AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING INC
S-3, 1996-09-26
COMPUTER PROCESSING & DATA PREPARATION
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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 26, 1996.
                                                 Registration No. 333-




                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM S-3
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                      AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC.
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           DELAWARE                                       22-1467904
      (STATE OR OTHER                                 (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
JURISDICTION OF INCORPORATION)                        IDENTIFICATION NO.)

                               ONE ADP BOULEVARD
                          ROSELAND, NEW JERSEY 07068
                             PHONE: (201) 994-5000
              (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
       including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)


                             JAMES B. BENSON, ESQ.
                 CORPORATE VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                               ONE ADP BOULEVARD
                          ROSELAND, NEW JERSEY 07068
                                (201) 994-5000
                (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                       including area code, of agent for service)

                                          COPY TO:
                                   RICHARD S. BORISOFF, ESQ.
                           PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON
                                  1285 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
                                   NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10019
                                        (212) 373-3000


   APPROXIMATE  DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:  From time
to time or at one  time after the effective date of this Registration Statement
as determined by the Selling Stockholders.

   If the only securities  being  registered  on  this  form  are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box:  [   ]

   If any of the securities being registered on this form are to  be offered on
a  delayed  or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 of the Securities  Act  of
1933, other than  securities  offered  only  in  connection  with  dividend  or
interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: [ X ]


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                          CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<S>                                      <C>                    <C>                     <C>                     <C>
                                                 SHARES            PROPOSED MAXIMUM        PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
                TITLE OF                          TO BE             OFFERING PRICE        AGGREGATE OFFERING       REGISTRATION
         SHARES TO BE REGISTERED               REGISTERED            PER SHARE(1)              PRICE(1)                 FEE

Common Stock, $.10 par value per share        2,826,582                 $44.44              $125,613,304.10         $43,314.94

</TABLE>

(1)Estimated  solely  for  the  purpose  of  calculating  the  registration fee
   pursuant to Rule 457, based on the average of the high and low  sales prices
   of the Common Stock on September 19, 1996 as reported on the New  York Stock
   Exchange.





   The  Registrant  hereby  amends this Registration Statement on such date  or
dates as may be necessary to  delay  its  effective  date  until the Registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration
Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with  Section 8(a) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or until this Registration Statement shall  become
effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.



<PAGE>





INFORMATION  CONTAINED  HEREIN  IS  SUBJECT  TO  COMPLETION  OR  AMENDMENT.   A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT  RELATING  TO  THESE  SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION.  THESE SECURITIES  MAY  NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY
OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION  STATEMENT BECOMES
EFFECTIVE.   THIS  PROSPECTUS  SHALL  NOT  CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL  OR  THE
SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES
IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION  OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR
TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE.

           SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED SEPTEMBER 26, 1996

PROSPECTUS
                AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC.


                          2,826,582 SHARES


                            COMMON STOCK
                         __________________



 This Prospectus relates to 2,826,582 shares (the  "Shares")  of  common stock,
$.10  par  value  ("Common  Stock"),  of  Automatic Data Processing, Inc.  (the
"Company"). The Shares may be offered by certain  stockholders  of  the Company
(the  "SMS  Selling Stockholders" and the "HBA Selling Stockholders," together,
the "Selling Stockholders") from time to time or at one time in transactions on
the New York  Stock  Exchange,  the Chicago Stock Exchange or the Pacific Stock
Exchange, in negotiated transactions  or  through a combination of such methods
of sale, at fixed prices, which may be changed,  at market prices prevailing at
the  time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing  market  prices  or  at
negotiated  prices.  The  Selling  Stockholders may effect such transactions by
selling the Shares to or through broker-dealers,  and  such  broker-dealers may
receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or  commissions from
the  Selling  Stockholders  and/or the purchasers of the Shares for  whom  such
broker-dealers may act as agents  or  to  whom they sell as principals, or both
(which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer  might  be  in  excess  of
customary compensation). See "Selling Stockholders" and "Plan of Distribution."

