes of complying with subsection B of this section.
2. Certain privately offered securities.
a. An investment advisor is not required to comply with subsection B of this section with respect to securities that are:
(1 ) Acquired from the issuer in a transaction or chain of transactions not involving any public offering;
(2) Uncertificated, and ownership thereof is recorded only on books of the issuer or its transfer agent in the name of the client; and
(3) Transferable only with prior consent of the issuer or holders of the outstanding securities of the issuer.
b. Notwithstanding subdivision B 2 a of this section, the provisions of subdivision B 2 of this section are available with respect to securities held for the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or other type of pooled investment vehicle) only if the limited partnership is audited, the audited financial statements are distributed, as described in subdivision B 3 of this section and the investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to provide audited financial statements, as described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
3. The investment advisor is not required to comply with subdivision B 1 c of this section with respect to the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or another type of pooled investment vehicle) that is subject to audit at least annually and distributes its audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to all limited partners (or members or other beneficial owners) within 120 days of the end of its fiscal year. The investment advisor shall also notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to employ the use of the audit safeguards described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
4. The investment advisor is not required to comply with this section with respect to the account of an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC §§ 80a-1 to 80a-64.
5. The investment advisor is not required to comply with safekeeping requirements of subsection B of this section or the net worth and bonding requirements of 21VAC5-80-180 if the investment advisor has custody solely because the investment advisor, investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor is a trustee for a beneficial trust, if all of the following conditions are met for each trust:
a. The beneficial owner of the trust is a parent, a grandparent, a spouse, a sibling, a child, or a grandchild of the trustee. These relationships shall include "step" relationships.
b. For each account under subdivision 5 a of this subsection the investment advisor complies with the following:
(1) Provide a written statement to each beneficial owner of the account setting forth a description of the requirements of subsection B of this section and the reasons why the investment advisor will not be complying with those requirements.
(2) Obtain from each beneficial owner a signed and dated statement acknowledging the receipt of the written statement required under subdivision 5 a of this subsection.
(3) Maintain a copy of both documents described in subdivisions B 4 c and d of this section until the account is closed or the investment advisor is no longer trustee.
6. Any investment advisor who intends to have custody of client funds or securities but is not able to utilize a qualified custodian as defined in subdivision A 3 of this section shall first obtain approval from the commission and comply with all of the applicable safekeeping provisions under subsection B of this section including taking responsibility for those provisions that are designated to be performed by a qualified custodian.
21VAC5-80-160. Recordkeeping requirements for investment advisors.
A. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered under the Act shall make and keep true, accurate and current the following books, ledgers and records, except an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. A journal or journals, including cash receipts and disbursements records, and any other records of original entry forming the basis of entries in any ledger.
2. General and auxiliary ledgers (or other comparable records) reflecting asset, liability, reserve, capital, income and expense accounts.
3. A memorandum of each order given by the investment advisor for the purchase or sale of any security, of any instruction received by the investment advisor from the client concerning the purchase, sale, receipt or delivery of a particular security, and of any modification or cancellation of any such order or instruction. The memoranda shall show the terms and conditions of the order, instruction, modification or cancellation; shall identify the person connected with the investment advisor who recommended the transaction to the client and the person who placed the order; and shall show the account for which entered, the date of entry, and the bank, broker or dealer by or through whom executed where appropriate. Orders entered pursuant to the exercise of discretionary power shall be so designated.
4. All check books, bank statements, canceled checks and cash reconciliations of the investment advisor.
5. All bills or statements (or copies of), paid or unpaid, relating to the business as an investment advisor.
6. All trial balances, financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which shall include a balance sheet, income statement and such other statements as may be required pursuant to 21VAC5-80-180, and internal audit working papers relating to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
7. Originals of all written communications received and copies of all written communications sent by the investment advisor relating to (i) any recommendation made or proposed to be made and any advice given or proposed to be given; (ii) any receipt, disbursement or delivery of funds or securities; and (iii) the placing or execution of any order to purchase or sell any security; however, (a) the investment advisor shall not be required to keep any unsolicited market letters and other similar communications of general public distribution not prepared by or for the investment advisor, and (b) if the investment advisor sends any notice, circular or other advertisement offering any report, analysis, publication or other investment advisory service to more than 10 persons, the investment advisor shall not be required to keep a record of the names and addresses of the persons to whom it was sent; except that if the notice, circular or advertisement is distributed to persons named on any list, the investment advisor shall retain with a copy of the notice, circular or advertisement a memorandum describing the list and the source thereof.
8. A list or other record of all accounts which list identifies the accounts in which the investment advisor is vested with any discretionary power with respect to the funds, securities or transactions of any client.
9. All powers of attorney and other evidences of the granting of any discretionary authority by any client to the investment advisor, or copies thereof.
10. All written agreements (or copies thereof) entered into by the investment advisor with any client, and all other written agreements otherwise related to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
11. A file containing a copy of each notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes, directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor), and if the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media recommends the purchase or sale of a specific security and does not state the reasons for the recommendation, a memorandum of the investment adviser indicating the reasons for the recommendation.
12. a. A record of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has, or by reason of any transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. For purposes of this subdivision 12, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative" means any partner, officer or director of the investment advisor; any employee who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendations shall be made; any employee who, in connection with his duties, obtains any information concerning which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment adviser;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
"Control" means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Any person who owns beneficially, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the ownership interest of a company shall be presumed to control the company.
c. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 12 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if the investment advisor establishes that it instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
13. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 12 of this subsection, where the investment advisor is primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, a record must be maintained of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of such investment advisor has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. An investment advisor is "primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients" when, for each of its most recent three fiscal years or for the period of time since organization, whichever is less, the investment advisor derived, on an unconsolidated basis, more than 50% of (i) its total sales and revenues, and (ii) its income (or loss) before income taxes and extraordinary items, from such other business or businesses.
c. For purposes of this subdivision 13, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative," when used in connection with a company primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, means any partner, officer, director or employee of the investment advisor who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendation shall be made, or whose functions or duties relate to the determination of which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons, who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations or of the information concerning the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment advisor;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
d. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 13 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if he establishes that he instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
14. A copy of each written statement and each amendment or revision, given or sent to any client or prospective client of such investment advisor in accordance with the provisions of 21VAC5-80-190 and a record of the dates that each written statement, and each amendment or revision, was given, or offered to be given, to any client or prospective client who subsequently becomes a client.
15. For each client that was obtained by the advisor by means of a solicitor to whom a cash fee was paid by the advisor, the following:
a. Evidence of a written agreement to which the advisor is a party related to the payment of such fee;
b. A signed and dated acknowledgement of receipt from the client evidencing the client's receipt of the investment advisor's disclosure statement and a written disclosure statement of the solicitor; and,
c. A copy of the solicitor's written disclosure statement. The written agreement, acknowledgement and solicitor disclosure statement will be considered to be in compliance if such documents are in compliance with Rule 275.206(4)-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
For purposes of this regulation, the term "solicitor" means any person or entity who, for compensation, acts as an agent of an investment advisor in referring potential clients.
16. All accounts, books, internal working papers, and any other records or documents that are necessary to form the basis for or demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts or securities recommendations in any notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including but not limited to electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor); however, with respect to the performance of managed accounts, the retention of all account statements, if they reflect all debits, credits, and other transactions in a client's account for the period of the statement, and all worksheets necessary to demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision.
17. A file containing a copy of all written communications received or sent regarding any litigation involving the investment advisor or any investment advisor representative or employee, and regarding any written customer or client complaint.
18. Written information about each investment advisory client that is the basis for making any recommendation or providing any investment advice to the client.
19. Written procedures to supervise the activities of employees and investment advisor representatives that are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
20. A file containing a copy of each document (other than any notices of general dissemination) that was filed with or received from any state or federal agency or self regulatory organization and that pertains to the registrant or its investment advisor representatives, which file should contain, but is not limited to, all applications, amendments, renewal filings, and correspondence.
21. Any records documenting dates, locations and findings of the investment advisor's annual review of these policies and procedures conducted pursuant to subdivision E 2 of 21VAC5-80-170.
B. If an investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section has custody or possession of securities or funds of any client, the records required to be made and kept under subsection A of this section shall also include:
1. A journal or other record showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities (including certificate numbers) for such accounts and all other debits and credits to the accounts.
2. A separate ledger account for each client showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities, the date and price of each purchase and sale, and all debits and credits.
3. Copies of confirmations of all transactions effected by or for the account of any client.
4. A record for each security in which any client has a position, which record shall show the name of each client having any interest in each security, the amount or interest of each client, and the location of each security.
C. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section who renders any investment advisory or management service to any client shall, with respect to the portfolio being supervised or managed and to the extent that the information is reasonably available to or obtainable by the investment advisor, make and keep true, accurate and current:
1. Records showing separately for each client the securities purchased and sold, and the date, amount and price of each purchase and sale.
2. For each security in which any client has a current position, information from which the investment advisor can promptly furnish the name of each client and the current amount or interest of the client.
D. Any books or records required by this section may be maintained by the investment advisor in such manner that the identity of any client to whom the investment advisor renders investment advisory services is indicated by numerical or alphabetical code or some similar designation.
E. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section shall preserve the following records in the manner prescribed:
1. All books and records required to be made under the provisions of subsection A through subdivision C 1, inclusive, of this section, except for books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on record, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor.
2. Partnership articles and any amendments, articles of incorporation, charters, minute books, and stock certificate books of the investment advisor and of any predecessor, shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor and preserved until at least three years after termination of the enterprise.
3. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor, from the end of the fiscal year during which the investment advisor last published or otherwise disseminated, directly or indirectly, the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media.
4. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 17 through A 20, inclusive, of this section shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in the principal office of the investment advisor, or for the time period during which the investment advisor was registered or required to be registered in the state, if less.
5. Notwithstanding other record preservation requirements of this subsection, the following records or copies shall be required to be maintained at the business location of the investment advisor from which the customer or client is being provided or has been provided with investment advisory services: (i) records required to be preserved under subdivisions A 3, A 7 through A 10, A 14 and A 15, A 17 through A 19, subsections B and C, and (ii) the records or copies required under the provision of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section which records or related records identify the name of the investment advisor representative providing investment advice from that business location, or which identify the business locations' physical address, mailing address, electronic mailing address, or telephone number. The records will be maintained for the period described in this subsection.
F. Every investment advisor shall establish and maintain a written disaster recovery plan that shall address at a minimum:
1. The identity of individuals that will conduct business on behalf of the investment advisor in the event of death or incapacity of key persons;
2. Means to provide notification to clients of the investment advisor and to those states in which the advisor is registered of the death or incapacity of key persons;
a. Notification shall be provided to the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising via the IARD/CRD system within 24 hours of the death or incapacity of key persons.
b. Notification shall be given to clients within five business days from the death or incapacity of key persons.
3. Means for clients’ accounts to continue to be monitored until an orderly liquidation, distribution or transfer of the clients’ portfolio to another advisor can be achieved;
4. Means for the credit demands of the investment advisor to be met; and
5. Data backups sufficient to allow rapid resumption of the investment advisor’s activities.
G. An investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section, before ceasing to conduct or discontinuing business as an investment advisor, shall arrange for and be responsible for the preservation of the books and records required to be maintained and preserved under this section for the remainder of the period specified in this section, and shall notify the commission in writing of the exact address where the books and records will be maintained during such period.
G. H. 1. The records required to be maintained pursuant to this section may be immediately produced or reproduced by photograph on film or, as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection, on magnetic disk, tape or other computer storage medium, and be maintained for the required time in that form. If records are preserved or reproduced by photographic film or computer storage medium, the investment advisor shall:
a. Arrange the records and index the films or computer storage medium so as to permit the immediate location of any particular record;
b. Be ready at all times to promptly provide any facsimile enlargement of film or computer printout or copy of the computer storage medium which the commission by its examiners or other representatives may request;
c. Store separately from the original one other copy of the film or computer storage medium for the time required;
d. With respect to records stored on computer storage medium, maintain procedures for maintenance of, and access to, records so as to reasonably safeguard records from loss, alteration, or destruction; and
e. With respect to records stored on photographic film, at all times have available, for the commission's examination of its records, facilities for immediate, easily readable projection of the film and for producing easily readable facsimile enlargements.
2. Pursuant to subdivision 1 of this subsection, an advisor may maintain and preserve on computer tape or disk or other computer storage medium records which, in the ordinary course of the advisor's business, are created by the advisor on electronic media or are received by the advisor solely on electronic media or by electronic transmission.
H. I. Any book or record made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with SEC Rules 17a-3 (17 CFR 240.17a-3) and 17a-4 (17 CFR 240.17a-4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which is substantially the same as the book, or other record required to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved under this section shall be deemed to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with this section.
I. J. For purposes of this section, "investment supervisory services" means the giving of continuous advice as to the investment of funds on the basis of the individual needs of each client; and "discretionary power" shall not include discretion as to the price at which or the time when a transaction is or is to be effected if, before the order is given by the investment advisor, the client has directed or approved the purchase or sale of a definite amount of the particular security.
K. For purposes of this section, "principal place of business" and "principle office" mean the executive office of the investment advisor from which the officers, partners, or managers of the investment advisor direct, control, and coordinate the activities of the investment advisor.
J. L. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered in this Commonwealth and has its principal place of business in a state other than the Commonwealth shall be exempt from the requirements of this section to the extent provided by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104-290), provided the investment advisor is licensed in such state and is in compliance with such state's recordkeeping requirements.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1797; Filed April 7, 2009, 4:23 p.m.
TITLE 21. SECURITIES AND RETAIL FRANCHISING
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
Proposed Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Corporation Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 A 2 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts courts, any agency of the Supreme Court, and any agency that by the Constitution is expressly granted any of the powers of a court of record.
Titles of Regulations: 21VAC5-10. General Administration Securities Act (amending 21VAC5-10-40).
21VAC5-20. Broker-Dealers, Broker-Dealer Agents and Agents of the Issuer (amending 21VAC5-20-60, 21VAC5-20-70, 21VAC5-20-90, 21VAC5-20-130, 21VAC5-20-150, 21VAC5-20-160; adding 21VAC5-20-135).
21VAC5-30. Securities Registration (amending 21VAC5-30-80).
21VAC5-40. Exempt Securities (amending 21VAC5-40-30).
21VAC5-45. Federal Covered Securities (amending 21VAC5-45-20).
21VAC5-80. Investment Advisors (amending 21VAC5-80-10, 21VAC5-80-70, 21VAC5-80-110, 21VAC5-80-130, 21VAC5-80-160; adding 21VAC5-80-145; repealing 21VAC5-80-140).
Statutory Authority: §§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-523 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: A public hearing will be scheduled upon request.
Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 15, 2009.
Agency Contact: Alfred L. Hughes, Registration Chief, Securities Division, State Corporation Commission, Tyler Building, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-9610, FAX (804) 371-9912, or email al.hughes@scc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The proposed amendments (i) adopt by reference recent changes to certain North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc. (NASAA) securities registration statements of policy; (ii) adopt by reference the NASAA Corporate Securities Definitions statement of policy; (iii) make changes to the notice filing requirements for offerings conducted pursuant to Rules 505 and 506 of Federal Regulation D; (iv) expand the definition of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) to reflect its current name; (v) correct language for mergers and consolidations; (vi) eliminate the duplicative requirement to take the Series 7 exam and allow the Series 66 exam to qualify an individual as an agent; (vii) require individuals whose agent registration has lapsed for more than two years to requalify; (viii) provide relief for those individuals registered as agents or representatives with an entity that ceases to do business by allowing the individuals to make a termination request directly to the commission; (ix) allow retiring agents to continue to receive commissions without registration; (x) require additional documents be filed as part of the initial investment advisor application process, which will assist new investment advisors in setting up required records and increase protection for the investing public; (xi) require that all principals of investment advisors meet minimum qualification standards; (xii) clarify that all investment advisor representatives shall meet minimum standards; (xiii) adopt NASAA Custody rule; and (xiv) require investment advisors to develop a disaster recovery plan.
AT RICHMOND, APRIL 7, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ex rel.
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
CASE NO. SEC-2009-00022
Ex Parte: In the matter of
Adopting a Revision to the Rules
Governing the Virginia Securities Act
ORDER TO TAKE NOTICE
Section 12.1-13 of the Code of Virginia provides that the State Corporation Commission ("Commission") shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations in the enforcement and administration of all laws within its jurisdiction. Section 13.1-523 of the Virginia Securities Act ("Act"), § 13.1-501 et seq. of the Code of Virginia provides that the Commission may issue any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate for the administration and enforcement of the Act.
The rules and regulations issued by the Commission pursuant to the Act are set forth in Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code. A copy also may be found at the Commission's website www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The Division of Securities and Retail Franchising ("Division") has submitted to the Commission proposed revisions to Chapter 10, Chapter 20, Chapter 30, Chapter 80, and Chapter 120 of Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code entitled "Rules and Forms Governing Virginia Securities Act" ("Rules").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-10-40 redefines the term "NASD" to include reference to the organization's successor, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc., or FINRA.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-60 replaces the term "corporation" with the term "entity."
Proposed amendment to Rules 21 VAC 5-20-70, 21 VAC 5-20-90, 21 VAC 5-20-150 and 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminate the requirement to take the General Securities Representative Examination or Series 7, to qualify for registration as either a broker-dealer, broker-dealer agent, agent of an NASD member or agent of an issuer. These Rules are also amended to provide that any of the other acceptable examinations required for registration be taken within two years preceding the date of application for registration with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-70 is expanded to allow the Commission to accept the appropriate FINRA principal examination requirement for the type of business conducted in lieu of the other examination requirements for broker-dealer registration purposes. Furthermore, the Rule is amended to allow an individual registered in any state jurisdiction to forego the examination requirements in the Rule if they are registered as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-130 adds a subsection allowing a broker-dealer agent to file a notice of termination if the broker-dealer fails to file such notice on Form U‑5 in the thirty (30) day time period afforded by the Rule. The new subsection also allows the Commission to terminate an agent's registration if it is determined by the Commission that the broker-dealer is no longer in existence, has ceased conducting securities business or cannot be reasonably located.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-20-160 eliminates the requirement to file an Inspection of Records Form in an application to register as an agent of an issuer.
New Rule 21 VAC 5-20-135 is added to allow agents terminating employment with registered broker-dealers by reason of retirement or disability to continue to receive compensation after such termination provided certain enumerated conditions are met. In the case of an agent's death, continued payment of compensation to spouses or other beneficiaries will also be permitted.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-30-80 is updated to adopt the most recent changes to the North American Securities Administrators Association's ("NASAA") statements of policy regarding options and warrants, underwriter's expenses, underwriter's warrants, selling expenses, selling security holders, real estate programs, oil and gas programs, real estate investment trust programs, and unsound financial condition. Additionally, this Rule adopts NASAA's statement of policy regarding corporate securities definitions.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-40-30 eliminates the requirement in subsection B 3 for an issuer seeking to qualify for exemption under the Rule to file Form U‑2, an executed consent to service of process appointing the Clerk of the Commission as its agent for purposes of service of process, and the requirement to furnish to the Commission all information provided by the issuer to offerees. The Rule will also allow such an issuer to file with the Commission the same notice Form D as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-45-20 will also eliminate the requirement to file Form U‑2 in Rule 506 offerings under Regulation D of the SEC's Rules, 17 C.F.R. § 230.506. The Rule also designates the SEC's most recently effective Form D as the appropriate notice form to be filed with the Commission.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-10 adds requirements for an application for registration as an investment advisor or federal covered advisor to include additional information along with the requisite ADV forms and the statutory fee. This includes information pertaining to client agreements, supervisory and procedural manuals, advertising materials, stationary and business cards, affidavits, financial statements, a copy of the applicants disaster recovery plan and any other supplemental information the Commission may require.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-130 adds a two-year expiration period from the date of taking the required examination until the time of application for registration to qualify as a registered investment advisor representative. Investment advisors and investment advisor representatives registered in other jurisdictions with a similar two-year expiration period rule will be allowed to waive the examination requirements for registration purposes. The prior requirement mandating that individuals registered in other jurisdictions for less than a period of two years take the required examination has been eliminated.
