Can you transition within LPL to become and RIA?

Yes

I am leaving an independent that at one time was it own RIA.  If you think you have compliance issues with LPL, you wait until you become an RIA.  All of that compliance that they cover for you, you are responsible for on your own.  RIAs are also currently a hot topic on the watch list of the SEC and the state guys.  It's not worth it unless you have the staff to dedicate one person full time to compliance.  Yeah, you save in the fees you pay LPL to be your RIA, but I promise, you will end up speding much much more valuable time than you save in dollars.  And you WILLl be audited in your first year or two, guaranteed, and not by LPL - it will be the SEC or your State, or both.

Just some insight from direct personal experience.

LPL is charging you for your Compliance CE??  That’s a ripoff.  If I don’t choose to go to our regional or national conferences (where I’d get my CE) I can get all my annual CE (including compliance, anti-money laundering, etc.) for free at RJFS through our “e-learning” system.  Can do it at my choice of time just by logging into our system from office, home, vacation, etc.