Section 10-04-10.3 - Postregistration provisions1. Every broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, and investment adviser representative conducting business in this state shall make and keep such accounts, correspondence, memoranda, papers, books, and other records as described below: a. With the exclusion of a broker-dealer whose activities are limited to the sale of securities that it issues and who is not a member or required to be a member of any self-regulatory organization, every broker-dealer registered in or conducting business in this state, and each branch office located in or conducting business in this state, must keep and maintain all records as required by:(1) Federal statutes or by rules or regulations promulgated by the securities and exchange commission.(2) Rules promulgated by any securities exchange or self-regulatory organization of which the broker-dealer is a member.(3) The laws, rules, or regulations of any state in which the broker-dealer is registered or maintains a place of business from which it conducts securities business in North Dakota.b. Every investment adviser which maintains its principal place of business in any state, other than this state, and is registered as an investment adviser in the state in which it maintains its principal place of business, shall keep and maintain such books and records as required by the state in which it maintains its principal place of business.c. Every investment adviser which maintains its principal place of business in this state, or is not registered or exempt from registration in the state in which it maintains its principal place of business, shall keep and maintain the following books and records for a period of three years:(1) Financial documents of the investment adviser which shall include: (a) Journals and ledgers tracking income and expenses of the investment adviser. These documents must be continually maintained to within thirty days of current.(b) Trial balances, financial statements, and internal audit papers.(c) Checkbooks and statements on any type of account on which the investment adviser has check-writing privileges.(d) Statements regarding any account of the investment adviser with any insurance company, broker-dealer, investment adviser, federal covered adviser, or financial institution.(2) A file which contains copies of all incoming and outgoing correspondence between the investment adviser or its representative and any of its customers, prospective customers, or former customers.(3) A file containing a copy of each customer complaint against the investment adviser or a representative of the investment adviser.(4) A file containing all advertisements used by the investment adviser or a representative of the investment adviser. To the extent that past performance of the investment adviser is used in advertising materials, the investment adviser shall maintain all accounts, records, and internal working papers that form the basis of the performance of the investment adviser.(5) Copies of all contracts between the investment adviser and its customers.(6) A manual regarding the supervisory procedures of the investment adviser, unless the investment adviser is wholly owned by the only representative of the investment adviser and the investment adviser has no employees.(7) With respect to discretionary accounts:(a) A list of all discretionary accounts.(b) A file containing all discretionary trading agreements.(c) A list of all trades that were conducted on a discretionary basis.(8) All records created by the investment adviser or provided by a client or prospective client of an investment adviser regarding the financial condition of the client or prospective client.(9) Records tracking all securities purchased by or advice provided by the investment adviser and the payment for the services if any. These records shall disclose whether the investment adviser or the investment adviser representative had any direct or indirect beneficial interest in the investment involved.(10) A copy of part 2 of the form ADV, annually updated and filed with the department, and a summary of material changes to part 1 and part 2 of form ADV, as required to be filed with the department within ninety days of the material change.(11) A list of all parties to whom referral fees have been paid and the amount of money paid to each such person.(12) A record containing the date of receipt and date of transmission of customer funds provided to the investment adviser for the purpose of deposit with the custodian of the investment adviser. Copies of any checks or electronic transfer instructions, must be maintained with the record. All records required to be maintained pursuant to subdivision a or b must be preserved as set forth in the rules or regulations of the jurisdiction originating the recordkeeping requirement. The commissioner may by rule enhance or waive the requirements of this subsection.
It is a violation of this subsection for any person who is registered, required to be registered, or is affiliated with or employed by any such entity, to create or cause to be created any record discussed in this subsection, if such record contains a material misstatement or misrepresentation regarding a customer or a customer's investments and the person knew or should have known of the falsity of the information or acted in reckless disregard of the truthfulness of the information.
2. Every registered broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, and investment adviser representative shall file such financial reports as the commissioner prescribes by rule.3. If the information contained in any document filed with the commissioner is or becomes inaccurate or incomplete in any material respect, the registrant shall promptly file a correcting amendment.4. All the records of any registered person are subject at any time or from time to time to such reasonable periodic, special, or other examinations by representatives of the commissioner, within or outside this state, as the commissioner deems necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors. For the purpose of avoiding unnecessary duplication of examinations, the commissioner, if deemed practicable in administering this subsection, may cooperate with the securities administrators of other states, the securities and exchange commission, any national securities exchange or national securities association registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or any other jurisdiction, agency, or organization charged by law or statute with regulating or prosecuting any aspect of the securities business, and in so cooperating may share any information obtained as a result of any investigation or examination.5. The commissioner and the commissioner's representatives may copy records or require a registrant to copy records and provide the copies to the commissioner and the commissioner's representatives to the extent and in a manner reasonable under the circumstances.Amended by S.L. 2023 , ch. 101( SB 2060 ), § 6, eff. 7/1/2023.