Rule 21 VAC 5-80-140 is eliminated in its entirety and replaced with new Rule 21 VAC 5‑80‑145. Rule 21 VAC 5-80-145 adopts in its entirety NASAA's Model Custody Rule 102(e)(1)-1 to be in conformity with the majority of states.
Proposed amendment to Rule 21 VAC 5-80-160 adds subsection F requiring investment advisors registered with the Commission to implement and maintain a written disaster recovery plan. Subsection K is also added defining the terms "principal place of business" and "principal office."
The Division has recommended to the Commission that the proposed revisions should be considered for adoption with an effective date of July 1, 2009. The Division also has recommended to the Commission that a hearing should be held only if requested by those interested parties who specifically indicate that a hearing is necessary and the reasons therefore.
A copy of the proposed revisions may be requested by interested parties from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail request and also can be found at the Division's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Any comments to the proposed rules must be received by May 15, 2009. If any request for hearing is received and granted, the hearing will be scheduled on June 3, 2009, by subsequent Commission order.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The proposed revisions are appended hereto and made a part of the record herein.
(2) Comments or requests for hearing on the proposed revisions must be submitted in writing to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218, on or before May 15, 2009. Requests for hearing shall state why a hearing is necessary and why the issues cannot be adequately addressed in written comments. All correspondence shall contain reference to Case No. SEC‑2008‑00026. Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so by following the instructions available at the Commission's website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
(3) If the Commission grants any request for hearing in connection with the proposed amendments to the Rules, it will enter a subsequent order scheduling the hearing on June 3, 2009, and that order will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. If no request for hearing is received, the Commission may consider the matter and enter an order based upon the papers filed herein.
(4) On or before May 27, 2009, the Division shall file a response to any comments that are filed in this proceeding and that response will be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf.
(5) The proposed revisions shall be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Interested persons may also request a copy of the proposed revisions from the Division by telephone, mail or e-mail.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF, together with a copy of the proposed revisions, shall be sent to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register.
AN ATTESTED COPY hereof shall be sent to the Division's Director, who shall forthwith provide notice of this Order via US mail and email to any interested persons as he may designate.
21VAC5-10-40. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following regulations and forms pertaining to securities, instructions and orders of the commission, the following meanings shall apply:
"Act" means the Securities Act contained in Chapter 5 (§ 13.1-501 et seq.) of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
"Applicant" means a person on whose behalf an application for registration or a registration statement is filed.
"Application" means all information required by the forms prescribed by the commission as well as any additional information required by the commission and any required fees.
"Bank Holding Company Act of 1956" (12 USC § 1841 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Boiler room tactics" mean operations or high pressure tactics utilized in connection with the promotion of speculative offerings by means of an intensive telephone campaign or unsolicited calls to persons not known by or having an account with the salesmen or broker-dealer represented by him, whereby the prospective purchaser is encouraged to make a hasty decision to invest, irrespective of his investment needs and objectives.
"Breakpoint" means the dollar level of investment necessary to qualify a purchaser for a discounted sales charge on a quantity purchase of open-end management company shares.
"Commission" means State Corporation Commission.
"Federal covered advisor" means any person who is registered or required to be registered under § 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 as an "investment adviser."
"Investment Advisers Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80b-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
Notwithstanding the definition in § 13.1-501 of the Act, "investment advisor representative" as applied to a federal covered advisor only includes an individual who has a "place of business" (as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC) in this Commonwealth and who either:
1. Is an "investment advisor representative" as that term is defined in rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC; or
2. a. Is not a "supervised person" as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and
b. Solicits, offers or negotiates for the sale of or sells investment advisory services on behalf of a federal covered advisor.
"Investment Company Act of 1940" (15 USC § 80a-1 et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"NASAA" means the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc.
"NASD" means the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or its successor, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA).
"Notice" or "notice filing" means, with respect to a federal covered advisor or federal covered security, all information required by the regulations and forms prescribed by the commission and any required fee.
"Registrant" means an applicant for whom a registration or registration statement has been granted or declared effective by the commission.
"SEC" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Securities Act of 1933" (15 USC § 77a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
"Securities Exchange Act of 1934" (15 USC § 78a et seq.) means the federal statute of that name as now or hereafter amended.
21VAC5-20-60. Broker-Dealer merger or consolidation.
A. When there is a merger or consolidation of two or more registrants, or the reorganization of a registrant, the surviving or new corporation entity shall amend or file, as the case may be, Form BD (the filing of Form BD requires the payment of a $200 fee) and shall file a copy of the following with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising upon its request:
1. The certificate of merger or consolidation.
2. The plan of merger or consolidation.
3. The amended or new charter and by-laws.
4. Any document of explanation.
5. The current financial statements of the surviving or new corporation entity and surety bond, if necessary.
B. Such amendment and/or filing shall be made immediately after the merger or consolidation becomes effective, except that the required financial statements shall be filed within 30 calendar days of the effective date of the merger or consolidation. The registration of the surviving or new corporation entity usually will be granted by the commission on the same date that the merger or consolidation becomes effective. Each agent of the nonsurviving or new corporation entity shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 before registration as an agent with his new employer becomes effective. Every other agent of the defunct corporation shall comply with 21VAC5-20-90 or 21VAC5-20-130, whichever may be applicable.
21VAC5-20-70. Examinations/qualifications.
A. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are registered pursuant to § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o).
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application.
2. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subdivision 1 of this subsection A, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam (Series 24) or, in the case of a broker-dealer selling investment company securities only, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Principal Exam (Series 26) or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates Qualification Examination for Principals appropriate to the category of registration as specified by the type of business conducted by the broker-dealer within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the applications.
Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
For the purposes of this subsection A, the term "principal" means any person associated with a broker-dealer who is engaged directly (i) in the management, direction or supervision on a regular or continuous basis on behalf of such broker-dealer of the following activities: sales, training, research, investment advice, underwriting, private placements, advertising, public relations, trading, maintenance of books or records, financial operations; or (ii) in the training of persons associated with such broker-dealer for the management, direction, or supervision on a regular or continuous basis of any such activities.
3. Subsection A of this section is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are, or intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
B. Broker-dealers registered with the commission that are not registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
1. All principals of an applicant for registration as a broker-dealer must provide the commission with evidence of passing:
a. The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application; and
b. Any additional securities-related examination that the commission deems appropriate in light of the business in which the applicant proposes to engage.; and
c. Any individual who has been registered in any state jurisdiction as a principal within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
2. This subsection is applicable only to principals of broker-dealers that are not, or do not intend to forthwith become, registered pursuant to § 15 of the federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Part II
Broker-Dealer Agents
21VAC5-20-90. Application for registration as a broker-dealer agent.
A. Application for registration as an agent of a NASD member shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with the forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
B. Application for registration for all other broker-dealer agents shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-20-130. Termination of registration.
A. When a broker-dealer agent terminates a connection with a broker-dealer, or a broker-dealer terminates connection with an agent, the broker-dealer shall file notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination. All filings shall be made with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system for agents of NASD member firms or with the commission for all other broker-dealer agents.
B. If an agent learns that the broker-dealer has not filed the notice, the agent may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the agent’s registration if the commission determines that a broker-dealer (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-20-135. Continuing commission by retiring agents.
The payment of compensation to a registered agent after he terminates his employment with a registered broker-dealer either by retirement, disability, death, or payment to his surviving spouse or other beneficiaries, will not be deemed to be a violation of commission regulations, provided the broker-dealer enters into a bona fide contract with either the retiring agent or the surviving spouse or beneficiaries, and the following conditions are met.
1. The retiring agent must have been continuously employed by or otherwise associated with the firm for a minimum of five years, as of the date of his retirement.
2. The sharing of commissions will be limited to commissions derived from accounts held for continuing customers of the retiring agent regardless of whether customer funds or securities are added to the accounts during the period after retirement.
3. The retiring agent must have demonstrated that he conducted himself in a manner exhibiting appropriate professional conduct. At a minimum, retirees must have been subject to no more than a low incidence of investment-related customer complaints and arbitrations settled or decided for more than $25,000 in the five years prior to the retirement date.
4. If the retiring agent has been subject to such complaints, the firm must have determined that the complaints did not require disciplinary action or heightened supervision, and that the retiree was not at fault for improper sales practices.
5. The retiring agent must not have been subject to a statutory disqualification during the five years prior to retirement.
6. The retiring agent must comply, to the extent applicable, with federal and state securities statutes and regulations, all policies, procedures, and rules of relevant regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, and must certify compliance with the policy at least annually.
7. The broker-dealer must establish parameters for a reasonable time period, not to exceed five years, following retirement and a percentage scale (that is either fixed or decreases the percentage the retiring agent receives each year) regarding the sharing of commissions by the retiring agent and the receiving registered agent.
8. The retiring agent must certify at least annually to the broker-dealer that he has adhered to the requirements and conditions of the agreement.
9. The broker-dealer must contact a representative sample of the account holders including a significant set of high grossing customer accounts subject to the agreement at least annually to confirm that the retiring agent has not provided investment advice or solicited trades in securities in any way. For example, the broker-dealer may contact annually: (i) holders of the top 10 highest grossing client accounts for that year; and (ii) holders of one-half of the next 25% highest grossing client accounts.
21VAC5-20-150. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as a broker-dealer agent shall be required to show evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who has met the qualifications set forth in subsection A of this section, and has been registered in any state jurisdiction requiring registration within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to comply with the examination requirement set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Part III
Agents of the Issuer
21VAC5-20-160. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer.
A. Application for registration as an agent of the issuer shall be filed on and in compliance with all requirements and forms prescribed by the commission.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an agent of the issuer unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
3. Completed Agreement for Inspection of Records Form.
4. 3. Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing: (i) the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination, Series 63; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-30-80. Adoption of NASAA statements of policy.
The commission adopts the following NASAA statements of policy that shall apply to the registration of securities in the Commonwealth. It will be considered a basis for denial of an application if an offering fails to comply with an applicable statement of policy. While applications not conforming to a statement of policy shall be looked upon with disfavor, where good cause is shown, certain provisions may be modified or waived by the commission.
1. Options and Warrants, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
2. Underwriting Expenses, Underwriter's Warrants, Selling Expenses and Selling Security Holders, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
3. Real Estate Programs, as amended September 29, 1993 May 7, 2007.
4. Oil and Gas Programs, as amended October 24, 1991 May 7, 2007.
5. Cattle-Feeding Programs, as adopted September 17, 1980.
6. Unsound Financial Condition, as amended September 28, 1999 March 31, 2008.
7. Real Estate Investment Trusts, as adopted September 29, 1993 amended May 7, 2007.
8. Church Bonds, as adopted April 29, 1981.
9. Small Company Offering Registrations, as adopted April 28, 1996.
10. NASAA Guidelines Regarding Viatical Investment, as adopted October 1, 2002.
11. Corporate Securities Definitions, as amended March 31, 2008.
21VAC5-40-30. Uniform limited offering exemption.
A. Nothing in this exemption is intended to relieve, or should be construed as in any way relieving, issuers or persons acting on their behalf from providing disclosure to prospective investors adequate to satisfy the anti-fraud provisions of the Act.
In view of the objective of this section and the purpose and policies underlying the Act, this exemption is not available to an issuer with respect to a transaction which, although in technical compliance with this section, is part of a plan or scheme to evade registration or the conditions or limitations explicitly stated in this section.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt registered broker-dealers or agents from the due diligence standards otherwise applicable to such registered persons.
Nothing in this section is intended to exempt a person from the broker-dealer or agent registration requirements of Article 3 (§ 13.1-504 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia, except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision B 2 of this section.
B. For the purpose of the limited offering exemption referred to in § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, the following securities are determined to be exempt from the securities registration requirements of Article 4 (§ 13.1-507 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 13.1 of the Code of Virginia.
Any securities offered or sold in compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation D (Reg. D), Rules 230.501-230.503 and 230.505 as made effective in Release No. 33-6389 (47 FR 11251), and as amended in Release Nos. 33-6437 (47 FR 54764), 33-6663 (51 FR 36385), 33-6758 (53 FR 7866) and 33-6825 (54 FR 11369) and which satisfy the following further conditions and limitations:
1. The issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that all persons who offer or sell securities subject to this section are registered in accordance with § 13.1-505 of the Act except in the case of an agent of the issuer who receives no sales commission directly or indirectly for offering or selling the securities and who is not subject to subdivision 2 of this subsection.
2. No exemption under this section shall be available for the securities of any issuer if any of the persons described in the Securities Act of 1933, Regulation A, Rule 230.262(a), (b), or (c) (17 CFR 230.262):
a. Has filed a registration statement which is the subject of a currently effective stop order entered pursuant to any state's securities law within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
b. Has been convicted within five years prior to the beginning of the offering of a felony or misdemeanor in connection with the purchase or sale of a security or a felony involving fraud or deceit, including but not limited to forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, larceny or conspiracy to defraud.
c. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment entered by that state's securities administrator within five years prior to the beginning of the offering or is subject to a state's administrative order or judgment in which fraud or deceit, including but not limited to making untrue statements of material facts or omitting to state material facts, was found and the order or judgment was entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering.
d. Is currently subject to a state's administrative order or judgment which prohibits the use of any exemption from registration in connection with the purchase or sale of securities.
e. Is currently subject to an order, judgment, or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction temporarily or preliminarily restraining or enjoining, or is subject to an order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, entered within five years prior to the beginning of the offering, permanently restraining or enjoining such person from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or involving the making of a false filing with a state.
f. The prohibitions of subdivisions a, b, c and e of this subdivision shall not apply if the party subject to the disqualifying order, judgment or decree is duly licensed or registered to conduct securities related business in the state in which the administrative order, judgment or decree was entered against such party.
g. A disqualification caused by this subsection is automatically waived if the state securities administrator or agency of the state which created the basis for disqualification, or the State Corporation Commission, determines upon a showing of good cause that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the exemption under this section be denied.
3. The issuer shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale in this state from an offering being made in reliance upon this exemption:
a. A notice on Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
b. An undertaking by the issuer to promptly provide, upon written request, the information furnished by the issuer to offerees.
c. An executed consent to service of process (Form U2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for purpose of service of process, unless a currently effective consent to service of process is on file with the commission.
d. b. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
4. In sales to nonaccredited investors, the issuer and persons acting on its behalf shall have reasonable grounds to believe, and after making reasonable inquiry shall believe, that the investment is suitable for the purchaser as to the purchaser's other security holdings and financial situation and needs.
5. Offers and sales of securities which are exempted by this section shall not be combined with offers and sales of securities exempted by another regulation or section of the Act; however, nothing in this limitation shall act as an election. The issuer may claim the availability of another applicable exemption should, for any reason, the securities or persons fail to comply with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.
6. In any proceeding involving this section, the burden of proving the exemption or an exception from a definition or condition is upon the person claiming it.
C. The exemption authorized by this section shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform Limited Offering Exemption."
21VAC5-45-20. Offerings conducted pursuant to Rule 506 of federal Regulation D (17 CFR § 230.506): Filing requirements and issuer-agent exemption.
A. An issuer offering a security that is a covered security under § 18 (b)(4)(D) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 USC § 77r(b)(4)(D)) shall file with the commission no later than 15 days after the first sale of such federal covered security in this Commonwealth:
1. A notice on SEC Form D (17 CFR 239.500), as filed with the SEC.
2. An executed consent to service of process (Form U-2) appointing the Clerk of the commission as its agent for service of process.
3. 2. A filing fee of $250 payable to the Treasurer of Virginia.
B. An amendment filing shall contain a copy of the amended SEC Form D. No fee is required for an amendment.
C. For the purpose of this chapter, SEC "Form D" is the document, as adopted by the SEC and in effect on September 1, 1996 15, 2008, entitled "Form D; Notice of Sale of Securities pursuant to Regulation D, Section 4(6), and/or Uniform Limited Offering Exemption," including Part E and the Appendix. "Form D, Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities."
D. Pursuant to § 13.1-514 B 13 of the Act, an agent of an issuer who effects transactions in a security exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated under § 4(2) thereof (15 USC § 77d(2)) is exempt from the agent registration requirements of the Act.
Part I
Investment Advisor Registration, Notice Filing for Federal Covered Advisors, Expiration, Renewal, Updates and Amendments, Terminations and Merger or Consolidation
21VAC5-80-10. Application for registration as an investment advisor and notice filing as a federal covered advisor.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission and shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV Parts I and II submitted to the IARD system.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
3. A copy of the client agreement.
4. A copy of the firm’s supervisory and procedures manual as required by 21VAC5-80-170.
5. Copies of all advertising materials.
6. Copies of all stationary and business cards.
7. A signed affidavit stating that an investment advisor domiciled in Virginia has not conducted investment advisory business prior to registration, and for investment advisors domiciled outside of Virginia an affidavit stating that the advisor has fewer than six clients in any prior 12-month period.
8. The following financial statements:
a. A trial balance of all ledger account;
b. A statement of all client funds or securities that are not segregated;
c. A computation of the aggregate amount of client ledger debit balances;
d. A statement as to the number of client accounts;
e. Financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that shall include a balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flow.
9. A copy of the firm’s disaster recovery plan as required by 21VAC5-80-160 F.
10. At least one qualified individual must have a registration pending on the IARD system on behalf of the investment advisor prior to the grant of registration.
3.11. Any other information the commission may require.
For purposes of this section, the term "net worth" means an excess of assets over liabilities, as determined by generally accepted accounting principles, but shall not include as assets: prepaid expenses (except as to items properly classified as assets under generally accepted accounting principles), deferred charges such as deferred income tax charges, goodwill, franchise rights, organizational expenses, patents, copyrights, marketing rights, unamortized debt discount and expense, all other assets of intangible nature, home furnishings, automobiles, and any other personal items not readily marketable in the case of an individual; advances or loans to stockholders and officers in the case of a corporation; and advances or loans to partners in the case of a partnership.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
D. Every person who transacts business in this Commonwealth as a federal covered advisor shall file a notice as prescribed in subsection E of this section in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (IARD) system.
E. A notice filing for a federal covered advisor shall be deemed incomplete unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form ADV.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $200 submitted to the IARD system.
Part II
Investment Advisor Representative Registration, Expiration, Updates and Amendments, Termination, and Changing Connection from One Investment Advisor to Another
21VAC5-80-70. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative.
A. Application for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be filed in compliance with all requirements of the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system and in full compliance with forms and regulations prescribed by the commission. The application shall include all information required by such forms.
B. An application shall be deemed incomplete for purposes of applying for registration as an investment advisor representative unless the following executed forms, fee and information are submitted:
1. Form U-4.
2. The statutory fee in the amount of $30. The check must be made payable to the NASD.
3. Evidence of passing: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66, and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
4. All individuals listed on Part 1 of Form ADV in Schedule A as having supervisory or control of the investment advisor shall take and pass the examinations as required in subdivision B 3 of this section, and register as a representative of the investment advisor.
5. Any other information the commission may require.
C. The commission shall either grant or deny each application for registration within 30 days after it is filed. However, if additional time is needed to obtain or verify information regarding the application, the commission may extend such period as much as 90 days by giving written notice to the applicant. No more than three such extensions may be made by the commission on any one application. An extension of the initial 30-day period, not to exceed 90 days, shall be granted upon written request of the applicant.
21VAC5-80-110. Termination of registration.
A. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with an investment advisor, or an investment advisor terminates connection with an investment advisor representative, the investment advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
B. When an investment advisor representative terminates a connection with a federal covered advisor, the federal covered advisor shall file with the NASAA/NASD Central Registration Depository system notice of such termination on Form U-5 within 30 calendar days of the date of termination.
C. If a representative learns that the investment advisor has not filed the notice, the representative may file notice with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising. The commission may terminate the representative’s registration if the commission determines that an investment advisor (i) is no longer in existence, (ii) has ceased conducting securities business, or (iii) cannot reasonably be located.
21VAC5-80-130. Examination/qualification.
