The following transactions are exempt from RCW 21.20.040 through 21.20.300 and 21.20.327 except as expressly provided:
(1) Any isolated transaction, or sales not involving a public offering, whether effected through a broker-dealer or not; or any transaction effected in accordance with any rule by the director establishing a nonpublic offering exemption pursuant to this subsection where registration is not necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors.
(2) Any nonissuer transaction by a registered salesperson of a registered broker-dealer, and any resale transaction by a sponsor of a unit investment trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 pursuant to any rule adopted by the director.
(3) Any nonissuer transaction effected by or through a registered broker-dealer pursuant to an unsolicited order or offer to buy; but the director may by rule require that the customer acknowledge upon a specified form that the sale was unsolicited, and that a signed copy of each such form be preserved by the broker-dealer for a specified period.
(4) Any transaction between the issuer or other person on whose behalf the offering is made and an underwriter, or among underwriters.
(5) Any transaction in a bond or other evidence of indebtedness secured by a real or chattel mortgage or deed of trust, or by an agreement for the sale of real estate or chattels, if the entire mortgage, deed of trust, or agreement, together with all the bonds or other evidences of indebtedness secured thereby, is offered and sold as a unit. A bond or other evidence of indebtedness is not offered and sold as a unit if the transaction involves:
(a) A partial interest in one or more bonds or other evidences of indebtedness secured by a real or chattel mortgage or deed of trust, or by an agreement for the sale of real estate or chattels; or
(b) One of multiple bonds or other evidences of indebtedness secured by one or more real or chattel mortgages or deeds of trust, or agreements for the sale of real estate or chattels, sold to more than one purchaser as part of a single plan of financing; or
(c) A security including an investment contract other than the bond or other evidence of indebtedness.
(6) Any transaction by an executor, administrator, sheriff, marshal, receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, guardian, or conservator.
(7) Any transaction executed by a bona fide pledgee without any purpose of evading this chapter.
(8) Any offer or sale to a bank, savings institution, trust company, insurance company, investment company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, pension or profit-sharing trust, or other financial institution or institutional buyer, or to a broker-dealer, whether the purchaser is acting for itself or in some fiduciary capacity.
(9) Any transaction effected in accordance with the terms and conditions of any rule adopted by the director if:
(a) The aggregate offering amount does not exceed five million dollars; and
(b) The director finds that registration is not necessary in the public interest and for the protection of investors.
(10) Any offer or sale of a preorganization certificate or subscription if (a) no commission or other remuneration is paid or given directly or indirectly for soliciting any prospective subscriber, (b) the number of subscribers does not exceed ten, and (c) no payment is made by any subscriber.
(11) Any transaction pursuant to an offer to existing security holders of the issuer, including persons who at the time of the transaction are holders of convertible securities, nontransferable warrants, or transferable warrants exercisable within not more than ninety days of their issuance, if (a) no commission or other remuneration (other than a standby commission) is paid or given directly or indirectly for soliciting any security holder in this state, or (b) the issuer first files a notice specifying the terms of the offer and the director does not by order disallow the exemption within the next five full business days.
(12) Any offer (but not a sale) of a security for which registration statements have been filed under both this chapter and the Securities Act of 1933 if no stop order or refusal order is in effect and no public proceeding or examination looking toward such an order is pending under either act.
(13) The issuance of any stock dividend, whether the corporation distributing the dividend is the issuer of the stock or not, if nothing of value is given by stockholders for the distribution other than the surrender of a right to a cash dividend where the stockholder can elect to take a dividend in cash or stock.
(14) Any transaction incident to a right of conversion or a statutory or judicially approved reclassification, recapitalization, reorganization, quasi reorganization, stock split, reverse stock split, merger, consolidation, or sale of assets.
(15) The offer or sale by a registered broker-dealer, or a person exempted from the registration requirements pursuant to RCW 21.20.040, acting either as principal or agent, of securities previously sold and distributed to the public: PROVIDED, That:
(a) Such securities are sold at prices reasonably related to the current market price thereof at the time of sale, and, if such broker-dealer is acting as agent, the commission collected by such broker-dealer on account of the sale thereof is not in excess of usual and customary commissions collected with respect to securities and transactions having comparable characteristics;
(b) Such securities do not constitute the whole or a part of an unsold allotment to or subscription or participation by such broker-dealer as an underwriter of such securities or as a participant in the distribution of such securities by the issuer, by an underwriter or by a person or group of persons in substantial control of the issuer or of the outstanding securities of the class being distributed; and
(c) The security has been lawfully sold and distributed in this state or any other state of the United States under this or any act regulating the sale of such securities.
(16) Any transaction by a mutual or cooperative association meeting the requirements of (a) and (b) of this subsection:
(a) The transaction:
(i) Does not involve advertising or public solicitation; or
(ii) Involves advertising or public solicitation, and:
(A) The association first files a notice of claim of exemption on a form prescribed by the director specifying the terms of the offer and the director does not by order deny the exemption within the next ten full business days; or
(B) The association is an employee cooperative and identifies itself as an employee cooperative in advertising or public solicitation.
(b) The transaction involves an instrument or interest, that:
(i)(A) Qualifies its holder to be a member or patron of the association;
(B) Represents a contribution of capital to the association by a person who is or intends to become a member or patron of the association;
(C) Represents a patronage dividend or other patronage allocation; or
(D) Represents the terms or conditions by which a member or patron purchases, sells, or markets products, commodities, or services from, to, or through the association; and
(ii) Is nontransferable except in the case of death, operation of law, bona fide transfer for security purposes only to the association, a bank, or other financial institution, intrafamily transfer, transfer to an existing member or person who will become a member, or transfer by gift to any person organized and operated as a nonprofit organization as defined in RCW 84.36.800(4) that also possesses a current tax exempt status under the laws of the United States, and, in the case of an instrument, so states conspicuously on its face.
(17) Any transaction effected in accordance with any rule adopted by the director establishing a limited offering exemption which furthers objectives of compatibility with federal exemptions and uniformity among the states, provided that in adopting any such rule the director may require that no commission or other remuneration be paid or given to any person, directly or indirectly, for effecting sales unless the person is registered under this chapter as a broker-dealer or salesperson.
[ 2006 c 220 § 1; 1998 c 15 § 14; 1989 c 307 § 34. Prior: 1987 c 457 § 13; 1987 c 421 § 9; 1986 c 90 § 1; 1981 c 272 § 6; 1979 ex.s. c 68 § 21; 1977 ex.s. c 172 § 2; 1975 1st ex.s. c 84 § 17; 1974 ex.s. c 77 § 6; 1972 ex.s. c 79 § 1; 1961 c 37 § 8; 1959 c 282 § 32.]
NOTES:
Legislative finding—1989 c 307: See note following RCW 23.86.007.
Application—1989 c 307: See RCW 23.86.900.
Effective date—Application—1987 c 421: "Sections 1 through 8 of this act shall take effect January 1, 1988. The director of licensing may take whatever action is necessary to implement this act on its effective date. This act applies to any person, individual, corporation, partnership, or association whether or not in existence on or prior to January 1, 1988." [ 1987 c 421 § 12.]
Effective date—1986 c 90: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1986." [ 1986 c 90 § 3.]
Effective date—1974 ex.s. c 77: See note following RCW 21.20.040.