(a) In an offering of asset-backed securities where the asset pool includes securities of another issuer (“underlying securities”), unless the underlying securities are themselves exempt from registration under section 3 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 77c), the offering of the relevant underlying securities itself must be registered as a primary offering of such securities in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section unless all of the following are true. Terms used in this section have the same meaning as in Item 1101 of Regulation AB (§229.1101 of this chapter).

(1) Neither the issuer of the underlying securities nor any of its affiliates has a direct or indirect agreement, arrangement, relationship or understanding, written or otherwise, relating to the underlying securities and the asset-backed securities transaction;

(2) Neither the issuer of the underlying securities nor any of its affiliates is an affiliate of the sponsor, depositor, issuing entity or underwriter of the asset-backed securities transaction;

(3) If the underlying securities are restricted securities, as defined in §230.144(a)(3), §230.144 must be available for the sale of the securities, provided however, that notwithstanding any other provision of §230.144, §230.144 shall only be so available if at least two years have elapsed since the later of the date the securities were acquired from the issuer of the underlying securities or from an affiliate of the issuer of the underlying securities; and

(4) The depositor would be free to publicly resell the underlying securities without registration under the Act. For example, the offering of the asset-backed security does not constitute part of a distribution of the underlying securities. An offering of asset-backed securities with an asset pool containing underlying securities that at the time of the purchase for the asset pool are part of a subscription or unsold allotment would be a distribution of the underlying securities. For purposes of this section, in an offering of asset-backed securities involving a sponsor, depositor or underwriter that was an underwriter or an affiliate of an underwriter in a registered offering of the underlying securities, the distribution of the asset-backed securities will not constitute part of a distribution of the underlying securities if the underlying securities were purchased at arm's length in the secondary market at least three months after the last sale of any unsold allotment or subscription by the affiliated underwriter that participated in the registered offering of the underlying securities.

(b) If all of the conditions in paragraph (a) of this section are not met, the offering of the relevant underlying securities itself must be registered as a primary offering of such securities in accordance with the following:

(1) If the offering of asset-backed securities is registered on Form SF-3 (§239.45 of this chapter), the offering of the underlying securities itself must be eligible to be registered under Form SF-3, Form S-3 (§239.13 of this chapter), or F-3 (§239.33 of this chapter) as a primary offering of such securities;

(2) The plan of distribution in the registration statement for the offering of the underlying securities contemplates this type of distribution at the time of the commencement of the offering of the asset-backed securities;

(3) The prospectus for the asset-backed securities offering describes the plan of distribution for both the underlying securities and the asset-backed securities;

(4) The prospectus relating to the offering of the underlying securities is delivered simultaneously with the delivery of the prospectus relating to the offering of the asset-backed securities, and the prospectus for the asset-backed securities includes disclosure that the prospectus for the offering of the underlying securities will be delivered along with, or is combined with, the prospectus for the offering of the asset-backed securities;

(5) The prospectus for the asset-backed securities offering identifies the issuing entity, depositor, sponsor and each underwriter for the offering of the asset-backed securities as an underwriter for the offering of the underlying securities; and

(6) Neither prospectus disclaims or limits responsibility by the issuing entity, sponsor, depositor, trustee or any underwriter for information regarding the underlying securities.

(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, if the asset pool for the asset-backed securities includes a pool asset representing an interest in or the right to the payments or cash flows of another asset pool, then that pool asset is not considered an “underlying security” for purposes of this section (although its distribution in connection with the asset-backed securities transaction may need to be separately registered) if the following conditions are met:

(1) Both the issuing entity for the asset-backed securities and the entity issuing the pool asset were established under the direction of the same sponsor and depositor;

(2) The pool asset is created solely to satisfy legal requirements or otherwise facilitate the structuring of the asset-backed securities transaction;

(3) The pool asset is not part of a scheme to avoid registration or the requirements of this section; and

(4) The pool asset is held by the issuing entity and is a part of the asset pool for the asset-backed securities.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (c) of this section (that is, although the pool asset described in paragraph (c) of this section is an not an “underlying security” for purposes of this section), if the pool assets for the asset-backed securities are collateral certificates or special units of beneficial interest, those collateral certificates or special units of beneficial interest must be registered concurrently with the registration of the asset-backed securities. However, pursuant to §230.457(t) no separate registration fee for the certificates or special units of beneficial interest is required to be paid.

[70 FR 1615, Jan. 7, 2005, as amended at 72 FR 71571, Dec. 17, 2007; 79 FR 57328, Sept. 24, 2014; 80 FR 6652, Feb. 6, 2015]