At a Glance

Most nonprofits must register with Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection before soliciting donations, paying a $50 fee and submitting required financial documents. Organizations receiving less than $50,000 annually may qualify for an exemption by filing Form CPC-54. Registration expires on the last day of the eleventh month following your fiscal year end and requires annual renewal.

Navigating the requirements for charity registration can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re focused on your nonprofit’s mission rather than paperwork. Fortunately, the process doesn’t have to be complicated—with the right guidance and expertise, your organization can stay focused on what matters most. Whether you’re obtaining your nonprofit license for the first time or ensuring ongoing compliance with charitable solicitation laws, this guide will walk you through every step.

Connecticut has specific requirements that differ from other states, making it essential to understand exactly what’s needed. Additionally, with online fundraising becoming increasingly common, your organization might be subject to registration requirements you haven’t considered.

Throughout this guide, we’ll break down Connecticut’s charitable solicitation registration process into manageable steps, explain exemptions that might apply to your organization, and highlight important considerations for charitable registration across multiple states.

Understanding Connecticut’s Charitable Solicitation Law

The Connecticut Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act establishes clear regulations for any organization raising money for charitable purposes. Before launching fundraising efforts in Connecticut, you must understand these laws to ensure full compliance with state requirements.

What counts as charitable solicitation

Connecticut law defines “solicitation” comprehensively as any request—direct or indirect—for money, property, or anything of value that will benefit a charitable purpose. This definition goes far beyond what many nonprofits initially consider fundraising.

Specifically, charitable solicitation in Connecticut includes:

• Any oral or written requests for donations
• Media announcements about fundraising campaigns (press, radio, TV, telephone)
• Distribution of any promotional materials, handbills, or advertisements
• Sale of merchandise, tickets, or subscriptions where proceeds benefit a charity

Furthermore, Connecticut considers a solicitation to have occurred regardless of whether the soliciting organization actually receives contributions. Even organizations that only seek grants from foundations or corporations—without conducting “public” fundraising—are subject to these regulations. If you’re planning any charitable solicitation registration activities, understanding these definitions is crucial.

Who needs to register and why it matters

Nearly all charitable organizations soliciting contributions in Connecticut must register with the Department of Consumer Protection prior to beginning any fundraising activities. This requirement applies even if your nonprofit is based outside Connecticut but accepts donations from Connecticut residents.

Registration serves two essential purposes:

• It protects donors by providing access to information about the organizations seeking their support
• It safeguards legitimate charities by maintaining public trust in philanthropic institutions

Failing to register can result in serious consequences, including:

• Civil penalties up to $2,500 per violation
• Fines and late fees ($25/month)
• Potential appointment of a receiver
• Temporary or permanent fundraising injunctions

Moreover, organizations that let their registration lapse for more than six months must complete a reinstatement process, creating additional administrative burdens. Because these deadlines and requirements can be complex to track, many organizations benefit from working with a commercial registered agent who can manage these details and ensure timely renewals.

Step-by-Step Registration Process

Registering for charitable solicitation in Connecticut involves several straightforward steps. With proper preparation and attention to detail, you can complete this process efficiently and ensure your nonprofit remains in good standing with state regulations.

1. Gather required documents (Form 990, audit reports)

The first step in the charitable solicitation registration process is collecting all necessary documentation. Connecticut requires:

• Your most recently filed IRS Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-PF
• Audited financial statements if the IRS form submitted with your application reports gross receipts exceeding $500,000, excluding grants or fees from government agencies and revenue from trusts held by a trustee for the organization
• Either your IRS determination letter or a filed copy of IRS Form 1023/1024 (if tax-exempt status is pending)

For organizations that haven’t completed their first fiscal year or filed their first IRS 990, no financial documents are required with the application. Professional charitable registration services can help determine exactly which documents you need based on your specific situation and ensure everything is prepared correctly the first time.

2. Complete the Initial Charitable Registration Form

Next, fill out the Initial Charitable Organization Registration Application form. This form requires:

• Basic organizational information
• Details about your nonprofit’s mission and activities
• Financial information from your IRS Form 990
• One authorized representative must sign the form (notarization is not required)

Organizations may file online through the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s website or submit a paper application. For new nonprofits that haven’t yet completed a full fiscal year, certain financial sections will be marked as not applicable.

3. Pay the $50 filing fee

Connecticut requires a non-refundable $50 application fee for charitable solicitation registration. If submitting online, you can pay the fee electronically through the state portal. For paper filings, follow the payment instructions provided with the application.

This fee applies to both initial registrations and annual renewals, making it essential to budget for this recurring expense in your organization’s ongoing administrative costs.

