Fundraising Counsel Registration & Licensing

The following table summarizes registration and licensing requirements for professional fundraising counsel across the United States.

Alabama

Alabama Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount

$10,000

License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$100

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Arkansas

Arkansas Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$100

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

California

California Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$500

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Colorado

Colorado Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes1
Initial Filing Fee

$175

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$75

Connecticut

Connecticut Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount

$20,000

License Required?
Yes2
Initial Filing Fee

$120

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Florida

Florida Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$300 by mail or $307.50 online.

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Georgia

Georgia Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount

$10,000

License Required?
Yes3
Initial Filing Fee

$250

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$15

Hawaii

Hawaii Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$250

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Illinois

Illinois Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
Yes
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$0

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Indiana

Indiana Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$1,000

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Kansas

Kansas Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$25

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Kentucky

Kentucky Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$50 registration fee + $25 background check fee/person

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Maryland

Maryland Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$250

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$400

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Minnesota

Minnesota Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount

A $20,000 surety bond is required for entities with custody of or access to contributions.

License Required?
Yes4
Initial Filing Fee

$200

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Mississippi

Mississippi Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$250

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$150

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

New Jersey

New Jersey Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount

$20,000

License Required?
Yes5
Initial Filing Fee

$250

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$30

New York

New York Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$800

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

North Carolina

North Carolina Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$200

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

North Dakota

North Dakota Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
Yes
Bond Amount

$20,000

License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$100

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$250

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$240

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

South Carolina

South Carolina Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$50

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Utah

Utah Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$500

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Virginia

Virginia Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount
-
License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$100

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

West Virginia

West Virginia Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount

$10,000

License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$100

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Charitable Registration

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite?
-
Bond Amount

$20,000

License Required?
Yes
Initial Filing Fee

$50

Contract Filing Required?
Yes
Contract Filing Fee

$0

Footnotes

  1. Fundraising counsels who will not have custody of contributions are exempt from the requirement to register.

  2. Fundraising counsels who will not have custody of contributions are exempt from the requirement to register.

  3. Fundraising counsels who will not have custody of contributions are exempt from the requirement to register.

  4. A bond is only required for counsels who will have custody or access to contributions.

  5. A bond is only required for counsels who will have custody or access to contributions.