Agent registration requirement and exemptions
Wis. Stat. § 551.402
in effect(1) Registration requirement. It is unlawful for an individual to transact business in this state as an agent unless the individual is registered under this chapter as an agent or is exempt from registration as an agent under sub. (2).
(2) Exemptions from registration. The following individuals are exempt from the registration requirement of sub. (1):
(a) An individual who represents a broker-dealer in effecting transactions in this state limited to those described in section 15 (h) (2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 USC 78o (h) (2)).
(b) An individual who represents a broker-dealer that is exempt under s. 551.205 (1) (b) 2. or 551.401 (2) or (4).
(c) An individual who represents an issuer with respect to an offer or sale of the issuer’s own securities or those of the issuer’s parent or any of the issuer’s subsidiaries, and who is not compensated in connection with the individual’s participation by the payment of commissions or other remuneration based, directly or indirectly, on transactions in those securities.
(d) An individual who represents an issuer and who effects transactions in the issuer’s securities exempted by s. 551.202, other than s. 551.202 (11), (14) or (24).
(e) An individual who represents an issuer that effects transactions solely in federal covered securities of the issuer, but an individual who effects transactions in a federal covered security under section 18 (b) (3) or 18 (b) (4) (D) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 USC 77r (b) (3) or 77r (b) (4) (D)) is not exempt if the individual is compensated in connection with the agent’s participation by the payment of commissions or other remuneration based, directly or indirectly, on transactions in those securities.
(f) An individual who represents a broker-dealer registered in this state under s. 551.401 (1) or exempt from registration under s. 551.205 (1) (b) 2. or 551.401 (2) in the offer and sale of securities for an account of a nonaffiliated federal covered investment adviser with investments under management in excess of $100,000,000 acting for the account of others pursuant to discretionary authority in a signed record.
(g) An individual who represents an issuer in connection with the purchase of the issuer’s own securities.
(h) An individual who represents an issuer or broker-dealer and who restricts participation to performing clerical or ministerial acts.
(hm) An individual who represents a broker-dealer and effects transactions in this state exclusively with customers listed under s. 551.401 (2) (a) to (d) and (h).
(i) Any other individual exempted by rule adopted or order issued under this chapter.
(3) Registration effective only while employed or associated. The registration of an agent is effective only while the agent is employed by or associated with a broker-dealer registered under this chapter or an issuer that is offering, selling, or purchasing its securities in this state.
(4) Limit on employment or association. It is unlawful for a broker-dealer, or an issuer engaged in offering, selling, or purchasing securities in this state, to employ or associate with an agent who transacts business in this state on behalf of broker-dealers or issuers unless the agent is registered under sub. (1) for the broker-dealer or issuer or exempt from registration under sub. (2).
(5) Limit on affiliations. Except as permitted under sub. (6), an individual may not act as an agent for more than one broker-dealer or one issuer at a time, unless the broker-dealers or the issuers for which the agent acts are affiliated by direct or indirect common control or are authorized by rule or order under this chapter.
(6) Dual representation. An agent may make offers and sales of securities for more than one issuer that is a limited partnership or for more than one issuer that is an investment company without obtaining a separate registration for each limited partnership or investment company represented by the agent if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(a) The limited partnerships have the same general partner or the investment companies have the same investment adviser.
(b) An application to amend the agent’s registration to name each limited partnership or investment company as the agent’s employer is filed with and approved by the administrator before the agent makes any offer or sale in the state on behalf of the additional limited partnership or investment company.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/551.402Fetched: 10/7/2026