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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


FORM 8-A

FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

iSTAR FINANCIAL INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Maryland
(State of Incorporation or Organization)
  95-6881527
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

1114 Avenue of the Americas
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

10036
(Zip Code)

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(c), check the following box.  ý

If this form relates to the registration of a class of securities pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and is effective pursuant to General Instruction A.(d), check the following box.  o

Securities Act registration statement file number to which this form relates: 333-72510

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class to be so Registered   Name of Each Exchange on Which Each Class is to be Registered

Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred
Stock, par value $.001 per share

 

The New York Stock Exchange

Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None





INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 1.     DESCRIPTION OF REGISTRANT'S SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED.

        The information required by this Item 1 is set forth under the caption "Description of the Series G Preferred Stock" in the Registrant's prospectus supplement dated December 9, 2003 which will be filed under Rule 424b and under the caption "Description of Common Stock and Preferred Stock" in the Registrant's prospectus dated December 4, 2003, as filed with the Commission on December 4, 2003 under Rule 424(b)(5) as a form of prospectus used after the effectiveness of the Registrant's registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-109599), covering the offer and sale of shares of the class of securities to be registered hereby, which descriptions are incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 2     EXHIBITS.

        The exhibits to this registration statement are listed in the Exhibit Index, which appears after the signature page and is incorporated herein by reference.

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SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

    iSTAR FINANCIAL INC.

 

 

 

 
Date: December 9, 2003   By: /s/   JAY SUGARMAN       
Jay Sugarman
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number

  Description
3.1   Amended and Restated Charter of the Company (including the Articles Supplementary for the Series A, B, C, D, E and F Preferred Stock), incorporated herein by reference to the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2000 and filed on May 15, 2000.

3.2

 

Form of Articles Supplementary designating the Company's 7.65% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, liquidation preference $25.00 per share, par value $.001 per share.

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Specimen certificate representing the Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock.

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INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT
SIGNATURES
EXHIBIT INDEX

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EXHIBIT 3.2


iSTAR FINANCIAL INC.

Articles Supplementary
Series G Cumulative Redeemable
Preferred Stock

iStar Financial Inc., a Maryland corporation (the "Corporation"), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

        FIRST: Under a power contained in Article V of the Charter of the Corporation (the "Charter"), the Board of Directors by duly adopted resolutions classified and designated 3,200,000 shares of authorized but unissued Preferred Stock (as defined in the Charter) as shares of 7.65% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, with the following preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends and other distributions, qualifications, and terms and conditions of redemption, which, upon any restatement of the Charter, shall become part of Article V of the Charter, with any necessary or appropriate renumbering or relettering of the sections or subsections hereof.

Series G Preferred Stock

(1)     DESIGNATION AND NUMBER.     A series of Preferred Stock, designated the "7.65% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock" (the "Series G Preferred Stock"), is hereby established. The number of shares of the Series G Preferred Stock shall be 3,200,000.

(2)     RANK.     The Series G Preferred Stock shall, with respect to dividend rights and rights upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, rank (a) senior to all classes or series of Common Stock of the Corporation, and to all equity securities the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank junior to such Series G Preferred Stock; (b) on a parity with the Corporation's 9.5% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 9 3 / 8 % Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 9.2% Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 8% Series D Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, 7 7 / 8 % Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and 7.8% Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock; and all equity securities issued by the Corporation the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank on a parity with the Series G Preferred Stock; and (c) junior to all equity securities issued by the Corporation the terms of which specifically provide that such equity securities rank senior to the Series G Preferred Stock. The term "equity securities" shall not include convertible debt securities.

(3)     DIVIDENDS.

        (a)    Holders of the then outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive, when and as authorized by the Board of Directors, out of funds legally available for the payment of dividends, cumulative preferential cash dividends at the rate of 7.65% of the $25.00 liquidation preference per annum (equivalent to a fixed annual amount of $1.9125 per share). Such dividends shall be cumulative from the first date on which any Series G Preferred Stock is issued (the "Original Issue Date") and shall be payable quarterly in arrears on or before March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 of each year beginning on March 15, 2004 or, if not a business day, the next succeeding business day (each, a "Dividend Payment Date"); provided, however, that (i) an initial dividend (the "Initial Dividend") will be payable on the Series G Preferred Stock on the closing date of the initial public offering of the Series G Preferred Stock (the "Closing Date") in respect of the period from and including the Original Issue Date to but excluding the Closing Date, and (ii) the next dividend subsequent to the Initial Dividend shall be payable on March 15, 2004 in respect of the period from and including the Closing Date to but excluding the date of payment; provided further, however, that if the Closing Date has not occurred on or before March 1, 2004, then the first dividend on the Series G Preferred Stock shall be payable on March 15, 2004 in respect of the period from and