4. Submit to the Department of Consumer Protection

For paper applications, mail your completed form, supporting documents, and payment to:

Department of Consumer Protection
Attn: Public Charities Unit
450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 801
Hartford, CT 06103

Online submissions can be completed through the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s website. After submission, expect a processing time of approximately 2-3 weeks. During peak periods, working with experienced specialists can help ensure applications are filed correctly and processed efficiently.

5. Track your renewal deadline

Once approved, your charitable solicitation registration will expire on the last day of the eleventh month following your organization’s fiscal year end. For instance, organizations with a December fiscal year end must renew by November 30.

Renewal notices may be sent by the state; however, it is your responsibility to track and meet the deadline even if you do not receive a notice.

Missing the deadline results in a late fee of $25 for each month your renewal is delayed. Additionally, registrations that have been expired for more than six months require reinstatement.

To avoid these complications, many organizations work with specialists who maintain dedicated renewal management systems, tracking every due date and ensuring timely renewals across all jurisdictions where they fundraise.

Exemptions and When They Apply

Not all organizations need to complete the full charitable solicitation registration process in Connecticut. The state offers specific exemptions for certain types of nonprofit organizations, saving them time and resources.

Organizations under $50,000 in contributions

The most common exemption applies to organizations that normally receive less than $50,000 in contributions annually. To qualify for this exemption, your organization must meet two critical conditions:

• Your worldwide contributions must remain under $50,000
• You cannot compensate any person primarily to conduct solicitations

It’s important to understand what “normally” means in this context. The state defines this as meeting the criteria for any two out of the last three consecutive years. For newly formed organizations without an established track record, you may make a good faith estimate about future contribution levels.

Note that “contributions” include any grant, promise, or pledge of money, credit, property, financial assistance, or other thing of value received through fundraising activities. This includes the gross amount received from special fundraising events, yet excludes membership dues and fees received in exchange for providing services.

Filing Form CPC-54 for exemption

Although your organization might qualify for an exemption, you’re not automatically exempt. You must formally claim this status by filing Form CPC-54, “Claim of Exemption From Registration”. This form requires:

• Selecting your specific exemption reason
• Providing organizational details
• Describing your mission and programs

Unlike charitable solicitation registration which requires annual renewal, the exemption process is a one-time filing with no fee. Once approved, you don’t need to renew your exemption unless specifically requested by the Department of Consumer Protection to verify continued eligibility.

What happens if your status changes

Should your organization’s circumstances change so that the exemption no longer applies, you’re obligated to register immediately. For example, if your organization previously claimed the $50,000 threshold exemption and subsequently exceeds that amount for two out of three years, you must complete the full charitable solicitation registration process.

Conversely, if your contributions later drop below the threshold, you can reapply for exemption status. This flexibility allows organizations to adapt as their fundraising profiles evolve without unnecessary administrative burden.

For organizations operating across multiple states, exemption requirements vary significantly, making multi-state registration particularly complex. Each state handles exemptions differently, with varying thresholds and qualification criteria.

Special Rules for Fundraising Counsel and Paid Solicitors

Connecticut’s charitable solicitation law makes important distinctions between types of professional fundraisers. Understanding these classifications is essential when managing your nonprofit’s charitable solicitation registration and working with external fundraising professionals.

Who qualifies as a fundraising counsel

Fundraising counsel are professionals who, for compensation, plan, manage, or advise about soliciting contributions in Connecticut. Crucially, they cannot directly solicit contributions or employ others to do so. This category typically includes consultants who:

• Develop fundraising strategies
• Design mail solicitation materials
• Plan fundraising events
• Provide strategic guidance on donor cultivation

The law explicitly excludes bona fide, non-temporary salaried officers or employees of charitable organizations from this definition. Essentially, if your staff creates your fundraising materials, they aren’t considered fundraising counsel under Connecticut law.

Registration and bonding requirements for paid solicitors

Paid solicitors—those hired to directly solicit contributions—face more stringent requirements. These professionals must:

• Register annually with the Department of Consumer Protection
• Pay a non-refundable $500 registration fee
• Post a $20,000 surety bond

Fundraising counsel generally don’t need to register unless they have custody or control of contributions. In those rare cases, they must register annually, pay a $120 fee, and secure a $20,000 bond. Professional charitable registration specialists can help clarify when registration is required for your specific situation.

Joint filing requirements for campaigns

When working with paid solicitors, your organization must complete joint filings with the state. These include:

• A notice of intent to solicit filed at least one business day before starting each campaign
• A financial report filed at the conclusion of each campaign

These campaign-specific filings are separate from your organization’s annual charitable solicitation registration requirements. They provide transparency about the financial arrangements between nonprofits and professional fundraisers.

