Fifteen states have franchise investment laws that require franchisors to provide pre-sale disclosures, known as “offering circular,” to potential purchasers. Thirteen of these state laws treat the sale of a franchise like the sale of a security. They typically prohibit the offer or sale of a franchise within their state until a franchise offering circular has been filed on the public record with, and registered by, a designated state agency. Two of the fifteen states do not require a filing of offering circular, as noted in the list of state offices below.
These state laws give franchise purchasers important legal rights, including the right to bring private lawsuits for violation of the state disclosure requirements. We encourage potential franchise purchasers who reside in these states to contact their state franchise law administrators for additional information about the protection these laws provide.
California (filing req’d)
Franchise Division
Department of Corporations
1515 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-7205
Hawaii (filing req’d)
Franchise & Securities Division
State Department of Commerce
P.O. Box 40
Honolulu, HA 96813
(808) 586-2722
Illinois (filing req’d)
Franchise Division
Office of Attorney General
500 South Second Street
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-4465
Indiana (filing req’d)
Franchise Division
Office of Secretary of State
302 W. Washington St., Rm. E111
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-6681
Maryland (filing req’d)
Franchise Office
Division of Securities
200 St. Paul Place – 20th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 576-6360
Michigan (only notice req’d)
Consumer Protection Division
Franchise Section
PO Box 30213
Lansing MI 48909
Minnesota (filing req’d)
Franchise Division
Department of Commerce
133 East Seventh St.
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 296-6328
New York (filing req’d)
Franchise & Securities Division
State Department of Law
120 Broadway
23rd Floor
New York NY 10271
(212) 416-8211
North Dakota (filing req’d)
Franchise Division
Office of Securities Commission
600 East Boulevard – 5th Floor
Bismarck, ND 58505
(701) 328-2910
Oregon (no filing)
Corporate Securities Section
Dept. of Insurance & Finance
Labor & Industries Bldg.
Salem, OR 97310
(503) 378-4387
Rhode Island (filing req’d)
Franchise Office
Division of Securities
233 Richmond St. – Suite 232
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-3048
South Dakota (filing req’d)
Franchise Office
Division of Securities
910 E. Sioux Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-4013
Virginia (filing req’d)
Franchise Office
State Corporation Commission
1300 E. Main St.
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 371-9276
Washington (filing req’d)
The Department of Financial Institutions
Securities Division
P.O. Box 9033
Olympia, WA 98507-9033
Voice: (360) 902-8760
Fax: (360) 586-5068
Wisconsin (filing req’d)
Franchise Office
Wisconsin Securities Commission
P.O. Box 1768
Madison, WI 53701
(608) 266-3364