Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§80b–18a State regulation of investment advisers

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 2D— - INVESTMENT COMPANIES AND ADVISERS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - INVESTMENT ADVISERS › § 80b–18a

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Lets state securities regulators keep authority over securities and people, unless their rules conflict with the federal rules here. A state may not make an investment adviser keep extra books or records, or require higher minimum net capital or extra bonds, beyond what the state where the adviser has its main office requires, as long as the adviser is licensed or registered there and follows that state’s rules. A state also cannot force an adviser to register there if the adviser has no office in the state and had fewer than 6 clients who live there in the past 12 months, except rules that forbid fraud still apply.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §80b–18a

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Nothing in this subchapter shall affect the jurisdiction of the securities commissioner (or any agency or officer performing like functions) of any State over any security or any person insofar as it does not conflict with the provisions of this subchapter or the rules and regulations thereunder.
(b)No State may enforce any law or regulation that would require an investment adviser to maintain any books or records in addition to those required under the laws of the State in which it maintains its principal office and place of business, if the investment adviser—
(1)is registered or licensed as such in the State in which it maintains its principal office and place of business; and
(2)is in compliance with the applicable books and records requirements of the State in which it maintains its principal office and place of business.
(c)No State may enforce any law or regulation that would require an investment adviser to maintain a higher minimum net capital or to post any bond in addition to any that is required under the laws of the State in which it maintains its principal office and place of business, if the investment adviser—
(1)is registered or licensed as such in the State in which it maintains its principal office and place of business; and
(2)is in compliance with the applicable net capital or bonding requirements of the State in which it maintains its principal office and place of business.
(d)No law of any State or political subdivision thereof requiring the registration, licensing, or qualification as an investment adviser shall require an investment adviser to register with the securities commissioner of the State (or any agency or officer performing like functions) or to comply with such law (other than any provision thereof prohibiting fraudulent conduct) if the investment adviser—
(1)does not have a place of business located within the State; and
(2)during the preceding 12-month period, has had fewer than 6 clients who are residents of that State.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2010—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 111–203 substituted “principal office and place of business” for “principal place of business” wherever appearing. 1998—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 105–353 substituted “principal” for “principle”. 1996—Pub. L. 104–290 substituted “regulation” for “control” in section catchline and amended text generally, designating existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserting heading, and adding subsecs. (b) to (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2010 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective 1 day after July 21, 2010, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 5301 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

Effective Date

of 1996 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 104–290 effective 270 days after Oct. 11, 1996, see section 308(a) of Pub. L. 104–290, as amended, set out as a note under section 80b–2 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 80b–18a

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73