How to Fill Out and Submit Computershare’s Direct Registration Transaction Request Form

Computershare’s Direct Registration Transaction Request Form is the document you use to move shares held electronically in your name to another person, entity, or account structure. It covers gifts, private sales, inheritance transfers, and re-registrations that don’t change beneficial ownership, such as moving shares into a trust you control. Computershare doesn’t charge investors a fee to process the transfer, but every signature on the form must carry a Medallion Signature Guarantee, and that stamp can carry its own cost depending on where you get it.1Computershare. Becoming a Registered Shareholder in US-Listed Companies

Where To Get the Form

Log in to the Computershare Investor Center, open the holding you want to transfer, and look in the printable forms area for the “Direct Registration Transaction Request Form” or “Transfer Request.” If you don’t use the online portal, call the shareholder services number on any Computershare statement and ask them to mail you the form along with the instructions for your specific issuer.

The form runs several pages. Which sections you fill in depends on why the shares are moving and what kind of account is receiving them, so read the instruction packet that comes with it before you start writing.

Filling Out the Form Section by Section

Current Investor Information

Enter your Computershare account number, which begins with “C” followed by ten digits and appears on any shareholder statement.2Computershare. Account Documents Write your name exactly as it appears on the account. A mismatch between the registered name and your signature is one of the most common reasons transfers get sent back. Include a daytime phone number so Computershare can call with a question instead of returning the paperwork.

You also need your Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number. Computershare uses it to verify your identity and to report cost basis information to the IRS when shares leave your account.3Internal Revenue Service. U.S. Taxpayer Identification Number Requirement

Shares To Be Transferred

You can transfer the entire balance or a specific number of shares. If you check the box for all shares, skip the rest of this section. If you’re moving only part of the position, specify the share class (common, preferred, and so on) and the exact whole or fractional share count. If the number you enter doesn’t match an available share class in your account, the form comes back for clarification.

Purpose of Transfer and Cost Basis

Check exactly one box explaining why the shares are moving. The options are:

  • Private Sale — include the date of sale and the cost per share.
  • Secondary Market or Third Party Transaction — include the date of sale and cost per share.
  • Gift — include the gift date, or it defaults to the processing date.
  • Inheritance — include the date of death and value per share, or it defaults to the processing date.
  • No Change of Ownership — write a brief explanation, such as moving shares into your own trust.

If you leave this section blank, Computershare treats the transfer as a gift, unless estate documents like an Affidavit of Domicile are included, in which case it’s treated as an inheritance.4Computershare. Transfer Request Form Instructions If you check more than one box, the selection is disregarded entirely, so pick only one.

Cost basis matters here because Computershare reports it to the IRS. For covered shares (corporate stock acquired on or after January 1, 2011), Computershare uses first-in, first-out by default; if you want a different lot selection, instruct them in writing before or at the time of transfer.5Computershare. Cost Basis FAQ If you don’t provide basis on a gift or inherited transfer, the transfer agent may report a zero-dollar basis, which sticks the recipient with a larger taxable gain when they eventually sell.

New Investor or Recipient Information

Indicate whether the recipient account is custodial (broker-controlled) or non-custodial. For a custodial transfer, such as moving shares into a brokerage account, you need the custodian’s Computershare account number, their EIN, and their name and address. For a non-custodial transfer to an individual, provide the recipient’s full legal name, permanent address, and SSN or TIN. The recipient must also complete and sign a Form W-9, or a Form W-8BEN if they are a non-U.S. person.

Signatures

Every registered owner on the account must sign and date the form. If you’re signing on behalf of the registered holder as an executor, trustee, or power of attorney, write your capacity next to your signature (for example, “Jane Doe, Executor”). Each signature must carry a Medallion Signature Guarantee stamp. A notary seal is not acceptable and will cause the form to be rejected.

The Medallion Signature Guarantee

A Medallion Signature Guarantee is a stamp from a financial institution that verifies your identity, confirms you have authority to transfer the shares, and backs the transaction with an indemnity against forgery. Under SEC Rule 17Ad-15, a transfer agent may reject any request bearing a guarantee from an institution that isn’t a member of an approved signature guarantee program.6eCFR. 17 CFR 240.17Ad-15 – Signature Guarantees A standard notary stamp does not satisfy this requirement.

