CHAPTER 2. Issuer Transactions [25110. - 25118.]

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP 2.

in effect

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25110. Section 25110.

It is unlawful for any person to offer or sell in this state any security in an issuer transaction (other than in a transaction subject to Section 25120), whether or not by or through underwriters, unless such sale has been qualified under Section 25111, 25112 or 25113 (and no order under Section 25140 or subdivision (a) of Section 25143 is in effect with respect to such qualification) or unless such security or transaction is exempted or not subject to qualification under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 25100) of this part. The offer or sale of such a security in a manner that varies or differs from, exceeds the scope of, or fails to conform with either a material term or material condition of qualification of the offering as set forth in the permit or qualification order, or a material representation as to the manner of offering which is set forth in the application for qualification, shall be an unqualified offer or sale.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25111. Section 25111.

(a) Any security for which a registration statement has been filed under the Securities Act of 1933 in connection with the same offering may be qualified by coordination under this section either in an issuer or nonissuer transaction. The term “registration statement” as used in this section includes an offering statement as defined by Rule 252(a) under Regulation A (17 C.F.R. 230.252(a)) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The term “effective,” as used in this section in connection with an offering statement, means an offering statement that has been qualified under Regulation A of the Securities Act of 1933. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (d), an application for qualification under this section shall contain the following information and be accompanied by the following documents, in addition to the information specified in Section 25160 and the consent to service of process required by Section 25165: (1) a copy of the registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, together with all exhibits (other than exhibits incorporated by reference and those specified by rule of the commissioner, unless requested by the commissioner); (2) an undertaking to forward to the commissioner all future amendments to the registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, other than an amendment that merely delays the effective date of the registration statement, promptly and in any event not later than the first business day after the day they are forwarded to or filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, whichever first occurs; and (3) other information required to evidence compliance with any rules of the commissioner. The application must be filed with the commissioner not later than the fifth business day following filing of the registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, unless that time is extended by rule or order of the commissioner. (c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), qualification of the sale of securities under this section automatically becomes effective (and the securities may be offered and sold in accordance with the terms of the application as amended) at the moment the federal registration statement becomes effective if all the following conditions are satisfied: (1) no stop order or order under subdivision (a) of Section 25143 is in effect under this law; (2) the application has been on file with the commissioner for at least 10 days; and (3) a statement of the maximum and minimum proposed offering prices and the maximum underwriting discounts and commissions has been on file for two business days or such shorter period as the commissioner permits by rule or order and the offering is made within those limitations. The applicant shall promptly notify the commissioner by telephone or telegram of the date and time when the federal registration statement became effective and the content of the price amendment, if any, and shall promptly file a posteffective amendment to the application containing the information and documents in the price amendment. “Price amendment” means the final federal amendment that includes a statement of the offering price, underwriting and selling discounts or commissions, amount of proceeds, interest, dividend or conversion rates, call prices and other matters related to the offering price. Upon failure to receive the required notification and posteffective amendment with respect to the price amendment, the commissioner may enter a stop order, without notice or hearing, retroactively denying effectiveness to the application for qualification or suspending its effectiveness until compliance with this subdivision, if he or she promptly notifies the applicant by telephone or telegram (and promptly confirms by letter or telegram when he or she notifies by telephone) of the issuance of the order. If the applicant proves compliance with the requirements of this subdivision as to notice and posteffective amendment, the stop order is void as of the time of its entry. The commissioner may by rule or order waive either or both of the conditions specified in clauses (2) and (3) of this subdivision. If the federal registration statement becomes effective before all the conditions in this subdivision are satisfied and they are not waived, the application for qualification automatically becomes effective as soon as all the conditions are satisfied. If the applicant advises the commissioner of the date when the federal registration statement is expected to become effective, the commissioner shall promptly advise the applicant by telephone or telegram, at the applicant’s expense, whether all the conditions are satisfied and whether he or she then contemplates the institution of a proceeding under Section 25140 or 25143; but this advice by the commissioner does not preclude the institution of such a proceeding at any time. (d) (1) An open-end investment company or a unit investment trust that has previously qualified the sale of its securities pursuant to this section shall, in lieu of filing the application specified in subdivision (b), file pursuant to this subdivision if it has made no material change in its offering and if it is in compliance with all terms of its prior qualification. An application filed pursuant to this subdivision shall contain the following information and be accompanied by the following documents, in addition to the information specified in Section 25160 and the consent to service of process required by Section 25165: (A) a statement that the applicant has made no material change in its offering and that it is in compliance with the terms of its qualification; and (B) a copy of its current registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933. If no stop order or orders under subdivision (a) of Section 25143 are in effect under this law, qualification of the sale of securities under this subdivision automatically becomes effective (and the securities may be offered and sold in accordance with the terms of the application) upon the day following the expiration of its prior qualification pursuant to this section or, if that qualification has expired, upon the first business day following the filing of the application pursuant to this subdivision. Nothing contained in this subdivision shall restrict the authority of the commissioner pursuant to Section 25140 or 25143. (2) A unit investment trust that has not previously applied to qualify the sale of its securities pursuant to this section but that is substantially the same as one or more unit investment trusts previously qualified under this section by the same sponsor, shall file pursuant to this subdivision if it can make the statements specified below. An application filed pursuant to this subdivision shall contain the following information and be accompanied by the following documents, in addition to the information specified in Section 25160 and the consent to service of process required by Section 25165: (A) a statement that the applicant, in its organization, its plan of business, its securities and its offering, is substantially the same as a unit investment trust previously qualified under this section by the same sponsor; (B) a statement that those previously qualified unit investment trusts are in compliance with the terms of their qualifications and (C) a copy of its current registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933. If no stop order or orders under subdivision (a) of Section 25143 are in effect under this law, qualification of the sale of securities under this subdivision automatically becomes effective (and the security may be offered and sold in accordance with the terms of the application) at the moment the federal registration becomes effective or, if the registration is effective when the application is filed, upon the first business day following the filing of the application pursuant to this subdivision.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25112. Section 25112.

