Franchise Broker Registration by State: 2026 Tracker

Franchise broker registration by state: status legend

This registry lists every US state, the District of Columbia, the NASAA model act and the federal FTC Rule, with the status of franchise broker registration on 2026-10-03. Franchise broker registration here means a rule that a third party who sells franchises for a franchisor, whatever its title (broker, consultant, coach, referral source), must register with a state regulator before selling.

• In force: a broker must register before offering or selling in the state today.
• Enacted, not yet effective: the law is passed but registration has not started.
• Model act: a template states may adopt; binding nowhere on its own.
• None found: no broker registration found by the checks described in the entry.

Evidence levels. Primary means we opened the statute, regulation or regulator page. Corroborated means we ran a statute-text screen and bill search and rely on NASAA’s July 28, 2025 statement that only New York and Washington require registration. Dates are the date of the action; for None found and long-standing rules, the date is the date we checked, as each entry notes.

We check this registry monthly. Last checked: 2026-10-03.

What changed in franchise broker registration, 2024 to 2026

Between May 2024 and October 2026 the number of states with franchise broker registration in force did not change: it was two (New York and Washington) at the start and two at the end. What changed was the pipeline. California enacted a registration law in September 2024 and funded it in June 2026, and NASAA turned a 2024 draft into an adopted model act in May 2026. The table below lists every dated change we found, with its evidence level.

One record conflicts with another. DFPI’s broker page, updated May 7, 2026, says SB 919 is unfunded (DFPI). The 2026-27 enacted budget detail lists $125 thousand for the broker registration system (Department of Finance), and the May 14, 2026 request it carried forward said registration begins July 1, 2027 (Department of Finance letter). We treat the budget documents as the later and stronger record and flag the regulator’s page as not yet updated.

New York: franchise sales agent registration

New York requires third-party franchise sellers to register, at a one-time cost of $150. The statute calls them franchise sales agents: anyone who directly or indirectly offers or sells a franchise on behalf of another, other than the franchisor and its employees (N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law 681(8)). Such a person may not offer or sell a franchise in New York until a franchise agent’s application is filed and the Department of Law issues an order of registration (Gen. Bus. Law 683(13)).

The fee is $150 (Gen. Bus. Law 694(1)(c)). The Attorney General’s Form I, revised April 2018, asks about pending actions, past convictions or civil liability, and injunctions, and is filed by mail with the Investor Protection Bureau (Form I). There is no annual renewal: the regulation requires an updated disclosure form when the agent’s name, address or management changes (13 NYCRR 200.11), and Form I tells brokers to notify the Department by letter when they stop selling for a franchisor.

What it means: New York’s rule reaches anyone selling for a franchisor, which by its wording includes consultants who are paid by franchisors. We found no public online search of registered brokers on the Attorney General’s franchise pages.

Washington: annual franchise broker license

Washington licenses franchise brokers each calendar year for $50, then $25 a year. A franchise broker is any person in the business of offering or selling franchises other than the franchisor, subfranchisor and their staff (RCW 19.100.010(7)). It is unlawful for an unregistered broker to offer or sell a franchise in the state, and unlawful for a franchisor, subfranchisor or franchisee to employ one (RCW 19.100.140).

Fees are $50 for an original registration and $25 for each annual renewal (RCW 19.100.240(4)); the application form charges nothing for an amendment and $50 to re-apply after a lapse (DFI application form). Licenses expire December 31 (WAC 460-82-050) and are filed online (WAC 460-80-138). A broker can hold a license before any franchisor appoints it, but may not make offers until the franchisor files the appointment page (DFI franchise FAQ). The director may deny, suspend or revoke a broker’s registration for grounds that include dishonest or unethical practices in the franchise industry (RCW 19.100.252).

Of the two in-force states, only Washington lets a buyer look a broker up online: DFI’s Securities Licensee Database has a Franchise (Exemptions and Brokers) search, updated twice daily. Users must agree not to use results for commercial purposes; the page cites RCW 42.56.070(9), and in the current codified text the commercial-purposes restriction on lists of individuals appears in subsection (8) (RCW 42.56.070). For that reason this report publishes no names, lists or counts drawn from the database.

California SB 919: funded, but not yet operating

California’s law goes furthest of the three, but it is not operating yet. SB 919 was approved on September 24, 2024 as Chapter 518 (SB 919 chaptered text). It defines a franchise broker by function and pay, regardless of title, and lists franchise seller, broker network, franchise sales organization, consultant and coach as examples (Corp. Code 31020).

• Registration: $450 to register and $50 to amend; each registration expires December 31 (Corp. Code 31500(h), (i); 31520(c)).
• Disclosure: before discussing an opportunity, the broker must give the buyer a Uniform Franchise Broker Disclosure Document covering services, how the broker is paid, five years of experience, legal actions, industries represented, and brands sold in the last calendar year with units sold (Corp. Code 31526, 31527).
• Records: five calendar years (Corp. Code 31523). Liability: a broker who sells in violation is liable to the franchisee and to the franchisor (Corp. Code 31300(b)).