A. An individual applying for registration as an investment advisor representative shall be required to provide evidence of passing within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the application: (i) the Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination, Series 65; (ii) the Uniform Combined State Law Examination, Series 66 and the General Securities Representative Examination, Series 7; or (iii) a similar examination in general use by securities administrators which, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
B. Any individual who is currently has been registered as an investment advisor or investment advisor representative in any state jurisdiction requiring the registration and qualification of investment advisors or investment advisor representatives within the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the filing of an application shall not be required to satisfy the examination requirements for continued registration set forth in subsection A of this section, except that the commission may require additional examinations for any individual found to have violated any federal or state securities laws.
Any individual who has not been registered in any state jurisdiction for a period of two years shall be required to comply with the examination requirements of this section.
C. The examination requirements shall not apply to an individual who currently holds one of the following professional designations:
1. Certified Financial Planner (CFP) issued by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.;
2. Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) awarded by The American College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania;
3. Personal Financial Specialist (PFS) administered by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants;
4. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) granted by the Association for Investment Management and Research;
5. Chartered Investment Counselor (CIC) granted by the Investment Counsel Association of America; or
6. Such other professional designation, after reasonable notice and subject to review by the commission, as the Director of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising designates.
D. In lieu of meeting the examination requirement described in subsection A of this section, an applicant who meets all the qualifications set forth below may file with the commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising an executed Affidavit for Waiver of Examination (Form S.A.3).
1. No more than one other individual connected with the applicant's investment advisor is utilizing the waiver at the time the applicant files Form S.A.3.
2. The applicant is, and has been for at least the five years immediately preceding the date on which the application for registration is filed, actively engaged in the investment advisory business.
3. The applicant has been for at least the two years immediately preceding the date on which the application is filed the president, chief executive officer or chairman of the board of directors of an investment advisor organized in corporate form or the managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary of an investment advisor organized in noncorporate form.
4. The investment advisor or advisors referred to in subdivision 3 of this subsection has been actively engaged in the investment advisory business and during the applicant's tenure as president, chief executive officer, chairman of the board of directors, or managing partner, member, trustee or similar functionary had at least $40 million under management.
5. The applicant verifies that he has read and is familiar with the investment advisor and investment advisor representative provisions of the Act and the provisions of Parts I through V of this chapter.
6. The applicant verifies that none of the questions in Item 22 14 (disciplinary history) on his Form U-4 have been, or need be, answered in the affirmative.
Part III
Investment Advisor, Federal Covered Advisor and Investment Advisor Representative Regulations
21VAC5-80-140. Custody of client funds or securities by investment advisors. (Repealed.)
An investment advisor who takes or has custody of any securities or funds of any client must comply with the following; provided that an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. An investment advisor with its principal place of business located in this Commonwealth shall notify the commission that it has or may have custody. Such notification may be given on Form ADV.
2. The securities of each client must be segregated, marked to identify the particular client having the beneficial interest therein and held in safekeeping in some place reasonably free from risk of destruction or other loss.
3. All client funds must be deposited in one or more bank accounts containing only clients' funds, such account or accounts must be maintained in the name of the investment advisor or agent or trustee for such clients, and the investment advisor must maintain a separate record for each such account showing the name and address of the bank where the account is maintained, the dates and amounts of deposits in and withdrawals from the account, and the exact amount of each client's beneficial interest in the account.
4. Immediately after accepting custody or possession of funds or securities from any client, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the place where and the manner in which the funds and securities will be maintained and subsequently, if and when there is a change in the place where or the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, the investment advisor must give written notice thereof to the client.
5. At least once every three months, the investment advisor must send each client an itemized statement showing the funds and securities in the investment advisor's custody at the end of such period and all debits, credits and transactions in the client's account during such period.
6. At least once every calendar year, an independent public accountant must verify all client funds and securities by actual examination at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice to the investment advisor. A certificate of such accountant stating that he or she has made an examination of such funds and securities, and describing the nature and extent of the examination, shall be filed with the commission promptly after each such examination.
7. This section shall not apply to an investment advisor also registered as a broker-dealer under § 15 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC § 78o) if the broker-dealer is (i) subject to and in compliance with SEC Rule 15c3-1 (Net Capital Requirements for Brokers or Dealers) (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or (ii) a member of an exchange whose members are exempt from SEC Rule 15c3-1, (17 CFR 240.15c3-1) under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) thereof, and the broker-dealer is in compliance with all regulations and settled practices of the exchange imposing requirements with respect to financial responsibility and the segregation of funds or securities carried for the account of customers.
21VAC5-80-145. Custody requirements for investment advisors.
A. For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Custody" means holding directly or indirectly, client funds or securities, or having any authority to obtain possession of them.
a. Custody includes:
(1) Possession of client funds or securities unless received inadvertently and returned to the sender promptly, but in any case within three business days of receiving them;
(2) Any arrangement (including a general power of attorney) under which the investment advisor is permitted to withdraw client funds or securities maintained with a custodian upon the investment advisor’s instruction to the custodian; and
(3) Any capacity (such as general partner of a limited partnership, managing member of a limited liability company, or a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle, or trustee of a trust) that gives the investment advisor or the investment advisor’s supervised person legal ownership of or access to client funds or securities.
b. Receipt of client’s securities or checks drawn by clients and made payable to unrelated third parties will not meet the definition of custody if forwarded to the third party within 24 hours of receipt and the advisor maintains the following records:
(1) A ledger or other listing of all securities or funds held or obtained, including the following information:
(a) Issuer;
(b) Type of security and series;
(c) Date of issue;
(d) For debt instruments, the denomination, interest rate and maturity date;
(e) Certificate number, including alphabetical prefix or suffix;
(f) Name in which registered;
(g) Date given to the advisor;
(h) Date sent to client or sender;
(i) Form of delivery to client or sender, or copy of the form of delivery to client or sender; and
(j) Mail confirmation number, if applicable, or confirmation by client or sender of the fund’s or security’s return.
2. "Independent representative" means a person who:
a. Acts as agent for an advisory client, including in the case of a pooled investment vehicle, for limited partners of a limited partnership, members of a limited liability company, or other beneficial owners of another type of pooled investment vehicle and by law or contract is obliged to act in the best interest of the advisory client or the limited partners, members, or other beneficial owners;
b. Does not control, is not controlled by, and is not under common control with the investment advisor; and
c. Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
3. "Qualified custodian" means the following independent institutions or entities that are not affiliated with the advisor by any direct or indirect common control and have not had a material business relationship with the advisor in the previous two years:
a. A bank or savings association that has deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 USC § 1813;
b. A registered broker-dealer holding the client assets in customer accounts;
c. A registered futures commission merchant registered under § 4f(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 USC § 6f(a), holding the client assets in customer accounts, but only with respect to clients’ funds and security futures, or other securities incidental to transactions in contracts for the purchase or sale of a commodity for future delivery and options thereon; and
d. A foreign financial institution that customarily holds financial assets for its customers, provided that the foreign financial institution keeps the advisory clients’ assets in customer accounts segregated from its proprietary assets.
B. Requirements.
1. If the investment advisor is registered or required to be registered, it is unlawful and deemed to be a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice, or course of business under § 13.1-502 of the Virginia Securities Act for the investment advisor to have custody of client funds or securities unless:
a. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor has or may have custody. Such notification is required on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system;
b. A qualified custodian maintains those funds and securities in a separate account for each client under that client’s name or in accounts that contain only investment advisor’s clients’ funds and securities, under the investment advisor’s name as agent or trustee for the clients;
c. If the investment advisor opens an account with a qualified custodian on his client’s behalf, either under the client’s name or under the investment advisor’s name as agent, the investment advisor must notify the client in writing of the qualified custodian’s name, address, and the manner in which the funds or securities are maintained, promptly when the account is opened and following any changes to this information;
d. At least quarterly, the investment advisor sends an account statement to each client for whom the investment advisor has custody of funds or securities, identifying the amount of funds and of each security of which the investment advisor has custody at the end of the period and setting forth all transactions during that period; and
(1) An independent certified public accountant verifies all client funds and securities by actual examination at least once during each calendar year at a time chosen by the accountant without prior notice or announcement to the advisor and that is irregular from year to year, and files a copy of the auditor’s report and financial statements with the commission within 30 days after the completion of the examination, along with a letter stating that it has examined the funds and securities and describing the nature and extent of the examination.
(2) The independent certified public accountant, upon finding any material discrepancies during the course of the examination, notifies the commission within one business day of the finding, by means of a facsimile transmission or electronic mail, followed by first class mail, directed to the attention of the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising.
(3) If the investment advisor is a general partner of a limited partnership (or managing member of a limited liability company, or holds a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle), the account statements required under subdivisions c and d of this subdivision must be sent to each limited partner (or member or other beneficial owner or their independent representative).
(4) A client may designate an independent representative to receive, on his behalf, notices and account statements as required under subdivisions 3 and 4 of this subsection.
2. An advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 a (2) of this section by having fees directly deducted from client accounts shall provide the following safeguards:
a. The investment advisor must have written authorization from the client to deduct advisory fees from the account held with the qualified custodian.
b. Each time a fee is directly deducted from a client account, the investment advisor must concurrently:
(1) Send the qualified custodian an invoice of the amount of the fee to be deducted from the client’s account; and
(2) Send the client an invoice itemizing the fee. Itemization includes the formula used to calculate the fee, the amount of assets under management the fee is based on, and the time period covered by the fee.
c. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
d. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
3. An investment advisor who has custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who does not meet the exception provided under this subdivision 3 of this subsection must, in addition to the safeguards set forth in subdivision A 4 of this section, also comply with the following:
a. Hire an independent party to review all fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled accounts.
b. Send all invoices or receipts to the independent party, detailing the amount of the fee, expenses, or capital withdrawal and the method of calculation such that the independent party can:
(1) Determine that the payment is in accordance with the pooled investment vehicle standards (generally the partnership agreement or membership agreement); and
(2) Forward, to the qualified custodian, approval for payment of the invoice with a copy to the investment advisor.
c. For purposes of this section, an independent party means a person who:
(1) Is engaged by an investment advisor to act as a gatekeeper for the payment of fees, expenses, and capital withdrawals from the pooled investment;
(2) Does not control and is not controlled by and is not under common control with the investment advisor, either directly or indirectly; and
(3) Does not have, and has not had within the past two years, a material business relationship with the investment advisor.
d. The investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
e. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
4. When a trust retains an investment advisor, investment advisor representative, or employee, director, or owner of an investment advisor as trustee, and the investment advisor acts as the investment advisor to that trust, the investment advisor shall:
a. Notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to use the safeguards provided below. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV submitted to the IARD system.
b. Send to the grantor of the trust, the attorney for the trust if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at the same time that it sends any invoice to the qualified custodian, an invoice showing the amount of the trustees' fee or investment management or advisory fee, the value of the assets on which the fees were based, and the specific manner in which the fees were calculated.
c. Enter into a written agreement with a qualified custodian that specifies the qualified custodian will not deliver trust securities to the investment advisor, any investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor, nor will transmit any funds to the investment advisor; any investment advisor representative or employee; director or owner of the investment advisor, except that the qualified custodian may pay trustees' fees to the trustee and investment management or advisory fees to investment advisor, provided that:
(1) The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust has authorized the qualified custodian in writing to pay those fees;
(2) The statements for those fees show the amount of the fees for the trustee and, in the case of statements for investment management or advisory fees, show the value of the trust assets on which the fee is based and the manner in which the fee was calculated; and
(3) The qualified custodian agrees to send to the grantor of the trust, the attorneys for a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, at least quarterly, a statement of all disbursements from the account of the trust, including the amount of investment management fees paid to the investment advisor and the amount of trustees' fees paid to the trustee.
d. Except as otherwise set forth in subdivision 3 d (1) of this subsection, the qualified custodian may transfer funds or securities, or both, of the trust only upon the direction of the trustee (who may be the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor), who the investment advisor has duly accepted as an authorized signatory. The grantor of the trust or attorneys for the trust, if it is a testamentary trust, the co-trustee (other than the investment advisor; investment advisor representative; or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor); or a defined beneficiary of the trust, must designate the authorized signatory for management of the trust. The direction to transfer funds or securities, or both, can only be made to the following:
(1) To a trust company, bank trust department, or brokerage firm independent of the investment advisor for the account of the trust to which the assets relate;
(2) To the named grantors or to the named beneficiaries of the trust;
(3) To a third person independent of the investment advisor in payment of the fees or charges of the third person including, but not limited to:
(a) Attorney's, accountant's, or qualified custodian's fees for the trust; and
(b) Taxes, interest, maintenance, or other expenses, if there is property other than securities or cash owned by the trust;
(c) To third persons independent of the investment advisor for any other purpose legitimately associated with the management of the trust; or
(d) To a broker-dealer in the normal course of portfolio purchases and sales, provided that the transfer is made on payment against delivery basis or payment against trust receipt.
5. An investment advisor having custody solely because it meets the definition of custody as defined in subdivision A 1 of this section and who complies with the safekeeping requirements in this subsection, will not be required to meet the financial requirements for custodial advisors as set forth in 21VAC5-80-180.
C. Exceptions.
1. With respect to shares of an open-end company as defined in § 5(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC § 80a-5(a)(1) (mutual fund), the investment advisor may use the mutual fund’s transfer agent in lieu of a qualified custodian for purposes of complying with subsection B of this section.
2. Certain privately offered securities.
a. An investment advisor is not required to comply with subsection B of this section with respect to securities that are:
(1 ) Acquired from the issuer in a transaction or chain of transactions not involving any public offering;
(2) Uncertificated, and ownership thereof is recorded only on books of the issuer or its transfer agent in the name of the client; and
(3) Transferable only with prior consent of the issuer or holders of the outstanding securities of the issuer.
b. Notwithstanding subdivision B 2 a of this section, the provisions of subdivision B 2 of this section are available with respect to securities held for the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or other type of pooled investment vehicle) only if the limited partnership is audited, the audited financial statements are distributed, as described in subdivision B 3 of this section and the investment advisor notifies the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to provide audited financial statements, as described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
3. The investment advisor is not required to comply with subdivision B 1 c of this section with respect to the account of a limited partnership (or limited liability company, or another type of pooled investment vehicle) that is subject to audit at least annually and distributes its audited financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles to all limited partners (or members or other beneficial owners) within 120 days of the end of its fiscal year. The investment advisor shall also notify the commission in writing that the investment advisor intends to employ the use of the audit safeguards described above. Such notification is required to be given on Form ADV.
4. The investment advisor is not required to comply with this section with respect to the account of an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, 15 USC §§ 80a-1 to 80a-64.
5. The investment advisor is not required to comply with safekeeping requirements of subsection B of this section or the net worth and bonding requirements of 21VAC5-80-180 if the investment advisor has custody solely because the investment advisor, investment advisor representative or employee, director, or owner of the investment advisor is a trustee for a beneficial trust, if all of the following conditions are met for each trust:
a. The beneficial owner of the trust is a parent, a grandparent, a spouse, a sibling, a child, or a grandchild of the trustee. These relationships shall include "step" relationships.
b. For each account under subdivision 5 a of this subsection the investment advisor complies with the following:
(1) Provide a written statement to each beneficial owner of the account setting forth a description of the requirements of subsection B of this section and the reasons why the investment advisor will not be complying with those requirements.
(2) Obtain from each beneficial owner a signed and dated statement acknowledging the receipt of the written statement required under subdivision 5 a of this subsection.
(3) Maintain a copy of both documents described in subdivisions B 4 c and d of this section until the account is closed or the investment advisor is no longer trustee.
6. Any investment advisor who intends to have custody of client funds or securities but is not able to utilize a qualified custodian as defined in subdivision A 3 of this section shall first obtain approval from the commission and comply with all of the applicable safekeeping provisions under subsection B of this section including taking responsibility for those provisions that are designated to be performed by a qualified custodian.
21VAC5-80-160. Recordkeeping requirements for investment advisors.
A. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered under the Act shall make and keep true, accurate and current the following books, ledgers and records, except an investment advisor having its principal place of business outside this Commonwealth and registered or licensed, and in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements, in the state where its principal place of business is located, shall only be required to make, keep current, maintain and preserve such of the following required books, ledgers and records as are not in addition to those required under the laws of the state in which it maintains its principal place of business:
1. A journal or journals, including cash receipts and disbursements records, and any other records of original entry forming the basis of entries in any ledger.
2. General and auxiliary ledgers (or other comparable records) reflecting asset, liability, reserve, capital, income and expense accounts.
3. A memorandum of each order given by the investment advisor for the purchase or sale of any security, of any instruction received by the investment advisor from the client concerning the purchase, sale, receipt or delivery of a particular security, and of any modification or cancellation of any such order or instruction. The memoranda shall show the terms and conditions of the order, instruction, modification or cancellation; shall identify the person connected with the investment advisor who recommended the transaction to the client and the person who placed the order; and shall show the account for which entered, the date of entry, and the bank, broker or dealer by or through whom executed where appropriate. Orders entered pursuant to the exercise of discretionary power shall be so designated.
4. All check books, bank statements, canceled checks and cash reconciliations of the investment advisor.
5. All bills or statements (or copies of), paid or unpaid, relating to the business as an investment advisor.
6. All trial balances, financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles which shall include a balance sheet, income statement and such other statements as may be required pursuant to 21VAC5-80-180, and internal audit working papers relating to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
7. Originals of all written communications received and copies of all written communications sent by the investment advisor relating to (i) any recommendation made or proposed to be made and any advice given or proposed to be given; (ii) any receipt, disbursement or delivery of funds or securities; and (iii) the placing or execution of any order to purchase or sell any security; however, (a) the investment advisor shall not be required to keep any unsolicited market letters and other similar communications of general public distribution not prepared by or for the investment advisor, and (b) if the investment advisor sends any notice, circular or other advertisement offering any report, analysis, publication or other investment advisory service to more than 10 persons, the investment advisor shall not be required to keep a record of the names and addresses of the persons to whom it was sent; except that if the notice, circular or advertisement is distributed to persons named on any list, the investment advisor shall retain with a copy of the notice, circular or advertisement a memorandum describing the list and the source thereof.
8. A list or other record of all accounts which list identifies the accounts in which the investment advisor is vested with any discretionary power with respect to the funds, securities or transactions of any client.
9. All powers of attorney and other evidences of the granting of any discretionary authority by any client to the investment advisor, or copies thereof.
10. All written agreements (or copies thereof) entered into by the investment advisor with any client, and all other written agreements otherwise related to the investment advisor's business as an investment advisor.
11. A file containing a copy of each notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes, directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor), and if the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media recommends the purchase or sale of a specific security and does not state the reasons for the recommendation, a memorandum of the investment adviser indicating the reasons for the recommendation.
12. a. A record of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has, or by reason of any transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. For purposes of this subdivision 12, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative" means any partner, officer or director of the investment advisor; any employee who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendations shall be made; any employee who, in connection with his duties, obtains any information concerning which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment adviser;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
"Control" means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with the company. Any person who owns beneficially, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the ownership interest of a company shall be presumed to control the company.
c. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 12 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if the investment advisor establishes that it instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
13. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 12 of this subsection, where the investment advisor is primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, a record must be maintained of every transaction in a security in which the investment advisor or any investment advisory representative of such investment advisor has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, except (i) transactions effected in any account over which neither the investment advisor nor any investment advisory representative of the investment advisor has any direct or indirect influence or control; and (ii) transactions in securities which are direct obligations of the United States. The record shall state the title and amount of the security involved; the date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition); the price at which it was effected; and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through whom the transaction was effected. The record may also contain a statement declaring that the reporting or recording of any such transaction shall not be construed as an admission that the investment advisor or investment advisory representative has any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. A transaction shall be recorded not later than 10 days after the end of the calendar quarter in which the transaction was effected.
b. An investment advisor is "primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients" when, for each of its most recent three fiscal years or for the period of time since organization, whichever is less, the investment advisor derived, on an unconsolidated basis, more than 50% of (i) its total sales and revenues, and (ii) its income (or loss) before income taxes and extraordinary items, from such other business or businesses.
c. For purposes of this subdivision 13, the following definitions will apply. The term "advisory representative," when used in connection with a company primarily engaged in a business or businesses other than advising investment advisory clients, means any partner, officer, director or employee of the investment advisor who participates in any way in the determination of which recommendation shall be made, or whose functions or duties relate to the determination of which securities are being recommended prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations; and any of the following persons, who obtain information concerning securities recommendations being made by the investment advisor prior to the effective dissemination of the recommendations or of the information concerning the recommendations:
(1) Any person in a control relationship to the investment advisor;
(2) Any affiliated person of a controlling person; and
(3) Any affiliated person of an affiliated person.
d. An investment advisor shall not be deemed to have violated the provisions of this subdivision 13 because of his failure to record securities transactions of any investment advisor representative if he establishes that he instituted adequate procedures and used reasonable diligence to obtain promptly reports of all transactions required to be recorded.
