(a) An electronic submission, other than a Form 3 (§249.103 of this chapter), a Form 4 (§249.104 of this chapter), a Form 5 (§249.105 of this chapter), a Form ID (§§239.63, 249.446, 269.7 and 274.402 of this chapter), a Form TA-1 (§249.100 of this chapter), a Form TA-2 (§249.102 of this chapter), a Form TA-W (§249.101 of this chapter) or a Form D (§239.500 of this chapter), may include one unofficial PDF copy of each electronic document contained within that submission, tagged in the format required by the EDGAR Filer Manual.

(b) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (f) of this section, each unofficial PDF copy must be substantively equivalent to its associated electronic document contained in the electronic submission. An unofficial PDF copy may contain graphic and image material (but not animated graphics, or audio or video material), notwithstanding the fact that its HTML or ASCII document counterpart may not contain such material but instead may contain a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of any omitted graphic or image material.

(c) If a filer omits an unofficial PDF copy from, or submits one or more flawed unofficial PDF copies in, the electronic submission of an official filing, the filer may add or resubmit an unofficial PDF copy by electronically submitting an amendment to the filing to which it relates. The amendment must include an explanatory note that the purpose of the amendment is to add or to correct an unofficial PDF copy.

(1) If such an amendment is filed, the official amendment may consist solely of the cover page (or first page of the document), the explanatory note, and the signature page and exhibit index (where appropriate). The corresponding unofficial copy must include the complete text of the official filing document for which the amendment is being submitted.

(2) If the amendment is being filed to add or resubmit an unofficial PDF copy of one or more exhibits, the submission may consist of the following: the official filing—consisting of the cover page (or first page of the document), the explanatory note, the signature page (where appropriate), the exhibit index, and a separate electronic exhibit document for each exhibit for which an unofficial PDF copy is being submitted—and the corresponding unofficial PDF copy of each exhibit document. However, the text of the official exhibit document need not repeat the text of the exhibit; that document may contain only the following legend:

(d) An unofficial PDF copy is not filed for purposes of section 11 of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77k), section 18 of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78r), section 323 of the Trust Indenture Act (15 U.S.C. 77www), or section 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-33(b)), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of such sections, and is not part of any registration statement to which it relates. An unofficial PDF copy is, however, subject to all other civil liability and anti-fraud provisions of the above Acts or other laws.

(e) Unofficial PDF copies that are prospectuses are subject to liability under Section 12 of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. 77l).

(f) An unofficial PDF copy of a correspondence document contained in an electronic submission need not be substantively equivalent to that correspondence document.

[64 FR 27895, May 21, 1999, as amended at 65 FR 24800, Apr. 27, 2000; 68 FR 25799, May 13, 2003; 69 FR 22709, Apr. 26, 2004; 71 FR 74708, Dec. 12, 2006; 73 FR 10616, Feb. 27, 2008; 76 FR 71876, Nov. 21, 2011]