Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§77ccc Definitions

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 2A— - SECURITIES AND TRUST INDENTURES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - TRUST INDENTURES › § 77ccc

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Give each word in this part a specific meaning. If a word is already defined in section 2 of the Securities Act of 1933, use that meaning unless this part gives a different one. Sale, sell, offer to sell, offer for sale, and offer: include the kinds of transactions listed in section 2(a)(3) of the Securities Act, and a certificate of participation counts as a sale of the underlying security only if it can be converted into that security. Prospectus: means what paragraph (10) of section 2(a) of the Securities Act says, but for unregistered securities it does not include certain short communications if a required written statement was sent at the same time or if the communication only gives basic facts and says where to get the full statement, as the Commission allows. Underwriter: someone who buys or sells for an issuer to help distribute a security, or who takes part in that work, but not someone who only gets a normal sales commission. Director: a corporate director or someone doing the same job. Executive officer: the president, every vice president, every trust officer, the cashier, the secretary, the treasurer, or anyone doing similar work, but not the board chair. Indenture: any mortgage, deed of trust, or similar agreement under which securities are issued. Application: the filing under sections 77eee or 77ggg, including changes and attachments. Indenture to be qualified: the indenture tied to a registration or application. Indenture trustee: each trustee under that indenture and successors. Indenture security: any security issued under that indenture. Obligor: anyone liable on the security, including guarantors, and for participation certificates also those liable on the underlying securities, but not the trustee for certain equipment or participation certificates. Paying agent: a person authorized to pay principal or interest for an obligor, or to pay for the trustee for certain certificates. State: any State of the United States. Commission: the Securities and Exchange Commission. Voting security: any security that now lets the holder vote in managing a person, including where trustees or agents vote, and a specified percentage means the share of total voting power. “Securities Act of 1933” and “Securities Exchange Act of 1934”: mean those Acts as they have been changed. Bankruptcy Act: means the Bankruptcy Act or title 11.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §77ccc

