Mississippi Charitable Organization Renewal Registration Update- Effective July 1, 2016

Effective July 1, 2016, charitable organizations in Mississippi must file to renew their charitable registration on or before the fifteenth day of the fifth month following the close of the charity’s fiscal year end. This coincides with the due date of IRS Form 990 prior to requests for extension of time to file.

If a charity’s fiscal year ends on December 31st, the NEW renewal date will be May 15th.

If the charity’s fiscal year ends on June 30th, the NEW renewal date will be November 15th.

Prior to the July 1, 2016 amendment, a charitable organization files its renewal on or before the anniversary of registration.

Per the Mississippi Secretary of State, if a charity currently has a renewal due date that occurs prior to the fifteenth day of the fifth month of the close of the fiscal year, the charity is still required to file before the current expiration date. The charity will then file a second renewal registration to meet the new due date based on its fiscal year.

Extensions of time to file renewal registrations are filed online with the Charities Division of the Mississippi Secretary of State. The first 3 month extension is essentially automatic and subject to minimal review by the state. Further extensions require a copy of IRS Form 8868, a significant reason for the request to be granted, and a signature. These extensions are subject to review by the state and may or may not be granted.

As of January 1, 2016, Mississippi requires that all charities file initial registration and renewal registration applications online. Paper applications are not accepted.

If you need assistance managing your Mississippi fundraising registration or in any other state, contact a Harbor Compliance representative at 1-888-995-5895 today.