Exempted securities
Additional exemptions
Small issues exemptive authority
The Commission may from time to time by its rules and regulations, and subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed therein, add any class of securities to the securities exempted as provided in this section, if it finds that the enforcement of this subchapter with respect to such securities is not necessary in the public interest and for the protection of investors by reason of the small amount involved or the limited character of the public offering; but no issue of securities shall be exempted under this subsection where the aggregate amount at which such issue is offered to the public exceeds $5,000,000.
Additional issues
Limitation
Only the following types of securities may be exempted under a rule or regulation adopted pursuant to paragraph (2): equity securities, debt securities, and debt securities convertible or exchangeable to equity interests, including any guarantees of such securities.
Periodic disclosures
Upon such terms and conditions as the Commission determines necessary in the public interest and for the protection of investors, the Commission by rule or regulation may require an issuer of a class of securities exempted under paragraph (2) to make available to investors and file with the Commission periodic disclosures regarding the issuer, its business operations, its financial condition, its corporate governance principles, its use of investor funds, and other appropriate matters, and also may provide for the suspension and termination of such a requirement with respect to that issuer.
Adjustment
1Not later than 2 years after , and every 2 years thereafter, the Commission shall review the offering amount limitation described in paragraph (2)(A) and shall increase such amount as the Commission determines appropriate. If the Commission determines not to increase such amount, it shall report to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate on its reasons for not increasing the amount.
Securities issued by small investment company
15 U.S.C. 661The Commission may from time to time by its rules and regulations and subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed therein, add to the securities exempted as provided in this section any class of securities issued by a small business investment company under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 [ et seq.] if it finds, having regard to the purposes of that Act, that the enforcement of this subchapter with respect to such securities is not necessary in the public interest and for the protection of investors.
May 27, 1933, ch. 3848 Stat. 75June 6, 1934, ch. 40448 Stat. 906Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104Aug. 9, 1935, ch. 49849 Stat. 557June 29, 1938, ch. 811, § 1552 Stat. 1240May 15, 1945, ch. 12259 Stat. 167Aug. 10, 1954, ch. 66768 Stat. 684Pub. L. 85–699, title III, § 307(a)72 Stat. 694Pub. L. 91–373, title IV, § 401(a)84 Stat. 718Pub. L. 91–547, § 27(b)84 Stat. 1434Pub. L. 91–56584 Stat. 1480Pub. L. 91–567, § 6(a)84 Stat. 1498Pub. L. 94–210, title III, § 308(a)(1)90 Stat. 56Pub. L. 95–283, § 1892 Stat. 275Pub. L. 95–425, § 292 Stat. 962Pub. L. 95–598, title III, § 30692 Stat. 2674Pub. L. 96–477, title III, § 30194 Stat. 2291Pub. L. 97–261, § 19(d)96 Stat. 1121Pub. L. 99–514, § 2100 Stat. 2095Pub. L. 100–181, title II101 Stat. 1252Pub. L. 103–325, title III, § 320108 Stat. 2225Pub. L. 104–62, § 3109 Stat. 684Pub. L. 104–290, title V, § 508(b)110 Stat. 3447Pub. L. 106–102, title II, § 221(a)113 Stat. 1401Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(5) [title II, § 208(a)(2)]114 Stat. 2763Pub. L. 108–359, § 1(b)118 Stat. 1666Pub. L. 111–203, title IX, § 985(a)(1)124 Stat. 1933Pub. L. 112–106, title IV, § 401(a)126 Stat. 323Pub. L. 112–142, § 2126 Stat. 989(, title I, § 3, ; , title II, § 202, ; , title II, § 214, as added , ; amended , ; , ; , title I, § 5, ; , , ; , , ; , (c), , ; , , ; , , ; , (3), , , 57; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title VII, § 701, , , 2294; , , ; , , ; , §§ 203, 204, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , , 2763A–435; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 103 of title 26Pub. L. 99–514, title XIII, § 1301(a)100 Stat. 2602, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), which related to interest on certain governmental obligations was amended generally by , , , and as so amended relates to interest on State and local bonds. Section 103(b)(2) (formerly section 103(c)(2)), which prior to the general amendment defined industrial development bond, relates to the applicability of the interest exclusion to arbitrage bonds.
act Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 68654 Stat. 789section 80a–51 of this titleThe Investment Company Act of 1940, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is title I of , , which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 80a–1 et seq.) of chapter 2D of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see and Tables.
section 926 of Pub. L. 111–203section 77d of this titleSection 926 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(G)(ii), is , which is set out as a note under .