14. A copy of each written statement and each amendment or revision, given or sent to any client or prospective client of such investment advisor in accordance with the provisions of 21VAC5-80-190 and a record of the dates that each written statement, and each amendment or revision, was given, or offered to be given, to any client or prospective client who subsequently becomes a client.
15. For each client that was obtained by the advisor by means of a solicitor to whom a cash fee was paid by the advisor, the following:
a. Evidence of a written agreement to which the advisor is a party related to the payment of such fee;
b. A signed and dated acknowledgement of receipt from the client evidencing the client's receipt of the investment advisor's disclosure statement and a written disclosure statement of the solicitor; and,
c. A copy of the solicitor's written disclosure statement. The written agreement, acknowledgement and solicitor disclosure statement will be considered to be in compliance if such documents are in compliance with Rule 275.206(4)-3 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
For purposes of this regulation, the term "solicitor" means any person or entity who, for compensation, acts as an agent of an investment advisor in referring potential clients.
16. All accounts, books, internal working papers, and any other records or documents that are necessary to form the basis for or demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts or securities recommendations in any notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including but not limited to electronic media that the investment advisor circulates or distributes directly or indirectly, to two or more persons (other than persons connected with the investment advisor); however, with respect to the performance of managed accounts, the retention of all account statements, if they reflect all debits, credits, and other transactions in a client's account for the period of the statement, and all worksheets necessary to demonstrate the calculation of the performance or rate of return of all managed accounts shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subdivision.
17. A file containing a copy of all written communications received or sent regarding any litigation involving the investment advisor or any investment advisor representative or employee, and regarding any written customer or client complaint.
18. Written information about each investment advisory client that is the basis for making any recommendation or providing any investment advice to the client.
19. Written procedures to supervise the activities of employees and investment advisor representatives that are reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws and regulations.
20. A file containing a copy of each document (other than any notices of general dissemination) that was filed with or received from any state or federal agency or self regulatory organization and that pertains to the registrant or its investment advisor representatives, which file should contain, but is not limited to, all applications, amendments, renewal filings, and correspondence.
21. Any records documenting dates, locations and findings of the investment advisor's annual review of these policies and procedures conducted pursuant to subdivision E 2 of 21VAC5-80-170.
B. If an investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section has custody or possession of securities or funds of any client, the records required to be made and kept under subsection A of this section shall also include:
1. A journal or other record showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities (including certificate numbers) for such accounts and all other debits and credits to the accounts.
2. A separate ledger account for each client showing all purchases, sales, receipts and deliveries of securities, the date and price of each purchase and sale, and all debits and credits.
3. Copies of confirmations of all transactions effected by or for the account of any client.
4. A record for each security in which any client has a position, which record shall show the name of each client having any interest in each security, the amount or interest of each client, and the location of each security.
C. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section who renders any investment advisory or management service to any client shall, with respect to the portfolio being supervised or managed and to the extent that the information is reasonably available to or obtainable by the investment advisor, make and keep true, accurate and current:
1. Records showing separately for each client the securities purchased and sold, and the date, amount and price of each purchase and sale.
2. For each security in which any client has a current position, information from which the investment advisor can promptly furnish the name of each client and the current amount or interest of the client.
D. Any books or records required by this section may be maintained by the investment advisor in such manner that the identity of any client to whom the investment advisor renders investment advisory services is indicated by numerical or alphabetical code or some similar designation.
E. Every investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section shall preserve the following records in the manner prescribed:
1. All books and records required to be made under the provisions of subsection A through subdivision C 1, inclusive, of this section, except for books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section, shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on record, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor.
2. Partnership articles and any amendments, articles of incorporation, charters, minute books, and stock certificate books of the investment advisor and of any predecessor, shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor and preserved until at least three years after termination of the enterprise.
3. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section shall be maintained in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, the first two years of which shall be maintained in the principal office of the investment advisor, from the end of the fiscal year during which the investment advisor last published or otherwise disseminated, directly or indirectly, the notice, circular, advertisement, newspaper article, investment letter, bulletin, or other communication including by electronic media.
4. Books and records required to be made under the provisions of subdivisions A 17 through A 20, inclusive, of this section shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years, from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in the principal office of the investment advisor, or for the time period during which the investment advisor was registered or required to be registered in the state, if less.
5. Notwithstanding other record preservation requirements of this subsection, the following records or copies shall be required to be maintained at the business location of the investment advisor from which the customer or client is being provided or has been provided with investment advisory services: (i) records required to be preserved under subdivisions A 3, A 7 through A 10, A 14 and A 15, A 17 through A 19, subsections B and C, and (ii) the records or copies required under the provision of subdivisions A 11 and A 16 of this section which records or related records identify the name of the investment advisor representative providing investment advice from that business location, or which identify the business locations' physical address, mailing address, electronic mailing address, or telephone number. The records will be maintained for the period described in this subsection.
F. Every investment advisor shall establish and maintain a written disaster recovery plan that shall address at a minimum:
1. The identity of individuals that will conduct business on behalf of the investment advisor in the event of death or incapacity of key persons;
2. Means to provide notification to clients of the investment advisor and to those states in which the advisor is registered of the death or incapacity of key persons;
a. Notification shall be provided to the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising via the IARD/CRD system within 24 hours of the death or incapacity of key persons.
b. Notification shall be given to clients within five business days from the death or incapacity of key persons.
3. Means for clients’ accounts to continue to be monitored until an orderly liquidation, distribution or transfer of the clients’ portfolio to another advisor can be achieved;
4. Means for the credit demands of the investment advisor to be met; and
5. Data backups sufficient to allow rapid resumption of the investment advisor’s activities.
G. An investment advisor subject to subsection A of this section, before ceasing to conduct or discontinuing business as an investment advisor, shall arrange for and be responsible for the preservation of the books and records required to be maintained and preserved under this section for the remainder of the period specified in this section, and shall notify the commission in writing of the exact address where the books and records will be maintained during such period.
G. H. 1. The records required to be maintained pursuant to this section may be immediately produced or reproduced by photograph on film or, as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection, on magnetic disk, tape or other computer storage medium, and be maintained for the required time in that form. If records are preserved or reproduced by photographic film or computer storage medium, the investment advisor shall:
a. Arrange the records and index the films or computer storage medium so as to permit the immediate location of any particular record;
b. Be ready at all times to promptly provide any facsimile enlargement of film or computer printout or copy of the computer storage medium which the commission by its examiners or other representatives may request;
c. Store separately from the original one other copy of the film or computer storage medium for the time required;
d. With respect to records stored on computer storage medium, maintain procedures for maintenance of, and access to, records so as to reasonably safeguard records from loss, alteration, or destruction; and
e. With respect to records stored on photographic film, at all times have available, for the commission's examination of its records, facilities for immediate, easily readable projection of the film and for producing easily readable facsimile enlargements.
2. Pursuant to subdivision 1 of this subsection, an advisor may maintain and preserve on computer tape or disk or other computer storage medium records which, in the ordinary course of the advisor's business, are created by the advisor on electronic media or are received by the advisor solely on electronic media or by electronic transmission.
H. I. Any book or record made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with SEC Rules 17a-3 (17 CFR 240.17a-3) and 17a-4 (17 CFR 240.17a-4) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which is substantially the same as the book, or other record required to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved under this section shall be deemed to be made, kept, maintained, and preserved in compliance with this section.
I. J. For purposes of this section, "investment supervisory services" means the giving of continuous advice as to the investment of funds on the basis of the individual needs of each client; and "discretionary power" shall not include discretion as to the price at which or the time when a transaction is or is to be effected if, before the order is given by the investment advisor, the client has directed or approved the purchase or sale of a definite amount of the particular security.
K. For purposes of this section, "principal place of business" and "principle office" mean the executive office of the investment advisor from which the officers, partners, or managers of the investment advisor direct, control, and coordinate the activities of the investment advisor.
J. L. Every investment advisor registered or required to be registered in this Commonwealth and has its principal place of business in a state other than the Commonwealth shall be exempt from the requirements of this section to the extent provided by the National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub.L. No. 104-290), provided the investment advisor is licensed in such state and is in compliance with such state's recordkeeping requirements.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1797; Filed April 7, 2009, 4:23 p.m.
TITLE 21. SECURITIES AND RETAIL FRANCHISING
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
Proposed Regulation
REGISTRAR'S NOTICE: The State Corporation Commission is exempt from the Administrative Process Act in accordance with § 2.2-4002 A 2 of the Code of Virginia, which exempts courts, any agency of the Supreme Court, and any agency that by the Constitution is expressly granted any of the powers of a court of record.
Title of Regulation: 21VAC5-110. Retail Franchising Act Rules (amending 21VAC5-110-10, 21VAC5-110-40, 21VAC5-110-50, 21VAC5-110-55, 21VAC5-110-65, 21VAC5-110-75, 21VAC5-110-80, 21VAC5-110-95).
Statutory Authority: §§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-572 of the Code of Virginia.
Public Hearing Information: A public hearing will be scheduled upon request.
Public Comments: Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on May 15, 2009.
Agency Contact: Timothy J. O'Brien, Chief Examiner, Division of Securities, State Corporation Commission, Tyler Building, 9th Floor, P.O. Box 1197, Richmond, VA 23218, telephone (804) 371-9415, FAX (804) 371-9911, or email tim.obrien@scc.virginia.gov.
Summary:
The proposed amendments (i) replace references to the "grant" of a franchise with "sale" of a franchise, where applicable, due to revisions made to the Virginia Retail Franchising Act during the 2009 Session of the Virginia General Assembly; (ii) delete the definitions of "grant" and "sale"; (iii) delete obsolete disclosure requirements relating to the term "grant" of a franchise; (iv) add an exemption from franchise registration for renewal of an existing franchise; and (v) clarify the materials to be filed with franchise renewal and amendment applications.
AT RICHMOND, APRIL 7, 2009
COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, ex rel.
STATE CORPORATION COMMISSION
CASE NO. SEC-2009-00023
Ex Parte: In the matter of
Adopting a Revision to the Rules
Governing the Virginia Retail Franchising Act
ORDER TO TAKE NOTICE
Section 12.1-13 of the Code of Virginia provides that the State Corporation Commission ("Commission") shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations in the enforcement and administration of all laws within its jurisdiction. Section 13.1-572 of the Virginia Retail Franchising Act ("Franchising Act"), § 13.1-557 et seq. of the Code of Virginia provides that the Commission may issue any rules and regulations necessary or appropriate for the administration and enforcement of the Franchising Act.
The rules and regulations issued by the Commission pursuant to the Franchising Act are set forth in Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code. A copy also may be found at the Commission's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
The Division of Securities and Retail Franchising ("Division") has submitted to the Commission a proposed revision to Chapter 110 of Title 21 of the Virginia Administrative Code entitled "Retail Franchising Act Rules" ("Rules"), in which the Division requests that the Commission adopt amendments to the Commission regulations that address amendments made by the General Assembly to the Franchising Act.
The proposed amendments to the following Virginia franchise regulations: (1) replace where appropriate and necessary the term "grant" and all of its conjugations with the term "sale" and all of its conjugations wherever the term "grant" and its conjugations appear within the Rules to correspond with the amendments to the Franchising Act; (2) eliminate certain Rules that are no longer necessary because of the amendments to the Franchising Act; and (3) replace numerical and letter designations within the Rules due to the elimination of certain regulations made obsolete because of the new statutory changes and addition of new regulations to conform to the new statutory changes.
Revised Rule 21 VAC 5-110-10 replaces the term "grant" and all of its conjugations in the Rule with the terms "sell," "sells" or "sold." Additionally, the definitions of "grant" and "sale" are eliminated in their entirety.
Revised Rule 21 VAC 5-110-40 and Rule 21 VAC 5-110-50 clarify and give more detailed instruction on filing registration amendment applications with the Division by deleting and adding certain terminology that requires highlighting of material change information. No substantive changes or additional requirements have been made.
Revised Rule 21 VAC 5-110-55 eliminates subsections D and E in their entirety as they are made obsolete and unnecessary due to the new statutory amendments to the Franchising Act.
Revised Rule 21 VAC 5-110-65 replaces the term "grant" and all of its conjugations with the term "sale" and all of its conjugations in the Rule where necessary to correspond with the amendments to the Franchising Act.
Revised Rule 21 VAC 5-110-75 replaces the term "grant" and all of its conjugations with the term "sale" and all of its conjugations in the Rule where necessary to correspond with the amendments to the Franchising Act. Additionally, subsection (2) is added to the Rule providing for an exemption from registration for the renewal or extension of an existing franchise that is operating without interruption and has not undergone any material change. Numerical and letter designations are also replaced as a result of adding the new subsection.
Revised Rule 21 VAC 5-110-80 and Rule 21 VAC 5-110-95 replace the term "grant" and all of its conjugations with the term "sale" and all of its conjugations in these Rules where necessary to correspond with the amendments to the Franchising Act.
The Division has recommended to the Commission that the proposed revisions be considered for adoption with an effective date of July 1, 2009. The Division also has recommended to the Commission that a hearing should be held only if requested by those interested parties who specifically indicate that a hearing is necessary and the reasons therefore.
A copy of the proposed revisions may be requested by interested parties from the Division by telephone, mail, or e-mail request and also can be found at the Division's website: www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Any comments to the proposed rules must be received by May 15, 2009. If any request for hearing is received and granted, the hearing will be scheduled on June 4, 2009, by subsequent Commission order.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that:
(1) The proposed revisions are appended hereto and made a part of the record herein.
(2) Comments or requests for hearing on the proposed revisions must be submitted in writing to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218, on or before May 15, 2009. Requests for hearing shall state why a hearing is necessary and why the issues cannot be adequately addressed in written comments. All correspondence shall contain reference to Case No. SEC-2009-00023. Interested persons desiring to submit comments electronically may do so by following the instructions available at the Commission's website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case.
(3) If the Commission grants any request for hearing in connection with the proposed amendments to the Rules, it will enter a subsequent order scheduling the hearing on June 4, 2009, and that order will be posted on the Commission's website at www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. If no request for hearing is received, the Commission may consider the matter and enter an order based upon the papers filed herein.
(4) On or before May 27, 2009, the Division shall file a response to any comments that are filed in this proceeding and that response will be posted on the Commission's website at www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at www.scc.virginia.gov/srf.
(5) The proposed revisions shall be posted on the Commission's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case and on the Division's website at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/srf. Interested persons may also request a copy of the proposed revisions from the Division by telephone, mail, or e-mail.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF, together with a copy of the proposed revisions, shall be sent to the Registrar of Regulations for publication in the Virginia Register.
AN ATTESTED COPY HEREOF shall be sent to the Division's Director, who shall forthwith provide notice of this Order via U.S. mail and email to any interested persons as he may designate.
21VAC5-110-10. Definitions.
"Action" includes complaints, cross claims, counterclaims, and third-party complaints in a judicial action or proceeding, and their equivalents in an administrative action or arbitration.
"Affiliate" means an entity controlled by, controlling, or under common control with, another entity.
"Commission" means Virginia State Corporation Commission.
"Confidentiality clause" means any contract, order, or settlement provision that directly or indirectly restricts a current or former franchisee from discussing his personal experience as a franchisee in the franchisor's system with any prospective franchisee. It does not include clauses that protect franchisor's trademarks or other proprietary information.
"Disclose," "state," "describe," and "list" each mean to present all material facts accurately, clearly, concisely, and legibly in plain English.
"Effective date" means the date on which the franchise becomes registered under the provisions of § 13.1-561 of the Code of Virginia.
"Effective registration" means authorization to offer and grant sell one or more franchises provided that the initial contracts or agreements are substantially identical in their terms or provisions. Whenever the franchisor offers or grants sells more than one franchise and the resulting contracts or agreements vary substantially in their terms or provisions, separate franchises will be deemed to have been offered or granted sold and separate registration will be required. For the purpose of this rule, substantial variation in the contract will relate without limitation to different products, services, fees charged, dues imposed, obligations incurred or investments required to be made by contract or agreement.
"FDD" means Franchise Disclosure Document.
"Financial performance representation" means any representation, including any oral, written, or visual representation, to a prospective franchisee, including a representation in the general media, that states, expressly or by implication, a specific level or range of actual or potential sales, income, gross profits, or net profits. The term includes a chart, table, or mathematical calculation that shows possible results based on a combination of variables.
"Fiscal year" refers to the franchisor's fiscal year.
"Franchise seller" means a person that offers to grant, grants sell, sells, or arranges for the grant or sale of a franchise. It includes the franchisor and the franchisor's employees, representatives, agents, subfranchisors, and third-party brokers who are involved in franchise sales activities. It does not include existing franchisees who sell only their own outlet and who are otherwise not engaged in franchise sales on behalf of the franchisor.
"Grant" or "sale" of a franchise includes an agreement whereby a person obtains a franchise from a franchise seller for value by purchase, license, or otherwise. It does not include extending or renewing an existing franchise agreement where there has been no interruption in the franchisee's operation of the business, unless the new agreement contains terms and conditions that differ materially from the original agreement.
"Material change" includes a fact, circumstance, or condition which would have a substantial likelihood of influencing a reasonable prospective franchisee in the making of a decision relating to the purchase of a franchise.
"Parent" means an entity that controls another entity directly or indirectly through one or more subsidiaries.
"Person" means any individual, group, association, limited or general partnership, corporation, or any other entity.
"Plain English" means the organization of information and language usage understandable by a person unfamiliar with the franchise business. It incorporates short sentences, definite, concrete, everyday language, active voice, and tabular presentation of information where possible. It avoids legal jargon, highly technical business terms, and multiple negatives.
"Predecessor" means a person from whom the franchisor acquired, directly or indirectly, the major portion of the franchisor's assets.
"Principal business address" means the street address of a person's home office in the United States. A principal business address cannot be a post office box or private mail drop.
"Prospective franchisee" means any person (including any agent, representative, or employee) who approaches or is approached by a franchise seller to discuss the possible establishment of a franchise relationship.
"Signature" means a person's affirmative step to authenticate his identity. It includes a person's handwritten signature, as well as a person's use of security codes, passwords, electronic signatures, and similar devices to authenticate his identity.
"Trademark" includes trademarks, service marks, names, logos, and other commercial symbols.
"Virginia Retail Franchising Act" means § 13.1-557 et seq. of the Code of Virginia.
21VAC5-110-40. Pre-effective and post-effective amendments to the registration.
A. Upon the occurrence of a material change, the franchisor shall amend the effective registration filed at the commission. An amendment to an application filed either before or after the effective date of registration may include only the pages containing the information being amended if pagination is not disturbed. The amended pages must be black-lined to show all additions, deletions, and other changes from the franchisor's previous submission. The franchisor may not use margin balloons or color highlights to show changes.
B. An application to amend a franchise registration is made by submitting the following completed forms and other material:
1. Uniform Franchise Registration Application page, Form A;
2. One complete clean copy of the updated amended Franchise Disclosure Document pages;
3. One complete copy of the amended Franchise Disclosure Document pages marked in black black-lined to show all additions, deletions, and other changes; and
4. Application fee (payable to the "Treasurer of Virginia"). The fee shall accompany all post-effective amendments unless submitted in connection with an application for renewal.
C. The certifications made by or on behalf of the franchisor in Form A shall extend and apply to all documents and materials filed in connection with the amendment application, including any documents or materials submitted to the commission subsequent to the initial filing that may be required to complete the amendment application.
