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Division of Securities & Retail Franchising


Investment Advisor & Representative Registration Instructions

Note: All investment advisor and representative registrations expire annually at midnight on the 31st day of December unless renewed.

Deminimus Exemption - 21 VAC 5-80-210 BExternal Link logo allows any registered investment advisor or federally covered investment advisor who has no place of business in Virginia to have up to five clients in any prior twelve month period without the need of a Virginia registration or notice filing.

Investment Advisor Initial Registration

  • State Covered Investment Advisor Initial Registration
  • Federal Covered Investment Advisor Initial Registration
    • 21 VAC 5-80-10 DExternal Link logo requires every person transacting business in Virginia as a federal covered advisor to file notice.
    • 21 VAC 5-80-10 EExternal Link logo requires a federally covered advisor to submit:
      • completed Form ADV Part 1External Link logo;
      • the statutory fee of $200 paid from the applicant’s IARD Daily Account.

Investment Advisor Representative Initial Registration

  • Representatives of State and Federal Covered Advisors
    • 21 VAC 5-80-70 AExternal Link logo requires applicant as an investment advisor file in compliance with all requirements of the Investment Advisor Registration Depository (“IARD”) system
    • 21 VAC 5-80-70 BExternal Link logo requires an applicant file directly with the IARD system:
      • A completed Form U-4External Link logo;
      • a statutory fee of $30 paid from the applicant’s CRD Daily Account;
      • Evidence in the form of a NASD exam report of passing: (i) the Uniform Investment Advisor 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;
      • Any other information the Commission may require.
  • Employment by more than one investment advisor
    • 21 VAC 5-80-250External Link logo allows investment advisor representatives to be employed by more than one investment advisor or federal covered advisor if the following conditions are satisfied:
      • Each employing advisor is under common ownership and control;
      • Each employing advisor is registered or has filed notice in Virginia;
      • Each employing advisor executes an Investment Advisor Multiple Employment Agreement (Form S.A. 15) and files the executed agreement with the Commission at its Division of Securities and Retail Franchising prior to transacting business;
      • The representative is registered in accordance with 21VAC 5-80-70External Link logo by and on behalf of each employing advisor.
  • Representatives of a Federally Covered Advisor
    • Representatives of a Federally Covered Advisor who are not domiciled in and do not conduct business from Virginia are not required to register.

Investment Advisor Post-Registration Reporting

  • Investment Advisors and Federally Covered Advisors
    • 21 VAC 5-80-40External Link logo requires investment advisors and federal covered advisors to update Form ADVExternal Link logo as required by Item 4, "When am I required to update my Form ADV?" of Form ADV General Instructions. All such amendments shall be filed through the IARD system.
  • State Covered Advisors required to file Annual Amendment
    • 21 VAC 5-80-40External Link logo requires state covered advisors to submit an annual updating amendment within 90 days after the end of its fiscal year.
  • Investment Advisor Representatives Amendment
    • 21 VAC 5-80-100External Link logo requires all representatives to amend their Form U-4External Link logo as required by the “General Instructions” of Form U-4. All filings shall be made in compliance with all requirements of the FINRA/NASAA Registration Depository system.

Investment Advisor and Representative Annual Renewal Registration

  • State Covered Investment Advisors
    • 21 VAC 5-80-30 AExternal Link logo A state covered advisor will be billed by the Investment Advisor Registration Depository system the statutory fee of $200 prior to the annual expiration date. A renewal of registration will be granted upon payment of the proper fee unless the registration was, or the renewal would be, subject to revocation under § 13.1-506External Link logo.
  • Federal Covered Advisors
    • 21 VAC 5-80-30 BExternal Link logo A federal covered advisor will be billed by the Investment Advisor Registration Depository system the statutory fee of $200 prior to the annual expiration date. A renewal of registration will be granted upon payment of the proper fee.
  • Representative of an Investment Advisor or a Federal Covered Advisor
    • 21 VAC 5-80-90External Link logo Investment advisor representatives of an investment advisor or federal covered advisor will be billed by the Investment Advisor Registration Depository system the statutory fee of $30 per representative. A renewal of registration will be granted as a matter of course upon payment of the proper fees unless the registration was, or the renewal would be, subject to revocation under § 13.1-506External Link logo.

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