Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§77g Information required in registration statement

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 2A— - SECURITIES AND TRUST INDENTURES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - DOMESTIC SECURITIES › § 77g

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires companies that register securities to put specific information and documents into their registration filings. What is needed depends on whether the security comes from a regular issuer or a foreign government. The Commission can change or drop some requirements for certain groups if it finds those requirements do not apply and investors are still protected. If an accountant, engineer, appraiser, or other professional is named as having prepared or certified part of the filing or a report used with the filing, their written consent must be filed too, unless the Commission says that would be impractical or unfair. New or extra information can also be required when the Commission thinks it is needed to protect investors. An "emerging growth company" has special rules: it only needs up to 2 years of audited financial statements for its first public offering, does not have to show older selected financial data before those audited years, and can delay new or changed accounting rules until the same time companies that are not issuers must follow them. The Commission must set special rules for "blank check companies" (small penny-stock, development-stage firms with no real plan or with plans to merge with an unidentified business). Those rules can force timely disclosure about any target company and how offering money will be used, limit how proceeds and securities are handled until that disclosure is made, and give investors a right to rescind. The Commission can exempt some issuers from these rules. For asset-backed securities, issuers must disclose, by tranche or class, details about the assets behind the securities. The Commission must set data format standards to help comparisons and require loan-level or asset-level data when needed for investor due diligence, including unique IDs for originators or brokers, how those brokers/originators are paid, and how much risk the originator and securitizer keep. The Commission must adopt data standards that align with the rules under section 5334 of title 12. Within 180 days after July 21, 2010, the Commission had to issue rules requiring asset-backed issuers to review the underlying assets and to describe that review.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §77g