D. In addition to paper copies of the materials required by subsection B of this section, the franchisor may file one copy of the complete franchise amendment application, including a marked and unmarked copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document, on a CD-ROM in PDF format, subject to the following conditions:
1. The transmittal letter submitting the application must contain a representation that all of the information contained in the electronic file is identical to the paper documents;
2. The electronic version of the Franchise Disclosure Document must be text searchable; and
3. If the commission's review of the application results in any revision to the documents, the franchisor must submit a revised CD-ROM containing a marked and unmarked final copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document, and final copies of all other application documents. The revised CD-ROM must be accompanied by a transmittal letter as described in subdivision 1 of this subsection.
E. An example of Form A is printed at the end of this chapter.
21VAC5-110-50. Expiration; application to renew the registration.
A. A franchise registration expires at midnight on the annual date of the registration's effectiveness. An application to renew the franchise registration should be filed 30 days prior to the expiration date in order to prevent a lapse of registration under the Virginia statute.
B. An application for renewal of a franchise registration is made by submitting the following completed forms and other material:
1. Uniform Franchise Registration Application page, Form A;
2. Updated Franchise Disclosure Document;
3. One complete copy of the amended Franchise Disclosure Document pages marked in black black-lined to show all additions, deletions, and other changes, using no margin balloons or color highlights; and
4. Application fee (payable to the "Treasurer of Virginia").
C. The certifications made by or on behalf of the franchisor in Form A shall extend and apply to all documents and materials filed in connection with the renewal application, including any documents or materials submitted to the commission subsequent to the initial filing that may be required to complete the renewal application.
D. In addition to paper copies of the materials required by subsection B of this section, the franchisor may file one copy of the complete franchise renewal application, including a marked and unmarked copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document, on a CD-ROM in PDF format, subject to the following conditions:
1. The transmittal letter submitting the application must contain a representation that all of the information contained in the electronic file is identical to the paper documents;
2. The electronic version of the Franchise Disclosure Document must be text searchable; and
3. If the commission's review of the application results in any revision to the documents, the franchisor must submit a revised CD-ROM containing a marked and unmarked final copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document, and final copies of all other application documents. The revised CD-ROM must be accompanied by a transmittal letter as described in subdivision 1 of this subsection.
E. An example of Form A is printed at the end of this chapter.
21VAC5-110-55. The Franchise Disclosure Document.
A. Format. The Franchise Disclosure Document must be prepared in accordance with §§ 436.3-436.5 of the Federal Trade Commission Franchise Rule (16 CFR 436.3-436.5), subject to the modifications set forth in subsections B through E and C of this section.
B. Financial statements. Notwithstanding § 436.5(u)(2) of the Federal Trade Commission Franchise Rule (16 CFR 436.5), a start-up franchisor in its first partial or full fiscal year selling franchises shall provide an opening balance sheet that has been audited by an independent certified public accountant using generally accepted United States auditing standards.
C. State cover page. The Franchise Disclosure Document shall include the following state cover page prepared in accordance with this subsection, which must immediately follow the Federal Trade Commission required cover page:
1. State the following legend:
STATE COVER PAGE
Your state may have a franchise law that requires a franchisor to register or file with a state franchise administrator before offering or selling in your state. REGISTRATION OF A FRANCHISE BY A STATE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE STATE RECOMMENDS THE FRANCHISE OR HAS VERIFIED THE INFORMATION IN THIS DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT.
Call the state franchise administrator listed in Exhibit __ for information about the franchisor or about franchising in your state.
2. State the following:
MANY FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS DO NOT ALLOW YOU TO RENEW UNCONDITIONALLY AFTER THE INITIAL TERM EXPIRES. YOU MAY HAVE TO SIGN A NEW AGREEMENT WITH DIFFERENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE YOUR BUSINESS. BEFORE YOU BUY, CONSIDER WHAT RIGHTS YOU HAVE TO RENEW YOUR FRANCHISE, IF ANY, AND WHAT TERMS YOU MIGHT HAVE TO ACCEPT IN ORDER TO RENEW.
3. If any of the following apply, state the following, using capital letters as shown:
Please consider the following RISK FACTORS before you buy this franchise:
THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT REQUIRES YOU TO RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH US BY [LITIGATION/ARBITRATION/MEDIATION] ONLY IN [STATE]. OUT-OF-STATE [LITIGATION/ARBITRATION/MEDIATION] MAY FORCE YOU TO ACCEPT A LESS FAVORABLE SETTLEMENT FOR DISPUTES. IT MAY ALSO COST YOU MORE TO [LITIGATE/ARBITRATE/MEDIATE] WITH US IN [STATE] THAN IN YOUR OWN STATE.
THE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT STATES THAT [STATE] LAW GOVERNS THE AGREEMENT, AND THIS LAW MAY NOT PROVIDE THE SAME PROTECTIONS AND BENEFITS AS LOCAL LAW. YOU MAY WANT TO COMPARE THESE LAWS.
4. In addition to the above, disclose other risk factors required by the state administrator.
5. If one or more risk factors applies, also state:
THERE MAY BE OTHER RISKS CONCERNING THIS FRANCHISE.
6. If you use the services of a franchise broker or referral source, state the following:
We use the services of one or more FRANCHISE BROKERS or referral sources to assist us in selling our franchise. A franchise broker or referral source represents us, not you. We pay this person a fee for selling our franchise or referring you to us. You should be sure to do your own investigation of the franchise.
7. State the following:
Effective Date:
a. Leave the effective date blank until notified of effectiveness by the state administrator.
b. If an applicant is using a multistate disclosure document, the applicant may list multiple state effective dates together on a separate page that is to be inserted immediately following the state cover page.
D. To conform language to the Virginia Retail Franchising Act, 21VAC5-110-95 A 5 b adds certain terms to the Franchise Disclosure Document cover page statement mandated by § 436.3(e)(2) of the Federal Trade Commission Franchise Rule. The franchisor may comply with this requirement of 21VAC5-110-95 by including the required statement in the text of the Franchise Disclosure Document cover page or in an additional cover page attached as part of a Virginia addendum to the Franchise Disclosure Document.
E. To conform language to the Virginia Retail Franchising Act, 21VAC5-110-95 B 23 a adds certain terms to the Franchise Disclosure Document receipt page statement mandated by § 436.5(w)(1) of the Federal Trade Commission Franchise Rule. The franchisor may comply with this requirement of 21VAC5-110-95 by including the required statement in the text of the Franchise Disclosure Document or in an additional receipt page attached as part of a Virginia addendum to the Franchise Disclosure Document.
21VAC5-110-65. Escrow and deferral.
A. Escrow requirement. The commission may require a franchisor to escrow franchise fees and other payments made by a franchisee to the franchisor until the franchisor's pre-opening obligations under the franchise agreement have been satisfied. The commission may require escrow at any time after the submission of a registration or renewal application and upon a finding that the grounds enumerated in clause (i) of subdivision A 2 of § 13.1-562 of the Act as provided in Chapter 668 of the 2007 Acts of Assembly exist.
B. Depository. Funds subject to an escrow condition shall be placed in a separate trust account with a national bank or a state chartered bank or trust company transacting business in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
C. Compliance with escrow requirement. The franchisor shall file with the commission the following to comply with the commission's escrow requirement:
1. An original, fully executed copy of the Escrow Agreement, Form K;
2. A written consent from the depository agreeing to operate the escrow account under this regulation;
3. The name and address of the depository and the account number of the escrow account;
4. The name, address, telephone number and email address of an individual or individuals at the depository who may be contacted by the commission regarding the escrow account; and
5. An amended franchise application reflecting, in Item 5 of the Franchise Disclosure Document or in a Virginia Addendum to the Franchise Disclosure Document, that the commission has imposed the escrow requirement and the material terms of that escrow condition, including the name of the depository.
D. Operation of escrow account. After the commission imposes an escrow requirement upon the franchisor, the franchisor shall:
1. Make franchisee checks for franchise fees or other payments for the franchisor payable to the depository; and
2. Deposit with the depository, within two business days of the receipt, the funds described in subdivision 1 of this subsection.
Deposits made to the depository shall remain escrowed until the commission authorizes the release of the funds.
E. Release of escrowed funds.
1. A franchisor may apply to the commission for the release of escrowed funds together with any interest earned.
2. A franchisor's application to the commission to authorize the release of escrowed funds to the franchisor shall be in writing, verified by an authorized officer of the franchisor and shall contain:
a. The franchisor's statement that all proceeds from the grant sale of franchises have been placed with the depository in accordance with the terms and conditions of the escrow requirement;
b. The depository's statement, signed by an appropriate officer, setting forth the aggregate amount of escrowed funds deposited with the depository and the franchisor's account number with the depository;
c. A list of the names and addresses of each franchisee and the amount held in the escrow account for the account of each franchisee;
d. The amount of funds sought to be released;
e. A written certification from the franchisee stating the amount of funds to be released that acknowledges that the franchisor has completely performed its pre-opening obligations under the franchise agreement, including providing real estate, improvements, equipment, inventory, training, or other items as required by the franchise agreement; and
f. Other information the commission may reasonably require.
3. If the commission finds that the franchisor has fulfilled its obligations under the franchise agreement for a specified franchisee, the commission shall authorize the depository to release to the franchisor the amount held in escrow for the account of the applicable franchisee.
F. Removal of escrow requirement. The commission may remove the escrow requirement at any time, if:
1. The franchisor agrees to defer franchise fees and other initial payments; or
2. Based upon new information, the commission finds that the escrow requirement is no longer necessary and appropriate for the protection of prospective franchisees.
G. Deferral of fees in place of escrow requirement.
1. In lieu of an escrow requirement, the commission may, under appropriate circumstances, accept a franchisor's agreement to defer franchise fees and other initial payments owed by franchisees to the franchisor until the franchisor has completed its pre-opening obligations under the franchise agreement.
2. The franchisor's agreement to defer franchise fees shall be reflected in Item 5 of the Franchise Disclosure Document or in a Virginia Addendum to the Franchise Disclosure Document.
21VAC5-110-75. Exemptions.
Any offer or grant sale of a franchise in a transaction that meets the requirements of this section is exempt from the registration requirement of § 13.1-560 of the Act.
1. Sale or transfer by existing franchisee. The sale or transfer of a franchise by a franchisee who is not an affiliate of the franchisor for the franchisee's own account is exempt if:
a. The franchisee's entire franchise is sold or transferred and the sale or transfer is not effected by or through the franchisor.
b. The sale or transfer is not effected by or through a franchisor merely because a franchisor has a right to approve or disapprove the sale or transfer or requires payment of a reasonable transfer fee.
2. Renewal or extension of existing franchise. The offer or sale of a franchise involving a renewal or extension of an existing franchise where there is no interruption in the operation of the franchised business, and there is no material change in the franchise relationship, is exempt. For purposes of this subdivision, an interruption in the franchised business solely for the purpose of renovating or relocating that business is not a material change in the franchise relationship or an interruption in the operation of the franchised business.
3. Offers and grants sales to existing franchisees. The offer or grant sale of an additional franchise to an existing franchisee of the franchisor for the franchisee's own account is exempt if the franchise being sold is substantially the same as the franchise that the franchisee has operated for at least two years at the time of the offer or grant sale of the franchise, provided the prior sale to the franchisee was pursuant to a franchise offering that was registered or exempt pursuant to the requirements of the Act.
3. 4. Seasoned franchisor.
a. The offer or grant sale of a franchise by a franchisor is exempt if:
(1) The franchisor has a net equity, according to its most recently audited financial statements, of not less than $15,000,000 on a consolidated basis, or $1,000,000 on an unaudited basis and is at least 80% owned by a corporation or entity that has a net equity, on a consolidated basis, according to its most recently audited financial statements, of not less than $15,000,000, and the 80% owner guarantees the performance of the franchisor's obligations; and
(2) The franchisor or any 80% owner of the franchisor or the franchisor's predecessor, or any combination thereof, has had at least 25 franchisees conducting the same franchise business to be offered or granted sold for the entire five-year period immediately preceding the offer or grant sale;
b. The exemption set forth in subdivision 3 4 of this section may be claimed only if the franchisor:
(1) Files a Form H Notice of Claim of Exemption and other material as set forth in subdivision 6 7 of this section no later than 10 business days before the offer or grant sale of any franchise; and
(2) Submits financial statements demonstrating compliance with the conditions set forth in subdivision 3 4 a (1) of this section.
c. An initial exemption filing and any renewal filing shall expire after a period of one year. The franchisor shall file for a renewal by making an exemption filing if it intends to offer or grant sell franchises for any additional period annually, at least 10 business days before the expiration of the previously filed Notice of Claim of Exemption.
4. 5. Institutional franchisee.
a. The offer or grant sale of a franchise to a bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, trust company, insurance company, investment company, or other financial institution, or to a broker-dealer is exempt when the:
(1) Purchaser is acting for itself or in a fiduciary capacity; and
(2) Franchise is not being purchased for the purpose of resale to an individual not exempt under this regulation.
b. The exemption set forth in subdivision 4 5 a of this section may be claimed only if the franchisor files an initial filing Form H, Notice of Claim of Exemption, and other material as set forth in subdivision 6 7 a of this section, at least 10 business days before each offer or grant sale of each franchise.
5. 6. Disclosure requirements.
a. If a franchisor relies upon any of the exemptions set forth in subdivision 2, 3 or 4 3, 4 or 5 of this section, the franchisor shall provide a disclosure document complying with 21VAC5-110-55 and 21VAC5-110-95 together with all proposed agreements relating to the grant sale of the franchise to a prospective franchisee 14 calendar days before the signing of the agreement or the payment of any consideration.
b. Franchisors filing a claim of exemption under subdivisions 3 or 4 or 5 of this section shall include a self-addressed stamped envelope by which the commission may return to the franchisor a confirmation of receipt of the filing and the exemption file number assigned. Correspondence shall refer to the assigned file number in all subsequent related filings and correspondence with the commission.
6. 7. Filing requirements for exemptions set forth in subdivisions 3 and 4 and 5 of this section.
a. Initial exemption filing.
(1) The initial exemption period shall expire after a period of one year.
(2) Franchisor files an application for exemption of a franchise by filing with the commission no later than 10 business days before the offer or grant sale of any franchise, the following completed forms and other material:
(a) Notice of Claim of Exemption, Form H;
(b) Uniform Consent to Service of Process, Form C;
(c) If the applicant is a corporation or partnership, an authorizing resolution is required if the application is verified by a person other than applicant's officer or general partner;
(d) Franchise Disclosure Document;
(e) Files an undertaking by which it agrees to supply any additional information the commission may reasonably request; and
(f) Application fee of $500 (payable to the Treasurer of Virginia).
b. Amendment to exemption filing.
(1) Upon the occurrence of a material change, the franchisor shall amend the effective exemption filed at the commission.
(2) An application to amend a franchise exemption is made by submitting the following completed forms and other material:
(a) Notice of Claim of Exemption, Form H;
(b) One clean copy of the amended Franchise Disclosure Document; and
(c) Application fee of $100 (payable to the Treasurer of Virginia).
c. Renewal exemption filing.
(1) A franchise exemption expires at midnight on the annual exemption effective date. An application to renew the franchise exemption shall be filed 10 days prior to the expiration date in order to prevent a lapse of exemption under the Act.
(2) An application for renewal of a franchise exemption is made by submitting the following completed forms and other material:
(a) Notice of Claim of Exemption, Form H;
(b) One clean copy of the Franchise Disclosure Document; and
(c) Application fee of $250 (payable to the Treasurer of Virginia).
21VAC5-110-80. General requirements for preparation of disclosure documents; master franchises; electronic disclosure.
A. Disclosure instructions.
1. Disclose all required information clearly, legibly, and concisely in a single document using plain English.
2. The disclosure for each FDD item shall be separately titled and in the required order. Do not repeat the question in the FDD. Respond to each question fully. If the disclosure is not applicable, respond in the negative, but if an answer is required "if applicable," respond only if the requested information applies. Do not qualify a response with a reference to another document unless permitted by the instructions to that Item.
3. For each Item in the FDD, type the requirement's Arabic number and item title. Exhibits should be identified by a letter of the alphabet.
4. The disclosure must be in a form that permits each prospective franchisee to store, download, print, or otherwise maintain the disclosure document for future reference.
5. Separate documents (for example, a confidential operations manual) must not make representations or impose terms that contradict or are materially different from the disclosure in the FDD.
6. Use 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper for the FDD and other forms. All documents and disclosures must be readable, using not less than 11-point type.
7. Franchisors may prepare multistate disclosure documents by including nonpreempted, state-specific information in the text of the FDD or in a Virginia Addendum attached to the FDD. The Virginia Addendum may be included in an exhibit to the FDD. Any amendments to the franchise agreement may be included in the Virginia Addendum or in a separate exhibit immediately following the franchise agreement.
8. The two copies of the Item 23 receipt pages should be the last two pages of the FDD and should be attached after all exhibits.
9. Before furnishing a FDD, the franchisor must advise the prospective franchisee of the formats in which the FDD is made available, any prerequisites for obtaining the FDD in a particular format, and any conditions necessary for reviewing the FDD in a particular format.
10. Grossly deficient applications may be rejected summarily by the commission as incomplete for filing.
B. Master franchises.
1. When the applicant is a master franchisor seeking to grant sell master franchises (subfranchises), references in these regulations to "franchisee" include the master franchisee (subfranchisor).
2. The offer of master franchises (subfranchises) is an offer separate from the offer of franchises and usually requires a separate registration or exemption. A single application may register the grant sale of a single unit and multiunit franchises if the FDD is not confusing.
3. In an offering by a master franchisee (subfranchisor), "franchisor" means both the master franchisor and master franchisee.
4. Master franchisees (subfranchisors) must disclose the required information about the master franchisor, and to the extent applicable, the same information concerning the master franchisee.
C. Electronic disclosure.
1. A franchisor may deliver a franchise disclosure document over the Internet or by other electronic means, or in machine-readable media, provided:
a. The disclosure document is delivered as a single, integrated document or file;
b. The disclosure document has no extraneous content beyond what is required or permitted by law or regulation, but which may include customary devices for manipulating electronic documents in machine-readable form and tools or access to tools that may be necessary or convenient to enable the recipient to receive and view the disclosure document;
c. The disclosure document has no links to or from external documents or content;
d. The disclosure document is delivered in a form that intrinsically enables the recipient to store, retrieve, and print the disclosure document;
e. The disclosure document conforms as to its content and format to the requirements of applicable law or regulation;
f. The franchisor can prove that it delivered the disclosure document electronically in compliance with this subsection, and that it did so at or before the time required by applicable law or regulation; and
g. The franchisor keeps records of its electronic delivery of disclosure documents and makes those records available on demand by the commission.
2. For the sole purpose of enhancing the prospective franchisee's ability to maneuver through an electronic version of a disclosure document, the franchisor may include scroll bars, internal links, and search features. All other features such as audio, video, animation, pop-up screens or links to external information are prohibited.
3. "Delivery" requires that the disclosure document be conveyed to and received by the prospective franchisee, or that the storage media in which the disclosure is stored be physically delivered to the prospective franchisee in accordance with subdivision 1 a of this subsection.
4. This subsection does not change or waive any other requirement of law or regulation concerning registration or presale disclosure of franchise offerings.
D. Other requirements.
1. If the franchise agreement requires a franchisee to sign a release or waiver as a condition of consenting to some future action, such as a transfer or assignment of the franchise, include a sample copy of the document the franchisee will be asked to sign. This requirement does not apply to negotiated releases or waivers that a franchisee may sign to resolve a dispute with the franchisor.
2. The commission may modify or waive the provisions of this chapter or may require additional documentation or information.
21VAC5-110-95. Requirements for Franchise Disclosure Document preparation.
A. Applications for registration of a franchise, or applications for renewal or amendment of an existing franchise registration, must comply with the following requirements for preparing the contents of a Franchise Disclosure Document. Except for financial statement requirements for start-up franchise systems, as further discussed in Item 21, these requirements are substantively equivalent to the requirements adopted under the Federal Trade Commission Franchise Rule, 16 CFR 436.3 through 16 CFR 436.5, effective July 1, 2007.
Contents of the Franchise Disclosure Document
The Cover Page
Begin the disclosure document with a cover page, in the order and form as follows:
1. The title "FRANCHISE DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT" in capital letters and bold type.
2. The franchisor's name, type of business organization, principal business address, telephone number, and, if applicable, email address and primary home page address.
