Georgia State Fundraising Registration
Resources for charities, businesses, professional fundraisers, and individuals conducting fundraising activities
Georgia Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
Labyrinth provides the state fundraising regulations below as a guide to help you apply for and maintain your ability to fundraise. Need help? We can manage your state registrations for you. Contact us today to learn more.
Georgia defines requirements for:
• Charitable Organization Registration
• Commercial Co-Venturer Registration
• Professional Fundraiser Registration
• Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses
• Charitable Gift Annuity Registration
Need a different state? Visit our 50-state Compliance Guide
Company Licenses
Georgia Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
Georgia Charitable Gift Annuity Registration
Initial Registration
Notes: | Georgia 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. |
Renewal Not Required
Not required
Georgia Charitable Organization Registration
Agency: | Georgia Secretary of State - Charities Division |
Law: | Georgia Code Ann. § 43-17-5 |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
One-Time Exemption Registration
Exemption Eligible Organizations: |
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Filing Method: | Email to Charities@sos.ga.gov |
Law: | Georgia Code Ann. § 43-17-9 |
Notes: | To claim an exemption, send the following information to Charities@sos.ga.gov:
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Initial Registration
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
Agency Fee: | $35 |
Turnaround: | 4-6 weeks |
Notarize: | Required |
Notes: |
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Before you Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
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How to Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
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Required Attachments: |
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Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail or online. |
Agency Fee: | $20 |
Due: |
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Due Date Extension: | Due dates can be extended by submitting the renewal form, renewal fee, and a letter that specifies the reason the financial statements cannot be filed and a date when such financial statements will be completed and filed. |
Notarize: | Required |
Notes: | A renewal notice will be sent in the mail in the month prior to the expiration month. The notice should be returned with all required attachments and the renewal fee. |
Required Attachments: |
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Contract Filing
Filing Method: | Contracts can be emailed to charities@sos.ga.gov. |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Turnaround: | 1-2 business days. |
Due: | Charities that contract with a commercial co-venturer for a charitable sales promotion should submit a copy of the contract within 30 days of the contract being signed. |
Notes: | The agreement must be signed by an authorized representative of the charitable organization and the commercial coventurer and it must include, at a minimum, the following:
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How to Apply: | The charity must be registered to solicit charitable contributions or otherwise exempt for the contract to be accepted. |
Change of Fiscal Year
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Notes: | Georgia does not track organization's fiscal years, but attach a cover letter to the renewal explaining the change. |
Cancellation
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail or email to charities@sos.ga.gov. |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Notes: | To close out your registration, submit the withdrawal of charitable organization form. |
Commercial coventurer means a person who for profit is regularly and primarily engaged in trade or commerce other than in connection with soliciting for charitable organizations or purposes and who conducts a charitable sales promotion.
Georgia Commercial Co-Venturer Registration
Not required
Commercial Co-venturer licensure is not required on the State level in Georgia.
Georgia 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.
More information: Georgia Secretary of StateContract Filing
Form: | Contract |
Filing Method: | Contracts can be emailed to charities@sos.ga.gov. |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Notes: | The agreement must be signed by an authorized representative of the charitable organization and the commercial coventurer and it must include, at a minimum, the following:
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Before you Apply: | Charities that contract with a commercial co-venturer for a charitable sales promotion should submit a copy of the contract within 30 days of the contract being signed. |
Contract Amendment
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | An amendment filing should be made before the expiration date of a campaign in order to extend the campaign. |
Notes: | To report an extension of a campaign or another change to a campaign agreement, submit a cover letter describing the change and include a copy of the amended agreement. |
Georgia Fundraising Counsel Registration
Not required
Fundraising Counsel licensure is not required on the State level in Georgia.
Georgia does not currently have a registration requirement for fundraising counsels, but they may need to follow other regulations before and after fundraising events. Counsel information is generally reported on charity registrations instead.
Georgia License to Operate Non-Profit Bingo Games
Initial Registration
Agency: | Georgia Bureau of Investigation - Investigative Division |
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $100 |
Paid solicitor means a person other than a commercial coventurer who, for compensation, performs for a charitable organization any service in connection with which contributions are, or will be, solicited within or from this state by such person or by any compensated person he or she employs, procures, engages, or contracts with, directly or indirectly, to so solicit; who would be a fundraising counsel but for the fact that such person at any time has custody of contributions from a solicitation as defined by this chapter; or who services a collection receptacle which purports, either through language appearing on the receptacle itself or otherwise, to be collecting items for the purpose of benefiting a charitable purpose or one or more entities espousing a charitable purpose.
Paid solicitor does not include a bona fide officer, employee, or volunteer of a charitable organization or commercial coventurer with respect to contributions solicited for that charitable organization; an attorney, investment counselor, accountant, or banker who, solely incidental to his or her profession, advises a person to make a charitable contribution or who holds funds subject to an escrow or trust agreement; a person who removes or delivers donations placed in a collection receptacle for a fixed fee and who does not otherwise directly or indirectly receive any of the proceeds of the sale of such donations or derive any other benefit from such activity; or a charitable organization registered with the Secretary of State which operates collection receptacles or a religious organization which operates collection receptacles.
Georgia Paid Solicitor Registration
Agency: | Georgia Secretary of State |
Law: | |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Bond Requirements: | $10,000 |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $250 |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Notarize: | Not required |
Notes: |
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Before you Apply: |
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Required Attachments: |
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Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $100 |
Due: | Annually by December 31. |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Notarize: | Not required |
Contract Filing
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $15 |
Due: | File a solicitation notice prior to the commencement of a contract. |
Notes: | Contracts between a paid solicitor and a charitable organization must clearly state the respective obligations of the paid solicitor and the charitable organization, and must state the amount of compensation that the paid solicitor will receive. Such compensation must be stated as a fixed amount, as an amount to be derived from a formula, or as a percentage of the gross revenue derived from the solicitation campaign. |
Financial Reporting
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 90 days after a campaign has ended and on the anniversary of commencement for campaigns lasting more than a year. |
Georgia Raffle License
Not required
Charitable Gaming licensure is not required on the State level in Georgia.
Raffle licenses are issued by county sheriff offices. There is not state level raffle license.
Individual Licenses
Georgia Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses
Solicitor agent means any person, other than a paid solicitor or commercial coventurer, who or which solicits charitable contributions for compensation. The term "solicitor agent" shall not include, with respect to a particular charitable organization which is either registered or exempt from registration under this chapter, any person who is a charitable organization itself or a bona fide officer, employee, or volunteer of such charitable organization which is either registered or exempt from registration under this chapter and who is neither supervised by, nor whose activities are directed by, any paid solicitor or its agent.
Georgia Solicitor Agent Registration
Agency: | Georgia Secretary of State |
Law: | |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | Not Set |
Exam Required? | Not Set |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | Not Set |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $50 |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Notarize: | Not required |
Registration Renewal
Agency Fee: | $50 |
Due: | Annually by December 31. |
Notes: | Renewal forms are sent in the mail prior to expiration. |
Learn about fundraising in other jurisdictions:
D.C. |
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