On the Series 65 or 66 exam there will likely be at least one question about registration issues for investment advisers with clients in other states. Maybe something like this:
Barry Mundy is a financial planner with a place of business in State A. Recently, three of his clients moved to State B. Barry has recently placed a billboard in State B offering a "total financial check-up, free of charge" with an 800-number and a link to a website. Therefore
A. Barry must register in State B because he is holding himself out to the public as an investment adviser in State B
B. Barry must register in State B because the clients who moved there were existing clients
C. Barry is exempt from registration requirements in State B because the number of clients there is 3
D. Barry is eligible for federal covered status due to the multi-state adviser exemption
You might have memorized the number 5 and decided that an out-of-state adviser with no more than 5 clients in State B is exempt from registration requirements there. And he is. Except when he isn't. See, that exemption is based on the fact that he is not holding himself out as an adviser in State B. Barry Mundy is definitely holding himself out as an investment adviser in State B, and right there he has to register in State B. He doesn't get to solicit clients and then stop when he gets to 5 . . . or solicit 5 clients. He's either soliciting clients in State B or he isn't. If he is, he has to register there. If he isn't, he can have 5 clients in that state without registering there. Most likely, they're existing clients or referrals . . . but if he wants to drum up business in State B, he needs to register there.
So the answer above is A.
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