Written by The Internicola Law Firm Legal Team
Reviewed by Charles N. Internicola, Esq., Founder | Chambers USA Recognized | Ranked #1 Franchise Law Firm in the U.S. by Entrepreneur Magazine (2025)
Last Updated: July 2026
The direct answer: The 13 franchise registration states are California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. In these states, your FDD must be registered with the state regulator — and renewed annually — before you may offer or sell a franchise there. If your primary trademarks are not federally registered, Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maine also require registration. Total government fees run approximately $7,965 to register in all 13 states and $4,245 per year to renew, with filings made through NASAA's EFD system in eight states and state systems elsewhere.
The 13 Registration States: Regulators and Fees
Each registration state designates a regulator to review your FDD, and each charges its own fees — the table shows total real-pay amounts, including filing-system processing fees where they apply:
| The 13 Franchise Registration States — The Internicola Law Firm (fees verified July 2026) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State | Regulator | Initial (Total) | Renewal (Total) |
| California | Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) — via FRANSES | $1,865 | $1,245 |
| New York | Investor Protection Bureau, NY Attorney General — via EFD (required) | $850 | $200 |
| Rhode Island | Department of Business Regulation — via EFD | $700 | $350 |
| Maryland | Securities Division, MD Attorney General — via EFD | $600 | $300 |
| Virginia | Division of Securities and Retail Franchising, State Corporation Commission — via EFD | $600 | $300 |
| Washington | Securities Division, Dept. of Financial Institutions — direct online | $600 | $100 |
| Illinois | Franchise Bureau, IL Attorney General — via EFD | $600 | $150 |
| Indiana | Securities Division, IN Secretary of State — state portal | $500 | $250 |
| Minnesota | Securities Division, Dept. of Commerce — via ComOnline | $400 | $300 |
| Wisconsin | Securities Division, Dept. of Financial Institutions — direct online | $400 | $400 |
| North Dakota | ND Securities Department — via EFD (required) | $350 | $150 |
| Hawaii | Business Registration Division, DCCA | $250 | $250 |
| Michigan | Franchise Section, MI Attorney General (annual Notice of Intent) | $250 | $250 |
Totals: approximately $7,965 in initial registrations / $4,245 per year in renewals for all 13 states. Fees shown are what franchisors actually pay, including NASAA EFD processing fees ($100 initial / $50 renewal) in EFD states.
→ The complete cost analysis, filing systems, and what actually drives registration costs
The Trademark Condition: Four More States Without a Registered Mark
If your primary trademarks are not federally registered with the USPTO, four additional states require registration: Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maine. The mechanism is business opportunity law — most state exemptions for franchisors require a federally registered trademark, so an unregistered mark converts these filing states into registration states. It's one of the most practical arguments for filing trademark applications at the start of franchise development.
→ How business opportunity laws and the franchisor exemptions work
The Filing States
Nine states require a notice or exemption filing rather than registration: Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah — one-time filings in most (Texas's $25 exemption notice is the classic example), annual in Florida, South Dakota, and Utah. Georgia and Louisiana require only a Consent to Service of Process for franchisors without registered trademarks.
→ The complete steps, forms, and filing requirements for every state
What Registration Requires — and How Long It Takes
Registration means filing a Uniform Franchise Registration Application — your FDD with state-specific addenda, audited financial statements, consent forms, and fees — through each state's system: NASAA's EFD in eight states, California's FRANSES, Minnesota's ComOnline, or direct submission. Review takes 20 days to three months depending on the state and season, and merit-review states issue examiner comment letters that must be resolved before approval. Every registration then renews annually on the state's own schedule.
→ The complete FDD Registration Guide
→ When every state's registration expires
Frequently Asked Questions
The 13 franchise registration states are California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin — each requiring FDD registration with its state regulator before any franchise offer or sale, renewed annually.
Conditionally. With a federally registered trademark, Connecticut requires only a one-time, no-fee exclusion filing (Form CT-BOIA-EX). Without a federally registered trademark, Connecticut requires registration — as do North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maine.
Individual state fees range from $250 (Hawaii, Michigan) to $1,865 (California), including filing-system processing fees. Registering in all 13 states costs approximately $7,965, with renewals of about $4,245 per year.
No. In a registration state, both offers and sales are prohibited until your registration is effective — an unregistered offer or sale is a violation exposing you to rescission, penalties, and enforcement.
Yes — the FTC Franchise Rule applies in all 50 states: your FDD must be current and properly disclosed 14 days before signing or payment in every state, registered or not. Nine filing states additionally require notice or exemption filings.
Questions About Your State Registrations?
From your first registration to a 50-state footprint, we help franchisors get it right in every state — 350+ franchise brands through attorney-led franchise development and our FDD registration services. Call (800) 976-4904 or complete the form below.