Pub. L. 112–106, referred to in subsec. (b)(5), was in the original “the date of enactment of the Small Company Capital Formation Act of 2011”, and was translated as meaning the date of enactment of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, , which enacted subsec. (b)(5), to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Pub. L. 85–69972 Stat. 689section 661 of this titleThe Small Business Investment Act of 1958, referred to in subsec. (c), is , , , which is classified principally to chapter 14B (§ 661 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
Amendments
Pub. L. 112–142section 403(b)(9) of title 26section 414(e)(3)(A) of title 26section 414(e)(3)(B) of title 26section 401(c)(1) of title 262012—Subsec. (a)(2). inserted “(other than a retirement income account described in , to the extent that the interest or participation in such single trust fund or collective trust fund is issued to a church, a convention or association of churches, or an organization described in establishing or maintaining the retirement income account or to a trust established by any such entity in connection with the retirement income account)” after “403(b) of title 26” and “(other than a person participating in a church plan who is described in )” after “(ii) which covers employees some or all of whom are employees within the meaning of ”.
Pub. L. 112–106Subsec. (b). inserted subsec. heading, designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, and added pars. (2) to (5).
Pub. L. 111–2032010—Subsec. (a)(4). substituted “individual,” for “individual;”.
Pub. L. 108–3592004—Subsec. (a)(2). struck out “or” before “(C) a governmental plan” and substituted “or (D) a church plan, company, or account that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, other than any plan described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), or (D)” for “other than any plan described in clause (A), (B), or (C)”.
Pub. L. 106–5542000—Subsec. (a)(14). added par. (14).
Pub. L. 106–1021999—Subsec. (a)(2). substituted “or any interest or participation in any common trust fund or similar fund that is excluded from the definition of the term ‘investment company’ under section 3(c)(3) of the Investment Company Act of 1940” for “or any interest or participation in any common trust fund or similar fund maintained by a bank exclusively for the collective investment and reinvestment of assets contributed thereto by such bank in its capacity as trustee, executor, administrator, or guardian”.
Pub. L. 104–2901996—Subsec. (a)(13). added par. (13).
Pub. L. 104–621995—Subsec. (a)(4). inserted at end “or any security of a fund that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(10)(B) of the Investment Company Act of 1940;”.
Pub. L. 103–3251994—Subsec. (a)(12). added par. (12).
Pub. L. 100–181, § 2031987—Subsec. (a)(1). , substituted “Reserved.” for “Any security which, prior to or within sixty days after , has been sold or disposed of by the issuer or bona fide offered to the public, but this exemption shall not apply to any new offering of any such security by an issuer or underwriter subsequent to such sixty days;”.
Pub. L. 100–181, § 204Subsec. (a)(5)(A). , struck out “, except that the foregoing exemption shall not apply with respect to any such security where the issuer takes from the total amount paid or deposited by the purchaser, by way of any fee, cash value or other device whatsoever, either upon termination of the investment at maturity or before maturity, an aggregate amount in excess of 3 per centum of the face value of such security” after “any such institution”.
Pub. L. 99–5141986—Subsec. (a)(2), (5). substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954” wherever appearing, which for purposes of codification was translated as “title 26” thus requiring no change in text.
Pub. L. 97–2611982—Subsec. (a)(6). struck out provisions relating to any security issued by a motor carrier subject to provisions of section 314 [11302] of title 49.
Pub. L. 96–477, § 701section 414(d) of title 26section 403(b) of title 261980—Subsec. (a)(2). , provided that single trust funds did not have to be maintained by banks in order to qualify for exemption from the provisions of this subchapter, substituted provisions relating to securities arising out of contracts issued by insurance companies for provisions relating to separate accounts maintained by insurance companies, provided that an interest, participation, or security could be issued in connection with certain governmental plans as defined in and qualify for exemption from the provisions of this subchapter, and excluded from exemption plans described in cls. (A), (B), or (C) of par. (2) which were funded by annuity contracts described in .
Pub. L. 96–477, § 301Subsec. (b). , substituted “$5,000,000” for “$2,000,000”.
Pub. L. 95–598, § 306(a)1978—Subsec. (a)(7). , substituted “or debtor in possession in a case under title 11” for “in bankruptcy”.
Pub. L. 95–598, § 306(b)Subsec. (a)(9), (10). , substituted “Except with respect to a security exchanged in a case under title 11, any” for “Any”.
Pub. L. 95–425Subsec. (b). substituted “$2,000,000” for “$1,500,000”.
Pub. L. 95–283 substituted “$1,500,000” for “$500,000”.
Pub. L. 94–210section 314 of title 49section 20a of title 491976—Subsec. (a)(6). substituted provisions relating to any security issued by a motor carrier subject to the provisions of or any interest in a railroad equipment trust, and provisions defining “interest in a railroad equipment trust”, for provisions relating to any security issued by a common or contract carrier, subject to the provisions of .
