Forms, brochures and other documents on the Secretary of State website are stored as PDF (Portable Document Format) files. These files are highly compressed (to save on download times) while keeping all of the same formatting as the original document. The PDF is also a truly "cross platform" format, meaning these documents will look and work the same whether you are using a DOS, Windows, Macintosh or Unix systems.

The IRS and most other states have also adopted the PDF format as a publishing standard for online documents and forms.  To view and print PDFs, you must have Adobe's Acrobat Reader (version 6 or better) installed.  Some forms on this site are designed so you can complete them on-line before printing and mailing them. To use this feature, you need Reader version 6 or better. This program is available for free download by going directly to www.adobe.com

COMMON QUESTION - ADOBE ACROBAT READER

Blank Screen with Internet Explorer Users

Should you experience PDF files appearing as a blank window within Internet Explorer after downloading, follow the appropriate steps below to resolve the issue:

Adobe Acrobat Reader
If you are using Adobe Acrobat Reader's earlier versions, upgrade to version 6 or better.

Internet Explorer
Please see Article ID: Q177321 in the Microsoft Support Online database for a possible resolution.

Can't Print PDF Files

• Help for Windows OS
• Help for Mac OS

Areas of form is Blacked Out

If some documents have areas that are blacked out, first try upgrading to Acrobat Reader version 6 or better. If you are still unable to view or print these files directly, upgrade your printer driver on your machine and when you go to print select "Print as image".

Colorspace Error (CS8, CS9, etc)

If you receive a colorspace error (CS8, CS9, etc.), it is recommended to upgrade your Acrobat Reader to version 6 or better.

Right click on the link for the form and select "Save Target As..." and save it to your hard drive. Then open the form in Acrobat Reader apart from the browser.