Instructions for Completing the FINRA Participation Agreement
This page provides guidance for completing the FINRA Participation Agreement (FPA) and supplemental documentation required to access the ADF.
How to Sign Up for ADF
A party who is authorized to sign official documents on behalf of a firm must sign the FPA and other applicable supplements (see below) and mail two completed copies to:
FINRA Operations
9509 Key West Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
FINRA Operations will keep one copy of the documents and return a signed copy to the firm. For questions, contact FINRA Operations at (866) 776-0800.
Required Documentation
All users of the ADF system, whether FINRA member firms or third-party reporting intermediaries, must complete and submit the FINRA Participation Agreement.
FINRA member firms that delegate reporting to a third-party reporting intermediary must complete and sign the FINRA Participation Agreement as well as complete and sign the Uniform Services Agreement if:
- a FINRA member firm (e.g., a clearing firm or a member firm Alternative Trading System (ATS)) is reporting on behalf of another FINRA member, or
- a service bureau or vendor is reporting on behalf of a FINRA member firm.
A FINRA member firm (e.g., a clearing firm or a member ATS) that offers reporting services on behalf of another FINRA member must complete and sign the FINRA Participation Agreement and the Uniform Services Agreement.
A non-FINRA member third-party reporting intermediary (e.g., a Service Bureau or vendor) must sign a FINRA Participation Agreement and the Uniform Services Agreement.
Note: In addition to the FINRA Participation Agreement, FINRA members (and non-members) who currently have an executed FINRA Uniform Services Agreement for any FINRA product listed in Attachment A of the agreement will only need to update Attachment A of that agreement in order to add ADF.
Amending a Previously-Signed FPA
A party who is authorized to sign official documents on behalf of a firm and is adding (deleting) a product to (from) their existing agreement must sign the FPA Amendment and mail two completed copies to:
FINRA Operations
9509 Key West Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
FINRA Operations will keep one copy of the documents and return a signed copy to the firm. For questions, contact FINRA Operations at (866) 776-0800.