 The SMS Selling Stockholders received 896,370 shares of Common Stock (the "SMS
Shares")  from  the  Company on August 16, 1996 in connection with an agreement
dated as of July 31, 1996,  whereby  ADP/SMS  Pooling Sub, Inc., a newly-formed
and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, acquired  in a pooling-of-interests
transaction,  all the stock of Staff Management Systems  of  Florida,  Inc.,  a
Florida corporation,  and  its  affiliated  companies,  each  owned  by the SMS
Selling  Stockholders.  The HBA Selling Stockholders received 1,930,212  shares
of Common  Stock  (the  "HBA  Shares")  from  the Company on August 26, 1996 in
connection  with  an  agreement  dated  as  of  August 15,  1996,  whereby  HBA
Acquisition Corporation, a newly-formed and wholly-owned Utah subsidiary of the
Company, was merged with and into Health Benefits  America,  a Utah corporation
owned  by the HBA Selling Stockholders, in a pooling-of-interests  transaction.
See "Selling  Stockholders."   The  Selling  Stockholders  may  be deemed to be
"underwriters"  within  the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933,  as  amended
(the "Securities Act"). See "Plan of Distribution."

 The shares of Common Stock  of  the  Company  are traded on the New York Stock
Exchange,  the  Chicago  Stock  Exchange  and the Pacific  Stock  Exchange.  On
September 19, 1996, 

<PAGE>

the last sales price for  the  shares  of  Common  Stock as
reported on the New York Stock Exchange was $44.44 per share.

 THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
            EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
           NOR HAS THE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
            PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
           ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.


         The date of this Prospectus is ____________________, 1996


<PAGE>





                         AVAILABLE INFORMATION

 The  Company  is  subject  to the informational requirements of the Securities
Exchange  Act of 1934, as amended  (the  "Exchange  Act"),  and  in  accordance
therewith files  reports,  proxy  statements  and  other  information  with the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (the "Commission"). Such  reports, proxy
statements and other information can be  inspected  and  copied  at  the public
reference facilities maintained by the Commission at Judiciary Plaza, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549; and at the Commission's regional  offices
at 7 World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048; and 
Citicorp Center,  500  West  Madison  Street,  Suite  1400,  Chicago,  Illinois
60661-2511.  Copies  of such material can be obtained from the Public Reference
Section  of  the  Commission  at  Judiciary  Plaza,  450  Fifth  Street,  N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20549,  at  prescribed  rates.  The Commission maintains a 
World Wide Web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and
other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the 
Commission.  The address of such site is "http://www.sec.gov". The  Company's 
Common Stock is listed  on  the New York Stock Exchange, the Chicago Stock  
Exchange,  and  the Pacific  Stock   Exchange,   and  such  reports,  proxy  
statements  and  other information concerning the Company  can  be  inspected 
at the office of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York,  
New  York 10005, the office of the Chicago Stock Exchange, 120 South LaSalle 
Street, Chicago,  Illinois 60603, and  the  offices  of the Pacific Stock 
Exchange, 618 South Spring Street,  Los Angeles, California 90014 and 310 Pine 
Street, San Francisco, California 94104.

 The Company has filed  with  the  Commission  a  registration  statement  (the
"Registration  Statement")  under  the  Securities  Act,  with  respect  to the
securities  offered  hereby.  This  Prospectus, which constitutes a part of the
Registration Statement, does not contain  all  of  the information set forth in
the Registration Statement, certain items of which are  contained  in schedules
and  exhibits  to  the  Registration  Statement  as permitted by the rules  and
regulations of the Commission. Statements made in  this  Prospectus  as  to the
contents  of  any  contract,  agreement  or  other document referred to are not
necessarily complete. With respect to each such  contract,  agreement  or other
document  filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, reference is  made
to the exhibit for a more complete description of the matter involved, and each
such statement  shall  be  deemed  qualified in its entirety by such reference.
Items  and  information  omitted from this  Prospectus  but  contained  in  the
Registration Statement may  be  inspected  and  copied  at the Public Reference
Facilities maintained by the Commission at Judiciary Plaza,  450  Fifth Street,
N.W., Room 1024, Washington, D.C. 20549.


            INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

 The  following  documents  which  have  been  filed  by  the Company with  the
Commission, as noted below, are incorporated by reference into this Prospectus:
(a) Annual  Report  on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30,  1996,  and
(b) the description of  the  Company's  Common Stock contained in the Company's
Registration  Statement on Form 8-A under  the  Exchange  Act  filed  with  the
Commission on January 21, 1992, including all amendments and reports filed for
the purpose of updating such description.