3. A sample of the primary business trademark that the franchisee will use in its business.
4. A brief description of the franchised business.
5. The following statements:
a. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a [franchise system name] franchise is [the total amount of Item 7]. This includes [the total amount in Item 5] that must be paid to the franchisor or affiliate.
b. This disclosure document summarizes certain provisions of your franchise agreement and other information in plain English. Read this disclosure document and all accompanying agreements carefully. You must receive this disclosure document at least 14 calendar days before you sign a binding agreement with, or make any payment to, the franchisor or an affiliate in connection with the proposed franchise sale or grant. [The following sentence in bold type] Note, however, that no governmental agency has verified the information contained in this document.
c. The terms of your contract will govern your franchise relationship. Don't rely on the disclosure document alone to understand your contract. Read all of your contract carefully. Show your contract and this disclosure document to an advisor, such as a lawyer or an accountant.
d. Buying a franchise is a complex investment. The information in this disclosure document can help you make up your mind. More information on franchising, such as "A Consumer's Guide to Buying a Franchise," which can help you understand how to use this disclosure document, is available from the Federal Trade Commission. You can contact the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP or by writing to the FTC at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20580. You can also visit the FTC's home page at www.ftc.gov for additional information. Call your state agency or visit your public library for other sources of information on franchising.
e. There may also be laws on franchising in your state. Ask your state agencies about them.
f. [The issuance date].
6. A franchisor may include the following statement between the statements set out at subdivisions b and c of the cover page: "You may wish to receive your disclosure document in another format that is more convenient for you. To discuss the availability of disclosures in different formats, contact [name or office] at [address] and [telephone number]."
7. Franchisors may include additional disclosures on the cover page, on a separate cover page, or addendum to comply with state presale disclosure laws.
The Table of Contents
Include the following table of contents. State the page where each disclosure item begins. List all exhibits by letter, as shown in the following example.
Table of Contents
1. The Franchisor and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates
2. Business Experience
3. Litigation
4. Bankruptcy
5. Initial Fees
6. Other Fees
7. Estimated Initial Investment
8. Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services
9. Franchisee's Obligations
10. Financing
11. Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training
12. Territory
13. Trademarks
14. Patents, Copyrights, and Proprietary Information
15. Obligation to Participate in the Actual Operation of the Franchise Business
16. Restrictions on What the Franchisee May Sell
17. Renewal, Termination, Transfer, and Dispute Resolution
18. Public Figures
19. Financial Performance Representations
20. Outlets and Franchisee Information
21. Financial Statements
22. Contracts
23. Receipts
Exhibits
A. Franchise Agreement
B. Additional exhibits as applicable
B. The additional requirements for preparation of the Franchise Disclosure Document are contained below:
1. Item 1: The Franchisor, and any Parents, Predecessors, and Affiliates.
Disclose:
a. The name and principal business address of the franchisor; any parents; and any affiliates that offer franchises in any line of business or provide products or services to the franchisees of the franchisor.
b. The name and principal business address of any predecessors during the 10-year period immediately before the close of the franchisor's most recent fiscal year.
c. The name that the franchisor uses and any names it intends to use to conduct business.
d. The identity and principal business address of the franchisor's agent for service of process.
e. The type of business organization used by the franchisor (for example, corporation, partnership) and the state in which it was organized.
f. The following information about the franchisor's business and the franchises offered:
(1) Whether the franchisor operates businesses of the type being franchised.
(2) The franchisor's other business activities.
(3) The business the franchisee will conduct.
(4) The general market for the product or service the franchisee will offer. In describing the general market, consider factors such as whether the market is developed or developing, whether the goods will be sold primarily to a certain group, and whether sales are seasonal.
(5) In general terms, any laws or regulations specific to the industry in which the franchise business operates.
(6) A general description of the competition.
g. The prior business experience of the franchisor; any predecessors listed in Item 1 b; and any affiliates that offer franchises in any line of business or provide products or services to the franchisees of the franchisor, including:
(1) The length of time each has conducted the type of business the franchisee will operate.
(2) The length of time each has offered franchises providing the type of business the franchisee will operate.
(3) Whether each has offered franchises in other lines of business. If so, include:
(a) A description of each other line of business.
(b) The number of franchises sold in each other line of business.
(c) The length of time each has offered franchises in each other line of business.
2. Item 2: Business Experience.
Disclose by name and position the franchisor's directors, trustees, general partners, principal officers, and any other individuals who will have management responsibility relating to the sale, grant or operation of franchises offered by this document. For each person listed in this section, state his principal positions and employers during the past five years, including each position's starting date, ending date, and location.
3. Item 3: Litigation.
a. Disclose whether the franchisor; a predecessor; a parent or affiliate who induces franchise sales or grants by promising to back the franchisor financially or otherwise guarantees the franchisor's performance; an affiliate who offers franchises under the franchisor's principal trademark; and any person identified in Item 2:
(1) Has pending against that person:
(a) An administrative, criminal, or material civil action alleging a violation of a franchise, antitrust, or securities law, or alleging fraud, unfair or deceptive practices, or comparable allegations.
(b) Civil actions, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business, which are material in the context of the number of franchisees and the size, nature, or financial condition of the franchise system or its business operations.
(2) Was a party to any material civil action involving the franchise relationship in the last fiscal year. For purposes of this item, "franchise relationship" means contractual obligations between the franchisor and franchisee directly relating to the operation of the franchised business (such as royalty payment and training obligations). It does not include actions involving suppliers or other third parties, or indemnification for tort liability.
(3) Has in the 10-year period immediately before the disclosure document's issuance date:
(a) Been convicted of or pleaded nolo contendere to a felony charge.
(b) Been held liable in a civil action involving an alleged violation of a franchise, antitrust, or securities law, or involving allegations of fraud, unfair or deceptive practices, or comparable allegations. "Held liable" means that, as a result of claims or counterclaims, the person must pay money or other consideration, must reduce an indebtedness by the amount of an award, cannot enforce its rights, or must take action adverse to its interests.
b. Disclose whether the franchisor; a predecessor; a parent or affiliate who guarantees the franchisor's performance; an affiliate who has offered, or sold or granted franchises in any line of business within the last 10 years; or any other person identified in Item 2 is subject to a currently effective injunctive or restrictive order or decree resulting from a pending or concluded action brought by a public agency and relating to the franchise or to a federal, state, or Canadian franchise, securities, antitrust, trade regulation, or trade practice law.
c. For each action identified in subdivision a and b of Item 3, state the title, case number or citation, the initial filing date, the names of the parties, the forum, and the relationship of the opposing party to the franchisor (for example, competitor, supplier, lessor, franchisee, former franchisee, or class of franchisees). Except as provided in subdivision d of Item 3, summarize the legal and factual nature of each claim in the action, the relief sought or obtained, and any conclusions of law or fact.1 In addition, state:
(1) For pending actions, the status of the action.
(2) For prior actions, the date when the judgment was entered and any damages or settlement terms.2
(3) For injunctive or restrictive orders, the nature, terms, and conditions of the order or decree.
(4) For convictions or pleas, the crime or violation, the date of conviction, and the sentence or penalty imposed.
d. For any other franchisor-initiated suit identified in subdivision a (2) of Item 3, the franchisor may comply with the requirements of subdivision c (1) through (4) of Item 3 by listing individual suits under one common heading that will serve as the case summary (for example, "royalty collection suits").
4. Item 4: Bankruptcy.
a. Disclose whether the franchisor; any parent; predecessor; affiliate; officer, or general partner of the franchisor, or any other individual who will have management responsibility relating to the sale, grant or operation of franchises offered by this document, has, during the 10-year period immediately before the date of this disclosure document:
(1) Filed as debtor (or had filed against it) a petition under the United States Bankruptcy Code (Bankruptcy Code).
(2) Obtained a discharge of its debts under the Bankruptcy Code.
(3) Been a principal officer of a company or a general partner in a partnership that either filed as a debtor (or had filed against it) a petition under the Bankruptcy Code, or that obtained a discharge of its debts under the Bankruptcy Code while, or within one year after, the officer or general partner held the position in the company.
b. For each bankruptcy, state:
(1) The current name, address, and principal place of business of the debtor.
(2) Whether the debtor is the franchisor. If not, state the relationship of the debtor to the franchisor (for example, affiliate, officer).
(3) The date of the original filing and the material facts, including the bankruptcy court, and the case name and number. If applicable, state the debtor's discharge date, including discharges under Chapter 7 and confirmation of any plans of reorganization under Chapters 11 and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.
c. Disclose cases, actions, and other proceedings under the laws of foreign nations relating to bankruptcy.
5. Item 5: Initial Fees.
Disclose the initial fees and any conditions under which these fees are refundable. If the initial fees are not uniform, disclose the range or formula used to calculate the initial fees paid in the fiscal year before the issuance date and the factors that determined the amount. For this item, "initial fees" means all fees and payments, or commitments to pay, for services or goods received from the franchisor or any affiliate before the franchisee's business opens, whether payable in lump sum or installments. Disclose installment payment terms in this section or in Item 10.
6. Item 6: Other Fees.
Disclose, in the following tabular form, all other fees that the franchisee must pay to the franchisor or its affiliates, or that the franchisor or its affiliates impose or collect in whole or in part for a third party. State the title "OTHER FEES" in capital letters using bold type. Include any formula used to compute the fees.3
| Item 6 Table OTHER FEES |
| Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
Type of fee | Amount | Due Date | Remarks |
| | | | |
a. In column 1, list the type of fee (for example, royalties, and fees for lease negotiations, construction, remodeling, additional training or assistance, advertising, advertising cooperatives, purchasing cooperatives, audits, accounting, inventory, transfers, and renewals).
b. In column 2, state the amount of the fee.
c. In column 3, state the due date for each fee.
d. In column 4, include remarks, definitions, or caveats that elaborate on the information in the table. If remarks are long, franchisors may use footnotes instead of the remarks column. If applicable, include the following information in the remarks column or in a footnote:
(1) Whether the fees are payable only to the franchisor.
(2) Whether the fees are imposed and collected by the franchisor.
(3) Whether the fees are nonrefundable or describe the circumstances when the fees are refundable.
(4) Whether the fees are uniformly imposed.
(5) The voting power of franchisor-owned outlets on any fees imposed by cooperatives. If franchisor-owned outlets have controlling voting power, disclose the maximum and minimum fees that may be imposed.
7. Item 7: Estimated Initial Investment.
Disclose, in the following tabular form, the franchisee's estimated initial investment. State the title "YOUR ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT" in capital letters using bold type. Franchisors may include additional expenditure tables to show expenditure variations caused by differences such as in site location and premises size.
Item 7 Table YOUR ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 |
Type of expenditure | Amount | Method of payment | When due | To whom payment is to be made |
| | | | |
Total | | | | |
a. In column 1:
(1) List each type of expense, beginning with pre-opening expenses. Include the following expenses, if applicable. Use footnotes to include remarks, definitions, or caveats that elaborate on the information in the table.
(a) The initial franchise fee.
(b) Training expenses.
(c) Real property, whether purchased or leased.
(d) Equipment, fixtures, other fixed assets, construction, remodeling, leasehold improvements, and decorating costs, whether purchased or leased.
(e) Inventory to begin operating.
(f) Security deposits, utility deposits, business licenses, and other prepaid expenses.
(2) List separately and by name any other specific required payments (for example, additional training, travel, or advertising expenses) that the franchisee must make to begin operations.
(3) Include a category titled "Additional funds – [initial period]" for any other required expenses the franchisee will incur before operations begin and during the initial period of operations. State the initial period. A reasonable initial period is at least three months or a reasonable period for the industry. Describe in general terms the factors, basis, and experience that the franchisor considered or relied upon in formulating the amount required for additional funds.
b. In column 2, state the amount of the payment. If the amount is unknown, use a low-high range based on the franchisor's current experience. If real property costs cannot be estimated in a low-high range, describe the approximate size of the property and building and the probable location of the building (for example, strip shopping center, mall, downtown, rural, or highway).
c. In column 3, state the method of payment.
d. In column 4, state the due date.
e. In column 5, state to whom payment will be made.
f. Total the initial investment, incorporating ranges of fees, if used.
g. In a footnote, state:
(1) Whether each payment is nonrefundable, or describe the circumstances when each payment is refundable.
(2) If the franchisor or an affiliate finances part of the initial investment, the amount that it will finance, the required down payment, the annual interest rate, rate factors, and the estimated loan repayments. Franchisors may refer to Item 10 for additional details.
8. Item 8: Restrictions on Sources of Products and Services.
Disclose the franchisee's obligations to purchase or lease goods, services, supplies, fixtures, equipment, inventory, computer hardware and software, real estate, or comparable items related to establishing or operating the franchised business either from the franchisor, its designee, or suppliers approved by the franchisor, or under the franchisor's specifications. Include obligations to purchase imposed by the franchisor's written agreement or by the franchisor's practice.4 For each applicable obligation, state:
a. The good or service required to be purchased or leased.
b. Whether the franchisor or its affiliates are approved suppliers or the only approved suppliers of that good or service.
c. Any supplier in which an officer of the franchisor owns an interest.
d. How the franchisor grants and revokes approval of alternative suppliers, including:
(1) Whether the franchisor's criteria for approving suppliers are available to franchisees.
(2) Whether the franchisor permits franchisees to contract with alternative suppliers who meet the franchisor's criteria.
(3) Any fees and procedures to secure approval to purchase from alternative suppliers.
(4) The time period in which the franchisee will be notified of approval or disapproval.
(5) How approvals are revoked.
e. Whether the franchisor issues specifications and standards to franchisees, subfranchisees, or approved suppliers. If so, describe how the franchisor issues and modifies specifications.
f. Whether the franchisor or its affiliates will or may derive revenue or other material consideration from required purchases or leases by franchisees. If so, describe the precise basis by which the franchisor or its affiliates will or may derive that consideration by stating:
(1) The franchisor's total revenue.5
(2) The franchisor's revenues from all required purchases and leases of products and services.
(3) The percentage of the franchisor's total revenues that are from required purchases or leases.
(4) If the franchisor's affiliates also sell or lease products or services to franchisees, the affiliates' revenues from those sales or leases.
g. The estimated proportion of these required purchases and leases by the franchisee to all purchases and leases by the franchisee of goods and services in establishing and operating the franchised businesses.
h. If a designated supplier will make payments to the franchisor from franchisee purchases, disclose the basis for the payment (for example, specify a percentage or a flat amount). For purposes of this disclosure, a "payment" includes the sale of similar goods or services to the franchisor at a lower price than to franchisees.
i. The existence of purchasing or distribution cooperatives.
j. Whether the franchisor negotiates purchase arrangements with suppliers, including price terms, for the benefit of franchisees.
k. Whether the franchisor provides material benefits (for example, renewal or granting additional franchises) to a franchisee based on a franchisee's purchase of particular products or services or use of particular suppliers.
9. Item 9: Franchisee's Obligations.
Disclose, in the following tabular form, a list of the franchisee's principal obligations. State the title "FRANCHISEE'S OBLIGATIONS" in capital letters using bold type. Cross-reference each listed obligation with any applicable section of the franchise or other agreement and with the relevant disclosure document provision. If a particular obligation is not applicable, state "Not Applicable." Include additional obligations, as warranted.
Item 9 Table FRANCHISEE'S OBLIGATIONS |
[In bold] This table lists your principal obligations under the franchise and other agreements. It will help you find more detailed information about your obligations in these agreements and in other items of this disclosure document. |
Obligation | Section in agreement | Disclosure document item |
a. Site selection and acquisition/lease | | |
b. Pre-opening purchase/leases | | |
c. Site development and other pre-opening requirements | | |
d. Initial and ongoing training | | |
e. Opening | | |
f. Fees | | |
g. Compliance with standards and policies/operating manual | | |
h. Trademarks and proprietary information | | |
i. Restrictions on products/services offered | | |
j. Warranty and customer service requirements | | |
k. Territorial development and sales quotas | | |
l. Ongoing product/service purchases | | |
m. Maintenance, appearance, and remodeling requirements | | |
n. Insurance | | |
o. Advertising | | |
p. Indemnification | | |
q. Owner's participation/management/ staffing | | |
r. Records and reports | | |
s. Inspections and audits | | |
t. Transfer | | |
u. Renewal | | |
v. Posttermination obligations | | |
w. Noncompetition covenants | | |
x. Dispute resolution | | |
y. Other (describe) | | |
10. Item 10: Financing.
a. Disclose the terms of each financing arrangement, including leases and installment contracts, that the franchisor, its agent, or affiliates offer directly or indirectly to the franchisee.6 The franchisor may summarize the terms of each financing arrangement in tabular form, using footnotes to provide additional information. For a sample Item 10 table, see Appendix A. For each financing arrangement, state:
(1) What the financing covers (for example, the initial franchise fee, site acquisition, construction or remodeling, initial or replacement equipment or fixtures, opening or ongoing inventory or supplies, or other continuing expenses).7
(2) The identity of each lender providing financing and their relationship to the franchisor (for example, affiliate).
(3) The amount of financing offered or, if the amount depends on an actual cost that may vary, the percentage of the cost that will be financed.
(4) The rate of interest, plus finance charges, expressed on an annual basis. If the rate of interest, plus finance charges, expressed on an annual basis, may differ depending on when the financing is issued, state what that rate was on a specified recent date.
(5) The number of payments or the period of repayment.
(6) The nature of any security interest required by the lender.
(7) Whether a person other than the franchisee must personally guarantee the debt.
(8) Whether the debt can be prepaid and the nature of any prepayment penalty.
(9) The franchisee's potential liabilities upon default, including any:
(a) Accelerated obligation to pay the entire amount due;
(b) Obligations to pay court costs and attorney's fees incurred in collecting the debt;
(c) Termination of the franchise; and
(d) Liabilities from cross defaults such as those resulting directly from nonpayment, or indirectly from the loss of business property.
(10) Other material financing terms.
b. Disclose whether the loan agreement requires franchisees to waive defenses or other legal rights (for example, confession of judgment), or bars franchisees from asserting a defense against the lender, the lender's assignee or the franchisor. If so, describe the relevant provisions.
c. Disclose whether the franchisor's practice or intent is to sell, assign, or discount to a third party all or part of the financing arrangement. If so, state:
(1) The assignment terms, including whether the franchisor will remain primarily obligated to provide the financed goods or services; and
(2) That the franchisee may lose all its defenses against the lender as a result of the sale or assignment.
d. Disclose whether the franchisor or an affiliate receives any consideration for placing financing with the lender. If such payments exist:
(1) Disclose the amount or the method of determining the payment; and
(2) Identify the source of the payment and the relationship of the source to the franchisor or its affiliates.
11. Item 11: Franchisor's Assistance, Advertising, Computer Systems, and Training.
Disclose the franchisor's principal assistance and related obligations of both the franchisor and franchisee as follows. For each obligation, cite the section number of the franchise agreement imposing the obligation. Begin by stating the following sentence in bold type: "Except as listed below, [the franchisor] is not required to provide you with any assistance."
a. Disclose the franchisor's pre-opening obligations to the franchisee, including any assistance in:
(1) Locating a site and negotiating the purchase or lease of the site. If such assistance is provided, state:
(a) Whether the franchisor generally owns the premises and leases it to the franchisee.
(b) Whether the franchisor selects the site or approves an area in which the franchisee selects a site. If so, state further whether and how the franchisor must approve a franchisee-selected site.
(c) The factors that the franchisor considers in selecting or approving sites (for example, general location and neighborhood, traffic patterns, parking, size, physical characteristics of existing buildings, and lease terms).
(d) The time limit for the franchisor to locate or approve or disapprove the site and the consequences if the franchisor and franchisee cannot agree on a site.
(2) Conforming the premises to local ordinances and building codes and obtaining any required permits.
(3) Constructing, remodeling, or decorating the premises.
(4) Hiring and training employees.
(5) Providing for necessary equipment, signs, fixtures, opening inventory, and supplies. If any such assistance is provided, state:
(a) Whether the franchisor provides these items directly or only provides the names of approved suppliers.
(b) Whether the franchisor provides written specifications for these items.
