Before the FDD, what was the U.S. franchise disclosure format commonly called?

Before the FDD, the U.S. franchise disclosure format was commonly called the Uniform Franchise Offering Circular, or UFOC.

The UFOC was a standardized pre-sale disclosure format developed through the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA). It became especially important because a number of states had their own franchise registration and disclosure laws, and the format helped create a more consistent presentation for buyers and franchisors.

The Federal Trade Commission amended its Franchise Rule in 2007. The revised federal format adopted the name Franchise Disclosure Document, with mandatory compliance beginning July 1, 2008. The change did not eliminate the basic purpose of pre-sale disclosure: giving prospective franchisees material information before they sign or pay.

UFOC and FDD are therefore historical and modern labels for closely related disclosure formats, not names for the franchise contract itself. Older franchise materials may still use UFOC, while current offerings generally use FDD.