<PAGE>


        As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 2, 1999
                                                           Registration No. 333-


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            -------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            -------------------------

                              THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          DELAWARE                                          95-3261426
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                         Identification Number)

   2455 PACES FERRY ROAD, ATLANTA, GA                        30339-4024
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                     (Zip Code)

                     THE MAINTENANCE WAREHOUSE FUTUREBUILDER
                            (Full title of the plan)

                            -------------------------

         ARTHUR M. BLANK                                COPIES REQUESTED TO:
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER                   KELLY R. CAFFARELLI, ESQ.
       THE HOME DEPOT, INC.                             THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
      2455 PACES FERRY ROAD                            2455 PACES FERRY ROAD
   ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30339-4024                      ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30339-4024
         (770) 433-8211

            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                            -------------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Proposed
                                                            Proposed                    Maximum
                                                            Maximum                     Aggregate            Amount of
Title of Securities                  Amount to be           Offering Price              Offering             Registration
to be Registered                     Registered             Per Share (*)               Price (*)            Fee
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>                    <C>                         <C>                  <C>
Common Stock(**)
($.05 par value)                     15,000                 $80.00                      $1,200,000           $316.80

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

----------------
    (*) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
    based on the average of the high and low prices on November 30, 1999,
    pursuant to Rule 457 (c) and (h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
    amended.

    (**) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
    this registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests
    to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described
    herein.


<PAGE>


                                EXPLANATORY NOTE

         In accordance with the Note to Part I of Form S-8, the information
specified by Part I has been omitted from this Registration Statement.


                                    PART II.

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

          The following documents have been filed by The Home Depot, Inc. (the
"Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and
are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

          (1)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
               January 31, 1999, as filed with the Commission pursuant to
               Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
               (the "1934 Act"); and

          (2)  The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for fiscal
               quarters ended May 2, 1999 and August 1, 1999, and

          (3)  The section entitled "Description of Common Stock" in
               Registrant's Report on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission
               pursuant to the 1934 Act.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant and The Maintenance
Warehouse FutureBuilder (the "Plan") with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part
thereof from the date of filing of such documents.


ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

          Not Applicable.


ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

          The legality of the Common Stock  covered  hereby has been passed upon
for The Home Depot, Inc. by Kelly R. Caffarelli, Esq., Corporate Counsel. Ms.
Caffarelli owns shares of Common Stock, both directly and as a participant in
various employee benefit plans; however, she is not eligible to participate in
the Plan.


                                       2

<PAGE>


ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         Article IV, Section 4, of the Registrant's Restated By-Laws provides
that to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, each former, present or
future, director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, and each person
who may serve at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee
or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise shall be indemnified by the Registrant in all events.

         Article NINTH of the Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
provides that to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, no director of
the Registrant shall be liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for
monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for
liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Registrant
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 Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction
from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

          Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
sets forth the applicable terms, conditions and limitations governing the
indemnification of officers, directors and other persons.

          In addition, the Registrant maintains officers' and directors'
liability insurance for the benefit of its officers and directors.


ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

          Not Applicable.


ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

          The following exhibits are filed as a part of this Registration
Statement:

          4     The Maintenance Warehouse FutureBuilder

          5     Opinion of Kelly R. Caffarelli.

          23.1  Consent of Kelly R. Caffarelli, included in Exhibit 5

          23.2  Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Certified Public
                Accountants

          24    Powers of Attorney from Directors


                                       3

<PAGE>


ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

With respect to the Plan, the Registrant undertakes that the Plan will be
submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") in a timely manner and
that the Registrant will make all changes required by the IRS in order to obtain
a favorable determination letter with respect to the qualification of the Plan
under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

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 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.

         (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.

         (4) That for the 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, and
each filing of the Plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities and 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.

         (5) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 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.


                                       4

<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-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on this 1st day of
December, 1999.


