(815 ILCS 705/8) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 1708)

Sec. 8. Exemptions.

(a) There shall be exempted, from the registration requirements of Section 10 of this Act, the offer and sale of a franchise if:

(1) the franchisor has a net worth on a consolidated basis, according to its most recent audited financial statement, of not less than $15,000,000; or the franchisor has a net worth, according to its most recent unaudited financial statement, of not less than $1,000,000 and is at least 80% owned by a corporation which has a net worth on a consolidated basis, according to its most recent audited financial statement, of not less than $15,000,000;

(2) the franchisee (or its parent or any affiliates) is an entity that has been in business for at least 5 years and has a net worth of at least $5,000,000; or

(3) one or more purchasers of at least 50% ownership interest in the franchise within 60 days of the sale, has been, for at least 2 years, an officer, director, general partner, individual with management responsibility for the offer and sale of the franchisor's franchises or the administrator of the franchised network; or within 60 days of the sale, has been, for at least 2 years, an owner of at least a 25% interest in the franchisor.

Provided, unless exempted by order or rule of the Administrator, the franchisor shall deliver to the prospective franchisee a disclosure statement in accordance with the requirements of Section 5(2) of this Act in connection with any transaction exempted under this Section 8(a).

(b) There shall be exempted from the provisions of Sections 5, 10, 11, and 15 of this Act the offer and sale of a franchise if the prospective franchisee qualifies as one of the following:

any bank as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 whether acting in its individual or fiduciary capacity or as an insurance company as defined in Section 2(13) of that Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-648, eff. 10-1-09.)