including the Original Issue Date to but excluding the date of payment. Any dividend payable on the Series G Preferred Stock for any partial dividend period will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months (it being understood that the Initial Dividend, if any, will be, and the dividend payable on March 15, 2004 may be, for less than the full quarterly dividend period). Dividends will be payable to holders of record as they appear in the stock records of the Corporation at the close of business on the applicable record date, which shall be December 9, 2003 in the case of the Initial Dividend, if any, and, for each other dividend shall be the first day of the calendar month on which the applicable Dividend Payment Date falls or on such other date designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation for the payment of dividends that is not more than 30 nor less than 10 days prior to such Dividend Payment Date (each, a "Dividend Record Date").

        (b)    No dividends on shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be declared by the Corporation or paid or set apart for payment by the Corporation at such time as the terms and provisions of any agreement of the Corporation, including any agreement relating to its indebtedness, prohibit such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment or provide that such declaration, payment or setting apart for payment would constitute a breach thereof or a default thereunder, or if such declaration or payment shall be restricted or prohibited by law.

        (c)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, dividends on the Series G Preferred Stock shall accrue whether or not the terms and provisions set forth in Section 3(b) hereof at any time prohibit the current payment of dividends, whether or not the Corporation has earnings, whether or not there are funds legally available for the payment of such dividends and whether or not such dividends are declared. Accrued but unpaid dividends on the Series G Preferred Stock will accumulate as of the Dividend Payment Date on which they first become payable.

        (d)    Except as provided in Section 3(e) below, unless full cumulative dividends on the Series G Preferred Stock have been or contemporaneously are declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof is set apart for payment for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period, no dividends (other than in shares of Common Stock or in shares of any series of Preferred Stock ranking junior to the Series G Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation) shall be declared or paid or set aside for payment nor shall any other distribution be declared or made upon the Common Stock, or any Preferred Stock of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series G Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation, nor shall any shares of Common Stock, or any shares of Preferred Stock of the Corporation ranking junior to or on a parity with the Series G Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation be redeemed, purchased or otherwise acquired for any consideration (or any moneys be paid to or made available for a sinking fund for the redemption of any such shares) by the Corporation (except by conversion into or exchange for other capital stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series G Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation and except for transfers made pursuant to the provisions of Article IX of the Charter).

        (e)    When dividends are not paid in full (or a sum sufficient for such full payment is not so set apart) on the Series G Preferred Stock and the shares of any other series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series G Preferred Stock, all dividends declared upon the Series G Preferred Stock and any other series of Preferred Stock ranking on a parity as to dividends with the Series G Preferred Stock shall be declared pro rata so that the amount of dividends declared per share of Series G Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock shall in all cases bear to each other the same ratio that accrued dividends per share on the Series G Preferred Stock and such other series of Preferred Stock (which shall not include any accrual in respect of unpaid dividends for prior dividend periods if such Preferred Stock does not have a cumulative dividend) bear to each other. No interest, or sum of money in lieu of interest, shall be payable in respect of any dividend payment or payments on Series G Preferred Stock which may be in arrears.

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        (f)    Any dividend payment made on shares of the Series G Preferred Stock shall first be credited against the earliest accrued but unpaid dividend due with respect to such shares which remains payable. Holders of the Series G Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to any dividend, whether payable in cash, property or stock in excess of full cumulative dividends on the Series G Preferred Stock as described above.

(4)     LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE.

        (a)    Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Series G Preferred Stock then outstanding are entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation, legally available for distribution to its stockholders, a liquidation preference of $25.00 per share, plus an amount equal to any accrued and unpaid dividends to the date of payment, before any distribution of assets is made to holders of Common Stock or any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation that ranks junior to the Series G Preferred Stock as to liquidation rights.

