A form of corporate securities registration designed to reduce the paperwork requirements for small companies seeking to raise capital through the public sale of shares. The small corporate offering registration allows up to $1 million to be raised while avoiding the costs of an IPO. It is often referred to as an over-the-counter sale of securities, as the securities are not traded on an exchange. Instead, they are traded directly between brokers and dealers either online or over the phone.
In order to qualify for this type of registration, a company cannot be considered an investment company or involved in energy, and it must have a valid business plan.
Companies that use small corporate offering registration are still required to comply by all Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations regarding the offering and sale of securities. The SCOR Form allows companies to be exempted from some state securities laws (known as blue sky laws). Additionally, SCOR is only used by the companies themselves and is not used by other investors to sell their shares.