North Carolina Fundraising Licensing

Resources for charities, businesses, professional fundraisers, and individuals conducting charitable solicitation activities
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Fundraising Compliance Guide
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Fundraising Compliance Info by State

Below, you'll find licensing requirements for a range of fundraising activities. At a glance, you can see requirements, fees, filing instructions, and links to forms for everything from charitable gaming and cause marketing to professional fundraisers and charitable gift annuities.

Make sure your fundraising activities meet the unique requirements of each jurisdiction where you’re soliciting. Feel free to explore, bookmark, and share!

North Carolina charitable solicitation license, North Carolina fundraising license
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Company Licenses

North Carolina Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses

North Carolina Bingo and Raffle Licenses

Game Type:

Bingo and raffles

Agency:North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation - Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch
Organization Age Requirement:

1 year of continuous existence in the county they intend to operate games in.

Prize Limits:

The maximum prize for a single game of bingo is $500. The prize limit for a single bingo session is $1,500 unless only one bingo session is held that week, in which case the limit becomes $2,500.

Law:

NC Stat. § 14-309.5 et seq.

Initial Registration

Agency:North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation - Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch
Form:

Form BL-1: Application for Exempt Organization to Operate Bingo Games

Agency fee:

$200

Notes:

Exempt organizations may also hold as many as 2 raffle events per year, but no license is required for these.

Registration Renewal

Agency:North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation - Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch
Form:

Form BL-1: Application for Exempt Organization to Operate Bingo Games (Renewal)

Agency fee:

$200

Due:

Annually

North Carolina Charitable Gift Annuity Registration

Agency:North Carolina Department of Insurance
Law:

NC Stat. § 58-3-6

Organization Age Requirement:

3 years of continuous existence immediately preceeding licensure.

Minimum Unrestricted Cash or Cash Equivalent Requirement:

$100,000

Disclosure Details:

Charities must disclose the following: "This annuity is not issued by an insurance company, is not subject to regulation by the State of North Carolina, and is not protected or otherwise guaranteed by any government agency or insurance guaranty fund.".

Initial Registration

Form:

Charitable Gift Annuities Notification Form

Agency fee:

$0

Notes:

North Carolina charities must provide notice within 90 days of when 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. Charities must also provide their most recent IRS form 990 upon request from the department.

Registration Renewal

Not required



North Carolina Charitable or Sponsor Organization Solicitation License

Agency:North Carolina Secretary of State - Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division
Law:

North Carolina General Statutes §§ 131 F-2 to 131f-8. CSL Statute and Rule Reference

Automatic Exemption

Exemption Eligible Organizations:
  • Religious organizations
  • Government agencies
  • Any hospital licensed pursuant to Article 5 of Chapter 131E or Article 2 of Chapter 122C of the General Statutes
  • Any noncommercial radio or television station
  • A qualified community trust as provided in 26 C.F.R. § 1.170A-9(e)(10) through (e)(14)
  • A volunteer fire department, REACT (Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams), rescue squad, or emergency medical service
  • A Young Men's Christian Association or a Young Women's Christian Association
  • A nonprofit continuing care facility licensed under Article 64 of Chapter 58 of the General Statutes
  • Any tax exempt nonprofit fire or emergency medical service organization involved in the sale of goods or services that does not ask for a donation

One-Time Exemption Registration

Exemption Eligible Organizations:

Educational institutions

Form:

Questionnaire for Exemption Under 131F-3(4)

Agency fee:

$0

Registration to Obtain Exemption

Exemption Eligible Organizations:

Charities with less than $25,000 in contributions in any calendar year

Form:

Request for Exemption Under 131F-3(3)

Agency fee:

$0

Renewal to Maintain Exemption

Exemption Eligible Organizations:

Charities with less than $25,000 in contributions in any calendar year

Form:

Request for Exemption Under 131F-3(3) (Renewal)

Agency fee:

$0

Due:

Annually within 4.5 months after the organization's fiscal year end.

Initial Registration

Form:

Initial / Renewal License Application for Charities or Sponsors

Filing method:

Mail or online.

Agency fee:

$0-200, depending on contributions

Notes:
  • Note the list of attachments required.
  • The CFO / treasurer must sign and it must be notarized.
  • Some North Carolina counties and municipalities may require charities that solicit in-person to register prior to fundraising.

Registration Renewal

Form:

Initial / Renewal License Application for Charities or Sponsors

Filing method:

Mail or online.

Agency fee:

$0-200, depending on contributions

Due:

Renewal is due annually 4.5 months after the close of your fiscal year. So if your fiscal year ends December 31, renewal is due May 15.

Penalties:

$25 for each month that passes after the due date. Capped at $900.

Notes:
  • Note the list of attachments required (including annual financial report).

Change of Fiscal Year

Form:

Initial / Renewal License Application for Charities or Sponsors

Agency fee:

Varies

Notes:

Fiscal year can be changed during the standard renewal process.

North Carolina Commercial Co-Venturer Registration

Not required



North Carolina does not currently have a traditional registration requirement for commercial co-venturers, but they may need to follow other regulations before and after fundraising events.

Registration Not Required

Not required



North Carolina Fundraising Counsel Registration

Agency:North Carolina Secretary of State - Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division

Initial Registration

Form:

Fund-Raising Consultant License Application

Agency fee:

$200

Notarize:Required

Registration Renewal

Form:

Fund-Raising Consultant License Application (Renewal)

Agency fee:

$200

Due:

Annually by March 31.

Notarize:Required

North Carolina Professional Fundraiser Registration

Agency:North Carolina Secretary of State - Charitable Solicitation Licensing Division
Bond Requirements:

Bond requirement ranges from $20,000-$50,000.

Financial Report Requirements:

Due within 90 days after a campaign has ended and on the anniversary of commencement for campaigns lasting more than a year.

Financial Reports Requirements:

Due within 90 days after a campaign has ended and on the anniversary of commencement for campaigns lasting more than a year.

Contract Filing Requirements:

File a solicitation campaign notice at least 5 days prior to the start of each solicitation campaign.

Initial Registration

Form:

https://www.sosnc.gov/CSL/cslfaqtree.aspx?solicitors

Agency fee:

$200

Registration Renewal

Form:

https://www.sosnc.gov/CSL/cslfaqtree.aspx?solicitors

Agency fee:

$200

Due:

Annually by March 31.

Individual Licenses

North Carolina Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses

North Carolina Individual Professional Fundraiser Registration

Not required



Solicitors who are not employed by a professional fundraising firm but operate independently may be required to register. Employees of professional fundraising firms are generally not required to register as an individual solicitor in North Carolina.

Registration Not Required

Not required



Learn about fundraising in other states:

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho
Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri
Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania
Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
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