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The registration statement, when relating to a security other than a security issued by a foreign government, or political subdivision thereof, shall contain the information, and be accompanied by the documents, specified in Schedule A of section 77aa of this title, and when relating to a security issued by a foreign government, or political subdivision thereof, shall contain the information, and be accompanied by the documents, specified in Schedule B of section 77aa of this title; except that the Commission may by rules or regulations provide that any such information or document need not be included in respect of any class of issuers or securities if it finds that the requirement of such information or document is inapplicable to such class and that disclosure fully adequate for the protection of investors is otherwise required to be included within the registration statement. If any accountant, engineer, or appraiser, or any person whose profession gives authority to a statement made by him, is named as having prepared or certified any part of the registration statement, or is named as having prepared or certified a report or valuation for use in connection with the registration statement, the written consent of such person shall be filed with the registration statement. If any such person is named as having prepared or certified a report or valuation (other than a public official document or statement) which is used in connection with the registration statement, but is not named as having prepared or certified such report or valuation for use in connection with the registration statement, the written consent of such person shall be filed with the registration statement unless the Commission dispenses with such filing as impracticable or as involving undue hardship on the person filing the registration statement. Any such registration statement shall contain such other information, and be accompanied by such other documents, as the Commission may by rules or regulations require as being necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors.
(2)An emerging growth company—
(A)need not present more than 2 years of audited financial statements in order for the registration statement of such emerging growth company with respect to an initial public offering of its common equity securities to be effective, and in any other registration statement to be filed with the Commission, an emerging growth company need not present selected financial data in accordance with section 229.301 of title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, for any period prior to the earliest audited period presented in connection with its initial public offering; and
(B)may not be required to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standard until such date that a company that is not an issuer (as defined under section 7201 of this title) is required to comply with such new or revised accounting standard, if such standard applies to companies that are not issuers.
(b)(1)The Commission shall prescribe special rules with respect to registration statements filed by any issuer that is a blank check company. Such rules may, as the Commission determines necessary or appropriate in the public interest or for the protection of investors—
(A)require such issuers to provide timely disclosure, prior to or after such statement becomes effective under section 77h of this title, of (i) information regarding the company to be acquired and the specific application of the proceeds of the offering, or (ii) additional information necessary to prevent such statement from being misleading;
(B)place limitations on the use of such proceeds and the distribution of securities by such issuer until the disclosures required under subparagraph (A) have been made; and
(C)provide a right of rescission to shareholders of such securities.
(2)The Commission may, as it determines consistent with the public interest and the protection of investors, by rule or order exempt any issuer or class of issuers from the rules prescribed under paragraph (1).
(3)For purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection, the term “blank check company” means any development stage company that is issuing a penny stock (within the meaning of section 78c(a)(51) of this title) and that—
(A)has no specific business plan or purpose; or
(B)has indicated that its business plan is to merge with an unidentified company or companies.
(c)(1)The Commission shall adopt regulations under this subsection requiring each issuer of an asset-backed security to disclose, for each tranche or class of security, information regarding the assets backing that security.
(2)In adopting regulations under this subsection, the Commission shall—
(A)set standards for the format of the data provided by issuers of an asset-backed security, which shall, to the extent feasible, facilitate comparison of such data across securities in similar types of asset classes; and
(B)require issuers of asset-backed securities, at a minimum, to disclose asset-level or loan-level data, if such data are necessary for investors to independently perform due diligence, including—
(i)data having unique identifiers relating to loan brokers or originators;
(ii)the nature and extent of the compensation of the broker or originator of the assets backing the security; and
(iii)the amount of risk retention by the originator and the securitizer of such assets.
(3)(A)The Commission shall, by rule, adopt data standards for all disclosures required under this subsection.
(B)The data standards required under subparagraph (A) shall incorporate, and ensure compatibility with (to the extent feasible), all applicable data standards established in the rules promulgated under section 5334 of title 12, including, to the extent practicable, by having the characteristics described in clauses (i) through (vi) of subsection (c)(1)(B) of such section 5334.
(d)Not later than 180 days after July 21, 2010, the Commission shall issue rules relating to the registration statement required to be filed by any issuer of an asset-backed security (as that term is defined in section 78c(a)(77) 11 See References in Text note below. of this title) that require any issuer of an asset-backed security—
(1)to perform a review of the assets underlying the asset-backed security; and
(2)to disclose the nature of the review under paragraph (1).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 78c(a)(77) of this title, referred to in subsec. (d), was redesignated section 78c(a)(79) of this title by Pub. L. 112–106, title I, § 101(b)(1), Apr. 5, 2012, 126 Stat. 307.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 117–263 added par. (3). 2012—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–106 inserted subsec. heading, designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. heading, and added par. (2). 2010—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–203, § 942(b), added subsec. (c). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–203, § 945, added subsec. (d). 1990—Pub. L. 101–429 designated existing provision as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

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 1990 Amendment Pub. L. 101–429, § 1(c), Oct. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 931, provided that: “(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), the

Amendments

made by this Act [enacting section 77h–1, 78q–2, 78u–2, and 78u–3 of this title, amending this section and section 77t, 78c, 78o, 78o–3, 78o–4, 78q–1, 78u, 78u–1, 78w, 78cc, 80a–9, 80a–41, 80b–3, 80b–9, and 80b–14 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 78a, 78o, and 78s of this title] shall be effective upon enactment [Oct. 15, 1990]. “(2) Civil penalties.—“(A) In general.—No civil penalty may be imposed pursuant to the

Amendments

made by this Act on the basis of conduct occurring before the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 15, 1990]. “(B) Accounting and disgorgement.—Subparagraph (A) shall not operate to preclude the Securities and Exchange Commission from ordering an accounting or disgorgement pursuant to the

Amendments

made by this Act. “(3) Special rules for title v.—“(A) section 503 and 504.—Except as provided in subparagraph (C), section 503 [amending section 78c of this title] and 504 [amending section 78o of this title and enacting provisions set out as a note under section 78o of this title] shall be effective 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 15, 1990] or upon the issuance of final