                              THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

                              By:     /s/ Arthur M. Blank
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                  (Arthur M. Blank, President and CEO)


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


      Signature                   Title                            Date
      ---------                   -----                            ----


/s/ Bernard Marcus       Chairman of the Board               December 1 ,1999
-------------------      (Principal Executive Officer)
(Bernard Marcus)



/s/ Arthur M. Blank      President & CEO                     December 1, 1999
-------------------      and Director
(Arthur M. Blank)



/s/ Ronald M. Brill      Chief Administrative Officer,       December 1, 1999
-------------------      Executive Vice President
(Ronald M. Brill)        and Director



/s/ Dennis J. Carey      Executive Vice President and        December 1, 1999
-------------------      Chief Financial Officer
(Dennis J. Carey)        (Principal Financial Officer)


                                       5

<PAGE>

      Signature                   Title                            Date
      ---------                   -----                            ----


/s/ Marshall L. Day      Senior Vice President-              December 1, 1999
-------------------      Finance & Accounting
(Marshall L. Day)        (Principal Accounting Officer)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(Frank Borman)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(John L. Clendenin)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(Berry R. Cox)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(William S. Davila)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(Milledge A. Hart, III)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(Bonnie G. Hill)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(Kenneth G. Langone)



      *                  Director
-------------------
(M. Faye Wilson)


*     The undersigned, by signing his name hereto, does hereby sign this
      registration statement on behalf of each of the above-indicated directors
      of the Registrant pursuant to powers of attorney, executed on behalf of
      each such director.


                                     By:     /s/Arthur M. Blank
                                         -----------------------------------
                                         (Arthur M. Blank, Attorney-in-fact)


                                       6

<PAGE>


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement has been signed on behalf of the Plan by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on this 1st day of
December, 1999.


                                     THE MAINTENANCE WAREHOUSE FUTUREBUILDER

                                     By:  /s/ Lawrence A. Smith
                                          -----------------------------------
                                          (Lawrence A. Smith, Member,
                                           Administrative Committee)


                                       7

<PAGE>


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit No.
-----------

4             The Maintenance Warehouse FutureBuilder

5             Opinion of Kelly R. Caffarelli

23.1          Consent of Kelly R. Caffarelli (included in Exhibit 5 above)

23.2          Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Certified Public Accountants

24            Powers of Attorney from Directors


                                       8
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15511}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "HOME DEPOT INC", "cik": "0000354950", "assigned-sic": "5211", "irs-number": "953261426", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0131"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-91943", "film-number": "99767704"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2455 PACES FERRY ROAD", "city": "ATLANTA", "state": "GA", "zip": "30339-4024", "phone": "770-433-82"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "2455 PACES FERRY ROAD", "city": "ATLANTA", "state": "GA", "zip": "30339-4024"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 2, 1999
                                                           Registration No. 333-

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            -------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            -------------------------

                              THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          DELAWARE                                          95-3261426
(State or other jurisdiction of                        (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                         Identification Number)

   2455 PACES FERRY ROAD, ATLANTA, GA                        30339-4024
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                     (Zip Code)

                     THE MAINTENANCE WAREHOUSE FUTUREBUILDER
                            (Full title of the plan)

                            -------------------------

         ARTHUR M. BLANK                                COPIES REQUESTED TO:
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER                   KELLY R. CAFFARELLI, ESQ.
       THE HOME DEPOT, INC.                             THE HOME DEPOT, INC.
      2455 PACES FERRY ROAD                            2455 PACES FERRY ROAD
   ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30339-4024                      ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30339-4024
         (770) 433-8211

            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                            -------------------------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                        Proposed
                                                            Proposed                    Maximum
                                                            Maximum                     Aggregate            Amount of
Title of Securities                  Amount to be           Offering Price              Offering             Registration
to be Registered                     Registered             Per Share (*)               Price (*)            Fee
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock(**)
($.05 par value)                     15,000                 $80.00                      $1,200,000           $316.80

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
    (*) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
    based on the average of the high and low prices on November 30, 1999,
    pursuant to Rule 457 (c) and (h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
    amended.

    (**) In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
    this registration statement also covers an indeterminate amount of interests
    to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee benefit plan described
    herein.
EXPLANATORY NOTE

         In accordance with the Note to Part I of Form S-8, the information
specified by Part I has been omitted from this Registration Statement.

                                    PART II.

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

          The following documents have been filed by The Home Depot, Inc. (the
"Registrant") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and
are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

          (1)  The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
               January 31, 1999, as filed with the Commission pursuant to
               Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
               (the "1934 Act"); and

          (2)  The Registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for fiscal
               quarters ended May 2, 1999 and August 1, 1999, and

          (3)  The section entitled "Description of Common Stock" in
               Registrant's Report on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission
               pursuant to the 1934 Act.

