IPO readiness checklist for your equity plan.
Work through 12 steps, from your participant data to the Form 3 filings at go-live. Check off what's done, flag gaps and manual steps early, and confirm who owns each step.
- 9
- Pages
- 12
- Steps
- 41
- Checks
From the global equity experts at Allshares, working with 1,500+ companies in 110+ countries.
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What's inside
Nine pages, twelve steps.
Each step sets an objective, lists what to check, and names the parties involved, from the transfer agent and broker to payroll and legal. Every page has room for your team's notes.
Steps 1 to 6
Data, plans, and market setup
Reconcile participant and grant data, set up your plans for public company requirements, and move the cap table to your transfer agent. Then enable cashless exercise and define blackout periods with your broker, test the participant experience, and audit your pricing history.
- Steps
- 6
- Checklist items
- 18
Pages 3 to 5
Steps 7 to 12
Insiders, people, and go-live
Identify your Section 16 officers, configure Form 4 filing, and confirm tax rates and settlement flows. Then agree data feeds and automation, plan participant communications and training, and process adjustments such as a reverse split. The last step files Form 3 for officers and directors.
- Steps
- 6
- Checklist items
- 23
Pages 6 to 8
Who it's for
Written for the teams behind the IPO.
It's for the HR, legal, finance, and equity teams getting a company's equity plans ready for an IPO, and the payroll, treasury, and IT colleagues they bring in along the way. Each step names the parties involved, so ownership is agreed before the work starts.
It works whichever equity platform, transfer agent, or broker you use today.
Want senior specialists beside you through the IPO? See our transactions support
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Common questions
IPO readiness questions.
What does an IPO readiness checklist cover for equity?
This one has 12 steps. The first six cover data, plan configuration, transfer agent setup, trading and brokerage, participant testing, and market pricing. The last six cover Section 16 and insider compliance, tax and settlement, systems integration, participant communications, transaction adjustments, and the go-live filings. Each step lists what to check and who's involved.
How do we run an IPO readiness assessment on our equity plans?
Work through each step with the parties it names. Check off what's complete, and flag gaps, manual steps, and dependencies as soon as you find them. The Parties Involved column on every step shows who should own it.
Does it cover pre-IPO equity communications for employees?
Yes. Step 10 has you draft the first IPO equity announcement, plan ongoing updates, schedule employee education sessions, and deliver Section 16 training. For why education matters most at this moment, read our article. Why employee equity education matters most at IPO
Is the toolkit legal, tax, or securities advice?
No. It's a checklist to work through with your team. For questions about securities filings, tax, or your plan terms, talk to your counsel or tax adviser.
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