 All documents subsequently  filed  by  the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c),  14  or  15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior  to  the  termination  of  the
offering of the Shares,  shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
and to be a part hereof from  the  date of filing such documents. Any statement
contained herein or in any document  incorporated  or deemed to be incorporated
by  reference  herein  shall  be deemed to be modified or  superseded  for  the
purposes of this Prospectus to  the extent that a statement contained herein or
in any other subsequently filed document  which  also  is  or  is  deemed to be
incorporated  by  reference  herein modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any
such statement so modified or  superseded  shall  not be deemed to constitute a
part of this Prospectus, except as so modified or superseded.  The Company will
provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial  owner, 

                                        2
<PAGE>

to whom a  copy of this Prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request
of  such person,  a  copy of any or all of the information that has been 
incorporated by reference in  this Prospectus (excluding exhibits to such 
information which are not specifically incorporated by reference into such 
information).


                              THE COMPANY

 Automatic Data  Processing,  Inc.,  incorporated  in Delaware in 1961, and its
subsidiaries  are  engaged  in the computing services business.  The  Company's
principal  executive  offices are  located  at  One  ADP  Boulevard,  Roseland,
New Jersey 07068 (telephone  (201) 994-5000).  As  used in this Prospectus, the
term the "Company" means Automatic Data Processing,  Inc.  and its consolidated
subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires.


                            USE OF PROCEEDS

 The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale  of  the Shares
by the Selling Stockholders.


                         SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

 The  SMS  Selling  Stockholders  received  the SMS Shares from the Company  on
August 16, 1996 in connection with an agreement  dated  as  of  July  31, 1996,
whereby  ADP/SMS  Pooling Sub, Inc., a newly-formed and wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Company, acquired  in  a pooling-of-interests transaction, all the stock
of Staff Management Systems of  Florida,  Inc.,  a Florida corporation, and its
affiliated  companies,  each owned by the SMS Selling  Stockholders  (the  "SMS
Pooling").   None  of the SMS  Selling  Stockholders  are  either  officers  or
directors of the Company or any of its divisions.  The HBA Selling Stockholders
received the HBA Shares  from the Company on August 26, 1996 in connection with
an agreement dated as of August 15, 1996, whereby HBA Acquisition Corporation,
a newly-formed and wholly-owned Utah subsidiary of the Company, was merged with
and into Health Benefits America, a Utah  corporation  owned by the HBA Selling
Stockholders,  in  a  pooling-of-interests  transaction  (the  "HBA  Pooling").
Jeffrey C. Flamm and Ronald C. Gunnell are currently Division  Vice  Presidents
and  General  Managers of the Employer Services Group of the Company.  None  of
the other HBA Selling  Stockholders  are  either  officers  or directors of the
Company or any of its divisions.  The following table sets forth  with  respect
to each of the Selling Stockholders (i) the number of Shares beneficially owned
as  of  September  26,  1996  and  prior  to  the  offering contemplated hereby
(approximately 4.28% of the SMS Shares held by each SMS Selling Stockholder are
held  in  escrow pursuant to the agreements under which  the  SMS  Pooling  was
consummated;  approximately  2.70% of the HBA Shares held by each of Jeffrey C.
Flamm, each of the six Flamm Trusts,  Ronald C. Gunnell and both Gunnell Trusts
are held in escrow pursuant to the agreements  under  which the HBA Pooling was
consummated),  (ii) the  maximum  number of Shares which may  be  sold  in  the
offering and (iii) the number of Shares  which will be beneficially owned after
the offering, assuming the sale of all the Shares set forth in (ii) above:

                                        3
<PAGE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 Beneficial Ownership                                Beneficial Ownership
                                   PRIOR TO OFFERING        Shares To Be                AFTER OFFERING
<S>                        <C>               <C>            <C>               <C>              <C>
SELLING STOCKHOLDER             SHARES         PERCENTAGE   SOLD                   SHARES         PERCENTAGE


SMS Selling Shareholders:

William H. Harper              298,790              *       298,790                   0                0
William N. Holt                298,790              *       298,790                   0                0
Dennis K. Aust                 298,790              *       298,790                   0                0

HBA Selling Shareholders:

Jeffrey C. Flamm               812,416              *       812,416                   0                0
Bryan J. Flamm Trust            21,531              *        21,531                   0                0
Brady E. Flamm Trust            21,531              *        21,531                   0                0
Cody K. Flamm Trust             21,531              *        21,531                   0                0
Andrew B. Flamm Trust           21,531              *        21,531                   0                0
Adam N. Flamm Trust             21,531              *        21,531                   0                0
Carly Flamm Trust               21,531              *        21,531                   0                0
Ronald C. Gunnell              830,285              *       830,285                   0                0
Kristen Gunnell Trust           55,659              *        55,659                   0                0
Lauren Gunnell Trust            55,659              *        55,659                   0                0
Bradley E. Wittwer              21,207              *        21,207                   0                0
William Marion Wittwer           5,160              *         5,160                   0                0
Trust
Wendy Wittwer Trust              5,160              *         5,160                   0                0
Nelson Bradley Wittwer           5,160              *         5,160                   0                0
Trust
Preston Haycock Wittwer          5,160              *         5,160                   0                0
Trust
Jordan White Wittwer             5,160              *         5,160                   0                0
Trust

</TABLE>

______________________
*  Less than 1%


                         PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 The sale of the Shares by the Selling Stockholders  may  be effected from time
to  time  or  at one time in transactions on the New York Stock  Exchange,  the
Chicago  Stock  Exchange   or   the   Pacific  Stock  Exchange,  in  negotiated
transactions or through a combination of such methods of sale, at fixed prices,
which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at fixed
prices, related to such prevailing market  prices  or at negotiated prices. The
Selling Stockholders may effect such transactions by  selling  the Shares to or
through broker-dealers, and such broker-dealers may receive compensation in the
form  of  discounts,  concessions  or commissions from the Selling Stockholders
and/or the purchasers of the Shares  for  whom such broker-dealers might act as
agents or to whom they sell as principals,  or both (which compensation as to a
particular broker-dealer may be in excess of customary compensation).

 The Selling Stockholders and any broker-dealers who act in connection with the
sale  of the Shares hereunder may be deemed to  be  "underwriters"  within  the
meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act, and any commissions received by
them and profit on any resale of the Shares as principals might be 

                                        4
<PAGE>

deemed to be underwriting  discounts  and  commissions under the Securities 
Act. The Company has agreed to indemnify the Selling  Stockholders  against 
certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act as 
underwriters or otherwise.


                                EXPERTS

 The  financial  statements  and  the  related  financial  statement  schedules
incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from  the  Company's Annual Report
on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 1996 have been audited  by  Deloitte &
Touche  LLP,  independent  auditors,  as  stated  in  their  reports, which are
incorporated  herein  by reference, and have been so incorporated  in  reliance
upon  the reports of such  firm  given  upon  their  authority  as  experts  in
accounting and auditing.


                             LEGAL OPINION

 The validity  of  the  authorization  and  issuance  of the securities offered
hereby is being passed upon for the Company by James B. Benson, Esq., Corporate
Vice President and General Counsel of the Company. As of  the  date hereof, Mr.
Benson beneficially owns 31,881 shares of the Company's Common Stock.


                                        5
<PAGE>






No dealer, salesperson or other
individual has been authorized               2,826,582 SHARES
to  give  any  information  or
make  any  representations not
contained in  this  Prospectus
in    connection    with   the                AUTOMATIC DATA
offering   covered   by   this               PROCESSING, INC.
Prospectus.  If given or made,
such      information       or
representations  must  not  be
relied  upon  as  having  been
authorized   by  the  Company.                 Common Stock
This   Prospectus   does   not
constitute  an  offer to sell,
or a solicitation  of an offer
to buy, any securities  in any
jurisdiction where, or to  any
person to whom, it is unlawful              P R O S P E C T U S
to    make   such   offer   or
solicitation.    Neither   the
delivery  of  this  Prospectus
nor  any  sale  made hereunder
shall,        under        any
circumstances,    create    an
implication that there has not
been  any  change in the facts
set forth in  this  Prospectus
or  in  the  affairs  of   the
Company since the date hereof.



                                          
       TABLE OF CONTENTS

Available Information      

Incorporation of Certain 
 Documents by  Reference   

The Company                

Use of Proceeds            

Selling Stockholders       

Plan of Distribution       

Experts                    

Legal Opinion              



                                                     ____________________, 1996

                                        6
<PAGE>


                                  PART II

                INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS


ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.


Registration fee to the Securities                               $ 43,315
and Exchange Commission

Accounting fees and expenses                                     $  2,000

Legal fees and expenses                                          $  4,000

Miscellaneous expenses                                           $    385
                                                                 ________
Total                                                            $49,700

     The foregoing items, except for the registration fee to the Securities and
Exchange  Commission,  are  estimated. All expenses of the offering, other than
selling discounts, commissions  and legal fees and expenses incurred separately
by the Selling Stockholders, will be paid by the Company.


ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

     Provision  for indemnification  of  directors  and  officers  is  made  in
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.

