A quick search (the equivalent of a “simple search” on many sites) can be conducted from virtually any page on EMMA. Quick search allows searches by CUSIP number and name of security issue.

• CUSIP Number

  If you know the nine-character CUSIP number (CUSIP-9) of a security, enter it in the quick search at the top of any page of EMMA to get direct access to security details. Trade confirmations must, and most account statements do, include the CUSIP-9 for each security. Use the first six digits of a CUSIP number (CUSIP-6) if you prefer to see a listing of issues of a particular issuer or a specific credit of an issuer. A CUSIP is an identification number assigned to each maturity of an issue, similar to a serial number. The acronym CUSIP refers to Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures and nine-digit, alphanumeric CUSIP numbers that are used to identify securities, including municipal bonds. The first six characters are known as the base, or CUSIP-6, and uniquely identify the bond issuer. The seventh and eighth digit identify the exact bond issue and the ninth digit is an automatically generated "check digit."

  Read more about CUSIP numbers
• Name of Security Issue

  If you know the name of your security (which may be printed on your trade confirmation or account statement), you can enter this text into the quick search. Entering text in the quick search box will perform a word search of the security title consisting of both the Issuer Name and Issue Description. Avoid using common terms, which can bring back results numbering in the thousands.

Watch a tutorial about how to search securities on EMMA.
EMMA search provides you with the broadest variety of search criteria, including:

Security Information Filters

• State

  A drop-down menu allows for the selection of the state in which the municipal issuer of the securities is located.

• Issuer Name & Issue Description
  • Standardized issuer names are used in connection with the assignment of CUSIP numbers. These are the names upon which Issuer Name searches are based. These names include a number of standardized or common abbreviations, and EMMA has incorporated into its search functions a translation algorithm that should allow users to search on many of the most often used standard abbreviations and their related plain English equivalents interchangeably. Users are not required to enter the full name but can search on specific words within a name.
  • Standardized terminology is used for issue descriptions when CUSIP numbers are assigned. These issue descriptions are used for purposes of Issue Description searches. Issue descriptions include a number of standardized abbreviations, and EMMA has incorporated into its search functions a translation algorithm that should allow users to search on many of the most often used standard abbreviations and their related plain English equivalents interchangeably. In many but not all cases, a borrower or obligor that is the beneficiary of an issue may be named in the issue description. Currently, the best way to search for an obligor in EMMA is through the Issue Description field, but there is no assurance that obligors will always be identified in this way. Users may search on a full or partial issue description.

  If multiple terms are entered within a single field, EMMA will find matching records containing all such terms in any order. If multiple terms are entered within quotation marks (" "), then EMMA will find only exact matches for such multiple terms as entered.

• Closing Date

  Closing date is the date on which the issuer delivered the securities to the underwriter upon initial issuance.

• Dated Date

  Dated date is the date from which interest on the securities begins to accrue.

• Interest Rate

  This criteria searches on the interest rate, sometimes referred to as the "coupon rate" of the bond or note, expressed as a percentage. This is different from yield, which is the rate of return on an investment based on trade price and term of investment.

• CUSIP-6

  CUSIP-6s (the first six characters of a CUSIP-9) are a way to search for multiple issues of an issuer. If the issuer has a single CUSIP-6, your search should return all of the securities within that issuer’s bond issues. If the issuer has more than one CUSIP-6, your search will only return securities in a subset of that issuer’s issues (e.g., bonds secured by a particular credit, securities issued for a particular purpose, bonds issued during a particular timeframe). Often, you can find other issues of an issuer with multiple CUSIP-6s by conducting an Issuer Name search using the exact name from the first CUSIP-6 search. Do not use Issuer Name or State when conducting a CUSIP-6 search since these are already tied to the CUSIP-6.

• Maturity Date

  This is the date on which a bond or note matures and the principal amount is repaid to the investor.

