Connecticut Fundraising Licensing

Connecticut charities must provide notice on the day they first enter into a charitable gift annuity agreement. Notices must identify the organization, certify that the organization is a charity and that the annuities issued are qualified charitable gift annuities, and be signed by an officer or director.

• Religious organizations
• Educational institutions using curricula that are registered or approved by any state or the United States or that have been accepted by an accrediting body
• Parent-teacher associations
• Nonprofit hospitals
• Government organizations
• Charities that receive $50,000 or less in contributions annually and do not use paid solicitors
• Persons who solicit for exempt organizations

Claim of Exemption from Registration

$0

Exemptions do not expire as long as the organization continues to qualify under the exemption criteria.

URS or Initial Charitable Organization Registration Application

Mail or online

$50

2-3 weeks

• Two authorized representatives must sign. Notarized signatures are not required.
• Some Connecticut counties and municipalities may require charities that solicit in-person to register prior to fundraising.

Domestic Applicants:

• Check the available exemptions to see if your charity is eligible for exemption from the full registration requirement.
• If your charity meets the audit threshold, obtain an audited financial report to submit with your registration application.
• Look through the list of required attachments and make sure that you have each required document in hand before starting the registration application.

Foreign Applicants:

• Check the available exemptions to see if your charity is eligible for exemption from the full registration requirement.
• If your charity meets the audit threshold, obtain an audited financial report to submit with your registration application.
• Look through the list of required attachments and make sure that you have each required document in hand before starting the registration application.
• If you will foreign qualify in Connecticut, obtain a certificate of good standing from your home state to submit during the foreign qualification process. The certificate cannot be more than 90 days old when filing foreign qualification documents.

Domestic Applicants:

1. File entity formation documents with the Connecticut Secretary of State.
2. Submit a Charitable Organization Registration Application and all required attachments to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

Foreign Applicants:

1. Determine whether or not your charity will need to foreign qualify based on your activity in Connecticut. If not required, skip to number 3.
2. File foreign qualification documents with the Connecticut Secretary of State.
3. Submit a Charitable Organization Registration Application and all required attachments to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

• IRS form 990
• Audited financials (if applicable)
• Either IRS determination letter or IRS form 1023

Charitable Organization Renewal Notice.

Mail or online

$50

Renewal is due annually eleven (11) months after the organization’s fiscal year ends. For example, organizations with December fiscal year-ends are due by November 30.

No extensions are available for charitable registration due dates.

There is a late fee of $25 for each month that passes after the due date. Registrations lapse 65 days after the due date and must then be reinstated.

• Attach IRS Form 990

• Audited financials (if applicable)

Email to dcp.publiccharities@ct.gov

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1-2 business days

Every charitable organization which agrees to permit a charitable sales promotion to be conducted in its behalf, shall obtain a written agreement from the commercial coventurer and submit a copy of such agreement to the Department of Consumer Protection not less than ten days prior to the commencement of the charitable sales promotion within this state.

The charity must be registered to solicit charitable contributions or otherwise exempt for the contract to be accepted.

Fiscal year can be changed during the standard renewal process. Submit the last 990 prior to change and include the short year 990 as well.

$0

Closing a charity registration is optional in Connecticut. The state will accept a letter stating intent to withdraw, but charities can also simply allow their registration to expire.