Eligible guarantors include banks, broker-dealers, credit unions, savings associations, and national securities exchanges.6eCFR. 17 CFR 240.17Ad-15 – Signature Guarantees In practice, go to a branch where you already have an account. Most institutions provide the stamp free to existing customers; non-customers may pay anywhere from nothing to $100, and walk-in requests without an existing relationship are routinely declined.7Computershare. What Is a Medallion Guarantee

Match the Stamp’s Coverage Limit to Your Transfer Value

Each Medallion stamp carries an alpha prefix that indicates the maximum dollar amount the guarantor’s indemnity covers. If the value of your transfer exceeds the stamp’s limit, Computershare rejects the submission.7Computershare. What Is a Medallion Guarantee The common prefixes and their limits:

  • Z: $10,000,000
  • Y: $5,000,000
  • X: $2,000,000
  • A: $1,000,000
  • B: $750,000
  • C: $500,000
  • D: $250,000
  • E: $100,000

Before you visit the bank, multiply the current share price by the number of shares you’re moving and confirm the stamp they apply has a prefix that covers at least that amount. This is a detail people overlook until the paperwork bounces back.

A Signature Validation Program (SVP) stamp is a separate program for non-securities transactions like check endorsements and administrative account changes. It isn’t interchangeable with a Medallion. An SVP stamp on a stock transfer form is treated the same as no stamp at all.

Extra Documents for Specific Transfers

Deceased Shareholders

Moving shares out of a deceased person’s account requires documentation beyond the standard form. At a minimum, expect to provide a certified copy of the death certificate, letters testamentary or letters of administration issued by a probate court, and an Affidavit of Domicile. Computershare’s dedicated deceased-transfer portal walks you through the specific documents needed for your situation.8Computershare. Deceased Transfer Sign the form in your capacity as executor, administrator, or successor and include that title next to your signature. Every signature still needs a Medallion Guarantee.

Foreign Recipients

When shares are going to a non-U.S. person, the recipient must complete a Form W-8BEN instead of a W-9. The form certifies foreign status and, where applicable, claims a reduced withholding rate under a tax treaty.9Computershare. Substitute Form W-8BEN Without a valid W-8BEN on file, dividend income and sale proceeds are subject to withholding at the default rate of up to 30%. The W-8BEN requires the recipient’s full name, permanent residential address including country, country of citizenship, and any U.S. or foreign tax identification number they hold. Joint account holders each complete a separate form, and a signed W-8BEN stays valid for three years.

Lost Physical Certificates

If you hold paper certificates that are lost, stolen, or destroyed, you can’t fill out the transfer form and explain what happened. Replace the certificates first, or convert them to book-entry form, before initiating a transfer. Replacement requires a surety bond (also called an indemnity bond) that protects the company and transfer agent if the missing certificate later surfaces in the hands of an innocent buyer. These bonds typically cost between 1% and 3% of the current market value of the missing shares.10Investor.gov. Lost or Stolen Stock Certificates Call Computershare’s shareholder services line to open a lost certificate claim.

Common Reasons Transfers Get Rejected

Most rejections come from a short list of preventable mistakes. Check against this before you mail:

  • Name mismatch between your signature and the name on your Computershare statement. If your name has changed, update the account first, then submit the transfer.
  • Missing Medallion stamp, a notary stamp used in its place, or a Medallion whose coverage limit is below the transfer value.
  • Skipped sections you were supposed to complete, or extra sections filled out that were meant for a different account type.
  • A share count that doesn’t correspond to any share class in your account.
  • More than one purpose-of-transfer box checked, which cancels the selection and defaults to gift treatment.
  • Missing W-9 or W-8BEN from the recipient. Without it, Computershare cannot open the new account.

Submitting the Form

Mail the completed form, the Medallion-stamped signature page, and every supporting document (W-9 or W-8BEN, death certificate and estate paperwork if applicable, trust certification if applicable) to the address specified in the instructions for your particular holding. The mailing address varies by issuer and is printed in the instruction packet. Most holdings use a P.O. Box for standard mail and a separate physical street address for overnight or courier delivery.

Use a trackable shipping method. If the envelope goes missing without tracking, you’ll need to start over, including obtaining a new Medallion stamp, because the original was applied to the lost documents.

Processing Time and Confirmation

Computershare generally processes transfer requests within three business days of receiving paperwork in good order.11Computershare. Computershare Direct Registration Transaction Request Form Deceased transfers can also process within three business days once all required documentation is received and accepted.8Computershare. Deceased Transfer Requests that require follow-up take longer.

Once the transfer posts, the recipient receives a Direct Registration Advice statement confirming the new holding. You can monitor your own account through the Investor Center; when your share balance decreases, the transfer has gone through. A confirmation statement is mailed to you as well. Keep it as a permanent record for tax purposes.