(c) Whether the franchisor delivers or installs these items.
b. Disclose the typical length of time between the earlier of the signing of the franchise agreement or the first payment of consideration for the franchise and the opening of the franchisee's business. Describe the factors that may affect the time period, such as ability to obtain a lease, financing or building permits, zoning and local ordinances, weather conditions, shortages, or delayed installation of equipment, fixtures, and signs.
c. Disclose the franchisor's obligations to the franchisee during the operation of the franchise, including any assistance in:
(1) Developing products or services the franchisee will offer to its customers.
(2) Hiring and training employees.
(3) Improving and developing the franchised business.
(4) Establishing prices.
(5) Establishing and using administrative, bookkeeping, accounting, and inventory control procedures.
(6) Resolving operating problems encountered by the franchisee.
d. Describe the advertising program for the franchise system, including the following:
(1) The franchisor's obligation to conduct advertising, including:
(a) The media the franchisor may use.
(b) Whether media coverage is local, regional, or national.
(c) The source of the advertising (for example, an in-house advertising department or a national or regional advertising agency).
(d) Whether the franchisor must spend any amount on advertising in the area or territory where the franchisee is located.
(2) The circumstances when the franchisor will permit franchisees to use their own advertising material.
(3) Whether there is an advertising council composed of franchisees that advises the franchisor on advertising policies. If so, disclose:
(a) How members of the council are selected.
(b) Whether the council serves in an advisory capacity only or has operational or decision-making power.
(c) Whether the franchisor has the power to form, change, or dissolve the advertising council.
(4) Whether the franchisee must participate in a local or regional advertising cooperative. If so, state:
(a) How the area or membership of the cooperative is defined.
(b) How much the franchisee must contribute to the fund and whether other franchisees must contribute a different amount or at a different rate.
(c) Whether the franchisor-owned outlets must contribute to the fund and, if so, whether those contributions are on the same basis as those for franchisees.
(d) Who is responsible for administering the cooperative (for example, franchisor, franchisees, or advertising agency).
(e) Whether cooperatives must operate from written governing documents and whether the documents are available for the franchisee to review.
(f) Whether cooperatives must prepare annual or periodic financial statements and whether the statements are available for review by the franchisee.
(g) Whether the franchisor has the power to require cooperatives to be formed, changed, dissolved, or merged.
(5) Whether the franchisee must participate in any other advertising fund. If so, state:
(a) Who contributes to the fund.
(b) How much the franchisee must contribute to the fund and whether other franchisees must contribute a different amount or at a different rate.
(c) Whether the franchisor-owned outlets must contribute to the fund and, if so, whether it is on the same basis as franchisees.
(d) Who administers the fund.
(e) Whether the fund is audited and when it is audited.
(f) Whether financial statements of the fund are available for review by the franchisee.
(g) How the funds were used in the most recently concluded fiscal year, including the percentages spent on production, media placement, administrative expenses, and a description of any other use.
(6) If not all advertising funds are spent in the fiscal year in which they accrue, how the franchisor uses the remaining amount, including whether franchisees receive a periodic accounting of how advertising fees are spent.
(7) The percentage of advertising funds, if any, that the franchisor uses principally to solicit new franchise sales or grants.
e. Disclose whether the franchisor requires the franchisee to buy or use electronic cash registers or computer systems. If so, describe the systems generally in nontechnical language, including the types of data to be generated or stored in these systems, and state the following:
(1) The cost of purchasing or leasing the systems.
(2) Any obligation of the franchisor, any affiliate, or third party to provide ongoing maintenance, repairs, upgrades, or updates.
(3) Any obligations of the franchisee to upgrade or update any system during the term of the franchise, and, if so, any contractual limitations on the frequency and cost of the obligation.
(4) The annual cost of any optional or required maintenance, updating, upgrading, or support contracts.
(5) Whether the franchisor will have independent access to the information that will be generated or stored in any electronic cash register or computer system. If so, describe the information that the franchisor may access and whether there are any contractual limitations on the franchisor's right to access the information.
f. Disclose the table of contents of the franchisor's operating manual provided to franchisees as of the franchisor's last fiscal year-end or a more recent date. State the number of pages devoted to each subject and the total number of pages in the manual as of this date. This disclosure may be omitted if the franchisor offers the prospective franchisee the opportunity to view the manual before buying the franchise.
g. Disclose the franchisor's training program as of the franchisor's last fiscal year-end or a more recent date.
(1) Describe the training program in the following tabular form. Title the table "TRAINING PROGRAM" in capital letters and bold type.
Item 11 Table TRAINING PROGRAM |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
Subject | Hours of Classroom training | Hours of On-The-Job Training | Location |
(a) In column 1, state the subjects taught.
(b) In column 2, state the hours of classroom training for each subject.
(c) In column 3, state the hours of on-the-job training for each subject.
(d) In column 4, state the location of the training for each subject.
(2) State further:
(a) How often training classes are held and the nature of the location or facility where training is held (for example, company, home, office, franchisor-owned store).
(b) The nature of instructional materials and the instructor's experience, including the instructor's length of experience in the field and with the franchisor. State only experience relevant to the subject taught and the franchisor's operations.
(c) Any charges franchisees must pay for training and who must pay travel and living expenses of the training program enrollees.
(d) Who may and who must attend training. State whether the franchisee or other persons must complete the program to the franchisor's satisfaction. If successful completion is required, state how long after signing the agreement or before opening the business the training must be completed. If training is not mandatory, state the percentage of new franchisees that enrolled in the training program during the preceding 12 months.
(e) Whether additional training programs or refresher courses are required.
12. Item 12: Territory.
Disclose:
a. Whether the franchise is for a specific location or a location to be approved by the franchisor.
b. Any minimum territory granted to the franchisee (for example, a specific radius, a distance sufficient to encompass a specified population, or another specific designation).
c. The conditions under which the franchisor will approve the relocation of the franchised business or the franchisee's establishment of additional franchised outlets.
d. Franchisee options, rights of first refusal, or similar rights to acquire additional franchises.
e. Whether the franchisor grants an exclusive territory.
(1) If the franchisor does not grant an exclusive territory, state: "You will not receive an exclusive territory. You may face competition from other franchisees, from outlets that we own, or from other channels of distribution or competitive brands that we control."
(2) If the franchisor grants an exclusive territory, disclose:
(a) Whether continuation of territorial exclusivity depends on achieving a certain sales volume, market penetration, or other contingency, and the circumstances when the franchisee's territory may be altered. Describe any sales or other conditions. State the franchisor's rights if the franchisee fails to meet the requirements.
(b) Any other circumstances that permit the franchisor to modify the franchisee's territorial rights (for example, a population increase in the territory giving the franchisor the right to grant an additional franchise in the area) and the effect of such modifications on the franchisee's rights.
f. For all territories (exclusive and nonexclusive):
(1) Any restrictions on the franchisor from soliciting or accepting orders from consumers inside the franchisee's territory, including:
(a) Whether the franchisor or an affiliate has used or reserves the right to use other channels of distribution such as the Internet, catalog sales, telemarketing, or other direct marketing sales to make sales within the franchisee's territory using the franchisor's principal trademarks.
(b) Whether the franchisor or an affiliate has used or reserves the right to use other channels of distribution such as the Internet, catalog sales, telemarketing, or other direct marketing to make sales within the franchisee's territory of products or services under trademarks different from the ones the franchisee will use under the franchise agreement.
(c) Any compensation that the franchisor must pay for soliciting or accepting orders from inside the franchisee's territory.
(2) Any restrictions on the franchisee from soliciting or accepting orders from consumers outside of his territory, including whether the franchisee has the right to use other channels of distribution such as the Internet, catalog sales, telemarketing, or other direct marketing to make sales outside of his territory.
(3) If the franchisor or an affiliate operates, franchises, or has plans to operate or franchise a business under a different trademark and that business sells or will sell goods or services similar to those the franchisee will offer, describe:
(a) The similar goods and services.
(b) The different trademark.
(c) Whether outlets will be franchisor-owned or -operated.
(d) Whether the franchisor or its franchisees who use the different trademark will solicit or accept orders within the franchisee's territory.
(e) The timetable for the plan.
(f) How the franchisor will resolve conflicts between the franchisor and franchisees and between the franchisees of each system regarding territory, customers, and franchisor support.
(g) The principal business address of the franchisor's similar operating business. If it is the same as the franchisor's principal business address stated in Item 1, disclose whether the franchisor maintains (or plans to maintain) physically separate offices and training facilities for the similar competing business.
13. Item 13: Trademarks.
a. Disclose each principal trademark to be licensed to the franchisee. For this item, "principal trademark" means the primary trademarks, service marks, names, logos, and commercial symbols the franchisee will use to identify the franchised business. It may not include every trademark the franchisor owns.
b. Disclose whether each principal trademark is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. If so, state:
(1) The date and identification number of each trademark registration.
(2) Whether the franchisor has filed all required affidavits.
(3) Whether any registration has been renewed.
(4) Whether the principal trademarks are registered on the Principal or Supplemental Register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
c. If the principal trademark is not registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, state whether the franchisor has filed any trademark application, including any "intent to use" application or an application based on actual use. If so, state the date and identification number of the application.
d. If the trademark is not registered on the Principal Register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, state: "We do not have a federal registration for our principal trademark. Therefore, our trademark does not have many legal benefits and rights as a federally registered trademark. If our right to use the trademark is challenged, you may have to change to an alternative trademark, which may increase your expenses."
e. Disclose any currently effective material determinations of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, or any state trademark administrator or court; and any pending infringement, opposition, or cancellation proceeding. Include infringement, opposition, or cancellation proceedings in which the franchisor unsuccessfully sought to prevent registration of a trademark in order to protect a trademark licensed by the franchisor. Describe how the determination affects the ownership, use, or licensing of the trademark.
f. Disclose any pending material federal or state court litigation regarding the franchisor's use or ownership rights in a trademark. For each pending action, disclose:8
(1) The forum and case number.
(2) The nature of claims made opposing the franchisor's use of the trademark or by the franchisor opposing another person's use of the trademark.
(3) Any effective court or administrative agency ruling in the matter.
g. Disclose any currently effective agreements that significantly limit the franchisor's rights to use or license the use of trademarks listed in this section in a manner material to the franchise. For each agreement, disclose:
(1) The manner and extent of the limitation or grant.
(2) The extent to which the agreement may affect the franchisee.
(3) The agreement's duration.
(4) The parties to the agreement.
(5) The circumstances when the agreement may be canceled or modified.
(6) All other material terms.
h. Disclose:
(1) Whether the franchisor must protect the franchisee's right to use the principal trademarks listed in this section, and must protect the franchisee against claims of infringement or unfair competition arising out of the franchisee's use of the trademarks.
(2) The franchisee's obligation to notify the franchisor of the use of, or claims of rights to, a trademark identical to or confusingly similar to a trademark licensed to the franchisee.
(3) Whether the franchise agreement requires the franchisor to take affirmative action when notified of these uses or claims.
(4) Whether the franchisor or franchisee has the right to control any administrative proceedings or litigation involving a trademark licensed by the franchisor to the franchisee.
(5) Whether the franchise agreement requires the franchisor to participate in the franchisee's defense and/or indemnify the franchisee for expenses or damages if the franchisee is a party to an administrative or judicial proceeding involving a trademark licensed by the franchisor to the franchisee, or if the proceeding is resolved unfavorably to the franchisee.
(6) The franchisee's rights under the franchise agreement if the franchisor requires the franchisee to modify or discontinue using a trademark.
i. Disclose whether the franchisor knows of either superior prior rights or infringing uses that could materially affect the franchisee's use of the principal trademarks in the state where the franchised business will be located. For each use of a principal trademark that the franchisor believes is an infringement that could materially affect the franchisee's use of a trademark, disclose:
(1) The nature of the infringement.
(2) The locations where the infringement is occurring.
(3) The length of time of the infringement (to the extent known).
(4) Any action taken or anticipated by the franchisor.
14. Item 14: Patents, Copyrights, and Proprietary Information.
a. Disclose whether the franchisor owns rights in, or licenses to, patents or copyrights that are material to the franchise. Also, disclose whether the franchisor has any pending patent applications that are material to the franchise. If so, state:
(1) The nature of the patent, patent application, or copyright and its relationship to the franchise.
(2) For each patent:
(a) The duration of the patent.
(b) The type of patent (for example, mechanical, process, or design).
(c) The patent number, issuance date, and title.
(3) For each patent application:
(a) The type of patent application (for example, mechanical, process, or design).
(b) The serial number, filing date, and title.
(4) For each copyright:
(a) The duration of the copyright.
(b) The registration number and date.
(c) Whether the franchisor can and intends to renew the copyright.
b. Describe any current material determination of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office, or a court regarding the patent or copyright. Include the forum and matter number. Describe how the determination affects the franchised business.
c. State the forum, case number, claims asserted, issues involved, and effective determinations for any material proceeding pending in the United States Patent and Trademark Office or any court.9
d. If an agreement limits the use of the patent, patent application, or copyright, state the parties to and duration of the agreement, the extent to which the agreement may affect the franchisee, and other material terms of the agreement.
e. Disclose the franchisor's obligation to protect the patent, patent application, or copyright; and to defend the franchisee against claims arising from the franchisee's use of patented or copyrighted items, including:
(1) Whether the franchisor's obligation is contingent upon the franchisee notifying the franchisor of any infringement claims or whether the franchisee's notification is discretionary.
(2) Whether the franchise agreement requires the franchisor to take affirmative action when notified of infringement.
(3) Who has the right to control any litigation.
(4) Whether the franchisor must participate in the defense of a franchisee or indemnify the franchisee for expenses or damages in a proceeding involving a patent, patent application, or copyright licensed to the franchisee.
(5) Whether the franchisor's obligation is contingent upon the franchisee modifying or discontinuing the use of the subject matter covered by the patent or copyright.
(6) The franchisee's rights under the franchise agreement if the franchisor requires the franchisee to modify or discontinue using the subject matter covered by the patent or copyright.
f. If the franchisor knows of any patent or copyright infringement that could materially affect the franchisee, disclose:
(1) The nature of the infringement.
(2) The locations where the infringement is occurring.
(3) The length of time of the infringement (to the extent known).
(4) Any action taken or anticipated by the franchisor.
g. If the franchisor claims proprietary rights in other confidential information or trade secrets, describe in general terms the proprietary information communicated to the franchisee and the terms for use by the franchisee. The franchisor need only describe the general nature of the proprietary information, such as whether a formula or recipe is considered to be a trade secret.
15. Item 15: Obligation to Participate in the Actual Operation of the Franchise Business.
a. Disclose the franchisee's obligation to participate personally in the direct operation of the franchisee's business and whether the franchisor recommends participation. Include obligations arising from any written agreement or from the franchisor's practice.
b. If personal "on-premises" supervision is not required, disclose the following:
(1) If the franchisee is an individual, whether the franchisor recommends on-premises supervision by the franchisee.
(2) Limits on whom the franchisee can hire as an on-premises supervisor.
(3) Whether an on-premises supervisor must successfully complete the franchisor's training program.
(4) If the franchisee is a business entity, the amount of equity interest, if any, that the on-premises supervisor must have in the franchisee's business.
c. Disclose any restrictions that the franchisee must place on its manager (for example, maintain trade secrets, covenants not to compete).
16. Item 16: Restrictions on What the Franchisee May Sell.
Disclose any franchisor-imposed restrictions or conditions on the goods or services that the franchisee may sell or that limit access to customers, including:
a. Any obligation on the franchisee to sell only goods or services approved by the franchisor.
b. Any obligation on the franchisee to sell all goods or services authorized by the franchisor.
c. Whether the franchisor has the right to change the types of authorized goods or services and whether there are limits on the franchisor's right to make changes.
17. Item 17: Renewal, Termination, Transfer, and Dispute Resolution.
Disclose, in the following tabular form, a table that cross-references each enumerated franchise relationship item with the applicable provision in the franchise or related agreement. Title the table "THE FRANCHISE RELATIONSHIP" in capital letters and bold type.
a. Describe briefly each contractual provision. If a particular item is not applicable, state "Not Applicable."
b. If the agreement is silent about one of the listed provisions, but the franchisor unilaterally offers to provide certain benefits or protections to franchisees as a matter of policy, use a footnote to describe the policy and state whether the policy is subject to change.
c. In the summary column for Item 17 c, state what the term "renewal" means for your franchise system, including, if applicable, a statement that franchisees may be asked to sign a contract with materially different terms and conditions than their original contract.
Item 17 Table THE FRANCHISE RELATIONSHIP |
[In bold] This table lists certain important provisions of the franchise and related agreements. You should read these provisions in the agreements attached to this disclosure document. |
Provision | Section in franchise or other agreement | Summary |
a. Length of the franchise term | | |
b. Renewal or extension of the term | | |
c. Requirements for franchisee to renew or extend | | |
d. Termination by franchisee | | |
e. Termination by franchisor without cause | | |
f. Termination by franchisor with cause | | |
g. "Cause" defined - curable defaults | | |
h. "Cause" defined - noncurable defaults | | |
i. Franchisee's obligations on termination/nonrenewal | | |
j. Assignment of contract by franchisor | | |
k. "Transfer" by franchisee – defined | | |
l. Franchisor approval of transfer by franchisee | | |
m. Conditions for franchisor approval of transfer | | |
n. Franchisor's right of first refusal to acquire franchisee's business | | |
o. Franchisor's option to purchase franchisee's business | | |
p. Death or disability of franchisee | | |
q. Noncompetition covenants during the term of the franchise | | |
r. Noncompetition covenants after the franchise is terminated or expires | | |
s. Modification of the agreement | | |
t. Integration/merger clause | | |
u. Dispute resolution by arbitration or mediation | | |
v. Choice of forum | | |
w. Choice of law | | |
18. Item 18: Public Figures.
Disclose:
a. Any compensation or other benefit given or promised to a public figure arising from either the use of the public figure in the franchise name or symbol, or the public figure's endorsement or recommendation of the franchise to prospective franchisees.
b. The extent to which the public figure is involved in the management or control of the franchisor. Describe the public figure's position and duties in the franchisor's business structure.
c. The public figure's total investment in the franchisor, including the amount the public figure contributed in services performed or to be performed. State the type of investment (for example, common stock, promissory note).
d. For purposes of this section, a public figure means a person whose name or physical appearance is generally known to the public in the geographic area where the franchise will be located.
19. Item 19: Financial Performance Representations.
a. Begin by stating the following:
The FTC's Franchise Rule permits a franchisor to provide information about the actual or potential financial performance of its franchised and/or franchisor-owned outlets, if there is a reasonable basis for the information, and if the information is included in the disclosure document. Financial performance information that differs from that included in Item 19 may be given only if: (i) a franchisor provides the actual records of an existing outlet you are considering buying; or (ii) a franchisor supplements the information provided in this Item 19, for example, by providing information about possible performance at a particular location or under particular circumstances.
b. If a franchisor does not provide any financial performance representation in Item 19, also state:
We do not make any representations about a franchisee's future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet. If you receive any other financial performance information or projections of your future income, you should report it to the franchisor's management by contacting [name, address, and telephone number], the Federal Trade Commission, and the appropriate state regulatory agencies.
c. If the franchisor makes any financial performance representation to prospective franchisees, the franchisor must have a reasonable basis and written substantiation for the representation at the time the representation is made and must state the representation in the Item 19 disclosure. The franchisor must also disclose the following:
(1) Whether the representation is an historic financial performance representation about the franchise system's existing outlets, or a subset of those outlets, or is a forecast of the prospective franchisee's future financial performance.
(2) If the representation relates to past performance of the franchise system's existing outlets, the material basis for the representation, including:
(a) Whether the representation relates to the performance of all of the franchise system's existing outlets or only to a subset of outlets that share a particular set of characteristics (for example, geographic location, type of location such as free standing vs. shopping center, degree of competition, length of time the outlets have operated, services or goods sold, services supplied by the franchisor, and whether the outlets are franchised or franchisor-owned or -operated).
(b) The dates when the reported level of financial performance was achieved.
(c) The total number of outlets that existed in the relevant period and, if different, the number of outlets that had the described characteristics.
(d) The number of outlets with the described characteristics whose actual financial performance data were used in arriving at the representation.
(e) Of those outlets whose data were used in arriving at the representation, the number and percent that actually attained or surpassed the stated results.
