Is the franchisor required to give me the FDD?

Yes. Under the FTC Franchise Rule, a franchisor must provide the complete Franchise Disclosure Document at least 14 calendar days before you sign any binding agreement or pay any money. If a franchisor will not give you the FDD, treat that as a serious warning sign.

Can I get an FDD for free?

Often, yes. Several state regulators publish registered FDDs in free, searchable public databases. Wisconsin and Minnesota are the two most commonly used. You can also simply ask the franchisor, who must provide it before you commit.

Do I need the FDD to use the Franchise Disclosure Score?

No. You can answer the seven questions from whatever the franchisor has shared. But the FDD makes your grade far more accurate, and uploading it lets an independent franchise expert give you a sharper read.

How to Find and Download a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)

What the FDD is, in one line

The Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is the legally required document a franchisor must give every prospective owner. Its 23 numbered Items lay out the real costs, the litigation history, how many owners left, what support you are actually promised, and more. It is the franchise on the record, rather than the franchise in the brochure.

Two reliable ways to get it

Ask the franchisor directly

The simplest route. Tell the franchise's development team you are a serious prospect and request the current FDD. You are entitled to it: under the FTC Franchise Rule, the franchisor must give you the complete FDD at least 14 calendar days before you sign any agreement or pay any money. A franchisor that stalls or refuses is telling you something.

Pull it free from a state regulator

A handful of states require franchisors to register and publish their FDD, and they make those filings searchable to the public at no cost. Two are widely used because they are free and easy:

Wisconsin — Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) franchise registration search.
Minnesota — Department of Commerce CARDS franchise database.

Search the franchise's full legal name, open the most recent filing, and download the PDF. California, Washington, New York, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia and other states also register franchises if you prefer your own state's regulator.

Before you rely on it: check three things

The date. FDDs are updated at least once a year. Check the issuance date on the cover and use the latest version.
It is complete. A real FDD has all 23 Items plus exhibits, including the franchise agreement and audited financial statements. A short "overview" PDF is not the FDD.
The legal name matches. Brands often operate under a parent company name. Make sure the FDD is for the entity you would actually sign with.

Once you have it

Grade it in a few minutes, free

Run the Franchise Disclosure Score and upload your FDD. Your grade gets sharper, and you can let Mike give it a buyer-side read.

Get your Disclosure Score