SEC FORM 3

SEC Form 3

FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

NELSON MARK JON

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

101 INNOVATION DRIVE

(Street)

SAN JOSE

95134

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
08/01/2012

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ALTERA CORP [ ALTR ]

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	Sr VP, Worldwide Sales

5. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock	7,122	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	⁽¹⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	11,155	$33.31⁽³⁾	D
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)	⁽⁴⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	11,171	$35.21⁽³⁾	D
Restricted Stock Unit (RSU)	⁽⁵⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	39,720	⁽⁶⁾	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Subject to the Reporting Person's continuing employment and the provisions in the Altera's standard form of stock option agreement, the options shall commence vesting on May 14, 2013 at a rate of 25% annually.

2. The grant shall expire ten years from the date of grant.

3. The per share exercise price for the shares to be issued pursuant to exercise of an option shall be no less than 100% of the fair market value per share on the date of grant.

4. Subject to the Reporting Person's continuing employment and the provisions in the Altera's standard form of stock option agreement, the options shall commence vesting on July 31, 2013 at a rate of 25% annually.

5. Subject to the Reporting Person's continuing employment and the provisions in the Altera's standard form of RSU award agreement, the shares shall vest at a rate of 25% annually. Shares will be delivered to the reporting person on such vest date.

6. Each Restricted Stock Unit ("RSU") represents a contingent right to receive at settlement one share of Altera common stock at no cost.

	MARK JON NELSON	08/02/2012
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.