• Purpose/Sector

  A drop-down menu allows a search based on the issuer's intended use of the proceeds of the offering. Options include:

  • Education
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Improvement
  • Tax-Revenue
  • Utility
  • Other
• Source of Repayment

  A drop-down menu allows a search on the source of funds pledged by the issuer for repayment of the securities. Options include:

  • General Obligation
  • Revenue
  • Double Barrel
• Rate Type

  A drop-down menu allows a search on securities with different types of interest rates/coupons. Options include:

  • Fixed
  • Variable
  • Zero-Coupon
• Insured

  A drop-down menu allows a search on whether a security has been guaranteed by a bond insurer for the payment of the principal and interest should the issuer fail to make the required payments.

• Current Long Term Ratings

  Current long-term credit ratings assigned by Fitch and Standard and Poor’s are provided on EMMA and may be included in a search. See Understanding Credit Ratings for more information.

• Security Type

  More than 95 percent of all municipal securities are municipal bonds and notes that are assigned a CUSIP-9. This is the default option for searches on EMMA. However, the Security Type drop-down menu allows searches for other types of municipal securities. Commercial paper consists of short-term, unsecured promissory notes assigned a CUSIP-6 identifier. Securities ineligible for CUSIP number assignment are securities that do not have CUSIP numbers assigned due to unique characteristics of the security. Municipal fund securities are securities with features similar to mutual funds such as local government investment pools. Search for 529 college savings plans under the 529 Plans tab.

Trade History Filters

• Trade Date

  This is the date range on which a legally binding agreement was reached between the buyer and seller. Trade data on EMMA dates to January 2005.

• Trade Price

  This is the price at which the securities were transacted, expressed as a percentage of the principal amount.

• Trade Yield

  This is the yield, calculated on a "yield to worst" basis, using the trade price, the interest rate on the bonds and the remaining period until maturity or earlier redemption.

• Trade Amount

  This is the principal amount traded. An indicator of MM+ is shown for trades over 5 million dollars during the first week after the trade date. After a week has elapsed, this indicator is replaced by the exact dollar amount. Enter "MM+" to search for trade over $5 million.

• Trade Type

  Drop-down menu of whether a customer bought the security from a broker-dealer or bank, a customer sold the security to a broker-dealer or bank, or the trade was between a broker-dealer or bank and another broker-dealer or bank. Options include:

  • Customer bought
  • Inter-dealer Trade
  • Customer sold

Disclosure Filters

• Posting Date

  This is the date on which a disclosure was made available on the EMMA website.

• Official Statements and Other Primary Market Documents

  Official statements describe the essential terms of a bond, including whether and on what terms a bond can be redeemed prior to maturity, the sources pledged to repay the bond, the issuer's covenants for the benefit of investors, and much more. Selecting this option will include securities for which primary market documents have been posted on EMMA.

• Advance Refunding Documents

  Advance refunding documents set out important terms of how and when a bond that has been advance refunded ultimately will be paid. Selecting this option will include securities for which advance refunding documents have been posted on EMMA.

• Variable Rate Security Documents

  Variable rate security documents include liquidity facility documents for variable rate demand obligations such as letters of credit and stand-by bond purchase agreements as well as program documents for auction rate securities. Selecting this option will include securities for which such documents have been posted on EMMA.

• Continuing Disclosure Documents

  Continuing disclosure documents consist of important information about a bond that arises after the initial issuance. Continuing disclosures include those identified under Rule 15c2-12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) as well as those made on a voluntary basis. Selecting a specific continuing disclosure document type will include all securities for which this document type has been posted on EMMA.

• Event Filings

  Selecting this checkbox will include all securities that have had an event–based continuing disclosure document posted on EMMA.

• Financial/Operating Filings

  Selecting this checkbox will include all securities that have had a financial or operating filing document posted on EMMA.

MyEMMA allows users to save and modify frequently used search criteria in EMMA Search. Sign in to MyEMMA from the MyEMMA link in the upper right corner of any page of the website. You can also sign in directly from the Search page by clicking "Access MyEMMA Saved Searches" in the left menu. To save a new search, enter the search criteria you wish to save. In the left menu, enter a name for the search and click "Save Search". To view, load and delete your saved searches, click "Access MyEMMA Saved Searches". Once a search is loaded, you can modify the criteria and re-save to replace the existing saved search or save as a new search with a new search name.

Search for information on 529 college savings plans under the 529 Plans tab. Click a state in the interactive map to find available information about the plan or plans offered in that state.