Section 70. Examinations/qualifications  


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  • 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; 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, at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the General Securities Principal Qualification Exam (Series 24) or at least two principals of an applicant may provide evidence of having passed the 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, 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. This subsection 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; 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;

    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.

Historical Notes

Derived from Rule 206, Case No. SEC810005, eff. July 1, 1981; amended by Case No. SEC820019, eff. July 1, 1983; Case No. SEC830011, eff. July 2, 1984; Case No. SEC890040, eff. July 1, 1989; Volume 11, Issue 21, eff. July 1, 1995; Volume 13, Issue 25, eff. September 1, 1997; Volume 14, Issue 22, eff. July 1, 1998; Volume 15, Issue 22, eff. July 1, 1999; Volume 17, Issue 20, eff. July 1, 2001; Volume 19, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2003; Volume 25, Issue 22, eff. July 1, 2009.

Statutory Authority

§§ 12.1-13 and 13.1-523 of the Code of Virginia.