(a) Any security issued by a person which is the issuer of any security registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or issued, by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and which is not eligible for qualification under Section 25111, may be qualified by notification under this section. (b) An application for qualification under this section shall contain such information and be accompanied by such documents as shall be required by rule of the commissioner, in addition to the information specified in Section 25160 and the consent to service of process required by Section 25165. For this purpose, the commissioner may classify issuers and types of securities. (c) If no stop order or order under subdivision (a) of Section 25143 is in effect under this law, qualification of the sale of the securities under this section automatically becomes effective (and the securities may be offered and sold in accordance with the terms of the application as amended) at 12 o’clock noon California time of the 10th business day after the filing of the application or the last amendment thereto or at such earlier time as the commissioner determines.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25113. Section 25113.

(a) All securities, whether or not eligible for qualification by coordination under Section 25111 or qualification by notification under Section 25112, may be qualified by permit under this section. (b) (1) An application for a permit under this section shall contain any information and be accompanied by any documents as shall be required by rule of the commissioner, in addition to the information specified in Section 25160 and the consent to service of process required by Section 25165. For this purpose, the commissioner may classify issuers and types of securities. (2) An applicant may file a small company application for permit under this section if it meets all of the following conditions: (A) The applicant is: (i) a California corporation or a foreign corporation, which at the time of filing an application under this subdivision is subject to Section 2115, and neither corporation is a “blind pool” company, as that term is defined by the commissioner; (ii) not engaged in oil and gas exploration or production, or mining or other extractive industries; (iii) not an investment company subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940; and (iv) not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. (B) The total offering of voting common stock and preferred stock by the applicant to be sold in a 12-month period, within or outside this state, is limited to one million dollars ($1,000,000), less the aggregate offering price for all securities sold (within the 12 months before the start, and during the offering, of the voting common stock or preferred stock) under Rule 504 of the Securities and Exchange Commission, in reliance on any exemption under subdivision (b) of Section 3 of the Securities Act of 1933, or in violation of subdivision (a) of Section 5 of that act, and immediately after the proposed sale and issuance there will be only one class of voting common stock. (C) The minimum offering price of the voting common stock and preferred stock (and the conversion price if the preferred stock is convertible into the voting common stock) to be sold is two dollars ($2) per share and the applicant files an undertaking with the commissioner that there will be no stock splits, stock dividends, spinoffs, or mergers for a period of two years from the close of the offering. The undertaking notwithstanding, the commissioner may approve a spinoff or merger pursuant to an application for qualification filed by an applicant. (D) The net proceeds from the offering are to be expended in the operations of the business. (E) The offering is made pursuant to a Small Corporate Offering Registration disclosure document based on the Form U-7 as adopted by the North American Securities Administrators Association and any additional requirements as the commissioner shall prescribe, that may include, but not be limited to, investor suitability and due diligence investigation requirements. (F) The application and disclosure document is reviewed and signed by a majority of the members of the board of directors of the applicant. (G) The application shall contain that information and be accompanied by those documents required by rule of the commissioner, in addition to the information specified in Section 25610 and the consent to service of process required by Section 25165. (c) Qualification of securities under this section becomes effective upon the commissioner issuing a permit authorizing the issuance of those securities. (d) The commissioner shall annually prepare a report, and make that report publicly available by posting the report on the department’s Internet Web site, summarizing data collected from persons to which it issues permits pursuant to this section. The report shall include, but not be limited to, a summary of the general categories of investments for which permits are approved; the minimum, maximum, and average net worth required of those persons to whom permits are issued for each category of activity; the least stringent and most