     Article  Fifth,  Sections 3  and  4  of  the  Company's  Amended  Restated
Certificate of Incorporation provide as follows:

         "The Corporation  shall  indemnify  all  directors and officers of the
     Corporation to the full extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of
     the State of Delaware (and in particular Paragraph 145  thereof),  as from
     time to time amended, and may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of
     such  directors and officers.  In addition, the Corporation shall, in  the
     manner  and to the extent as the By-laws of the Corporation shall provide,
     indemnify  to  the full extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of
     the State of Delaware  (and  in particular Paragraph 145 thereof), as from
     time to time amended, such other persons as the By-laws shall provide, and
     may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of such other persons."

         "A director of the Corporation  shall not be held personally liable to
     the Corporation or its stockholders for  monetary  damages  for  breach of
     fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for breach  of  the
     director's  duty  of  loyalty  to  the  Corporation  or  its stockholders,
     (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve  intentional
     misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under Section 174  of  the
     General  Corporation  Law  of  the  State  of  Delaware,  or  (iv) for any
     transaction from which the director derived an improper personal  benefit.
     Any  repeal  or 

                                        II-1
<PAGE>


     modification of this paragraph by the stockholders of  the
     Corporation shall  not  adversely  affect  any  right or protection of any
     director  of  the Corporation existing at the time  of,  or  for  or  with
     respect to any  acts  or  omissions  occurring  prior  to,  such repeal or
     modification."

     Finally,  Article XIV,  Section 6  of  the  Company's By-laws provides  as
     follows:

         "Section 6.  Indemnification of Directors  and  Officers  and  Others:
     The  Corporation  shall  indemnify  all  directors  and  officers  of  the
     Corporation to the full extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of
     the  State  of  Delaware  (and in particular Section 145 thereof), as from
     time to time amended, and may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of
     such  directors  and  officers.    This  indemnification  applies  to  all
     directors and officers of the Corporation  who  sit  on the boards of non-
     profit corporations in keeping with the Corporation's philosophy."

         "The Corporation shall indemnify any other person  or employee who may
     have served at the request of the Corporation to the full extent permitted
     by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (and in particular
     Section 145  thereof)  so long as such person or employee  acted  in  good
     faith and in a manner he  reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to,
     the best interests of the Corporation and, further, so long as his actions
     were not in violation of corporate policies and directives."

     As permitted by Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware and the Company's Certificate  and By-Laws, the Company also maintains
a directors and officers liability insurance  policy  which insures, subject to
certain exclusions, deductibles and maximum amounts, directors  and officers of
the  Company  against  damages,  judgments,  settlements and costs incurred  by
reason  of  certain  acts  committed by such persons  in  their  capacities  as
directors and officers.


ITEM 16. EXHIBITS.

     A list of exhibits included  as part of this Registration Statement is set
forth in the Exhibit Index which immediately  precedes  such  exhibits  and  is
hereby incorporated by reference herein.


ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.

     (a) Insofar  as  indemnification for liabilities arising under the Act may
be permitted to directors,  officers  and controlling persons of the Registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or  otherwise,  the  Registrant  has been
advised  that  in  the  opinion  of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public  policy  as  expressed  in  the  Act  and is,
therefore,  unenforceable.   In  the  event  that  a  claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the  Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in  the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding)  is  asserted  by
such  director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter  has  been  settled  by  controlling  precedent,  submit  to  a court of
appropriate  jurisdiction  the question whether such indemnification by  it  is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                        II-2
<PAGE>

     (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

         (i)  To include any  prospectus  required  by  Section 10(a)(3) of the
     Securities Act of 1933;

         (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events  arising  after
     the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
     effective amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or  in the aggregate,
     represent  a  fundamental  change  in  the  information set forth  in  the
     registration statement; and

         (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
     distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any
     material  change  to  such  information  in  the  registration  statement;
     provided, however, that paragraphs (b)(1)(i) and (b)(1)(ii)  above  do not
     apply  if  the  registration  statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8 and the
     information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
     paragraphs  is  contained in periodic  reports  filed  by  the  registrant
     pursuant to Section 13  or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
     1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

         (2) That, for the purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under  the
Securities Act of 1933,  each  such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which  remain  unsold at the termination
of the offering.

     (c) The  undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that,  for  purposes  of
determining any  liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual  report  pursuant  to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 that is  incorporated  by  reference  in  the
registration statement  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.




