Michigan § 451.2401 - Broker-dealer registration; requirements; exemptions; limitation on employment or association; employment or association with certain individuals prohibited; rule or order.

(1) A person shall not transact business in this state as a broker-dealer unless the person is registered under this act as a broker-dealer or is exempt from registration as a broker-dealer under subsection (2) or (4).

(2) The following persons are exempt from the registration requirement of subsection (1):

(a) A broker-dealer if the broker-dealer does not have a place of business in this state and if the broker-dealer's only transactions effected in this state are with any of the following:

(i) The issuer of the securities involved in the transactions.

(ii) A broker-dealer registered as a broker-dealer under this act or not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under this act.

(iii) An institutional investor.

(iv) A nonaffiliated federal covered investment adviser with investments under management in excess of $100,000,000.00 acting for the account of others pursuant to discretionary authority in a signed record.

(v) A bona fide preexisting customer whose principal place of residence is not in this state and the broker-dealer is registered as a broker-dealer under the securities exchange act of 1934 or not required to be registered under the securities exchange act of 1934 and is registered under the securities act of the state in which the customer maintains a principal place of residence.

(vi) A bona fide preexisting customer whose principal place of residence is in this state but who was not present in this state when the customer relationship was established, if both of the following are met:

(A) The broker-dealer is registered under the securities exchange act of 1934 or not required to be registered under the securities exchange act of 1934 and is registered under the securities laws of the state in which the customer relationship was established and where the customer had maintained a principal place of residence.

(B) Within 45 days after the customer's first transaction in this state, the person files an application for registration as a broker-dealer in this state and a further transaction is not effected more than 75 days after the date on which the application is filed, or, if earlier, the date on which the administrator notifies the person that the administrator has denied the application for registration or has stayed the pendency of the application for good cause.

(vii) Not more than 3 customers in this state during the previous 12 months, in addition to those specified in subparagraphs (i) to (vi) and under subparagraph (viii), if the broker-dealer is registered under the securities exchange act of 1934 or not required to be registered under the securities exchange act of 1934 and is registered under the securities act of the state in which the broker-dealer has its principal place of business.

(viii) Any other person exempted by rule or order under this act.

(b) A person that deals solely in United States government securities and is supervised as a dealer in government securities by the board of governors of the federal reserve system, the comptroller of the currency, the federal deposit insurance corporation, or the office of thrift supervision.

(c) A person licensed or registered as a mortgage broker, mortgage lender, or mortgage servicer under the mortgage brokers, lenders, and servicers licensing act, 1987 PA 173, MCL 445.1651 to 445.1684, in the offer or sale of mortgage loans as defined in section 1a of the mortgage brokers, lenders, and servicers licensing act, 1987 PA 173, MCL 445.1651a.

(d) A person that is registered as a Michigan investment market under article 4A and that deals in securities solely in its capacity as a Michigan investment market.

(3) A broker-dealer, or an issuer engaged in offering, offering to purchase, purchasing, or selling securities in this state, shall not directly or indirectly employ or associate with an individual to engage in an activity related to securities transactions in this state if the registration of the individual is suspended or revoked or the individual is barred from employment or association with a broker-dealer, an issuer, an investment adviser, or a federal covered investment adviser by an order of the administrator under this act, the securities and exchange commission, a securities regulator of another state, or a self-regulatory organization. A broker-dealer or issuer does not violate this subsection if the broker-dealer or issuer did not know and in the exercise of reasonable care could not have known of the suspension, revocation, or bar. If requested by a broker-dealer or issuer and if good cause is shown, an order under this act may modify or waive, in whole or in part, the application of the prohibitions of this subsection.

(4) A rule or order under this act may permit any of the following:

(a) A broker-dealer that is registered in Canada or other foreign jurisdiction and that does not have a place of business in this state to effect transactions in securities with or for, or attempt to effect the purchase or sale of any securities by, any of the following:

(i) An individual from Canada or other foreign jurisdiction who is temporarily present in this state and with whom the broker-dealer had a bona fide customer relationship before the individual entered the United States.

(ii) An individual from Canada or other foreign jurisdiction who is present in this state and whose transactions are in a self-directed tax advantaged retirement plan of which the individual is the holder or contributor in that foreign jurisdiction.

(iii) An individual who is present in this state, with whom the broker-dealer customer relationship arose while the individual was temporarily or permanently resident in Canada or the other foreign jurisdiction.

(b) An agent who represents a broker-dealer that is exempt under this subsection to effect transactions in securities or attempt to effect the purchase or sale of any securities in this state as permitted for a broker-dealer described in subdivision (a).