(A) The seller of every business opportunity shall file with the Secretary of State a copy of the disclosure statement required by § 39-57-30 before placing an advertisement or making other representations to prospective purchasers in this State and shall update this filing as a material change in the required information occurs, but no less than biennially. If the seller is required by § 39-57-40 to provide a bond or establish a trust account, he contemporaneously shall file with the Secretary of State a copy of the bond or a copy of the formal notification by the depository that the trust account is established. The Secretary of State shall charge a nonrefundable filing fee of one hundred dollars for processing and maintaining the information filed by the seller.

(B) The Secretary of State shall maintain a record of all sellers registering under this chapter and shall assign a registration number to each. The seller must be advised in writing of the assigned registration number, and advertisements, pamphlets, or brochures used in the promotion of the business opportunity by the seller must include the assigned registration number in the following manner: "S.S. Reg. No. __________."

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Terms Used In South Carolina Code 39-57-50

  • business opportunity: means the sale or lease of any products, equipment, supplies, or services which are sold to the purchaser for the purpose of enabling the purchaser to start a business, for which the purchaser is required to pay the seller a fee which exceeds two hundred fifty dollars, and in which the seller represents:

    (1) that he will provide locations or assist the purchaser in finding locations for the use or operation of vending machines, racks, display cases or other similar devices, or currency-operated amusement machines or devices, on premises neither owned nor leased by the purchaser or seller; or

    (2) that he will purchase any or all products made, produced, fabricated, grown, bred, or modified by the purchaser using in whole or in part, the supplies, services, or chattels sold to the purchaser; or

    (3) that he guarantees that the purchaser will derive income from the business opportunity which exceeds the price paid for the business opportunity; or that he will refund all or part of the price paid for the business opportunity, or repurchase any of the products, equipment, supplies, or chattels supplied by the seller, if the purchaser is unsatisfied with the business opportunity; or

    (4) the seller will provide a sales program or marketing program which will enable the purchaser to derive income from the business opportunity which exceeds the price paid for the business opportunity; provided, that this subsection does not apply to the sale or a marketing program made in conjunction with the licensing of a registered trademark or service mark. See South Carolina Code 39-57-20
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC

(C) A person who fails to file is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days. Each day a person fails to file constitutes a separate offense.