An offering (initial public offering, IPO) of securities that is conducted on a shelf registration statement.This kind of registration allows the issuer to respond quickly to a marketing opportunity or market development for its securities that have “temporarily” been kept on the shelf. An issuer may resort to a shelf registration in its preparation for an offering, but cannot, for the time being, determine the deal structure or proper timing (market entry).

The key types of such registration include 1) resales (by security holders), 2) securities offered and sold under reinvestment plans and employee benefits plans, 3) securities pledged as collateral, 4) securities issued in business combinations, 5) securities used as underlying in options, warrants, convertibles, and rights, among others.

Shelf registration comes in two main types: delayed offerings and continuous offerings.

Shelf registration is also referred to as shelf offering.