What is a Form 8-A filing? Exchange registration (2026)
A Form 8-A filing is the short registration statement a company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to register a class of securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, so those shares can be listed and traded on a national exchange such as Nasdaq or the NYSE. It is the step that puts a company's stock on an exchange, and most traditional IPOs file one. This guide explains what a Form 8-A filing is, when it is used, and what it turns on. It is not investment advice.
Definition
A Form 8-A filing
is a short-form SEC registration statement under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that registers a class of securities under Section 12(b) or 12(g). Companies file it, usually at IPO, so their shares can be listed on a national exchange, and it incorporates the offering registration by reference. Source: SEC.
When does a company file a Form 8-A?
There are two registrations in a typical IPO, and they do different jobs. The S-1 registers the sale of the shares under the Securities Act of 1933. The Form 8-A registers the class of shares under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 so an exchange can list them. A company going public files the 8-A at or near the time its offering is declared effective. It is usually filed as an 8-A12B, the version for a Section 12(b) exchange listing.
Because the offering registration already carries the full business disclosure, the 8-A is short: it incorporates that disclosure by reference rather than repeating it.
What does filing Form 8-A turn on?
Registering under the Exchange Act is what makes a company a reporting company. Once the 8-A is effective, the company owes the SEC the ongoing filings the public relies on:
Section 12(b)
The Exchange Act provision a Form 8-A12B registers under so a class of shares can list on a national exchange
Source: SEC
How a Form 8-A sits next to other filings
The 8-A is the front door onto an exchange. The counterpart at the other end of the lifecycle is the Form 25, which removes a class of shares from an exchange listing. To find an 8-A alongside a company's IPO paperwork, see how to search SEC EDGAR.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Form 8-A used for?
A Form 8-A is a short-form registration statement a company files to register a class of securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, so those shares can be listed and traded on a national exchange such as Nasdaq or the NYSE. Most traditional IPOs file one. Source: SEC.
What is the difference between a Form 8-A and a Form S-1?
A Form S-1 registers the offering of shares for sale under the Securities Act of 1933. A Form 8-A registers the class of shares under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 so they can trade on an exchange. A company going public typically files both, and the 8-A incorporates the S-1's disclosure by reference. Source: SEC.
What happens after a company files Form 8-A?
Filing Form 8-A brings the company into full Exchange Act reporting. From then on it must file annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and current reports on Form 8-K. The 8-A is the switch that turns on ongoing public-company disclosure. Source: SEC.
Where can I read a company's Form 8-A?
Every Form 8-A is filed on the SEC's EDGAR system and is free to read. It often appears as an 8-A12B, meaning registration under Section 12(b) for an exchange listing. Search by company name to find it alongside the IPO registration statement. Source: SEC EDGAR.
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Disclosures shown are public regulatory filings. Data may be delayed or incomplete. Smart-money entities may no longer hold positions shown. Not investment advice.