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                                                      COMMISSION FILE NO. 022972
                                   FORM 8-A

                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D. C.  20549


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


                             CELLSTAR CORPORATION
            (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


                  DELAWARE                         75-2479727
          (STATE OF INCORPORATION)      (IRS EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)


                1730 BRIERCROFT COURT, CARROLLTON, TEXAS 75006
             (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)   (ZIP CODE)


       SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(B) OF THE ACT:

     TITLE OF EACH CLASS                NAME OF EACH EXCHANGE ON WHICH
     TO BE SO REGISTERED                EACH CLASS IS TO BE REGISTERED
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            NONE                                     NONE
 
     IF THIS FORM RELATES TO THE REGISTRATION OF A CLASS OF DEBT SECURITIES AND
IS EFFECTIVE UPON FILING PURSUANT TO GENERAL INSTRUCTION A.(C)(1), PLEASE CHECK
THE FOLLOWING BOX. [_]

     IF THIS FORM RELATES TO THE REGISTRATION OF A CLASS OF DEBT SECURITIES AND
IS TO BECOME EFFECTIVE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A CONCURRENT
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 PURSUANT TO GENERAL
INSTRUCTION A.(C)(2), PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING BOX. [_]

       SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(G) OF THE ACT:

                              RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                           SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK
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                               (TITLE OF CLASS)

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ITEM 1.   DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED

     On December 30, 1996, the Board of Directors of CellStar Corporation (the
"Company") declared a dividend distribution of one Right for each outstanding
share of the Company's common stock, $0.01 par value (the "Common Stock"), to
stockholders of record at the close of business on January 9, 1997.  Each Right
entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-thousandth
(1/1,000) of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, par value $10.00 per share
(the "Preferred Stock"), at a Purchase Price of $80.00 per one one-thousandth
(1/1,000) of a share, subject to adjustment.  The description and terms of the
Rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the
Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent (the
"Rights Agent").

     Initially, the Rights will be attached to all Common Stock certificates
representing shares then outstanding, and no separate Rights Certificates will
be distributed.  The Rights will separate from the Common Stock upon the earlier
of (i) ten (10) business days following a public announcement that a person
(other than Alan H. Goldfield, the Company's founder, Chairman of the Board and
Chief Executive Officer) or group of affiliated or associated persons (an
"Acquiring Person") has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial
ownership of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding shares of Common
Stock (the "Stock Acquisition Date"), or (ii) ten (10) business days (or such
later date as the Board of Directors shall determine) following the commencement
of a tender or exchange offer that would result in a person or group
beneficially owning fifteen percent (15%) or more of such outstanding shares of
Common Stock.  The date the Rights separate is referred to as the "Distribution
Date."

     Until the Distribution Date, (i) the Rights will be evidenced by the Common
Stock certificates and will be transferred with and only with such Common Stock
certificates, (ii) new Common Stock certificates issued after January 9, 1997
will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference, and
(iii) the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Stock
outstanding will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the
Common Stock represented by such certificates.  Pursuant to the Rights
Agreement, the Company reserves the right to require prior to the occurrence of
a Triggering Event (as defined below) that, upon any exercise of Rights, a
number of Rights be exercised so that only whole shares of Preferred Stock will
be issued.

     The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date and will expire
at the close of business on January 9, 2007, unless earlier redeemed by the
Company as described below.

     As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, Rights Certificates
will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Stock as of the close of
business on the Distribution Date and, thereafter, the separate Rights
Certificates will represent the Rights. Except in connection with shares of
Common Stock issued or sold pursuant

 
to the exercise of stock options or under any employee plan or arrangement, or
upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of securities hereafter issued by the
Company, or as otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, only shares of
Common Stock issued prior to the Distribution Date will be issued with Rights.

     In the event that (i) the Company is the surviving corporation in a merger
or other business combination with an Acquiring Person (or any associate or
affiliate thereof) and its Common Stock remains outstanding and unchanged, (ii)
any person shall acquire beneficial ownership of more than fifteen percent (15%)
of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (except pursuant to (A) certain
consolidations or mergers involving the Company or sales or transfers of the
combined assets, cash flow or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries
or (B) an offer for all outstanding shares of Common Stock at a price and upon
terms and conditions which a majority of the Disinterested Directors (as defined
below) determines to be in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders), or (iii) there occurs a reclassification of securities, a
recapitalization of the Company or any of certain business combinations or other
transactions (other than certain consolidations and mergers involving the
Company and sales or transfers of the combined assets, cash flow or earning
power of the Company and its subsidiaries) involving the Company or any of its
subsidiaries which has the effect of increasing by more than one percent (1%)
the proportionate share of any class of the outstanding equity securities of the
Company or any of its subsidiaries beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person (or
any associate or affiliate thereof), each holder of a Right (other than the
Acquiring Person and certain related parties) will thereafter have the right to
receive, upon exercise, Common Stock (or, in certain circumstances, cash,
property or other securities of the Company) having a value equal to two times
the Purchase Price of the Right. However, Rights are not exercisable following
the occurrence of any of the events described above until such time as the
Rights are no longer redeemable by the Company as described below.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, following the occurrence of any of the
events described in this paragraph, all Rights that are, or (under certain
circumstances specified in the Rights Agreement) were, beneficially owned by any
Acquiring Person will be null and void.

