Many franchise resources are available online. Some from franchise associations, the Federal Trade Commission and states that regulate franchising, and others from business publications and the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising to name a few.

Below is a comprehensive list of online resources:

Associations
General Information
Legal Resources
     Federal - National
     State Resoures
State Franchise Administrators, Agencies & Laws
State Business Opportunity Administrators & Laws

Associations:

• International Franchise Association
• American Association of Franchisees and Dealers
• The American Franchisee Association
• National Franchisee Association
• The International Association of Franchisees and Dealers

General Information:

• Buying a Franchise: A Consumer Guide (Federal Trade Commission)
• Small Business Administration – The Franchise Registry
• Entrepreneur.com – Franchises & Opportunities
• FranchiseHelp.com

Legal Resources:

Federal - National:

• Federal Trade Commission
• FTC – Amended (Current) Rule Concerning Franchise Disclosure
• FTC's Amended Franchise Rule FAQs
• FTC – Franchise and Business Opportunity FAQs
• American Bar Association Forum on Franchising

State:

• North American Securities Administrators Association
• National Center for State Courts

State Franchise Administrators, Agencies and Laws:

California

(filing required)

• California Franchise Investment Law
• Franchise Division
• Department of Corporations
  1515 K Street
  Sacramento, CA 95814
  (916) 445-7205

Hawaii

(filing required)

• Hawaii Franchise Investment Law
• Hawaii Franchise Filing Forms
• Franchise & Securities Division
  State Department of Commerce
  P.O. Box 40
  Honolulu, HA 96813
  (808) 586-2722

Illinois

(filing required)

• Illinois Franchise Disclosure Act of 1987
• Franchise Division
• Office of Attorney General
  500 South Second Street
  Springfield, IL 62706
  (217) 782-4465

Indiana

(filing required)

• Indiana Franchise Law
• Franchise Division
  Office of Secretary of State
  302 W. Washington St., Rm. E111
  Indianapolis, IN 46204
  (317) 232-6681

Maryland

(filing required)

• Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law
• Franchise Office
  Division of Securities
  200 St. Paul Place - 20th Floor
  Baltimore, MD 21202
  (410) 576-6360

Michigan

(notice filing required)

• Michigan Franchise Investment Law
• Consumer Protection Division
  Franchise Section
  PO Box 30213
  Lansing MI 48909
• General Information

Minnesota

(filing required)

• Minnesota Franchise Law
  Franchise Division
• Department of Commerce
  133 East Seventh St.
  St. Paul, MN 55101
  (651) 296-6328

New York

(filing required)

• New York Franchise Law
  Franchise & Securities Division
• State Department of Law
  120 Broadway
  23rd Floor
  New York NY 10271
  (212) 416-8211

North Dakota

(filing required)

• North Dakota Franchise Investment Law
  Franchise Division
• Office of Securities Commission
  600 East Boulevard - 5th Floor
  Bismarck, ND 58505
  (701) 328-2910

Oregon

(no filing)

• Oregon Franchise Law
• Corporate Securities Section
• Dept. of Insurance & Finance
  Labor & Industries Bldg.
  Salem, OR 97310
  (503) 378-4387

Rhode Island

(filing required)

• Rhode Island Franchise Investment Act
• Franchise Office
  Division of Securities
  233 Richmond St. - Suite 232
  Providence, RI 02903
  (401) 222-3048

South Dakota

(filing required)

• South Dakota Franchise Investment Law
• Franchise Office
  Division of Securities
  910 E. Sioux Avenue
  Pierre, SD 57501
  (605) 773-4013

Virginia

(filing required)

• Virginia Retail Franchise Act
• Franchise Office
• State Corporation Commission
  1300 E. Main St.
  Richmond, VA 23219
  (804) 371-9276

Washington

(filing required)

• Washington Franchise Investment Protection Act
• The Department of Financial Institutions
  Securities Division
  P.O. Box 9033
  Olympia, WA 98507-9033
  Voice: (360) 902-8760
  Fax: (360) 586-5068

Wisconsin

(filing required – e-filing accepted)

• Wisconsin Franchise Investment Law
• Franchise Office
  Wisconsin Securities Commission
  P.O. Box 1768
  Madison, WI 53701
  (608) 266-3364

 

A number of states regulate “Business Opportunities”:

Alaska

(filing required)

• Attorney General’s Office
  Commercial and Fair Business Section
  1031 W. 4th Avenue, Suite 200
  Anchorage, Alaska 99501
  (907) 269-5200

California

(filing required)

• Seller Assisted Marketing Plan Act
• Attorney General's Office
  110 West A Street, Suite 1100
  San Diego, CA 92101
  Toll-free in California only (800) 952-5225
  Out-of-state callers (619) 645-2050

Connecticut

(filing required)

