37-25A-3. Exemptions.
The following business opportunities are exempt from §§37-25A-7 to 37-25A-24, inclusive:
(1)Any offer or sale of a business opportunity for which the immediate cash payment made by the purchaser for any business opportunity is at least twenty-five thousand dollars if the immediate cash payment does not exceed twenty percent of the purchaser's net worth as determined exclusive of principal residence, furnishings therein, and automobiles. However, the director of the Division of Insurance may, by rules adopted pursuant to chapter 1-26, withdraw or further condition the availability of this exemption;
(2)Any offer or sale of a business opportunity for which the purchaser is required to make a payment to the seller or a person recommended by the seller that is less than five hundred dollars during the period from any time before commencing operation to within six months after commencing operation of the business opportunity;
(3)Any offer or sale of a business opportunity if the seller has a net worth of not less than one million dollars as determined by the seller's most recent audited financial statement, prepared within thirteen months of the first offering in this state. Net worth may be determined on a consolidated basis if the seller is at least eighty percent owned by one person and that person expressly guarantees the obligations of the seller with regard to the offer or sale of any business opportunity claimed to be exempt under this subdivision. The director may, by rules adopted pursuant to chapter 1-26, withdraw or further condition the availability of this exemption;
(4)Any offer or sale of a business opportunity if the purchaser is a bank, savings and loan association, trust company, insurance company, credit union, or investment company as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, pension or profit sharing trust, or other financial institution or institutional buyer or a dealer registered pursuant to chapter 47-31B, if the purchaser is acting for itself or in a fiduciary capacity;
(5)Any offer or sale of a business opportunity which is defined as a franchise in subdivision 37-25A-1(4) if the seller delivers to each purchaser at least fourteen calendar days prior to the earlier of the execution by a purchaser of any contract or agreement imposing a binding legal obligation on the purchaser or the payment by a purchaser of any consideration in connection with the offer or sale of the business opportunity, a disclosure document as defined in §37-5B-1 and notice filed with the Division of Insurance pursuant to §§37-5B-1 to 37-5B-50, inclusive, or any offer or sale of a business opportunity that is exempt from the disclosure requirements as set forth in 16 C.F.R. Part 437 as of January 1, 2008;
(6)Any offer or sale of a business opportunity for which the cash payment made by a purchaser for any business opportunity does not exceed five hundred dollars and the payment is made for the not-for-profit sale of sales demonstration equipment, material, or samples, or the payment is made for product inventory sold to the purchaser at a bona fide wholesale price;
(7)Any offer or sale of a business opportunity which the director exempts by order or a class of business opportunities which the director exempts by rule upon the finding that such exemption is not contrary to public interest and that registration is not necessary or appropriate for the protection of purchasers.
Source: SL 1985, ch 305, §3; SL 1989, ch 30, §65; SL 2003, ch 211, §1; SL 2004, ch 278, §64; SL 2008, ch 203, §57; SL 2017, ch 231 (Ex. Ord. 17-2), §19, eff. Apr. 13, 2017.
Structure South Dakota Codified Laws
Chapter 25A - Business Opportunities
Section 37-25A-1 - Definitions.
Section 37-25A-2 - Exclusions from definition of business opportunity.
Section 37-25A-3 - Exemptions.
Section 37-25A-4 - Revocation or denial of exemption--Procedure.
Section 37-25A-6 - Offer or sale without knowledge of order revoking or denying exemption.
Section 37-25A-7 - Offer or sale of opportunity not registered or exempt prohibited.
Section 37-25A-8 - Filings required to register opportunity.
Section 37-25A-10 - Fee for registration.
Section 37-25A-11 - Effective date of registration.
Section 37-25A-12 - Term of registration--Renewal statement and fee--Sales report.
Section 37-25A-13 - Rule requiring filing of advertising and literature authorized.
Section 37-25A-14 - Delivery of written disclosure document to purchaser required.
Section 37-25A-15 - Form and content of disclosure statement.
Section 37-25A-16 - Business opportunity contract to be written--Copy to purchaser.
Section 37-25A-17 - Required contract provisions.
Section 37-25A-18 - Denial, revocation, or suspension of registration--Grounds.
Section 37-25A-19 - Limitation of revocation, suspension, or denial proceeding.
Section 37-25A-21 - Prerequisites to entry of stop order.
Section 37-25A-22 - Vacation or modification of orders--Grounds.
Section 37-25A-24 - Period bond required--Notice required prior to lapse.
Section 37-25A-25 - Use or disclosure of information by director restricted.
Section 37-25A-27 - Administration of oaths--Subpoena power--Taking evidence.
Section 37-25A-28 - Enforcement of subpoena.
Section 37-25A-31 - Appeal of director's order.
Section 37-25A-32 - Promulgation of rules and forms.
Section 37-25A-34 - Liability not imposed on acts conforming to rule, form or order.
Section 37-25A-35 - Receipt by director as filing--Records maintained--Public inspection.
Section 37-25A-36 - Interpretive opinions by director--Fee.
Section 37-25A-37 - Sales and offers subject to chapter.
Section 37-25A-38 - Offers to sell made in this state.
Section 37-25A-39 - Offers to sell accepted in this state.
Section 37-25A-40 - Offers to sell not made in this state.
Section 37-25A-41 - Conduct constituting appointment of director as attorney for service of process.
Section 37-25A-42 - Continuances where process served under chapter.
Section 37-25A-46 - Advertising with misleading statements or omissions prohibited.
Section 37-25A-47 - Violations as felonies--Separate offenses.
Section 37-25A-48 - Civil liability for registration violations.
Section 37-25A-49 - Civil liability for representation violations.
Section 37-25A-50 - Action on bond.
Section 37-25A-51 - Liability of person aiding or controlling violator.
Section 37-25A-52 - Limitation of actions to enforce civil liability.
Section 37-25A-53 - Rights and remedies under chapter additional.