Fla. Stat. 517.081
Registration procedure
Mentioned in
Capital Raising in Florida — It’s a New Ballgame
The Florida Bar, October 17, 2024
"For many years, Florida-based businesses seeking to raise capital within Florida were faced with a Florida securities statute that was out of date and far too limiting for intrastate capital-raising opportunities. Fortunately, thanks to a multi-year collaboration between the Business Law Section of The Florida Bar and Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), legislation enacted in 2023 and 2024[1] significantly amended Ch."
Bibliographic info
(1)
All securities required by this chapter to be registered before being sold in this state and not entitled to registration by notification shall be registered in the manner provided by this section.(2)
The office shall receive and act upon applications for the registration of securities. Applications must be duly signed by the applicant, sworn to by any person having knowledge of the facts, and filed with the office. An application may be made either by the issuer of the securities for which registration is applied or by any registered dealer desiring to sell such securities within the state.(3)
The office may require the applicant to submit to the office the following information concerning the issuer and such other relevant information as the office may in its judgment deem necessary to enable it to ascertain whether such securities shall be registered pursuant to the provisions of this section:The names and addresses of:All the directors, trustees, and officers, if the issuer is a corporation, association, or trust.
All the managers or managing members, if the issuer is a limited liability company.
All the partners, if the issuer is a partnership.
The issuer, if the issuer is a sole proprietorship or natural person.
The location of the issuer’s principal business office and of its principal office in this state, if any.The general character of the business actually to be transacted by the issuer and the purposes of the proposed issue.A statement of the capitalization of the issuer.A balance sheet showing the amount and general character of its assets and liabilities on a day not more than 90 days prior to the date of filing such balance sheet or such longer period of time, not exceeding 6 months, as the office may permit at the written request of the issuer on a showing of good cause therefor.A detailed statement of the plan upon which the issuer proposes to transact business.A specimen copy of the securities certificate, if applicable, and a copy of any circular, prospectus, advertisement, or other description of such securities.A statement of the amount of the issuer’s income, expenses, and fixed charges during the last fiscal year or, if in actual business less than 1 year, then for such time as the issuer has been in actual business.A statement of the issuer’s cash sources and application during the last fiscal year or, if in actual business less than 1 year, then for such time as the issuer has been in actual business.A statement showing the maximum price at which such security is proposed to be sold, together with the maximum amount of commission, including expenses, or other form of remuneration to be paid in cash or otherwise, directly or indirectly, for or in connection with the sale or offering for sale of such securities.A copy of the opinion or opinions of counsel concerning the legality of the issue or other matters which the office may determine to be relevant to the issue.A detailed statement showing the items of cash, property, services, patents, good will, and any other consideration in payment for which such securities have been or are to be issued.The amount of securities to be set aside and disposed of and a statement of all securities issued from time to time for promotional purposes.If the issuer is a corporation, there shall be filed with the application a copy of its articles of incorporation with all amendments and of its existing bylaws, if not already on file in the office. If the issuer is a limited liability company, there shall be filed with the application a copy of the articles of organization with all the amendments and a copy of the company’s operating agreement as may be amended, if not already on file with the office. If the issuer is a trustee, there shall be filed with the application a copy of all instruments by which the trust is created or declared and in which it is accepted and acknowledged. If the issuer is a partnership, unincorporated association, joint-stock company, or any other form of organization whatsoever, there shall be filed with the application a copy of its articles of partnership or association and all other papers pertaining to its organization, if not already on file in the office.(a)
The names and addresses of:All the directors, trustees, and officers, if the issuer is a corporation, association, or trust.All the managers or managing members, if the issuer is a limited liability company.All the partners, if the issuer is a partnership.The issuer, if the issuer is a sole proprietorship or natural person.(b)
The location of the issuer’s principal business office and of its principal office in this state, if any.(c)
The general character of the business actually to be transacted by the issuer and the purposes of the proposed issue.(d)
A statement of the capitalization of the issuer.(e)
A balance sheet showing the amount and general character of its assets and liabilities on a day not more than 90 days prior to the date of filing such balance sheet or such longer period of time, not exceeding 6 months, as the office may permit at the written request of the issuer on a showing of good cause therefor.(f)
