Multi-State Charitable Registration Explained

6 min read · Last reviewed October 2026

Once your fundraising crosses state lines, you're managing a set of separate state registrations — each with its own forms, fees, deadlines, and financial reporting rules.

Step 1: Decide where you need to register

Map your solicitation activity by state: mailing lists, event locations, email and ad targeting, and where online donations come from. Register first in your home state and in the states where you actively solicit.

Step 2: Gather a core document set

IRS determination letter
Articles of incorporation and bylaws, with amendments
Most recent Form 990 and financial statements (reviewed or audited if required)
List of officers and directors
Contracts with any professional fundraisers or fundraising counsel

Step 3: File state by state

Most states use their own registration forms; many now require online filing. Expect different questions, signatures, and attachments in each one. Our state guides list the current forms, fees, and deadlines:

California — Form CT-1, then annual RRF-1
New York — CHAR410, then annual CHAR500
Florida — FDACS-10100, fees $10–$400
Pennsylvania — Form BCO-10
New Jersey — CRI-200 or CRI-300R
Illinois — annual AG990-IL
Massachusetts — annual Form PC
North Carolina — license on Form CSL 101
Ohio — online annual report, fees $0–$200
Michigan — free license, renewed yearly
Virginia — VDACS Form 102
Georgia — Form C-100, renewed every 2 years
Washington — $60 registration, $40 renewal
Maryland — Form COR-92, annual update
Minnesota — $25 annual report
Wisconsin — Form 296, renewal by July 31
Tennessee — exempt under $50,000
Connecticut — $50, due 11 months after year end
Colorado — renewal with financial report
Oregon — annual Form CT-12
South Carolina — $50 annual registration
Alabama — $25, due 90 days after year end
Kentucky — no fee, file your Form 990
New Hampshire — NHCT-11, then annual NHCT-12
Kansas — $25, expires 6 months after year end
Washington, D.C. — charitable solicitation license
Alaska — $40, due September 1
Arkansas — no fee, annual report
Hawaii — free registration, annual fee by revenue
Maine — $20 license, renews November 30
Mississippi — $50, filed online
New Mexico — NM-COROS annual report
North Dakota — $10 annual report due September 1
Rhode Island — $90, over $25,000 raised
West Virginia — Form CHR-1, $15–$50
Nevada — filed with your annual list
Oklahoma — $15 or $65, renewed yearly
Louisiana — only if you use a professional solicitor
Missouri — 501(c)(3)s exempt
Utah — annual Form 990 upload since 2025

Some states don't require charities to register at all, though a few regulate paid fundraisers or special groups:

Texas — no general registration
Arizona — no general registration
Indiana — no general registration
Iowa — no general registration
Vermont — no general registration
Delaware — no general registration
Nebraska — no general registration
Idaho — no general registration
South Dakota — no general registration

Step 4: Watch for financial review thresholds

Several states require a CPA review or full audit once revenue passes a set level — and the thresholds differ by state. Plan your annual financial statements around the strictest state you register in.

Running chapters or affiliates? Each entity that solicits needs its own registrations — see Multi-Chapter Nonprofit Compliance.

Multi-Chapter Nonprofit Compliance

Step 5: Track renewals

Renewal deadlines are often tied to your fiscal year end, but not always. A shared renewal calendar — or a service that tracks it for you — is what keeps a multi-state program compliant.