                                           II-3

<PAGE>





                              SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe  that  it  meets all of the
requirements  for  filing  on  Form S-3  and  has duly caused this registration
statement, or amendment thereto, to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Roseland, State of New Jersey, on the
26th day of September, 1996.

                                 AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC.
                                        (Registrant)



                                 By   /S/ ARTHUR F. WEINBACH
                                      Arthur F. Weinbach
                                      President and Chief Executive Officer


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement, or amendment thereto, has been signed below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

    SIGNATURE                           TITLE                                     DATE
<S>                                 <C>                                 <C>


  /s/ ARTHUR F. WEINBACH            President and Chief                        September 26,  1996
     (Arthur F. Weinbach)           Executive Officer
                                    (Principal Executive Officer)

  /s/ RICHARD J. HAVILAND           Vice President, Finance (Principal         September 26, 1996
     (Richard J. Haviland)          Financial Officer)

  /s/ JOSH S. WESTON                Chairman of the Board                      September 26, 1996
      (Josh S. Weston)

  /s/ GARY C. BUTLER                Director                                   September 26, 1996
      (Gary C. Butler)

  /s/ JOSEPH A. CALIFANO, JR.       Director                                   September 26, 1996
      (Joseph A. Califano, Jr.)


                                        II-4
<PAGE>

    SIGNATURE                        TITLE                                     DATE

 /s/ LEON G. COOPERMAN              Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (Leon G. Cooperman)

                                    Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (George H. Heilmeier)

 /s/ ANN DIBBLE JORDAN              Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (Ann Dibble Jordan)

 /s/ HARVEY M. KRUEGER              Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (Harvey M. Krueger)

                                    Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (Charles P. Lazarus)

                                    Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (Frederic V. Malek)

 /s/ HENRY TAUB                     Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (Henry Taub)

                                    Director                                   September 26, 1996
    (Laurence A. Tisch)

</TABLE>



                                           II-5

<PAGE>





                             EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                            SEQUENTIALLY
          EXHIBIT                                                                                             NUMBERED
          NUMBER                                            EXHIBIT                                             PAGE
<S>                     <C>                                                                             <C>
            4.1            Amended and Restated  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of  the  Registrant
                           (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit (3)-#1  to  Registrant's Annual
                           Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1995)

            4.2            By-laws  of  the  Registrant,  as amended (incorporated by  reference  to
                           Exhibit (3)-#2 to Registrant's Annual  Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
                           year ended June 30, 1991)

            4.3            Form  of  the  Registrant's  Common  Stock  Certificate  (incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit 4.4 to Registrant's Registration Statement  on  Form
                           S-3 filed with the Commission on January 21, 1992)

            5.1            Opinion  of  James B. Benson,  Esq. as to the legality of the securities
                           being registered hereby

           23.1            Consent of James B. Benson, Esq. (included in Exhibit 5.1)

           23.2            Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP

</TABLE>







                                                      Exhibit 5.1




               AUTOMATIC DATA PROCESSING, INC.
                   Corporate Headquarters
                      One ADP Boulevard
               Roseland, New Jersey 07068-1728




September 26, 1996


Board of Directors
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
One ADP Boulevard
Roseland, New Jersey  07068

Re:    REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-3 FILED ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1996

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        In connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the
"Registration Statement") filed by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (the
"Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 26, 1996
pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder (the "Rules"), you have requested that I
furnish you with my opinion as to the legality of the 2,826,582  shares of the
Company's common stock, $.10 par value, (the "Shares") which are registered
under the Registration Statement.

        In this regard, I have examined originals, or copies authenticated to
my satisfaction, of the Company's Amended and Restated Certificate of
Incorporation, the Company's By-Laws, as amended, and the Company's records of
corporate proceedings.  In addition, I have made such other examinations of law
and fact as I considered necessary in order to form a basis for the opinions
hereinafter expressed.

        Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Shares have been
duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

        I hereby consent to the use of my name under the caption "Legal
Opinion" in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the
use of this opinion as an exhibit

                                    

<PAGE>




to the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit
that I come within the category of persons whose consent is required by the Act
or Rules.

                                 Very truly yours,


                                 James B. Benson
                                 General Counsel

                                        2





                                                     Exhibit 23.2






INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. on Form S-3 of our reports dated August 14,
1996, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Automatic Data Processing,
Inc. for the year ended June 30, 1996 and to the reference to us under the
heading "Experts" in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration
Statement.




/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
September 26, 1996

                                        





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