Pub. L. 91–567section 103(a)(1) of title 26section 401 of title 26section 404(a)(2) of title 26section 77e of this titlesection 401(c)(1) of title 261970—Subsec. (a)(2). exempted any interest or participation in any common trust fund or similar fund maintained by a bank exclusively for the collective investment and reinvestment of assets contributed thereto by such bank in its capacity as trustee, executor, administrator, or guardian, any security which is an industrial development bond the interest on which is excludable from gross income under , any interest or participation in a single or collective trust fund maintained by a bank or in a separate account maintained by an insurance company which interest or participation is issued in connection with a stock bonus, pension, or profit-sharing plan which meets the requirements for qualification under , or an annuity plan which meets the requirements for the deduction of the employer’s contribution under , directed the Commission to exempt from the provisions of any interest or participation issued in connection with a stock bonus, pension, profit-sharing, or annuity plan which covers employees some or all of whom are employees within the meaning of if and to the extent that the Commission determines this to be necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors, and provided that for the purposes of this paragraph a security issued or guaranteed by a bank shall not include any interest or participation in any collective trust fund maintained by a bank, and that in the case of a common trust fund or similar fund, or a collective trust fund, the term “bank” has the same meaning as in the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Pub. L. 91–547, § 27(b)section 103(a)(1) of title 26section 401 of title 26, struck out reference to industrial development bonds the interest on which is excludable from gross income under ; and exempted from registration provisions interests or participations in common trust funds maintained by a bank for collective investment of assets held by it in a fiduciary capacity interests or participations in bank collective trust funds maintained for funding of employees’ stock bonus, pension, or profit-sharing plans; interests or participations in separate accounts maintained by insurance companies for funding certain stock-bonus, pension, or profit-sharing plans which meet the requirements for qualification under ; and interests or participations issued by bank collective trust funds or insurance company separate accounts for funding certain stock-bonus, pension, profit-sharing, or annuity plans when the Commission by rule, regulation, or order determines this to be necessary in the public interest; provided that a security issued or guaranteed by a bank shall not include any interest or participation in any collective trust fund maintained by a bank; substituted where first appearing “security issued or guaranteed by any bank” for “security issued or guaranteed by any national bank, or by any banking institution organized under the laws of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, the business of which is substantially confined to banking and is supervised by the State or Territorial banking commission or similar official”, the latter provision now incorporated in a separate definition of term “bank”; and made the Investment Company Act definition of bank applicable as in the case of a common trust fund or similar fund, or a collective trust fund.
Pub. L. 91–373section 103(a)(1) of title 26 inserted reference to industrial development bonds the interest on which is excludable from gross income under .
Pub. L. 91–547, § 27(c)Subsec. (a)(5). , designated existing provisions as cl. (A), included cooperative bank issues, required the issuer to be an institution which is supervised and examined by State or Federal authority having supervision over such institution, struck out “substantially all the business of which is confined to the making of loans to members” after “similar institution” and substituted provisions designated as cl. (B) for prior provision relating to a security issued by a farmers’ cooperative association as defined in paragraphs (12), (13), and (14) of section 103 of the Revenue Act of 1932.
Pub. L. 91–565Subsec. (b). substituted “$500,000” for “$300,000”.
Pub. L. 85–6991958—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).
1954—Subsec. (a)(11). Act , inserted “offered and” before “sold”.
1945—Subsec. (b). Act , substituted “$300,000” for “$100,000”.
1938—Subsec. (a)(6). Act , reenacted par. (6) without change.
1935—Subsec. (a)(6). Act , as added by act , included a security issued by a contract carrier.
1934—Subsec. (a). Act , amended pars. (2), (4), and (8) and added pars. (9) to (11).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2010 Amendment
Pub. L. 111–203section 4 of Pub. L. 111–203section 5301 of Title 12Amendment by effective 1 day after , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Banks and Banking.
Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Pub. L. 106–102, title II, § 225113 Stat. 1402
Effective Date of 1995 Amendment
Pub. L. 104–62, § 7109 Stat. 686
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Pub. L. 97–261, § 3196 Stat. 1129
Effective Date of 1978 Amendment
Pub. L. 95–598section 402(a) of Pub. L. 95–598section 101 of Title 11Amendment by effective , see set out as an Effective Date note preceding , Bankruptcy.
Effective Date of 1976 Amendment
Pub. L. 94–210, § 308(d)(1)90 Stat. 57
Effective Date of 1970 Amendments
Pub. L. 91–567, § 6(d)84 Stat. 1499
Pub. L. 91–547section 30 of Pub. L. 91–547section 80a–52 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .
Pub. L. 91–373, title IV, § 401(c)84 Stat. 718
Effective Date of 1954 Amendment
section 77b of this titleAmendment by act , effective 60 days after , see note under .
Repeals
Aug. 9, 1935, ch. 49849 Stat. 557Pub. L. 97–449, § 7(b)96 Stat. 2443Section 214 of act (the Interstate Commerce Act), as added , , cited as a credit to this section, was repealed by , , , 2444.
Further Promoting the Adoption of the NAIC Model Regulations That Enhance Protection of Seniors and Other Consumers
Pub. L. 111–203, title IX, § 989J124 Stat. 1949
In General .—
Rule of Construction .—
section 989J of Pub. L. 111–203section 5301 of Title 12[For definitions of terms used in , set out above, see , Banks and Banking.]
Securities and Investment Company Provisions Inapplicable to Certain Life Insurance Benefits Issued Prior to
Pub. L. 91–547, § 2984 Stat. 1436
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
64 Stat. 1265section 78d of this titleFor transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission, with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg. Plan No. 10 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. , 15 F.R. 3175, , set out under .