• General Information
• Department of Banking
  Securities Division
  260 Constitution Plaza
  Hartford, CT 06103
  Phone: (860) 240-8299
  Toll-free: (800) 831-7225
  Fax: (860) 240-8295

Florida

(filing required)

• Dept. Agri. & Consumer Services
  407 S. Calhoun St.
  Finance & Accounting Section
  Tallahassee, FL 32301
  (850) 488-2221
  (800) 342-2176 (FL only)

Georgia

(no filing required)

• Sale of Business Opportunities Act
• Office of Consumer Affairs
  No. 2 - Martin Luther King Dr.
  Plaza Level, East Tower
  Atlanta, GA 30334
  (404) 656-3790

Illinois

(filing required)

• General Information
• Illinois Securities Department
  Jefferson Terrace
  300 West Jefferson St., Suite 300A
  Springfield, IL 62702
  (217)782-2256
  Fax  (217) 782-8876

Indiana

(filing required)

• Business Opportunity Transactions Law
• Indiana Office of Attorney General
  Consumer Protection Division
  302 West Washington Street
  IGCS 5th Floor
  Indianapolis, IN 46204
  (317) 232-6330

Iowa

• Securities Bureau
  Second Floor
  Lucas State Office Building
  Des Moines, IA 50319
  (515) 281-4441

Kentucky

(filing required)

• Sale of Business Opportunities Statute
• Office of the Attorney General
  Office of Consumer Protection
  1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 200
  Frankfort, KY 40601
  (502) 696-5389

Louisiana

(bond filing required)

• Office of the Attorney General

  Consumer Protection Section
  1885 3rd St.
  Baton Rouge, LA 70802
  (225) 326-6460

Maine

(filing required)

• Regulations of the Sale of Business Opportunities
• Banking Bureau
  Securities Division
  State House - Station 121
  Augusta, ME 04333
  (207) 624-8551

Maryland

(filing required)

• Attorney General's Office
  Securities Division
  200 St. Paul Pl.
  Baltimore, MD 21202
  (301) 576-6360

Michigan

(notice required)

• Consumer Protection Division
  Dept. of the Attorney General
  PO Box 30213
  Lansing, MI 48909
  (517) 373-7117

Minnesota

(filing required)

• Department of Commerce
  Registration Division
  133 East 7th Street
  St. Paul, MN 55101
  (651) 296-6328

Nebraska

(filing required)

• Seller Assisted Marketing Plan Act
• Dept. of Banking & Finance
• Commerce Court
  1230 “O” Street, Suite 400
  PO Box 95006
  Lincoln, NE, 68509-5006
  402-471-2171   
  1-877-471-3445

New Hampshire

(filing required)

• Attorney General's Office
  Consumer Protection Division
  State House Annex
  Concord, NH 03301
  (603) 271-3641

North Carolina

(filing required)

• North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State
  P.O. Box 29622
  Raleigh, NC 27626-0622
  (919) 807-2000

Ohio

(no filing required)

• Attorney General's Office
  Consumer Protection Section
  25th Floor, State Office Tower
  30 E. Broad Street - 14th Floor
  Columbus, OH 43215
  (614) 466-8831
  800-282-0515 (in-state only)
• Ohio Business Opportunity Purchasers Protection Act

Oklahoma

(filing required unless exempt)

• Oklahoma Department of Securities
  Suite 860, First National Center
  120 N. Robinson
  Oklahoma City, OK 73102
  (405) 280-7700 (voice)
  (405) 280-7742 (fax)

South Carolina

(filing required)

• Business Opportunity Sales Act
• South Carolina Secretary of State
  1205 Pendleton St., Suite 525
  Columbia, SC  29201
  P.O. Box 11350
  Columbia, SC 29211
  (803) 734-1958

South Dakota

(filing required)

• Business Opportunity Sales Act
• South Dakota Division of Securities
  445 E. Capitol Ave.
  Pierre, SD 57501
  (605) 773-4823
  Website:
  e-mail: drr.securities@state.sd.us  

Texas

(filing required)

• Business Opportunity Act
• Secretary of State's Office
  Statutory Documents Section
  1019 Brazos St.  (78701)
  P.O. Box 12887
  Austin, TX 78711-2887
  (512) 475-1769

Utah

(filing required)

• Business Opportunity Disclosure Act
• Business Opportunity Disclosure Act Rules
• Consumer Protection Division
  160 East 300 South
  Salt Lake City, UT 84111
  (801) 530-6601

Virginia

(no filing required)

• Virginia Business Opportunity Sales Act
• Consumer Affairs Office
  101 North 8th Street
  Richmond, VA 23219
  (804) 786-0594
  (800) 451-1525 (in-state only)

Washington

(filing required)

• Business Opportunities Fraud Act
• The Department of Financial Institutions
  Securities Division
  P.O. Box 9033
  Olympia, WA 98507-9033
  Voice: (360) 902- 8760
  Fax (360) 902-0524