(f) Characteristics of the included outlets, such as those characteristics noted in subdivision c (2)(a) of Item 19, that may differ materially from those of the outlet that may be offered to a prospective franchisee.
(3) If the representation is a forecast of future financial performance, state the material basis and assumptions on which the projection is based. The material assumptions underlying a forecast include significant factors upon which a franchisee's future results are expected to depend. These factors include, for example, economic or market conditions that are basic to a franchisee's operation, and encompass matters affecting, among other things, a franchisee's sales, the cost of goods or services sold, and operating expenses.
(4) A clear and conspicuous admonition that a new franchisee's individual financial results may differ from the result stated in the financial performance representation.
(5) A statement that written substantiation for the financial performance representation will be made available to the prospective franchisee upon reasonable request.
d. If a franchisor wishes to disclose only the actual operating results for a specific outlet being offered for sale, it need not comply with this section, provided the information is given only to potential purchasers of that outlet.
e. If a franchisor furnishes financial performance information according to this section, the franchisor may deliver to a prospective franchisee a supplemental financial performance representation about a particular location or variation, apart from the disclosure document. The supplemental representation must:
(1) Be in writing.
(2) Explain the departure from the financial performance representation in the disclosure document.
(3) Be prepared in accordance with the requirements of subdivision c (1) through (4) of this item.
(4) Be furnished to the prospective franchisee.
20. Item 20: Outlets and Franchisee Information.
a. Disclose, in the following tabular form, the total number of franchised and company-owned outlets for each of the franchisor's last three fiscal years. For this item, "outlet" includes outlets of a type substantially similar to that offered to the prospective franchisee. A sample Item 20a table is attached as Appendix B.
Table No. 1 Systemwide Outlet Summary For years [--] to [--] |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 |
Outlet Type | Year | Outlets at the Start of the Year | Outlets at the End of the Year | Net Change |
Franchised | 2004 | | | |
2005 | | | |
2006 | | | |
Company-Owned | 2004 | | | |
2005 | | | |
2006 | | | |
Total Outlets | 2004 | | | |
2005 | | | |
2006 | | | |
(1) In column 1, include three outlet categories titled "franchised," "company-owned," and "total outlets."
(2) In column 2, state the last three fiscal years.
(3) In column 3, state the total number of each type of outlet operating at the beginning of each fiscal year.
(4) In column 4, state the total number of each type of outlet operating at the end of each fiscal year.
(5) In column 5, state the net change, and indicate whether the change is positive or negative, for each type of outlet during each fiscal year.
b. Disclose, in the following tabular form, the number of franchised and company-owned outlets and changes in the number and ownership of outlets located in each state during each of the last three fiscal years. Except as noted, each change in ownership shall be reported only once in the following tables. If multiple events occurred in the process of transferring ownership of an outlet, report the event that occurred last in time. If a single outlet changed ownership two or more times during the same fiscal year, use footnotes to describe the types of changes involved and the order in which the changes occurred.
(1) Disclose, in the following tabular form, the total number of franchised outlets transferred in each state during each of the franchisor's last three fiscal years. For this item, "transfer" means the acquisition of a controlling interest in a franchised outlet, during its term, by a person other than the franchisor or an affiliate. A sample Item 20 b Table is attached as Appendix C.
Table No. 2 Transfers of Outlets from Franchisees to New Owners (other than the Franchisor) For years [--] to [--] |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
State | Year | Number of Transfers |
| 2004 | |
2005 | |
2006 | |
| 2004 | |
2005 | |
2006 | |
Total | 2004 | |
2005 | |
2006 | |
(a) In column 1, list each state with one or more franchised outlets.
(b) In column 2, state the last three fiscal years.
(c) In column 3, state the total number of completed transfers in each state during each fiscal year.
(2) Disclose, in the following tabular form, the status of franchisee-owned outlets located in each state for each of the franchisor's last three fiscal years. A sample Item 20 c table is attached as Appendix D.
Table No. 3 Status of Franchised Outlets For years [--] to [--] |
Col. 1 | Col. 2 | Col. 3 | Col. 4 | Col. 5 | Col. 6 | Col. 7 | Col. 8 | Col. 9 |
State | Year | Outlets at Start of Year | Outlets Opened | Terminations | Nonrenewals | Reacquired by Franchisor | Ceased Operations- Other Reasons | Outlets at End of the Year |
| 2004 | | | | | | | |
2005 |
2006 |
| 2004 | | | | | | | |
2005 |
2006 |
Totals | | | | | | | | |
(a) In column 1, list each state with one or more franchised outlets.
(b) In column 2, state the last three fiscal years.
(c) In column 3, state the total number of franchised outlets in each state at the start of each fiscal year.
(d) In column 4, state the total number of franchised outlets opened in each state during each fiscal year. Include both new outlets and existing company-owned outlets that a franchisee purchased from the franchisor. (Also report the number of existing company-owned outlets that are sold or granted to a franchisee in Column 7 of Table 4).
(e) In column 5, state the total number of franchised outlets that were terminated in each state during each fiscal year. For purposes of this item, "termination" means the franchisor's termination of a franchise agreement prior to the end of its term and without providing any consideration to the franchisee (whether by payment or forgiveness or assumption of debt).
(f) In column 6, state the total number of nonrenewals in each state during each fiscal year. For purposes of this item, "nonrenewal" occurs when the franchise agreement for a franchised outlet is not renewed at the end of its term.
(g) In column 7, state the total number of franchised outlets reacquired by the franchisor in each state during each fiscal year. For purposes of this item, a "reacquisition" means the franchisor's acquisition for consideration (whether by payment or forgiveness or assumption of debt) of a franchised outlet during its term. (Also report franchised outlets reacquired by the franchisor in column 5 of Table 4).
(h) In column 8, state the total number of outlets in each state not operating as one of the franchisor's outlets at the end of each fiscal year for reasons other than termination, nonrenewal, or reacquisition by the franchisor.
(i) In column 9, state the total number of franchised outlets in each state at the end of the fiscal year.
(3) Disclose, in the following tabular form, the status of company-owned outlets located in each state for each of the franchisor's last three fiscal years. A sample Item 20 d table is attached as Appendix E.
Table No. 4 Status of Company-Owned Outlets For years [--] to [--] |
Col. 1 | Col. 2 | Col. 3 | Col. 4 | Col. 5 | Col. 6 | Col. 7 | Col. 8 |
State | Year | Outlets at Start of the Year | Outlets Opened | Outlets Reacquired From Franchisee | Outlets Closed | Outlets Sold to Franchisee | Outlets at End of the Year |
| 2004 | | | | | | |
2005 | | | | | | |
2006 | | | | | | |
| 2004 | | | | | | |
2005 | | | | | | |
2006 | | | | | | |
Totals | 2004 | | | | | | |
2005 | | | | | | |
2006 | | | | | | |
(a) In column 1, list each state with one or more company-owned outlets.
(b) In column 2, state the last three fiscal years.
(c) In column 3, state the total number of company-owned outlets in each state at the start of the fiscal year.
(d) In column 4, state the total number of company-owned outlets opened in each state during each fiscal year.
(e) In column 5, state the total number of franchised outlets reacquired from franchisees in each state during each fiscal year.
(f) In column 6, state the total number of company-owned outlets closed in each state during each fiscal year. Include both actual closures and instances when an outlet ceases to operate under the franchisor's trademark.
(g) In column 7, state the total number of company-owned outlets sold or granted to franchisees in each state during each fiscal year.
(h) In column 8, state the total number of company-owned outlets operating in each state at the end of each fiscal year.
c. Disclose, in the following tabular form, projected new franchised and company-owned outlets. A sample Item 20 e table is attached as Appendix F.
Table No. 5 Projected Openings As Of [Last Day of Last Fiscal Year] |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
State | Franchise Agreements Signed But Outlet Not Opened | Projected New Franchised Outlet In The Next Fiscal Year | Projected New Company-Owned Outlet In the Next Fiscal Year |
Total | | | |
(1) In column 1, list each state where one or more franchised or company-owned outlets are located or are projected to be located.
(2) In column 2, state the total number franchise agreements that had been signed for new outlets to be located in each state as of the end of the previous fiscal year where the outlet had not yet opened.
(3) In column 3, state the total number of new franchised outlets in each state projected to be opened during the next fiscal year.
(4) In column 4, state the total number of new company-owned outlets in each state that are projected to be opened during the next fiscal year.
d. Disclose the names of all current franchisees and the address and telephone number of each of their outlets. Alternatively, disclose this information for all franchised outlets in the state, but if these franchised outlets total fewer than 100, disclose this information for franchised outlets from contiguous states and then the next closest states until at least 100 franchised outlets are listed.
e. Disclose the name, city and state, and current business telephone number, or if unknown, the last known home telephone number of every franchisee who had an outlet terminated, canceled, not renewed, or otherwise voluntarily or involuntarily ceased to do business under the franchise agreement during the most recently completed fiscal year or who has not communicated with the franchisor within 10 weeks of the disclosure document issuance date.10 State in immediate conjunction with this information: "If you buy this franchise, your contact information may be disclosed to other buyers when you leave the franchise system."
f. If a franchisor is selling or granting a previously-owned franchised outlet now under its control, disclose the following additional information for that outlet for the last five fiscal years. This information may be attached as an addendum to a disclosure document, or, if disclosure has already been made, then in a supplement to the previously furnished disclosure document.
(1) The name, city and state, current business telephone number, or if unknown, last known home telephone number of each previous owner of the outlet;
(2) The time period when each previous owner controlled the outlet;
(3) The reason for each previous change in ownership (for example, termination, nonrenewal, voluntary transfer, ceased operations); and
(4) The time period(s) when the franchisor retained control of the outlet (for example, after termination, nonrenewal, or reacquisition).
g. Disclose whether franchisees signed confidentiality clauses during the last three fiscal years. If so, state the following: "In some instances, current and former franchisees sign provisions restricting their ability to speak openly about their experience with [name of franchise system]. You may wish to speak with current and former franchisees, but be aware that not all such franchisees will be able to communicate with you." Franchisors may also disclose the number and percentage of current and former franchisees who during each of the last three fiscal years signed agreements that include confidentiality clauses and may disclose the circumstances under which such clauses were signed.
h. Disclose, to the extent known, the name, address, telephone number, email address, and website address (to the extent known) of each trademark-specific franchisee organization associated with the franchise system being offered, if such organization:
(1) Has been created, sponsored, or endorsed by the franchisor. If so, state the relationship between the organization and the franchisor (for example, the organization was created by the franchisor, sponsored by the franchisor, or endorsed by the franchisor).
(2) Is incorporated or otherwise organized under state law and asks the franchisor to be included in the franchisor's disclosure document during the next fiscal year. Such organizations must renew their request on an annual basis by submitting a request no later than 60 days after the close of the franchisor's fiscal year. The franchisor has no obligation to verify the organization's continued existence at the end of each fiscal year. Franchisors may also include the following statement: "The following independent franchisee organizations have asked to be included in this disclosure document."
21. Item 21: Financial Statements.
a. Include the following financial statements prepared according to United States generally accepted accounting principles, as revised by any future United States government mandated accounting principles, or as permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as provided in subdivision b of this item, these financial statements must be audited by an independent certified public accountant using generally accepted United States auditing standards. Present the required financial statements in a tabular form that compares at least two fiscal years.
(1) The franchisor's balance sheet for the previous two fiscal year-ends before the disclosure document issuance date.
(2) Statements of operations, stockholders equity, and cash flows for each of the franchisor's previous three fiscal years.
(3) Instead of the financial disclosures required by subdivisions a (1) and (2) of this item, the franchisor may include financial statements of any of its affiliates if the affiliate's financial statements satisfy subdivisions a (1) and (2) of this item and the affiliate absolutely and unconditionally guarantees to assume the duties and obligations of the franchisor under the franchise agreement. The affiliate's guarantee must cover all of the franchisor's obligations to the franchisee, but need not extend to third parties. If this alternative is used, attach a copy of the guarantee to the disclosure document.
(4) When a franchisor owns a direct or beneficial controlling financial interest in a subsidiary, its financial statements should reflect the financial condition of the franchisor and its subsidiary.
(5) Include separate financial statements for the franchisor and any subfranchisor, as well as for any parent that commits to perform postsale obligations for the franchisor or guarantees the franchisor's obligations. Attach a copy of any guarantee to the disclosure document.
b. A start-up franchise system may phase-in the use of the financial statements specified in subdivisions a (1) and (2) of this item by providing, at a minimum, the following statements at the indicated times:
(1) The franchisor's first partial or full fiscal year selling or granting franchises. | An audited opening balance sheet. |
(2) The franchisor's second fiscal year selling or granting franchises. | Audited balance sheet opinion as of the end of the first partial or full fiscal year selling or granting franchises. |
(3) The franchisor's third and subsequent fiscal years selling or granting franchises. | All required financial statements for the previous fiscal year, plus any previously disclosed audited statements that still must be disclosed according to subdivisions a (1) and (2) of this item. |
(4) Start-up franchisors may phase-in the disclosure of all financial statements required in subdivisions a (1) and (2) of this item, provided the franchisor:
(a) Prepares audited statements of operations, stockholders equity, and cash flows as soon as practicable.
(b) Prepares all unaudited statements in a format that conforms as closely as possible to audited statements.
(c) Includes one or more years of unaudited statements of operations or clearly and conspicuously discloses in this section that the franchisor has not been in business for three years or more, and cannot include all financial statements required in subdivisions a (1) and (2) of this item.
22. Item 22: Contracts.
Attach a copy of all proposed agreements regarding the franchise offering, including the franchise agreement and any lease, options, and purchase agreements.
23. Item 23: Receipts.
Include two copies of the following detachable acknowledgment of receipt in the following form as the last pages of the disclosure document:
a. State the following:
Receipt
This disclosure document summarizes certain provisions of the franchise agreement and other information in plain language. Read this disclosure document and all agreements carefully.
If [name of franchisor] offers you a franchise, it must provide this disclosure document to you 14 calendar days before you sign a binding agreement with, or make a payment to, the franchisor or an affiliate in connection with the proposed franchise sale or grant.
If [name of franchisor] does not deliver this disclosure document on time or if it contains a false or misleading statement, or a material omission, a violation of federal law and state law may have occurred and should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580 and [state agency].
b. Disclose the name, principal business address, and telephone number of each franchise seller offering the franchise.
c. State the issuance date.
d. If not disclosed in Item 1, state the name and address of the franchisor's registered agent authorized to receive service of process.
e. State the following:
I received a disclosure document dated that included the following Exhibits:
f. List the title(s) of all attached Exhibits.
g. Provide space for the prospective franchisee's signature and date.
h. Franchisors may include any specific instructions for returning the receipt (for example, street address, email address, facsimile telephone number).
Appendix A: Sample Item 10 Table Summary of Financing Offered |
Item Financed | Source of Financing | Down Payment | Amount Financed | Term (Yrs) | Interest Rate | Monthly Payment | Prepay Penalty | Security Required | Liability Upon Default | Loss of Legal Right on Default |
Initial Fee | | | | | | | | | | |
Land/ Constr | | | | | | | | | | |
Leased Space | | | | | | | | | | |
Equip. Lease | | | | | | | | | | |
Equip. Purchase | | | | | | | | | | |
Opening Inventory | | | | | | | | | | |
Other Financing | | | | | | | | | | |
Appendix B: Sample Item 20(1) Table – Systemwide Outlet Summary Systemwide Outlet Summary For years 2004 to 2006 |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 | Column 5 |
Outlet Type | Year | Outlets at the Start of the Year | Outlets at the End of the Year | Net Change |
Franchised | 2004 | 859 | 1,062 | +203 |
2005 | 1,062 | 1,296 | +234 |
2006 | 1,296 | 2,720 | +1,424 |
Company Owned | 2004 | 125 | 145 | +20 |
2005 | 145 | 76 | -69 |
2006 | 76 | 141 | +65 |
Total Outlets | 2004 | 984 | 1,207 | +223 |
2005 | 1,207 | 1,372 | +165 |
2006 | 1,372 | 2,861 | +1,489 |
Appendix C: Sample Item 20(2) Table – Transfers of Franchised Outlets Transfers of Outlets from Franchisees to New Owners (other than the Franchisor) For years 2004 to 2006 |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 |
State | Year | Number of Transfers |
NC | 2004 | 1 |
2005 | 0 |
2006 | 2 |
SC | 2004 | 0 |
2005 | 0 |
2006 | 2 |
Total | 2004 | 1 |
2005 | 0 |
2006 | 4 |
Appendix D: Sample Item 20(3) Table – Status of Franchise Outlets Status of Franchise Outlets For years 2004 to 2006 |
Col. 1 | Col. 2 | Col. 3 | Col. 4 | Col. 5 | Col. 6 | Col. 7 | Col. 8 | Col. 9 |
State | Year | Outlets at Start of Year | Outlets Opened | Terminations | Non-Renewals | Reacquired by Franchisor | Ceased Operations-Other Reasons | Outlets at End of the Year |
AL | 2004 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
2005 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
2006 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
AZ | 2004 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
2005 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 26 |
2006 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
Totals | 2004 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 35 |
2005 | 36 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 41 |
2006 | 41 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 45 |
Appendix E: Sample Item 20(4) Table – Status of Company-Owned Outlets Status of Company-Owned Outlets For years 2004 to 2006 |
Col. 1 | Col 2 | Col. 3 | Col. 4 | Col. 5 | Col. 6 | Col. 7 | Col. 8 |
State | Year | Outlets at Start of the Year | Outlets Opened | Outlets Reacquired From Franchisees | Outlets Closed | Outlets Sold to Franchisees | Outlets at End of the Year |
NY | 2004 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
2005 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
2006 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
OR | 2004 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
2005 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
2006 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Totals | 2004 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
2005 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
2006 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Appendix F: Sample Item 20(5) Table – Projected New Franchised Outlets Projected New Franchised Outlets As of December 31, 2006 |
Column 1 | Column 2 | Column 3 | Column 4 |
State | Franchise Agreements Signed But Outlet Not Opened | Projected New Franchised Outlet in the Next Fiscal Year | Projected New Company-Owned Outlets in the Next Fiscal Year |
CO | 2 | 3 | 1 |
NM | 0 | 4 | 2 |
Total | 2 | 7 | 3 |
1 Franchisors may include a summary opinion of counsel concerning any action if counsel consent to use the summary opinion and the full opinion is attached to the disclosure document.
2 If a settlement agreement must be disclosed in this item, all material settlement terms must be disclosed, whether or not the agreement is confidential. However, franchisors need not disclose the terms of confidential settlements entered into before commencing franchise sales.
3 If fees may increase, disclose the formula that determines the increase or the maximum amount of the increase. For example, a percentage of gross sales is acceptable if the franchisor defines the term "gross sales."
4 Franchisors may include the reason for the requirement. Franchisors need not disclose in this item the purchase or lease of goods or services provided as part of the franchise without a separate charge (such as initial training, if the cost is included in the franchise fee). Describe such fees in Item 5. Do not disclose fees already described in Item 6.
5 Take figures from the franchisor's most recent annual audited financial statement required in Item 21. If the entity deriving the income is an affiliate, disclose the sources of information used in computing revenues.
6 Indirect offers of financing include a written arrangement between a franchisor or its affiliate and a lender, for the lender to offer financing to a franchisee; an arrangement in which a franchisor or its affiliate receives a benefit from a lender in exchange for financing a franchise purchase; and a franchisor's guarantee of a note, lease, or other obligation of the franchisee.
7 Include sample copies of the financing documents as an exhibit to Item 22. Cite the section and name of the document containing the financing terms and conditions.
8 The franchisor may include an attorney's opinion relative to the merits of litigation or of an action if the attorney issuing the opinion consents to its use. The text of the disclosure may include a summary of the opinion if the full opinion is attached and the attorney issuing the opinion consents to the use of the summary.
9 If counsel consents, the franchisor may include a counsel's opinion or a summary of the opinion if the full opinion is attached.
10 Franchisors may substitute alternative contact information at the request of the former franchisee, such as a home address, post office address, or a personal or business email address.
VA.R. Doc. No. R09-1785; Filed April 7, 2009, 4:23 p.m.