stringent suitability standards imposed on persons issued permits for each category of activity; the experience requirements imposed on persons issued permits for each category of activity; the total dollar amount of money sought to be raised per category of activity; the number and nature of enforcement actions taken against permitholders; and any other information the commissioner deems relevant to inform the Legislature about the activities of permitholders and the protections for those who invest with permitholders. The commissioner shall take steps to ensure that the publication of data collected from permitholders does not result in the release of proprietary information about individuals or businesses. (e) The commissioner may examine those persons to whom permits are issued pursuant to this section to review compliance with the conditions of the permit and other applicable state law. The commissioner may disqualify an offering permitted pursuant to this section if he or she finds that the issuer has materially violated the provisions of its permit.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25114. Section 25114.

Every qualification under this chapter is effective for 12 months from its effective date, unless the commissioner by order or rule specifies a different period, except during the time an order under Section 25140 or subdivision (a) of Section 25143 is in effect.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25115. Section 25115.

Every application for qualification of an issuer transaction under this chapter shall be signed and verified by the issuer; every application for qualification of a nonissuer transaction under Section 25111 shall be signed and verified by the person on whose behalf the offering is being made or by the issuer on behalf of such person.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25116. Section 25116.

(a) An evidence of indebtedness issued pursuant to a qualification under this chapter or Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 25120), and the purchasers or holders thereof, shall be exempt from the usury provisions of the Constitution, subject to compliance by the issuer and purchaser with the terms and requirements that may be imposed by the commissioner as a condition of the qualification. This section creates and authorizes a class of transactions and persons pursuant to Section 1 of Article XV of the Constitution. (b) Any evidence of indebtedness issued in compliance with this section shall be entitled to the benefits of the usury exemption contained in this section regardless of whether subsequent to its issuance the evidence of indebtedness is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be a “security.”

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25117. Section 25117.

(a) An evidence of indebtedness, and the purchasers or holders thereof, shall be exempt from the usury provisions of Section 1 of Article XV of the California Constitution if (1) the evidence of indebtedness is rated or provisionally rated by Standard & Poor’s Corporation as AAA, AA, A, BBB, or investment grade commercial paper, or by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. as Aaa, Aa, A, Baa, or investment grade commercial paper, including any such ratings with “+” or “—” designation or other variations that occur within these ratings, or has a rating or a provisional rating by another nationally recognized rating agency or system, which rating and agency or system have been certified by rule or order of the commissioner, or (2) the issuer thereof either (A) has any security listed or approved for listing upon notice of issuance on a national securities exchange, if the exchange has been certified by the commissioner, pursuant to subdivision (o) of Section 25100, or (B) meets each of the following requirements: (i) The issuer is a corporation which is subject to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. (ii) The issuer had total shareholders’ equity of at least one million dollars ($1,000,000) at the end of its most recent fiscal year, and had consolidated net income, after all charges, including taxes and extraordinary losses, and excluding extraordinary gains, of at least five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for three of its last four fiscal years, including its most recent fiscal year. The determination of total shareholders’ equity and net income shall be determined in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles applicable to that fiscal year or years, on a consolidated basis, or (3) the evidence of indebtedness is issued by any corporation all of the outstanding shares of which are owned by an issuer which meets the requirements of subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2). (b) This section creates and authorizes a class of transactions and persons pursuant to Section 1 of Article XV of the California Constitution. (c) Any evidence of indebtedness issued in compliance with this section shall be entitled to the benefits of the usury exemption contained in this section regardless of whether subsequent to its issuance the evidence of indebtedness is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be a “security.”