Regulations

initially implementing such section [Such

Regulations

were issued effective Apr. 28, 1992. See 57 F.R. 18004, 18037.], whichever is earlier. “(B) section 505 and 508.—Except as provided in subparagraph (C), section 505 [amending section 78o of this title] and 508 [amending this section] shall be effective 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act or upon the issuance of final

Regulations

initially implementing such sections [Such

Regulations

were issued effective Apr. 28, 1992. See 57 F.R. 18004, 18037.], whichever is earlier. “(C) Commencement of rulemaking.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall commence rulemaking proceedings to implement section 503, 505, and 508.” Rulemaking Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LVIII, § 5821(i), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3427, provided that: “(1) In general.—The rules that the Securities and Exchange Commission are required to issue under the

Amendments

made by this section [enacting section 77z–4 and 78rr of this title and amending this section and section 78m, 78n, 78o–7, 80a–8, 80a–29, and 80b–4 of this title] shall take effect not later than 2 years after the date on which final rules are promulgated under section 124(b)(2) of the Financial Stability Act of 2010 [12 U.S.C. 5334(b)(2)], as added by section 5811(a) of this title. “(2) Scaling of regulatory requirements; minimizing disruption.—In issuing the rules required under the

Amendments

made by this section, as described in paragraph (1), the Securities and Exchange Commission—“(A) may scale data reporting requirements in order to reduce any unjustified burden on emerging growth companies, lending institutions, accelerated filers, smaller reporting companies, and other smaller issuers, as determined by any study required under section 5825(b) [set out in a note below], while still providing searchable information to investors; and “(B) shall seek to minimize disruptive changes to the persons affected by those rules.” Improvement of Regulation S–K Pub. L. 114–94, div. G, title LXXII, § 72002, Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1784, provided that: “Not later than the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 4, 2015], the Securities and Exchange Commission shall take all such actions to revise regulation S–K (17 CFR 229.10 et seq.)— “(1) to further scale or eliminate requirements of regulation S–K, in order to reduce the burden on emerging growth companies, accelerated filers, smaller reporting companies, and other smaller issuers, while still providing all material information to investors; “(2) to eliminate provisions of regulation S–K, required for all issuers, that are duplicative, overlapping, outdated, or unnecessary; and “(3) for which the Commission determines that no further study under section 72203 [probably means section 72003 of Pub. L. 114–94, set out as a note under section 77s of this title] is necessary to determine the efficacy of such revisions to regulation S–K.” Rule of

Construction

—No New Disclosure Requirements Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LVIII, § 5826, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3430, provided that: “Nothing in this subtitle [subtitle B (§§ 5821–5826) of title LVIII of div. E of Pub. L. 117–263, enacting section 77z–4 and 78rr of this title, amending this section and section 78d, 78m, 78n, 78o–3, 78o–4, 78o–7, 80a–8, 80a–29, and 80b–4 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and section 78o–3 and 78o–4 of this title], or the

Amendments

made by this subtitle, shall be construed to require the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, or any national securities association to collect or make publicly available additional information under the provisions of law amended by this subtitle (or under any provision of law referenced in an amendment made by this subtitle), beyond information that was collected or made publicly available under any such provision, as of the day before the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2022].” Shorter-Term Burden Reduction and Disclosure Simplification at the Securities and Exchange Commission; Sunset Pub. L. 117–263, div. E, title LVIII, § 5825, Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3429, provided that: “(a) Better