        (b)    In the event that, upon any such voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the available assets of the Corporation are insufficient to pay the amount of the liquidating distributions on all outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock and the corresponding amounts payable on all shares of other classes or series of capital stock of the Corporation ranking on a parity with the Series G Preferred Stock in the distribution of assets, then the holders of the Series G Preferred Stock and all other such classes or series of capital stock shall share ratably in any such distribution of assets in proportion to the full liquidating distributions to which they would otherwise be respectively entitled.

        (c)    After payment of the full amount of the liquidating distributions to which they are entitled, the holders of Series G Preferred Stock will have no right or claim to any of the remaining assets of the Corporation.

        (d)    Written notice of any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, stating the payment date or dates when, and the place or places where, the amounts distributable in such circumstances shall be payable, shall be given by first class mail, postage pre-paid, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the payment date stated therein, to each record holder of the Series G Preferred Stock at the respective addresses of such holders as the same shall appear on the stock transfer records of the Corporation.

        (e)    The consolidation or merger of the Corporation with or into any other corporation, trust or entity or of any other corporation with or into the Corporation, or the sale, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Corporation, shall not be deemed to constitute a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation.

(5)     REDEMPTION.

        (a)     Right of Optional Redemption.     The Series G Preferred Stock is not redeemable prior to December 19, 2008. However, in order to ensure that the Corporation remains a qualified real estate investment trust ("REIT") for Federal income tax purposes, the Series G Preferred Stock will be subject to the provisions of Article IX of the Charter. Pursuant to Article IX, and without limitation of any provisions of such Article IX, Series G Preferred Stock, together with other equity stock of the Corporation, owned by a stockholder in excess of the Ownership Limit will automatically be transferred to a Charitable Trust for the benefit of a Charitable Beneficiary and the Corporation will have the right to purchase such transferred shares from the Charitable Trust. On and after December 19, 2008, the Corporation, at its option and upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' written notice, may redeem shares of the Series G Preferred Stock, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of $25.00 per share, plus all accrued and unpaid dividends thereon to and including the date fixed for redemption (except as provided in Section 5(c) below), without

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interest. If less than all of the outstanding Series G Preferred Stock is to be redeemed, the Series G Preferred Stock to be redeemed shall be selected pro rata (as nearly as may be practicable without creating fractional shares) or by any other equitable method determined by the Corporation.

        (b)     Limitations on Redemption.     Unless full cumulative dividends on all shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall have been, or contemporaneously are, declared and paid or declared and a sum sufficient for the payment thereof set apart for payment for all past dividend periods and the then current dividend period, no shares of Series G Preferred Stock shall be redeemed unless all outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock are simultaneously redeemed, and the Corporation shall not purchase or otherwise acquire directly or indirectly any shares of Series G Preferred Stock (except by exchange for capital stock of the Corporation ranking junior to the Series G Preferred Stock as to dividends and upon liquidation); provided, however, that the foregoing shall not prevent the purchase by the Corporation of shares transferred to a Charitable Trust pursuant to Article IX in order to ensure that the Corporation remains qualified as a REIT for Federal income tax purposes or the purchase or acquisition of shares of Series G Preferred Stock pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all outstanding shares of Series G Preferred Stock.

        (c)     Rights to Dividends on Shares Called for Redemption.     Immediately prior to any redemption of Series G Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall pay, in cash, any accumulated and unpaid dividends to and including the redemption date, unless a redemption date falls after a Dividend Record Date and prior to the corresponding Dividend Payment Date, in which case each holder of Series G Preferred Stock at the close of business on such Dividend Record Date shall be entitled to the dividend payable on such shares on the corresponding Dividend Payment Date notwithstanding the redemption of such shares before such Dividend Payment Date. Except as provided above, the Corporation will make no payment or allowance for unpaid dividends, whether or not in arrears, on Series G Preferred Stock which is redeemed.

        (d)     Procedures for Redemption.

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(6)     VOTING RIGHTS.

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(7)     CONVERSION.     The Series G Preferred Stock is not convertible into or exchangeable for any other property or securities of the Corporation.

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        SECOND:    The shares of Series G Preferred Stock have been classified and designated by the Board of Directors under the authority contained in the Charter.

        THIRD:    These Articles Supplementary have been approved by the Board of Directors in the manner and by the vote required by law.

