Securities Lawyer's Deskbook                          published by The University of Cincinnati College of Law

Rule 401 -- Requirements as to Proper Form

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1. The form and contents of a registration statement and prospectus shall conform to the applicable rules and forms as in effect on the initial filing date of such registration statement and prospectus.
   
   
2. If an amendment to a registration statement and prospectus is filed for the purpose of meeting the requirements of section 10(a)(3) of the Act or pursuant to the provisions of section 24(e) or 24(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the form and contents of such an amendment shall conform to the applicable rules and forms as in effect on the filing date of such amendment.
   
   
3. An amendment to a registration statement and prospectus, other than an amendment described in paragraph (b) of this section, may be filed on any shorter Securities Act registration form for which it is eligible on the filing date of the amendment. At the issuer's option, the amendment also may be filed on the same Securities Act registration form used for the most recent amendment described in paragraph (b) of this section or, if no such amendment has been filed, the initial registration statement and prospectus.
   
   
4. The form and contents of a prospectus forming part of a registration statement which is the subject of a stop order entered under section 8(d) of the Act, if used after the date such stop order ceases to be effective, shall conform to the applicable rules and forms as in effect on the date such stop order ceases to be effective.
   
   
5. A prospectus filed as part of an amendment to an effective registration statement, or other amendment to such registration statement, on any form may be prepared in accordance with the requirements of any other form which would then be appropriate for the registration of securities to which the prospectus or other amendment relates, provided that all of the other requirements of such other form and applicable rules (including any required undertakings) are met.
   
   
6. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a registrant
   
   
   1. shall comply with the rules and forms as in effect at a date different from those specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this section if the rules or forms or amendments thereto specifically so provide; and
      
      
   2. may comply voluntarily with the rules and forms as in effect at dates subsequent to those specified in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this section, provided that all of the requirements of the particular rules and forms in effect at such dates (including any required undertakings) are met.
      
7. 
   
   
   1. Subject to paragraph (g)(2) of this section, except for registration statements and post-effective amendments that become effective immediately pursuant to Rule 462 and Rule 464, a registration statement or any amendment thereto is deemed filed on the proper registration form unless the Commission objects to the registration form before the effective date.
      
      
   2. An automatic shelf registration statement as defined in Rule 405 and any post-effective amendment thereto are deemed filed on the proper registration form unless and until the Commission notifies the issuer of its objection to the use of such form. Following any such notification, the issuer must amend its automatic shelf registration statement onto the registration form it is then eligible to use, provided, however, that any continuous offering of securities pursuant to Rule 415 that the issuer has commenced pursuant to the registration statement before the Commission has notified the issuer of its objection to the use of such form may continue until the effective date of a new registration statement or post-effective amendment to the registration statement that the issuer has filed on the proper registration form, if the issuer files promptly after notification the new registration statement or posteffective amendment and if the offering is permitted to be made under the new registration statement or post-effective amendment.
      
      
   3. Violations of General Instruction I.B.6. of Form S-3 or General Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3 will also violate the requirements as to proper form under this section notwithstanding that the registration statement may have been declared effective previously.

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