<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gbr" article_name="Business Regulation" number="14-203" title_number="14" title_name="Business Opportunities, Franchises, and Multilevel Distribution Companies" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Franchises">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This subtitle applies to an offer to sell or sale of a franchise if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the franchisee must pay a franchise fee of more than $100; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>the offeree or franchisee is a resident of the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the franchised business will be or is operated in the State;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the offer to sell is made in the State; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the offer to buy is accepted in the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>For purposes of this section, an offer to sell is made in the State if the offer:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>originates from the State; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>is directed by the offeror to the State and is received at the place to which it is directed.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For purposes of this section, an offer to sell is not made in the State only because the franchisor circulates or there is circulated on the franchisor’s behalf in the State an advertisement in:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a newspaper or other publication of general, regular, and paid circulation that has had two-thirds of its circulation outside the State during the past 12 months; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a radio or television broadcast that originates outside the State and is received in the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>For purposes of this section, an offer to buy is accepted in the State when acceptance is communicated to the offeror in the State.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>For purposes of this section, acceptance is communicated to the offeror in the State when:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the offeree directs acceptance to the offeror in the State reasonably believing the offeror to be in the State; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the acceptance is received at the place to which it is directed.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>This subtitle does not apply to the renewal or extension of an existing franchise if there is no interruption in the operation of the franchised business.</text>
  </level>
</section>
