Charitable Solicitation Registration in North Carolina

Heads Up: North Carolina requires charitable solicitation registration before you fundraise.

Before your nonprofit can solicit donations in North Carolina, you'll need to complete the registration process with the state. This guide walks you through the requirements, fees, and timeline.

North Carolina requires charitable solicitation registration before your nonprofit can solicit donations in the state.

The filing agency is the NC Charities Division if organization "directly solicits contributions" or "hires persons or businesses to solicit contributions".

What's Required

Registration form: annual exemption request (Form 131f-3(3))

Licensing Agency

- North Carolina Secretary of State, Charities Division

- https://www.sosnc.gov/divisions/charities

Registration Process

Initial Registration:

- File Charitable Solicitation License (CSL) Application

- Must file

Who's Exempt

Revenue under $25,000: Exempt if no paid fundraisers, officers, or trustees (government grants and membership fees excluded from this calculation)

Annual Exemption Request: Organizations with less than $50,000 in annual contributions that have no paid board members or fundraising consultants can file annual exemption request (Form 131f-3(3))

Enforcement Agency & Contact Information

NC Charities Division if organization "directly solicits contributions" or "hires persons or businesses to solicit contributions"

Related Resources

View the full North Carolina formation guide

Complete step-by-step guide to forming and registering a nonprofit in North Carolina

Get Hands-On Help

Hands-on formation guidance customized for North Carolina

View all North Carolina compliance requirements

Annual filings, tax obligations, charitable solicitation registration, and more

Get a Professional Compliance Review

Have our experts review your organization's compliance status and recommend next steps

Starting a nonprofit in North Carolina?

Get formation tips, compliance deadlines, and state-specific updates delivered to your inbox.