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 25118. Section 25118.

(a) An evidence of indebtedness issued by an entity or guaranteed by an entity that is an affiliate (as defined in Section 150) of the borrower that, on the day the evidence of indebtedness issued or guaranty is first issued or entered into, has total assets of at least two million dollars ($2,000,000) according to its then most recent financial statements, and the purchasers or holders thereof, shall be exempt from the usury provisions of the California Constitution. The financial statements referred to in the preceding sentence shall meet both of the following requirements: (1) Be as of a date not more than 90 days before the date the evidence of indebtedness or guaranty is first issued or entered into. (2) Be prepared in accordance with either of the following: (A) In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and, if the entity has consolidated subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis. (B) In accordance with the rules and requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, whether or not required by law to be prepared in accordance with those rules and requirements. (b) Any one or more evidences of indebtedness, and the purchasers or holders thereof, shall be exempt from the usury provisions of the California Constitution if either of the following applies: (1) The evidences of indebtedness aggregate at the time of issuance at least three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) in original face amount, or, if the evidences of indebtedness are purchased with original issue discount, they are purchased for an aggregate purchase price at the time of issuance of at least three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000). (2) The evidences of indebtedness are issued pursuant to a bona fide written commitment for the lending to the issuer of at least three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), or the provision of a line of credit to the issuer in a principal amount of at least three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000). The exemption provided by this paragraph shall not be affected by a subsequent event of default or other event not in the lender’s control that has relieved or may relieve the lender from its commitment. (c) Any evidence of indebtedness described in subdivision (a) or (b), and the purchasers or holders thereof, shall be entitled to the benefits of the usury exemption contained in this section regardless of whether, at any time after the evidence of indebtedness or guaranty upon which the exemption is based is first issued or entered into, the evidence of indebtedness or guaranty is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction not to be a “security.” (d) This section creates and authorizes a class of transactions and persons pursuant to Section 1 of Article XV of the California Constitution. (e) This section does not apply to: (1) Any evidence of indebtedness issued or guaranteed (if the guaranty is part of the consideration for the indebtedness) by an individual, a revocable trust having one or more individuals as trustors, or a partnership in which, at the time of issuance, one or more individuals are general partners. (2) Any transaction subject to the limitation on permissible rates of interest set forth in paragraph (1) of the first sentence of Section 1 of Article XV of the California Constitution. (f) The exemptions created by this section shall only be available in a transaction that meets either of the following criteria: (1) The lender and either the issuer of the indebtedness or the guarantor, as the case may be, or any of their respective officers, directors, or controlling persons, or, if any party is a limited liability company, the managers as appointed or elected by the members, have a preexisting personal or business relationship. (2) The lender and the issuer, or the lender and the guarantor, by reason of their own business and financial experience or that of their professional advisers, could reasonably be assumed to have the capacity to protect their own interests in connection with the transaction. (g) For purposes of this section, “preexisting personal or business relationship” and “capacity to protect their own interests in connection with the transaction” as used in subdivision (f) shall have the same meaning as, and be determined according to the same standards as, specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (f) of Section 25102 and its implementing regulations provided that, solely with respect to this section, a lender or purchaser who is represented by counsel may designate that person as its professional adviser whether or not that person is compensated by the issuer or guarantor, as long as that person has a bona fide attorney-client relationship with the lender or purchaser. (h) This section shall not exempt any person from the application of the California Financing Law (Division 9 (commencing with Section 22000) of the Financial Code).

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026