A detailed statement of the plan upon which the issuer proposes to transact business.(g)
A specimen copy of the securities certificate, if applicable, and a copy of any circular, prospectus, advertisement, or other description of such securities.(h)
A statement of the amount of the issuer’s income, expenses, and fixed charges during the last fiscal year or, if in actual business less than 1 year, then for such time as the issuer has been in actual business.(i)
A statement of the issuer’s cash sources and application during the last fiscal year or, if in actual business less than 1 year, then for such time as the issuer has been in actual business.(j)
A statement showing the maximum price at which such security is proposed to be sold, together with the maximum amount of commission, including expenses, or other form of remuneration to be paid in cash or otherwise, directly or indirectly, for or in connection with the sale or offering for sale of such securities.(k)
A copy of the opinion or opinions of counsel concerning the legality of the issue or other matters which the office may determine to be relevant to the issue.(l)
A detailed statement showing the items of cash, property, services, patents, good will, and any other consideration in payment for which such securities have been or are to be issued.(m)
The amount of securities to be set aside and disposed of and a statement of all securities issued from time to time for promotional purposes.(n)
If the issuer is a corporation, there shall be filed with the application a copy of its articles of incorporation with all amendments and of its existing bylaws, if not already on file in the office. If the issuer is a limited liability company, there shall be filed with the application a copy of the articles of organization with all the amendments and a copy of the company’s operating agreement as may be amended, if not already on file with the office. If the issuer is a trustee, there shall be filed with the application a copy of all instruments by which the trust is created or declared and in which it is accepted and acknowledged. If the issuer is a partnership, unincorporated association, joint-stock company, or any other form of organization whatsoever, there shall be filed with the application a copy of its articles of partnership or association and all other papers pertaining to its organization, if not already on file in the office.(4)
The commission may, by rule:Establish criteria relating to the issuance of equity securities, debt securities, insurance company securities, real estate investment trusts, oil and gas investments, and other investments. In establishing these criteria, the commission may consider the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and statements of policy by the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc., relating to the registration of securities offerings. The criteria must include all of the following:The promoter’s equity investment ratio.
The financial condition of the issuer.
The voting rights of shareholders.
The grant of options or warrants to underwriters and others.
Loans and other transactions with affiliates of the issuer.
The use, escrow, or refund of proceeds of the offering.
Prescribe forms requiring applications for the registration of securities to be submitted to the office, including a simplified offering circular to register, under this section, securities that are sold in offerings in which the aggregate offering price in any consecutive 12-month period does not exceed the amount provided in s. 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.Establish procedures for depositing fees and filing documents by electronic means, provided that such procedures provide the office with the information and data required by this section.Establish requirements and standards for the filing, content, and circulation of a preliminary, final, or amended prospectus; advertisements; and other sales literature. In establishing such requirements and standards, the commission shall consider the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to requirements for preliminary, final, or amended or supplemented prospectuses and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority relating to advertisements and sales literature.(a)
Establish criteria relating to the issuance of equity securities, debt securities, insurance company securities, real estate investment trusts, oil and gas investments, and other investments. In establishing these criteria, the commission may consider the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and statements of policy by the North American Securities Administrators Association, Inc., relating to the registration of securities offerings. The criteria must include all of the following:The promoter’s equity investment ratio.The financial condition of the issuer.The voting rights of shareholders.The grant of options or warrants to underwriters and others.Loans and other transactions with affiliates of the issuer.The use, escrow, or refund of proceeds of the offering.(b)
Prescribe forms requiring applications for the registration of securities to be submitted to the office, including a simplified offering circular to register, under this section, securities that are sold in offerings in which the aggregate offering price in any consecutive 12-month period does not exceed the amount provided in s. 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.(c)
Establish procedures for depositing fees and filing documents by electronic means, provided that such procedures provide the office with the information and data required by this section.(d)