Contract and disclosure rules

All contracts between charitable organizations and fundraising professionals must be in writing. For fundraising counsel, contracts must be filed with the department at least 15 days before performing any material services. Correspondingly, paid solicitor contracts must:

• State the respective obligations of each party
• Specify the minimum percentage of gross revenue the charity will receive
• Be filed with the department before the campaign begins

Paid solicitors must provide an accounting to the charitable organization within 90 days after completing a campaign. For campaigns lasting longer than one year, accounting must occur on the anniversary of the campaign’s commencement.

Managing multi-state charitable registration becomes particularly complex when working with professional fundraisers. Each state has different requirements, hence many nonprofits seek professional assistance to maintain oversight across these specialized regulations.

Multi-State and Online Fundraising Considerations

Fundraising beyond state lines introduces complex charitable solicitation registration requirements. Most states have their own registration laws for organizations soliciting charitable contributions within their borders. Understanding these requirements is essential for nonprofits that accept donations from multiple states or conduct online fundraising campaigns.

Using the Unified Registration Statement

The Unified Registration Statement (URS) was created to streamline multi-state registration. Originally accepted by 37 states, currently only 18 states accept it for initial registration and just 13 for renewals. Many states now require their own forms or online filings, making the URS less useful than initially intended.

The declining acceptance of the URS means organizations must research each state’s specific requirements. Some states require detailed financial information beyond what the URS provides, while others have moved to mandatory online filing systems that don’t accommodate the standardized form.

Understanding The Charleston Principles

The Charleston Principles provide guidelines for internet-based fundraising regulation. Developed in 2001, these principles help determine when online activities trigger registration requirements. Though non-binding, they serve as a framework many states follow for interpreting online solicitation.

The principles recognize that passive websites with general information typically don’t constitute solicitation in every state. However, interactive features like donation buttons, targeted email campaigns, or state-specific appeals can trigger registration requirements in those jurisdictions.

When internet fundraising triggers registration in other states

Online fundraising through websites with “Donate” buttons, email solicitations, and social media campaigns can constitute solicitation in every state. According to the Charleston Principles, registration is typically required when you:

• Target residents of a specific state
• Receive contributions from a state “on a repeated and ongoing basis”
• Follow up with donors from other states

Additionally, certain activities create higher likelihood of triggering registration requirements:

• Maintaining donor databases with state-specific information
• Conducting online events that target specific geographic areas
• Using geo-targeted advertising for fundraising campaigns
• Establishing ongoing relationships with donors in particular states

How professional services can help with multi-state registration

Given these complexities, many nonprofits benefit from working with experienced specialists who understand the nuances of each state’s requirements. Professional services combine expert knowledge with modern technology to handle your nonprofit’s registrations and renewals across all jurisdictions, allowing you to focus on your mission rather than paperwork.

Labyrinth, Inc. offers unique nonprofit expertise in regulatory guidance, privacy shielding, and reliable document management. We provide consolidation benefits through one vendor, one invoice, and one portal, which reduces missed notices and enables faster responses. Our bulk-change program often discounts or waives fees and covers state fees for volume switches, plus we extend first-year service up to 12 months so clients avoid double-paying overlapping contracts.

Specialists can provide personalized guidance throughout the registration process and maintain centralized tracking systems to ensure timely renewals and ongoing achievement of registration requirements across all applicable states.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Registering for charitable solicitation in Connecticut represents a crucial step for any nonprofit organization seeking to fundraise within state borders. Throughout this guide, we’ve examined the specific requirements, steps, and exemptions that apply under the Connecticut Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act.

As you’ve seen, this process involves several key components: gathering essential documents, completing the required forms, paying appropriate fees, and tracking renewal deadlines. Additionally, organizations must understand whether they qualify for exemptions or need to adhere to special rules when working with fundraising professionals.

The landscape becomes significantly more complex for organizations fundraising across multiple states or online. Each state maintains different charitable registration requirements, making oversight a potential challenge. The Charleston Principles provide some guidance, but many nonprofits still struggle to determine exactly which states require registration based on their fundraising activities.

Failure to achieve registration can result in substantial penalties, including fines and fundraising restrictions. Therefore, you should prioritize proper registration before beginning any solicitation activities. Many organizations find value in working with experienced specialists who can provide personalized guidance, ensure accurate filings, and maintain comprehensive tracking systems for all renewal deadlines.

Remember, your registration expires annually, usually eleven months after your fiscal year end. Consequently, you must mark these deadlines and prepare renewal materials well in advance. Although the process might seem daunting at first, understanding these requirements—or working with professionals who specialize in this area—empowers your nonprofit to fundraise legally and effectively while focusing on what matters most.

Ultimately, charitable solicitation registration serves an important purpose: protecting donors and maintaining public trust in the nonprofit sector. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, your organization can ensure ongoing registration while focusing on what matters most—your mission and the communities you serve. Should you need assistance with multi-state charitable registration, professional services can help streamline the process, provide dedicated renewal management, and maintain your registration calendar across all jurisdictions through secure, modern technology platforms.