A. It is unlawful for a person to transact business in New Mexico as an investment adviser unless the person is registered pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act as an investment adviser or is exempt from registration as an investment adviser pursuant to Subsection B of this section.

B. The following persons are exempt from the registration requirement of Subsection A of this section:

(1)     a person without a place of business in New Mexico that is registered pursuant to the securities act of the state in which the person has its principal place of business if its only clients in New Mexico are:

(a) federal covered investment advisers, investment advisers registered pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act or broker-dealers registered pursuant to that act;

(b) institutional investors;

(c) bona fide preexisting clients whose principal places of residence are not in New Mexico if the investment adviser is registered pursuant to the securities act of the state in which the clients maintain principal places of residence; or

(d) any other client exempted by rule adopted or order issued pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act;

(2)     a person without a place of business in New Mexico if the person has had, during the preceding twelve months, not more than five clients that are residents in New Mexico in addition to those specified pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this subsection; or

(3)     any other person exempted by rule adopted or order issued pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act.

C. It is unlawful for an investment adviser, directly or indirectly, to employ or associate with an individual to engage in an activity related to investment advice in New Mexico if the registration of the individual is suspended or revoked or the individual is barred from employment or association with an investment adviser, federal covered investment adviser or broker-dealer by an order of the director pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act, the securities and exchange commission or a self- regulatory organization, unless the investment adviser did not know, and in the exercise of reasonable care could not have known, of the suspension, revocation or bar. Upon request from the investment adviser and for good cause, the director, by order, may waive, in whole or in part, the application of the prohibitions of this subsection to the investment adviser.

D. It is unlawful for an investment adviser to employ or associate with an individual required to be registered pursuant to the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act as an investment adviser representative who transacts business in New Mexico on behalf of the investment adviser unless the individual is registered pursuant to Subsection A of Section 404 [58-13C-404 N.M. Stat. Ann.] of the New Mexico Uniform Securities Act or is exempt from registration pursuant to Subsection B of Section 404 of that act.