The SEC has announced that compliance with the final municipal advisor registration rules will not be required until July 1, 2014, the date on which the first set of municipal advisors will be required to register under the final rules.

According to the SEC, it balanced the goals of enhancing the quality of municipal securities advice and protecting investors and municipalities in the municipal securities market, when taking this action to give market participants additional time to analyze, implement, and comply with the final rules.

The SEC approved the final rules last year under the Dodd-Frank Act to provide an effective municipal advisor registration regime. The rules require municipal advisors to register with the SEC if they provide advice to municipal entities or certain other persons on the issuance of municipal securities, or about certain investment strategies or municipal derivatives.