     For example, at a Purchase Price of $80 per Right, each Right not owned by
an Acquiring Person (or by certain related parties or transferees) following an
event set forth in the preceding paragraph would entitle its holder to purchase
$160 worth of Common Stock (or other consideration, as noted above) for $80.
Assuming that the Common Stock had a per share market price of $40 at such
time, the holder of each valid Right would be entitled to purchase four shares
of Common Stock for $80.

     In the event that, at any time following the Stock Acquisition Date, (i)
the Company shall enter into a merger or other business combination transaction
in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, (ii) the Company is the
surviving corporation in a consolidation, merger or similar transaction pursuant
to which all or part of the outstanding shares of Common Stock are changed into
or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other person or cash or any
other

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property or (iii) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined assets, cash
flow or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries is sold or transferred
(in each case other than certain consolidations with, mergers with and into, or
sales of assets, cash flow or earning power by or to subsidiaries of the Company
as specified in the Rights Agreement), each holder of a Right (except Rights
which previously have been voided as set forth above) shall thereafter have the
right to receive, upon exercise, common stock of the acquiring company having a
value equal to two times the Purchase Price of the Right.  The events described
in this paragraph and in the second preceding paragraph are referred to as the
"Triggering Events."

     The Purchase Price payable, the number and kind of shares covered by each
Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time
to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a
subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) if
holders of the Preferred Stock are granted certain rights, options or warrants
to subscribe for Preferred Stock or securities convertible into Preferred Stock
at less than the current market price of the Preferred Stock, or (iii) upon the
distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness,
cash (excluding regular quarterly cash dividends), assets (other than dividends
payable in Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (other than those
referred to in (ii) immediately above).

     With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be
required until cumulative adjustments amount to at least one percent (1%) of the
Purchase Price. No fractional shares of Preferred Stock are required to be
issued (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth
(1/1,000) of a share of Preferred Stock) and, in lieu thereof, the Company may
make an adjustment in cash based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on
the trading date immediately prior to the date of exercise.

     At any time after any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person and prior
to the acquisition by such person or group of fifty percent (50%) or more of the
outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Board of Directors of the Company may,
without payment of the Purchase Price by the holder, exchange the Rights (other
than Rights owned by such person or group, which will become void), in whole or
in part, for shares of Common Stock at an exchange ratio of one-half (1/2) the
number of shares of Common Stock (or in certain circumstances Preferred Stock)
for which a Right is exercisable immediately prior to the time of the Company's
decision to exchange the Rights (subject to adjustment).

     At any time until ten (10) business days following the Stock Acquisition
Date, the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of
$0.001 per Right (payable in cash, shares of Common Stock or other consideration
deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors). Immediately upon the action of
the Board of Directors ordering redemption of the Rights, the Rights will
terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the
$0.001 redemption price.

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     The term "Disinterested Director" means any member of the Board of
Directors of the Company who was a member of the Board prior to the date of the
Rights Agreement, and any person who is subsequently elected to the Board if
such person is recommended or approved by a majority of the Disinterested
Directors, but shall not include an Acquiring Person, or an affiliate or
associate of an Acquiring Person, or any representative of the foregoing
entities.

     Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no
rights as a stockholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right
to vote or to receive dividends. While the distribution of the Rights will not
be taxable to stockholders or to the Company, stockholders may, depending upon
the circumstances, recognize taxable income in the event that the Rights become
exercisable for Common Stock (or other consideration) of the Company or for
common stock of an acquiring company as set forth above or in the event that the
Rights are redeemed.

     Other than those provisions relating to the principal economic terms of the
Rights, any of the provisions of the Rights Agreement may be amended by the
Board of Directors of the Company prior to the Distribution Date; provided, that
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any amendments after the Stock Acquisition Date must be approved by a majority
of the Disinterested Directors.  After the Distribution Date, the provisions of
the Rights Agreement may be amended by the Board in order to cure any ambiguity,
inconsistency or defect, to make changes which do not adversely affect the
interest of holders of Rights (excluding the interest of any Acquiring Person)
or to shorten or lengthen any time period under the Rights Agreement; provided,
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however, that no amendment to adjust the time period governing redemption shall
be made at such time as the Rights are not redeemable; and, provided, that any
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amendments after the Stock Acquisition Date must be approved by a majority of
the Disinterested Directors.

     A copy of the Rights Agreement specifying the terms of the Rights, the form
of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of Series A Preferred
Stock, and the form of Rights Certificate are filed herewith as Exhibits and are
incorporated herein by reference. Copies of the Rights Agreement are also
available free of charge from the Rights Agent. The foregoing description of the
Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Rights Agreement.

ITEM 2.   EXHIBITS

1    Rights Agreement, dated as of December 30, 1996, by and between CellStar
     Corporation and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C., as Rights Agent,
     including exhibits thereto.

2    Form of Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of Series A
     Preferred Stock of CellStar Corporation (attached as Exhibit 1 to the
     Rights Agreement filed as Exhibit 1 hereto).

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3    Form of Rights Certificate (attached as Exhibit 2 to the Rights Agreement
     filed as Exhibit 1 hereto).

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                                  SIGNATURES


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


                                   CELLSTAR CORPORATION


December 30, 1996                  By   /s/ Richard M. Gozia
                                        -------------------------------------
                                        Richard M. Gozia
                                        President and Chief Operating Officer

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