State Specific Laws

State Specific Franchise Laws for Franchisors

The offer and sale of a franchise requires compliance with federal and state franchise laws. Franchisors must develop, maintain, register, disclose and renew a uniform Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). The FDD must be registered in the franchise registration states, filed in the franchise filing states, and disclosed in every state to a prospective franchisee. Franchisors must manage and maintain their FDD, franchise disclosures and franchise relationships in accordance with a broad range of state franchise regulations and state franchise relationship laws. Below are summaries for each state.

Federal Franchise Laws

At the federal level franchising is regulated by the Federal Franchise Rule and the franchise regulations implemented and enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. At the federal level, franchisors are required to disclose a their current and updated franchise disclosure document 14 days prior to the offer or sale of a franchise. Under the federal rule, a franchisor’s compliance program is largely self-regulated and franchisors are not required to file or register their franchise disclosure document with any federal agency.

State Franchise Laws

At the state level there are various franchise registration, filing and regulatory obligations imposed on franchisors. Franchise registration, filing and disclosure obligations vary on a state-by-state basis with the most stringent requirements typically associated with the franchise registration states. Below we include important links and information related to state specific franchise laws. The Franchise map is interactive and links to our state specific pages and directory.

Below is a list of states, their franchise registration status, filing status and additional information about franchising your business in each state:

Alabama

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Alabama

Alaska

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Alaska

Arizona

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Arizona

Arkansas

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Arkansas

California

Franchise Registration Status: Registration State
State Registration Fee: $675.00
Additional information about franchising in California

Colorado

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Colorado

Connecticut

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $400.00
Additional information about franchising in Connecticut

Delaware

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Delaware

District of Columbia (DC)

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in the District of Columbia

Florida

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Filing Fee: $100.00
Additional information about franchising in Florida

Georgia

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Georgia

Hawaii

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $250.00
Additional information about franchising in Hawaii

Idaho

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Idaho

Illinois

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $500.00
Additional information about franchising in Illinois

Indiana

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $500.00
Additional information about franchising in Indiana

Iowa

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Iowa

Kansas

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Kansas

Kentucky

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Kentucky

Louisiana

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Louisiana

Maine

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $25.00
Additional information about franchising in Maine

Maryland

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $500.00
Additional information about franchising in Maryland

Massachusetts

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Massachusetts

Michigan

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State (Notice Only)
State Registration Fee: $250.00
Additional information about franchising in Michigan

Minnesota

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $400.00
Additional information about franchising in Minnesota

Mississippi

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Mississippi

Missouri

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Missouri

Montana

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Montana

Nebraska

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $100.00
Additional information about franchising in Nebraska

Nevada

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Nevada

New Hampshire

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in New Hampshire

New Jersey

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in New Jersey

New Mexico

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in New Mexico

New York

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $750.00
Additional information about franchising in New York

North Carolina

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $250.00
Additional information about franchising in North Carolina

North Dakota

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $250.00
Additional information about franchising in North Dakota

Ohio

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Ohio

Oklahoma

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Oklahoma

Oregon

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Regulation State (no filing)
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Oregon

Pennsylvania

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $600.00
Additional information about franchising in Rhode Island

South Carolina

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in South Carolina

South Dakota

Franchise Registration Status: Notice Filing State
State Filing Fee: $250.00
Additional information about franchising in South Dakota

Tennessee

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Tennessee

Texas

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $25.00
Additional information about franchising in Texas

Utah

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Filing State
State Registration Fee: $100.00
Additional information about franchising in Utah

Vermont

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Vermont

Virginia

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $500.00
Additional information about franchising in Virginia

Washington

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $600.00
Additional information about franchising in Washington

West Virginia

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in West Virginia

Wisconsin

Franchise Registration Status: Franchise Registration State
State Registration Fee: $400.00
Additional information about franchising in Wisconsin

Wyoming

Franchise Registration Status: Non-Registration State
State Registration Fee: $0.00
Additional information about franchising in Wyoming