Establish requirements and standards for the filing, content, and circulation of a preliminary, final, or amended prospectus; advertisements; and other sales literature. In establishing such requirements and standards, the commission shall consider the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to requirements for preliminary, final, or amended or supplemented prospectuses and the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority relating to advertisements and sales literature.(5)
All of the following issuers are not eligible to submit a simplified offering circular:An issuer that is subject to any of the disqualifications described in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 262, 17 C.F.R. s. 230.262, as amended, or that has been or is engaged or is about to engage in an activity that would be grounds for denial, revocation, or suspension under s. 517.111. For purposes of this paragraph, an issuer includes an issuer’s director, officer, general partner, manager or managing member, trustee, or a person owning at least 10 percent of the ownership interests of the issuer; a promoter or selling agent of the securities to be offered; or any officer, director, partner, or manager or managing member of such selling agent.An issuer that is a development-stage company that either has no specific business plan or purpose or has indicated that its business plan is to merge with an unidentified business entity or entities.An issuer of offerings in which the specific business or properties cannot be described.An issuer that the office determines is ineligible because the simplified circular does not provide full and fair disclosure of material information for the type of offering to be registered by the issuer.(a)
An issuer that is subject to any of the disqualifications described in Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 262, 17 C.F.R. s. 230.262, as amended, or that has been or is engaged or is about to engage in an activity that would be grounds for denial, revocation, or suspension under s. 517.111. For purposes of this paragraph, an issuer includes an issuer’s director, officer, general partner, manager or managing member, trustee, or a person owning at least 10 percent of the ownership interests of the issuer; a promoter or selling agent of the securities to be offered; or any officer, director, partner, or manager or managing member of such selling agent.(b)
An issuer that is a development-stage company that either has no specific business plan or purpose or has indicated that its business plan is to merge with an unidentified business entity or entities.(c)
An issuer of offerings in which the specific business or properties cannot be described.(d)
An issuer that the office determines is ineligible because the simplified circular does not provide full and fair disclosure of material information for the type of offering to be registered by the issuer.(6)
All of the statements, exhibits, and documents of every kind required under this section, except properly certified public documents, shall be verified by the oath of the applicant or of the issuer in such manner and form as may be required by the commission.(7)
The commission may by rule fix the maximum discounts, commissions, expenses, remuneration, and other compensation to be paid in cash or otherwise, not to exceed 20 percent, directly or indirectly, for or in connection with the sale or offering for sale of such securities in this state.(8)
An issuer filing an application under this section shall, at the time of filing, pay the office a nonreturnable fee of $1,000 per application for each offering that exceeds the amount provided in s. 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or $200 per application for each offering that does not exceed the amount provided in s. 3(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.(9)(a)
The office shall record the registration of a security in the register of securities if, upon examination of an application, it finds that all of the following requirements are met:The application is complete.
The fee imposed in subsection (8) has been paid.
The sale of the security would not be fraudulent and would not work or tend to work a fraud upon the purchaser.
The terms of the sale of such securities would be fair, just, and equitable.
The enterprise or business of the issuer is not based upon unsound business principles.
Upon registration, the security may be sold by the issuer or any registered dealer, subject, however, to the further order of the office.(9)(a)
The office shall record the registration of a security in the register of securities if, upon examination of an application, it finds that all of the following requirements are met:The application is complete.The fee imposed in subsection (8) has been paid.The sale of the security would not be fraudulent and would not work or tend to work a fraud upon the purchaser.The terms of the sale of such securities would be fair, just, and equitable.The enterprise or business of the issuer is not based upon unsound business principles.(b)
Upon registration, the security may be sold by the issuer or any registered dealer, subject, however, to the further order of the office.(10)
The office shall deem an application to register securities filed with the office abandoned if the issuer or any person acting on behalf of the issuer has failed to timely complete an application specified by commission rule.
Source:
Section 517.081 — Registration procedure, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0517.081 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).