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

When used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires—
(1)Any term defined in section 2 of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b], and not otherwise defined in this section shall have the meaning assigned to such term in such section 2 [15 U.S.C. 77b].
(2)The terms “sale”, “sell”, “offer to sell”, “offer for sale”, and “offer” shall include all transactions included in such terms as provided in paragraph (3) of section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)], except that an offer or sale of a certificate of interest or participation shall be deemed an offer or sale of the security or securities in which such certificate evidences an interest or participation if and only if such certificate gives the holder thereof the right to convert the same into such security or securities.
(3)The term “prospectus” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in paragraph (10) of section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b(a)], except that in the case of securities which are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.], such term shall not include any communication (A) if it is proved that prior to or at the same time with such communication a written statement if any required by section 77fff of this title was sent or given to the persons to whom the communication was made, or (B) if such communication states from whom such statement may be obtained (if such statement is required by rules or regulations under paragraphs (1) or (2) of subsection (b) of section 77fff of this title) and, in addition, does no more than identify the security, state the price thereof, state by whom orders will be executed and contain such other information as the Commission, by rules or regulations deemed necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors, and subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed therein, may permit.
(4)The term “underwriter” means any person who has purchased from an issuer with a view to, or offers or sells for an issuer in connection with, the distribution of any security, or participates or has a direct or indirect participation in any such undertaking, or participates or has a participation in the direct or indirect underwriting of any such undertaking; but such term shall not include a person whose interest is limited to a commission from an underwriter or dealer not in excess of the usual and customary distributors’ or sellers’ commission.
(5)The term “director” means any director of a corporation, or any individual performing similar functions with respect to any organization whether incorporated or unincorporated.
(6)The term “executive officer” means the president, every vice president, every trust officer, the cashier, the secretary, and the treasurer of a corporation, and any individual customarily performing similar functions with respect to any organization whether incorporated or unincorporated, but shall not include the chairman of the board of directors.
(7)The term “indenture” means any mortgage, deed of trust, trust or other indenture, or similar instrument or agreement (including any supplement or amendment to any of the foregoing), under which securities are outstanding or are to be issued, whether or not any property, real or personal, is, or is to be, pledged, mortgaged, assigned, or conveyed thereunder.
(8)The term “application” or “application for qualification” means the application provided for in section 77eee of this title or section 77ggg of this title, and includes any amendment thereto and any report, document, or memorandum accompanying such application or incorporated therein by reference.
(9)The term “indenture to be qualified” means (A) the indenture under which there has been or is to be issued a security in respect of which a particular registration statement has been filed, or (B) the indenture in respect of which a particular application has been filed.
(10)The term “indenture trustee” means each trustee under the indenture to be qualified, and each successor trustee.
(11)The term “indenture security” means any security issued or issuable under the indenture to be qualified.
(12)The term “obligor”, when used with respect to any such indenture security, means every person (including a guarantor) who is liable thereon, and, if such security is a certificate of interest or participation, such term means also every person (including a guarantor) who is liable upon the security or securities in which such certificate evidences an interest or participation; but such term shall not include the trustee under an indenture under which certificates of interest or participation, equipment trust certificates, or like securities are outstanding.
(13)The term “paying agent”, when used with respect to any such indenture security, means any person authorized by an obligor thereon (A) to pay the principal of or interest on such security on behalf of such obligor, or (B) if such security is a certificate of interest or participation, equipment trust certificate, or like security, to make such payment on behalf of the trustee.
(14)The term “State” means any State of the United States.
(15)The term “Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(16)The term “voting security” means any security presently entitling the owner or holder thereof to vote in the direction or management of the affairs of a person, or any security issued under or pursuant to any trust, agreement, or arrangement whereby a trustee or trustees or agent or agents for the owner or holder of such security are presently entitled to vote in the direction or management of the affairs of a person; and a specified percentage of the voting securities of a person means such amount of the outstanding voting securities of such person as entitles the holder or holders thereof to cast such specified percentage of the aggregate votes which the holders of all the outstanding voting securities of such person are entitled to cast in the direction or management of the affairs of such person.
(17)The terms “Securities Act of 1933” [15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.] and “Securities Exchange Act of 1934” [15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.] shall be deemed to refer, respectively, to such Acts, as amended, whether amended prior to or after the enactment of this subchapter.
(18)The term “Bankruptcy Act” means the Bankruptcy Act or title 11.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Securities Act of 1933, referred to in pars. (3) and (17), is act
May 27, 1933, ch. 38, title I, 48 Stat. 74, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 77a et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 77a of this title and Tables. The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, referred to in par. (17), is act
June 6, 1934, ch. 404, 48 Stat. 881, which is classified principally to chapter 2B (§ 78a et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 78a of this title and Tables. The Bankruptcy Act, referred to in par. (18), is act
July 1, 1898, ch. 541, 30 Stat. 544, which was classified generally to former Title 11, Bankruptcy. The Act was repealed effective Oct. 1, 1979, by Pub. L. 95–598, §§ 401(a), 402(a), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2682, section 101 of which enacted revised Title 11.

Amendments

2010—Par. (17). Pub. L. 111–203 added par. (17) and struck out former par. (17) which read as follows: “The terms ‘Securities Act of 1933,’ ‘Securities Exchange Act of 1934,’ and ‘Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935’ shall be deemed to refer, respectively, to such Acts, as amended, whether amended prior to or after the enactment of this subchapter.” 1998—Pars. (2), (3). Pub. L. 105–353 substituted “section 2(a)” for “section 2”. 1990—Par. (8). Pub. L. 101–550 inserted “section 77eee of this title or” after “provided for in”. 1987—Par. (4). Pub. L. 100–181, § 501, substituted “undertaking” for “undertakng”. Par. (12). Pub. L. 100–181, § 502, inserted “(including a guarantor)” after “person” in two places. 1978—Par. (18). Pub. L. 95–598 substituted “Bankruptcy Act or title 11” for “Act entitled ‘An Act to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States’, approved
July 1, 1898, as amended, whether amended prior to or after
August 3, 1939”. 1954—Pars. (1) to (4). Act Aug. 10, 1954, made formal changes in order to conform to

Amendments

made by act Aug. 10, 1954, to section 77b, 77e, and 77j of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2010 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective 1 day after July 21, 2010, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 5301 of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

Effective Date

of 1978 AmendmentAmendment effective Oct. 1, 1979, see section 402(a) of Pub. L. 95–598 set out as an

Effective Date

note preceding section 101 of Title 11, Bankruptcy.

Effective Date

of 1954 AmendmentAmendment by act Aug. 10, 1954, effective 60 days after Aug. 10, 1954, see note under section 77b of this title.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

of Securities and Exchange Commission, with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg. Plan No. 10 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3175, 64 Stat. 1265, set out under section 78d of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 77ccc

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73