Enforcement

of the Quality of Corporate Financial Data Submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission.—“(1) Data quality improvement program.—“(A) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2022], the Securities and Exchange Commission shall establish a program to improve the quality of corporate financial data filed or furnished by issuers under the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77a et seq.), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.), and the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a–1 et seq.). “(B) Contents.—The program established under subparagraph (A) shall include the following:“(i) The designation of an official in the Office of the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission responsible for the improvement of the quality of data filed with or furnished to the Commission by issuers. “(ii) The issuance by the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission of comment letters requiring correction of errors in data filings and submissions, where necessary. “(2) Goals.—In establishing the program required under this subsection, the Securities and Exchange Commission shall seek to—“(A) improve the quality of data filed with or furnished to the Commission to a commercially acceptable level; and “(B) make data filed with or furnished to the Commission useful to investors. “(b) Report on the Use of Machine-Readable Data for Corporate Disclosures.—“(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and once every 180 days thereafter, the Securities and Exchange Commission shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report regarding the public and internal use of machine-readable data for corporate disclosures. “(2) Content.—Each report required under paragraph (1) shall include—“(A) an identification of which corporate disclosures required under section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77g), section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m), and section 14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78n) are expressed as machine-readable data and which are not; “(B) an analysis of the costs and benefits of the use of machine-readable data in corporate disclosure to investors, markets, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and issuers; “(C) a summary of

Enforcement

actions that result from the use or analysis of machine-readable data collected under the provisions of law described in subparagraph (A); and “(D) an analysis of how the Securities and Exchange Commission uses the machine-readable data collected by the Commission. “(c) Sunset.—Beginning on the date that is 7 years after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2022], this section shall have no force or effect.” Forward Incorporation by Reference for Form S–1 Pub. L. 114–94, div. G, title LXXXIV, § 84001, Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1797, provided that: “Not later than 45 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 4, 2015], the Securities and Exchange Commission shall revise Form S–1 so as to permit a smaller reporting company (as defined in section 230.405 of title 17, Code of Federal

Regulations

) to incorporate by reference in a registration statement filed on such form any documents that such company files with the Commission after the

Effective Date

of such registration statement.” Other Disclosures Pub. L. 112–106, title I, § 102(c), Apr. 5, 2012, 126 Stat. 310, provided that: “An emerging growth company may comply with section 229.303(a) of title 17, Code of Federal

Regulations

, or any successor thereto, by providing information required by such section with respect to the financial statements of the emerging growth company for each period presented pursuant to section 7(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 (15 U.S.C. 77g(a)). An emerging growth company may comply with section 229.402 of title 17, Code of Federal

Regulations

, or any successor thereto, by disclosing the same information as any issuer with a market value of outstanding voting and nonvoting common equity held by non-affiliates of less than $75,000,000.” Simplified Disclosure Requirements Pub. L. 112–106, title I, § 102(d), as added by Pub. L. 114–94, div. G, title LXXI, § 71003, Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1783, provided that: “With respect to an emerging growth company (as such term is defined under section 2 of the Securities Act of 1933 [15 U.S.C. 77b]): “(1) Requirement to include notice on forms s–1 and f–1.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this subsection [Dec. 4, 2015], the Securities and Exchange Commission shall revise its general instructions on Forms S–1 and F–1 to indicate that a registration statement filed (or submitted for confidential review) by an issuer prior to an initial public offering may omit financial information for historical periods otherwise required by regulation S–X (17 CFR 210.1–01 et seq.) as of the time of filing (or confidential submission) of such registration statement, provided that—“(A) the omitted financial information relates to a historical period that the issuer reasonably believes will not be required to be included in the Form S–1 or F–1 at the time of the contemplated offering; and “(B) prior to the issuer distributing a preliminary prospectus to investors, such registration statement is amended to include all financial information required by such regulation S–X at the date of such amendment. “(2) Reliance by issuers.—Effective 30 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, an issuer filing a registration statement (or submitting the statement for confidential review) on Form S–1 or Form F–1 may omit financial information for historical periods otherwise required by regulation S–X (17 CFR 210.1–01 et seq.) as of the time of filing (or confidential submission) of such registration statement, provided that—“(A) the omitted financial information relates to a historical period that the issuer reasonably believes will not be required to be included in the Form S–1 or Form F–1 at the time of the contemplated offering; and “(B) prior to the issuer distributing a preliminary prospectus to investors, such registration statement is amended to include all financial information required by such regulation S–X at the date of such amendment.”

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. § 77g

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73