          All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant and The Maintenance
Warehouse FutureBuilder (the "Plan") with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the 1934 Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed
to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part
thereof from the date of filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

          Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

          The legality of the Common Stock  covered  hereby has been passed upon
for The Home Depot, Inc. by Kelly R. Caffarelli, Esq., Corporate Counsel. Ms.
Caffarelli owns shares of Common Stock, both directly and as a participant in
various employee benefit plans; however, she is not eligible to participate in
the Plan.

                                       2
ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         Article IV, Section 4, of the Registrant's Restated By-Laws provides
that to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, each former, present or
future, director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant, and each person
who may serve at the request of the Registrant as a director, officer, employee
or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise shall be indemnified by the Registrant in all events.

         Article NINTH of the Registrant's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
provides that to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, no director of
the Registrant shall be liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for
monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for
liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the Registrant
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 Delaware General Corporation Law, or (iv) for any transaction
from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

          Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
sets forth the applicable terms, conditions and limitations governing the
indemnification of officers, directors and other persons.

          In addition, the Registrant maintains officers' and directors'
liability insurance for the benefit of its officers and directors.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

          Not Applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

          The following exhibits are filed as a part of this Registration
Statement:

          4     The Maintenance Warehouse FutureBuilder

          5     Opinion of Kelly R. Caffarelli.

          23.1  Consent of Kelly R. Caffarelli, included in Exhibit 5

          23.2  Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Certified Public
                Accountants

          24    Powers of Attorney from Directors

                                       3
ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

With respect to the Plan, the Registrant undertakes that the Plan will be
submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") in a timely manner and
that the Registrant will make all changes required by the IRS in order to obtain
a favorable determination letter with respect to the qualification of the Plan
under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

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 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.

         (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.

         (4) That for the 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, and
each filing of the Plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities and 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.

         (5) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 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.

                                       4
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-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on this 1st day of
December, 1999.

                              THE HOME DEPOT, INC.

                              By:     /s/ Arthur M. Blank
                                  ---------------------------------------------
                                  (Arthur M. Blank, President and CEO)

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

      Signature                   Title                            Date
      ---------                   -----                            ----

/s/ Bernard Marcus       Chairman of the Board               December 1 ,1999
-------------------      (Principal Executive Officer)
(Bernard Marcus)

/s/ Arthur M. Blank      President & CEO                     December 1, 1999
-------------------      and Director
(Arthur M. Blank)

/s/ Ronald M. Brill      Chief Administrative Officer,       December 1, 1999
-------------------      Executive Vice President
(Ronald M. Brill)        and Director

/s/ Dennis J. Carey      Executive Vice President and        December 1, 1999
-------------------      Chief Financial Officer
(Dennis J. Carey)        (Principal Financial Officer)

                                       5
Signature                   Title                            Date
      ---------                   -----                            ----

/s/ Marshall L. Day      Senior Vice President-              December 1, 1999
-------------------      Finance & Accounting
(Marshall L. Day)        (Principal Accounting Officer)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(Frank Borman)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(John L. Clendenin)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(Berry R. Cox)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(William S. Davila)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(Milledge A. Hart, III)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(Bonnie G. Hill)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(Kenneth G. Langone)

      *                  Director
-------------------
(M. Faye Wilson)

*     The undersigned, by signing his name hereto, does hereby sign this
      registration statement on behalf of each of the above-indicated directors
      of the Registrant pursuant to powers of attorney, executed on behalf of
      each such director.

                                     By:     /s/Arthur M. Blank
                                         -----------------------------------
                                         (Arthur M. Blank, Attorney-in-fact)

                                       6
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration
Statement has been signed on behalf of the Plan by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on this 1st day of
December, 1999.

                                     THE MAINTENANCE WAREHOUSE FUTUREBUILDER

                                     By:  /s/ Lawrence A. Smith
                                          -----------------------------------
                                          (Lawrence A. Smith, Member,
                                           Administrative Committee)

                                       7
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.
-----------

4             The Maintenance Warehouse FutureBuilder

5             Opinion of Kelly R. Caffarelli

23.1          Consent of Kelly R. Caffarelli (included in Exhibit 5 above)

23.2          Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Certified Public Accountants

24            Powers of Attorney from Directors

                                       8