Link to an amendment published at 85 FR 26102, May 1, 2020.

1. (a) As used in this section Deferred sales load shall mean any sales load, including a contingent deferred sales load, that is deducted upon redemption or annuitization of amounts representing all or a portion of a securityholder's interest in a registered separate account.

2. (b) A registered separate account, and any depositor of or principal underwriter for such account, shall be exempt from the provisions of sections 2(a)(32), 2(a)(35), 22(c), 26(a)(2)(C), 27(c)(1), 27(c)(2), and 27(d) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(32), 80a-2(a)(35), 80a-22(c), 80a-26(a)(2)(C), 80a-27(c)(1), 80a-27(c)(2), and 80a-27(d), respectively) and rule 22c-1 under the Act (17 CFR 270.22c-1) to the extent necessary to permit them to impose a deferred sales load on any variable annuity contract participating in such account, Provided, That:

   1. (1) The amount of any such sales load imposed, when added to any sales load previously paid on such contract, shall not exceed 9 percent of purchase payments made to date for such contract; and
   2. (2) The terms of any offer to exchange another contract for the contract are in compliance with the requirements of paragraph (d) or (e) of rule 11a-2 under the Act (17 CFR 270.11a-2).

3. (c) A registered separate account, and any depositor of or principal underwriter for such account, shall be exempt from sections 2(a)(32), 22(c), 27(c)(1), and 27(d) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(32), 80a-22(c), 80a-27(c)(1), and 80a-27(d), respectively) and rule 22c-1 under the Act (17 CFR 270.22c-1) to the extent necessary to permit them to deduct from the value of any variable annuity contract participating in such account, upon total redemption of the contract prior to the last day of the year, the full annual fee for administrative services that otherwise would have been deducted on that date.

   (Secs. 6(c) and 38(a) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-6(c) and 80a-37(a)))

[48 FR 36098, Aug. 9, 1983]