Printing Legends on Share Certificates – Why and How

Sample Share Certificate with Legend from Attorneys Corporation Service, Inc.

Last year, I wrote about the importance of a corporation’s placing appropriate legends on share certificates (Why Do We Need a Corporate Records Book?) and likewise for limited liability company membership certificates (Should My LLC Issue Membership Certificates?). This post provides more details about why legends are required and how to print legends on share certificates. (Although I am using corporation-specific terminology, the considerations are similar for LLCs.)

When including legends on share certificates for clients, one of the most important states that the shares have not been registered under state or federal securities laws.  (I have the company that provides the certificates include it when the certificates initially are printed.) The reason: To put the shareholder on notice that, under applicable securities laws, the shares cannot be transferred unless certain circumstances are satisfied. Here is an example:

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR THE SECURITIES OR BLUE SKY LAWS OF ANY STATE AND MAY BE OFFERED AND SOLD ONLY IF REGISTERED AND QUALIFIED PURSUANT TO THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL AND STATE SECURITIES OR BLUE SKY LAWS OR IF AN EXEMPTION FROM SUCH REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION IS APPLICABLE.

If the shares are subject to contractual restrictions on transfer that were agreed to at the time the shares were issued, then it is important that the various legends on share certificates include the legend specified in the agreement. The reason: A third party who receives a certificate without the legend and without knowledge of the restrictions may not be bound by them! Here is an example:

SALE, TRANSFER, PLEDGE, ENCUMBRANCE, HYPOTHECATION, OR DISPOSITION OF THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS RESTRICTED BY THE PROVISIONS OF A COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT AMONG THE SHAREHOLDER AND THE COMPANY OF _______ __, 201_. ALL PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THIS CERTIFICATE. A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT MAY BE INSPECTED AT THE PRINCIPAL OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION.

Because this legend is prescribed by the applicable agreement (the printer’s standard-form legends typically will not suffice), I add it myself using MS Word.

Sometimes, a given corporation’s legends on share certificates take up too much space to fit on the front. In that case, legends can be placed on the back, and there should be a legend along the line of the following on the front:

TRANSFER OF THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE IS RESTRICTED. SEE LEGEND ON REVERSE SIDE.

Dana H. Shultz, Attorney at Law  +1 510 547-0545  dana [at] danashultz [dot] com
This blog does not provide legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need legal advice, please contact a lawyer directly.