        FOURTH:    The undersigned Executive Vice President of the Corporation acknowledges these Articles Supplementary to be the corporate act of the Corporation and, as to all matters or facts required to be verified under oath, the undersigned Executive Vice President acknowledges that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, these matters and facts are true in all material respects and that this statement is made under the penalties of perjury.

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

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        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused these Articles Supplementary to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its Executive Vice President and attested to by its Secretary on this 8 day of December, 2003.


ATTEST:

 

 

 

By:

/s/  
GEOFFREY DUGAN       
Name: Geoffrey Dugan
Title: Secretary

 

By:

/s/  
ANDREW RICHARDSON       
Name: Andrew Richardson
Title: Executive Vice President

 

(SEAL)

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iSTAR FINANCIAL INC. Articles Supplementary Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

NUMBER       SHARES
1       3,200,000
         
    iStar Financial Inc.
Series G Cumulative Redeemable
Preferred Stock,
par value $0.001
   

        This Certifies that Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. is the owner of Three Million Two Hundred Thousand fully paid and non-assessable Shares of the above Corporation transferable only on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in person or by duly authorized Attorney upon surrender of this Certificate properly endorsed.

        In Witness Whereof, the said Corporation has caused this Certificate to be signed by its duly authorized officers and to be sealed with the Seal of the Corporation.


Dated            December 9, 2003

 

 
   
   
         
    /s/ Catherine Rice
Chief Financial Officer
  /s/ Jay Sugarman
Chief Executive Officer

        THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE COMPANY'S MAINTENANCE OF ITS STATUS AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE CHARTER OF THE COMPANY, NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SHARES OF CAPITAL STOCK IN EXCESS OF 9.8% (OR SUCH GREATER PERCENTAGE AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY) OF THE NUMBER OR VALUE OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF CAPITAL STOCK OF THE COMPANY (UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS AN EXISTING HOLDER). ALL CAPITALIZED TERMS IN THIS LEGEND HAVE THE MEANINGS DEFINED IN THE CHARTER OF THE COMPANY, A COPY OF WHICH, INCLUDING THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER, WILL BE FURNISHED TO EACH STOCKHOLDER ON REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE. IF THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER ARE VIOLATED, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY WILL BE DESIGNATED AND TREATED AS EXCESS SHARES WHICH WILL BE HELD IN TRUST BY THE EXCESS SHARE TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHARITABLE BENEFICIARY.

        The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations. Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the list.

TEN COM as tenants in common   UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -                                Custodian                                (Minor)
TEN ENT as tenants by the entireties       under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act                                (State)
JT TEM as joint tenants with right of survivorship   UNIF TRF MIN ACT -                                Custodian                                (Minor)
    and not as tenants in common       under                                (State) Uniform Transfer to Minors Act
 
PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE
For value received, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto
   

                     PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS OF ASSIGNEE
   

   

Shares represented by the within Certificate, and hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints
   

Attorney to transfer the said shares on the books of the within-named Corporation will full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated,      
 
In presence of
 
       

   

NOTICE:    The signature to this assignment must
correspond with the name as written upon the face of the
certificate in every particular without alteration or
enlargement or any change whatever.


        THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON OWNERSHIP AND TRANSFER FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE COMPANY'S MAINTENANCE OF ITS STATUS AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST UNDER THE INTERNAL REVENUE OF 1986, AS AMENDED. EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE CHARTER OF THE COMPANY, NO PERSON MAY BENEFICIALLY OR CONSTRUCTIVELY OWN SHARES OF CAPITAL STOCK IN EXCESS OF 9.8% (OR SUCH GREATER PERCENTAGE AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY) OF THE NUMBER OR VALUE OF THE OUTSTANDING SHARES OF CAPITAL STOCK OF THE COMPANY (UNLESS SUCH PERSON IS AN EXISTING HOLDER). ALL CAPITALIZED TERMS IN THIS LEGEND HAVE THE MEANINGS DEFINED IN THE CHARTER OF THE COMPANY, A COPY OF WHICH, INCLUDING THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER, WILL BE FURNISHED TO EACH STOCKHOLDER ON REQUEST AND WITHOUT CHARGE. IF THE RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFER ARE VIOLATED, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY WILL BE DESIGNATED AND TREATED AS EXCESS SHARES WHICH WILL BE HELD IN TRUST BY THE EXCESS SHARE TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHARITABLE BENEFICIARY.