Where to Find Free Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDD) Online

Reviewing Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) is a great way for franchisees to get information on franchisors and what they have to offer. Consider an FDD your essential roadmap on how a franchise works, costs, and expectations.

While you can request an FDD directly from a franchisor, many franchisees use free and public resources to search for and download FDDs. Multiple states maintain public registries that you can access.

Four States Publish Free and Public FDDs Online: California, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin

You can use the following links to access free FDDs from California, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. We will update these links if other states create publicly accessible registries.

California Free FDD Search

The California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI) provides free access to various franchise registration documents. When searching for FDDs, it helps to know the precise franchise name to locate the filing.

Indiana Free FDD Search

The State of Indiana Securities Portal offers a simple interface to find free FDDs. When looking for FDDs, select “Franchise” as the registration type, type in the precise name of the franchise, select “Effective” as the status, and select the applicable start date and end date.

Minnesota Free FDD Search

The Minnesota Department of Commerce set up the CARDS (Commerce Actions and Regulatory Documents Search) application to provide free and public access to regulatory documents. Be sure to specify a year when searching for an FDD or the system will pull up all registrations available.

Wisconsin Free FDD Search

The State of Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions provides an easy-to-use franchise search. You can search by legal name or trade name of the franchisor. You can access the FDD by clicking on “Details.”

 

How Analyzing FDDs Can Help Franchisees

Think of the FDD as a sales brochure you can review to weigh your options as a franchisee. This is your chance to evaluate the potential risk of such a venture, the financial viability of the franchise, and what will be required of you as a franchisee.

Note that FDDs differ from Franchise Agreements (FAs), the latter of which is a contract that provides the specific terms of a franchisor-franchisee relationship.

 

Need Additional Help? Contact the Franchise Attorneys at Luther Lanard

If you’re a new franchisee or are considering a new business opportunity, the team at Luther Lanard is here to offer our insight. To ask additional questions or set up a consultation, contact our franchise law firm today.