§ 51A-17-53 — Exemptions to chapter.

This chapter does not apply to: (1) An operator of a payment system to the extent that it provides processing, clearing, or settlement services, between or among persons exempted by this section or licensees, in connection with wire transfers, credit card transactions, debit card transactions, stored-value transactions, automated clearing house transfers, or similar funds transfers; (2) A person appointed as an agent of a payee to collect and process a payment from a payor to the payee for goods or services, other than the money transmission itself, provided to the payor by the payee, provided that: (a) There exists a written agreement between the payee and the agent directing the agent to collect and process payments from payors on the payee's behalf; (b) The payee holds the agent out to the public as accepting payments for goods or services on the payee's behalf; and (c) Payment for the goods and services is treated as received by the payee upon receipt by the agent so that the payor's obligation is extinguished and there is no risk of loss to the payor if the agent fails to remit the funds to the payee; (3) A person that acts as an intermediary by processing payments between an entity that has directly incurred an outstanding money transmission obligation to a sender, and the sender's designated recipient, provided that the entity: (a) Is properly licensed or exempt from licensing requirements under this chapter; (b) Provides a receipt, electronic record, or other written confirmation to the sender identifying the entity as the provider of money transmission in the transaction; and (c) Bears sole responsibility to satisfy the outstanding money transmission obligation to the sender, including the obligation to make the sender whole in connection with any failure to transmit the funds to the sender's designated recipient; (4) The United States, a department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, or its agent; (5) Money transmission by the United States Postal Service or by an agent of the United States Postal Service; (6) A state, county, city, or any other governmental agency or governmental subdivision or instrumentality of a state, or its agent; (7) A federally insured depository financial institution, bank holding company, office of an international banking corporation, foreign bank that establishes a federal branch pursuant to the International Bank Act, 12 U.S.C. § 3102 (January 1, 2024), corporation organized pursuant to the Bank Service Corporation Act, 12 U.S.C. §§ 1861-1867 (January 1, 2024), or corporation organized under the Edge Act, 12 U.S.C. §§ 611-633 (January 1, 2024); (8) Electronic funds transfer of governmental benefits for a federal, state, county, or governmental agency by a contractor on behalf of the United States or a department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, or on behalf of a state or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof; (9) A board of trade designated as a contract market under the federal Commodity Exchange Act, 7 U.S.C. §§ 1-25 (January 1, 2024), or a person that, in the ordinary course of business, provides clearance and settlement services for a board of trade to the extent of its operation as or for the board; (10) A registered futures commission merchant under the federal commodities laws to the extent of its operation as a merchant; (11) A person registered as a securities broker-dealer under federal or state securities laws to the extent of its operation as a broker-dealer; (12) An individual employed by a licensee, authorized delegate, or any person exempted from the licensing requirements of this chapter when acting within the scope of employment and under the supervision of the licensee, authorized delegate, or exempted person as an employee and not as an independent contractor; (13) A person expressly appointed as a third-party service provider to or agent of an entity exempt under subdivision (7) of this section, solely to the extent that: (a) The service provider or agent is engaging in money transmission on behalf of and pursuant to a written agreement with the exempt entity that sets forth the specific functions that the service provider or agent is to perform; and (b) The exempt entity assumes all risk of loss and all legal responsibility for satisfying the outstanding money transmission obligations owed to purchasers and holders of the outstanding money transmission obligations upon receipt of the purchaser's or holder's money or monetary value by the service provider or agent; (14) A person exempt by regulation or order if the director finds the exemption to be in the public interest and that the regulation of the person is not necessary for the purposes of this chapter; (15) A South Dakota chartered trust company; and (16) A person appointed as an agent of a payor for purposes of providing payroll processing services for which the agent would otherwise need to be licensed, provided all of the following apply: (a) There is a written agreement between the payor and the agent that directs the agent to provide payroll processing services on the payor’s behalf; (b) The payor holds the agent out to employees and other payees as providing payroll processing services on the payor’s behalf; and (c) The payor’s obligation to a payee, including an employee or any other party entitled to receive funds via the payroll processing services provided by the agent, shall not be extinguished if the agent fails to remit the funds to the payee. The director may require that any person claiming to be exempt from licensing pursuant to this section provide information and documentation to the director demonstrating that it qualifies for any claimed exemption.

Legislative History

SL 2024, ch 196, § 2.