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( Mark One ) UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON , D.C. 20549 FORM 10 - K ☑ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31 , 2020 OR ㅁ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 ( d ) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File Number : 000-55617 SmartStop Self Storage REIT , Inc. ( Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter ) Maryland ( State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization ) 46-1722812 ( IRS Employer Identification No. ) Title of Each Class None 10 Terrace Rd , Ladera Ranch , California 92694 ( Address of principal executive offices ) ( 877 ) 327-3485 ( Registrant's telephone number ) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( b ) of the Act : Trading Symbol ( s ) None Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 ( g ) of the Act : Common Stock , $ 0.001 par value per share Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered Yes □ Yes No ☑ No ☑ None Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well - known seasoned issuer , as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act . Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15 ( d ) of the Act . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . Yes - No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically , every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S - T ( § 232.405 of this chapter ) during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files ) . Yes ☑No □ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , a smaller reporting company , or an emerging growth company . See definitions of “ large accelerated filer ” , “ accelerated filer ” , “ smaller reporting company " , and " emerging growth company " in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act . Large Accelerated Filer Non - Accelerated Filer ☐ 冈 Accelerated Filer Smaller reporting company Emerging growth company ☐ ☐ ☐ If an emerging growth company , indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial account standards provided pursuant to Section 13 ( a ) of the Exchange Act . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management's assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 ( b ) of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act ( 15 U.S.C. 7262 ( b ) ) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report . Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in Rule 12b - 2 of the Exchange Act ) . Yes ☐ No ☑ There is currently no established public market for the registrant's shares of common stock . Based on the $ 10.40 offering price of the Class A shares and the Class T shares in effect on June 30 , 2020 , the aggregate market value of the stock held by non - affiliates of the registrant on such date was approximately $ 623,169,019 . As of March 18 , 2021 , there were 76,092,445 outstanding shares of Class A common stock and 7,948,354 outstanding shares of Class T common stock of the registrant . Documents Incorporated by Reference : The registrant incorporates by reference in Part III ( Items 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 and 14 ) of this Form 10 - K portions of its Definitive Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders .