(a) Except as hereinafter provided in this rule, securities issued by any small business investment company which is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, or any closed-end investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 or has notified the Commission that it intends to elect to be regulated as a business development company pursuant to section 54 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, will be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, subject to the terms and conditions of §§230.601 to 230.610a. As used in this paragraph, the term small business investment company means any company which is licensed as a small business investment company under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 or which has received the preliminary approval of the Small Business Administration and has been notified by the Administration that it may submit a license application. As used in this paragraph, the term business development company means any closed-end investment company which meets the definitional requirements of section 2(a)(48) (A) and (B) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(48)).

(b) No exemption under §§230.601 to 230.610a shall be available for the securities of any issuer if such issuer or any of its affiliates:

(1) Has filed a registration statement which is the subject of any proceeding or examination under section 8 of the Act, or is the subject of any refusal order or stop order entered thereunder within five years prior to the filing of the notification;

(2) Is subject to pending proceedings under §230.610 or any similar rule adopted under section 3(b) of the Act, or to an order entered thereunder within five years prior to the filing of such notification;

(3) Has been convicted within five years prior to the filing of such notification of any crime or offense involving the purchase or sale of securities;

(4) Is subject to any order, judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, entered within five years prior to the filing of such notification, temporarily or permanently restraining or enjoining such person from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of securities;

(5) Is subject to pending proceedings under section 8(e) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 or to any suspension or revocation order issued thereunder;

(6) Is subject to an injunction issued pursuant to section 35(d) of the Investment Company Act of 1940; or

(7) Is subject to a U.S. Post Office fraud order.

(c) No exemption under §§230.601 to 230.610a shall be available for the securities of any issuer, if any of its directors, officers or principal security holders, any investment adviser or any underwriter of the securities to be offered, or any partner, director or officer of any such investment advisor or underwriter:

(1) Has been convicted within ten years prior to the filing of the notification of any crime or offense involving the purchase or sale of any security or arising out of such person's conduct as an underwriter, broker, dealer or investment adviser;

(2) Is temporarily or permanently restrained or enjoined by any court from engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or arising out of such person's conduct as an underwriter, broker, dealer or investment adviser;

(3) Is subject to an order of the Commission entered pursuant to section 15(b) or 15A(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78o(b) or 78o-3(1)); has been found by the Commission to be a cause of any such order which is still in effect; or is subject to an order of the Commission entered pursuant to section 203(e) or (f) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-3(e) or (f));

(4) Is suspended or has been expelled from membership in a national securities dealers association or a national securities exchange for conduct inconsistent with just and equitable principles of trade; or

(5) Is subject to a U.S. Post Office fraud order.

(d) No exemption under §§230.601 to 230.610a shall be available for the securities of any issuer if any underwriter of such securities, or any director, officer or partner of any such underwriter was, or was named as, an underwriter of any securities:

(1) Covered by any registration statement which is the subject of any proceeding or examination under section 8 of the Act, or is the subject of any refusal order or stop order entered thereunder within five years prior to the filing of the notification; or

(2) Covered by any filing which is subject to pending proceedings under §230.610 or any similar rule adopted under section 3(b) of the Act, or to an order entered thereunder within five years prior to the filing of such notification.

(e) Paragraph (b), (c) or (d) of this section shall not apply to the securities of any issuer if the Commission determines, upon a showing of good cause, that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the exemption be denied. Any such determination by the Commission shall be without prejudice to any other action by the Commission in any other proceeding or matter with respect to the issuer or any other person.

(Secs. 3(b) and 3(c) Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77c (b) and (c)); sec. 38, Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-37))

[23 FR 10484, Dec. 30, 1958, as amended at 49 FR 35344, Sept. 7, 1984; 78 FR 79299, Dec. 30, 2013]