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

Alaska

Alaska Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Alaska.

For more information: Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing - Corporations Section

Arizona

Arizona Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Arizona.

For more information: Arizona Secretary of State - Business Services Division

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

Delaware

Delaware Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Delaware.

For more information: Delaware Department of State - Division of Corporations

District of Columbia

District of Columbia Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for District of Columbia.

For more information: District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Business and Professional Licensing Administration - Corporations Division

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

Idaho

Idaho Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Idaho.

For more information: Idaho Secretary of State

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

Iowa

Iowa Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Iowa.

For more information: Iowa Secretary of State

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

Louisiana

Louisiana Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Louisiana.

For more information: Louisiana Secretary of State - Commercial Division

Maine

Maine Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Maine.

For more information: Maine Department of the Secretary of State - Bureau of Corporations, Elections, and Commissions

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

Michigan

Michigan Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Michigan.

For more information: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) - Bureau of Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing - Corporations Division

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

Missouri

Missouri Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Missouri.

For more information: Missouri Secretary of State - Corporations Division

Montana

Montana Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Montana.

For more information: Montana Secretary of State

Nebraska

Nebraska Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Nebraska.

For more information: Nebraska Secretary of State

Nevada

Nevada Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Nevada.

For more information: Nevada Secretary of State - Commercial Recordings Division

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 Mexico

New Mexico Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for New Mexico.

For more information: New Mexico Secretary of State - Business Services Division

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

Ohio

Ohio Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Ohio.

For more information: Ohio Secretary of State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Oklahoma.

For more information: Oklahoma Secretary of State - Business Filing Department

Oregon

Oregon Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Oregon.

For more information: Oregon Secretary of State - Corporations Division

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

South Dakota

South Dakota Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for South Dakota.

For more information: South Dakota Secretary of State

Tennessee

Tennessee Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Tennessee.

For more information: Tennessee Secretary of State - Division of Business Services

Texas

Texas Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Texas.

For more information: Texas Secretary of State - Corporations Section

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

Vermont

Vermont Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Vermont.

For more information: Vermont Secretary of State - Division of Corporations

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

Washington

Washington Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Washington.

For more information: Washington Secretary of State - Corporations Division

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

Wyoming

Wyoming Charitable Registration

Not required

There is no fundraising counsel registration requirement for Wyoming.

For more information: Wyoming Secretary of State - Business Division

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.