Timing depends on money. The registration part becomes operative on the later of July 1, 2026 or one year after the Legislature appropriates funds (Corp. Code 31528). The 2026-27 budget, signed June 29, 2026 (Governor), includes $125 thousand for DFPI’s system changes, and the Department of Finance says registration begins July 1, 2027. A law firm reached the same date on July 2, 2026 (UB Greensfelder). DFPI’s own pages still say no funding has been approved (DFPI FAQ); they were last updated May 7, 2026.

In the meantime, California already makes franchisors identify sellers: its application instructions require a Sales Agent Disclosure Form (or NASAA Franchise Seller Disclosure Form) for each person offering or selling the franchise in California (DFPI instructions). An April 2026 Assembly analysis of AB 2795 proposed fixing a cross-reference SB 919 had changed by mistake (committee analysis); the bill was chaptered September 20, 2026 as Chapter 410, and the chaptered digest we could read lists no franchise broker change (CalMatters Digital Democracy).

The NASAA Model Franchise Broker Registration Act

NASAA’s model act would extend registration to anyone paid to steer buyers toward franchises, but it binds no one until a state enacts it. NASAA adopted the act on May 4, 2026 (NASAA release) after a first draft for comment on May 13, 2024 and a revised draft on July 28, 2025 (NASAA, July 28, 2025).

• Scope: people paid for locating prospects, acting as an intermediary, screening or assessing buyers, managing prospects for franchisors, or giving buyers information about offerings. The prefatory note says they may call themselves brokers, advisors, business coaches, consultants, lead generators or referral sources (model act text).
• Registration: brokers and individual representatives register; registrations expire December 31 and renewals are due 30 calendar days before. States may add exams and continuing education for individuals.
• Disclosure: a statement of material litigation and prior-year compensation before discussing a specific franchise.
• Exclusion: current franchisees of the brand, unless they receive more than $5,000 a year for franchise sales.
• Fees: left blank for each state.

We searched state codes and 2024 to 2026 bill records on 2026-10-03 and found no enactment of the model act.

The other registration states and the federal floor

The other 12 franchise registration states (including California until its law operates) do not register brokers today, but 7 of them make the franchisor name its third-party sellers in the state filing. NASAA’s 2008 guidelines include a Franchise Seller Disclosure Form (Form D) to be filed for every person who may sell, including an independent broker, where the state requires it (NASAA 2008 guidelines). Counting New York and Washington, 9 of the 14 registration states use this second layer.

• Illinois once registered brokers for one-year terms. Section 13 of the Franchise Disclosure Act, titled Registration of franchise brokers, was repealed effective October 1, 2009 (815 ILCS 705/13; 2008 text); franchisors now file Form D for any seller (Lathrop GPM; Illinois Attorney General).
• Hawaii’s statute defines a franchise broker or selling agent and has the offering circular include their identity and business experience as the director prescribes (HRS 482E-2, 482E-3).
• South Dakota counts third-party brokers as franchise sellers subject to its conduct rules but asks for no seller form (South Dakota Division of Insurance).
• Virginia marks salesman disclosure forms Not Required (Virginia SCC); Michigan and Wisconsin list none.
• Oregon, which has a franchise law but no state filing, makes franchise sellers keep records and carry liability, without registering them (ORS chapter 650).

A federal floor applies everywhere. The FTC Rule treats third-party brokers as franchise sellers, and the FDD receipt must give the name, address and phone number of each franchise seller offering the franchise (16 CFR 436.1(j), 436.5(w)(2)).

How to check whether a franchise broker is registered

A buyer can check a broker in four steps, and only Washington offers an online lookup. For background on what brokers do, see what a franchise consultant does.

1. Where you live or will operate. If it is Washington, search the DFI licensee database under Franchise (Exemptions and Brokers). If it is New York, ask the broker for its order of registration; the Attorney General’s franchise guide lists the Investor Protection Bureau’s contact details.
2. The FDD receipt. Item 23 of every Franchise Disclosure Document must name each franchise seller offering you the franchise (16 CFR 436.5(w)(2)). If a broker introduced you and is not named, ask why.
3. How the broker is paid. The FTC Rule mentions brokers only in its definition of franchise seller and asks for no disclosure of a broker’s pay (16 CFR Part 436); California will require it from 2027 and the NASAA model act would. Ask directly. Our guide on how franchise consultants get paid explains the usual arrangements.
4. The state’s franchise registration. In the 14 registration states, check that the brand itself is registered or filed; our franchise statistics by state report covers where franchises operate.

Registration is a filing, not an endorsement of a broker’s advice. Whether a broker is worth using is a separate question, covered in are franchise consultants worth it.