S t a t e  o f  V e r m o n t

Find a Registered Investment Professional

This database includes information on individuals registered with the Vermont Securities Division as investment adviser representatives and broker-dealer agents who conduct business from an office in the State of Vermont. Individuals who are registered with the Vermont Securities Division as investment adviser representatives and broker-dealer agents, but who work from a location outside of the State of Vermont, are not included in this database. The information in this database is generally updated monthly.

Important Things to Know before Doing Your Search:

You may search by town, firm name, or the professional’s last name. Enter only the first few letters of a town, firm, or name in the search field to obtain the most inclusive results.

Key terms:

• BD = Broker-Dealer Agent. A broker-dealer agent is an investment professional who buys or sells securities for a commission. They are often referred to as “Registered Representatives” or “Brokers.” Many broker-dealer agents are also investment adviser representatives.
• IA = Investment Adviser Representative. An investment adviser representative is an individual who provides advice about securities for compensation. They may also engage in financial planning. Many investment adviser representatives are also broker-dealer agents.

If you intend to do a background check after your search, it will help to note the investment professional's CRD (Central Registration Depository) number provided in the search results

I didn't find the investment professional that I searched for in the Vermont Securities Division database. Why?

• The investment professional is registered but works from a location outside of Vermont
• The investment professional has registered since the last periodic update of the database, or there is an inadvertent omission. Information is reviewed carefully for accuracy but errors may exist.
• The investment professional is not legally registered. By law, brokers-dealers and investment advisors must be registered in Vermont to do business in this state. Beware of doing business with anyone not duly registered, since this greatly increases your exposure to harm as an investor. However, be aware that there are other reasons that a legitimately registered professional may not appear on the database.

How to conduct a background check:

Have the "CRD" number(s) ready. You can search by other means, but using the CRD number should ensure an exact match with the investment professional you are checking.

Go to FINRA-Broker-Check, a free online tool to help investors check the background and registration status of investment broker-dealers, agents and firms. (Note: The FINRA site also has a resource for checking Investment Advisers, but the data is more limited. If you need further information about an Investment Adviser, call the Vermont Securities Division at 1-877-550-3907.) FINRA stands for Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. It is the custodian of the CRD data base, which serves as the repository for registration records owned by state securities regulators and the Securities & Exchange Commission.

How do you know what sort of license a seller or adviser is supposed to hold?

How can you further protect yourself from investor fraud and abuse?

Direct any questions to:
Vermont Securities Division
877-555-3907 (toll free from Vermont) or
802-828-3420 (from outside Vermont