South Carolina State Fundraising Registration
Resources for charities, businesses, professional fundraisers, and individuals conducting fundraising activities
South Carolina 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.
South Carolina 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
South Carolina Charitable Organization Registration
Agency: South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Public Charities
Law: South Carolina Code Annotated §33-56-10 and following
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? Yes
Automatic Exemption
Exemption Eligible Organizations:
Notes: Religious organizations and political candidates and groups are automatically exempt from registration.
Registration to Obtain Exemption
Exemption Eligible Organizations:
Organizations that do not use professional solicitors, professional fundraising counsels, or commercial coventurers to solicit and meet one of the following criteria:
Also, organizations that meet one one of the following criteria regardless of whether or not they use professional solicitors, professional fundraising counsels, or commercial coventurers to solicit:
Form: Application for Registration Exemption
Agency Fee: $0
Law: SC Code § 33-56-50
Renewal to Maintain Exemption
Exemption Eligible Organizations:
Organizations that do not use professional solicitors, professional fundraising counsels, or commercial coventurers to solicit and meet one of the following criteria:
Also, organizations that meet one one of the following criteria regardless of whether or not they use professional solicitors, professional fundraising counsels, or commercial coventurers to solicit:
Form: Application for Registration Exemption (Renewal)
Agency Fee: $0
Due: Annually within 4.5 months after the organization's fiscal year end.
Initial Registration
Form: Registration Statement for a Charitable Organization
Filing Method: Online or mail.
Agency Fee: $50 + $2 online filing fee.
Turnaround: 1 week
Notes:
- Before you Apply -
Domestic Applicants:
Check the available exemptions to see if your charity is eligible for exemption from the full registration requirement.
Appoint a registered agent to receive legal documents in South Carolina.
Look through the list of required attachments and make sure that you have each required document in hand before starting the registration application.
Foreign Applicants:
Check the available exemptions to see if your charity is eligible for exemption from the full registration requirement.
Appoint a registered agent to receive legal documents in South Carolina.
Look through the list of required attachments and make sure that you have each required document in hand before starting the registration application.
If you will foreign qualify in South Carolina, obtain a certificate of good standing from your home state to submit during the foreign qualification process. The certificate cannot be more than 30 days old when filing foreign qualification documents.
- How to Apply -
Domestic Applicants:
1. File entity formation documents with the South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Business Filings.
2. Submit a Registration Statement for a Charitable Organization and all required attachments to the South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Public Charities.
Foreign Applicants:
1. Determine whether or not your charity will need to foreign qualify based on your activity in South Carolina. If not required, skip to number 3.
2. File foreign qualification documents with the South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Business Filings.
3. Submit a Registration Statement for a Charitable Organization and all required attachments to the South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Public Charities.
- Required Attachments -
Registration Renewal
Form: Registration Statement for a Charitable Organization (Renewal)
Filing Method: Online or mail.
Agency Fee: $50 + $2 online filing fee.
Due: Renewal must be filed annually within 4.5 months after the close of your fiscal year. So if your fiscal year ends December 31, then file by May 15.
Due Date Extension: The registration statement renewal must be submitted on time, but the due date for the annual financial statement can be extended for 6 months beyond the original due date by emailing the department at charities@sos.sc.gov with your request.
Penalties: Late registration may result in a fine of up to $2,000 against the charitable organization.
Notes:
Required Attachments:
Registration Renewal
Form: Annual Financial Report for a Charitable Organization
Agency Fee: $0
Due: Due annually 4.5 months after fiscal year end. So if your organization's fiscal year ends December 31, the report is due May 15.
Required Attachments: None
Contract Filing
Form: Notice of Solicitation - CCV
Filing Method: Online
Agency Fee: $0
Turnaround: 1-2 business days
Due: File a notice of solicitation at least 10 days prior to the start of each solicitation campaign.
Notes: Contracts between charities and commercial coventurers must disclose the following, if applicable:
- Legal name and alias name, address, and registration number, if any, of the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer;
- Legal name, address, and registration number of the charitable organization;
- Name and residence address of each person directing or supervising the contract solicitation services;
- Description of the event or campaign;
- Date the solicitation or campaign will commence;
- Date the solicitation or campaign will terminate;
- Statement of the amount or guaranteed minimum percentage of gross receipts to be remitted or retained by the charitable organization, excluding the amount which the charitable organization must pay for fundraising costs;
- Statement of the amount or percentage of gross receipts with which the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer is compensated, including the amount the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer must be reimbursed as payment for fundraising costs; and
- If applicable, the maximum dollar amount that will benefit the charitable organization.
Change of Fiscal Year
Agency Fee: $0
Turnaround: 1-2 business days
Notes: Email charities@sos.sc.gov to update fiscal year.
Cancellation
Agency Fee: $0
Notes: To close out your registration, submit on letterhead the date you wish to withdraw from soliciting in South Carolina or simply do not submit the next IRS form 990.

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South Carolina Commercial Co-Venturer Registration
Commercial co-venturer means a person that regularly and primarily engages in trade or commerce for profit that, for the benefit of a charitable organization, may raise funds by advertising that the purchase or use of goods, services, entertainment, or other thing of value benefits the charitable organization, if it is offered at a price comparable to similar goods or services in the market.
Agency: South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Public Charities
Law: SC Code § 33-56-110
Initial Registration
Form: Registration Application for a Commercial Co-Venturer
Filling Method: Online
Agency Fee: $50
Turnaround: 1-2 business days when filing online.
Bond Amount: None
Registration Renewal
Form: Registration Application for a Commercial Co-Venturer (Renewal)
Filing Method: Online
Agency Fee: $50
Turnaround: 1-2 business days
Due: Annually
Bond Amount: None
Contract Filing
Form: Notice of Solicitation - CCV
Filing Method: Online
Agency Fee: $0
Turnaround: 1-2 business days
Due: File a notice of solicitation at least 10 days prior to the start of each solicitation campaign.
Notes: Contracts between charities and commercial coventurers must disclose the following, if applicable:
- Legal name and alias name, address, and registration number, if any, of the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer;
- Legal name, address, and registration number of the charitable organization;
- Name and residence address of each person directing or supervising the contract solicitation services;
- Description of the event or campaign;
- Date the solicitation or campaign will commence;
- Date the solicitation or campaign will terminate;
- Statement of the amount or guaranteed minimum percentage of gross receipts to be remitted or retained by the charitable organization, excluding the amount which the charitable organization must pay for fundraising costs;
- Statement of the amount or percentage of gross receipts with which the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer is compensated, including the amount the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer must be reimbursed as payment for fundraising costs; an
- If applicable, the maximum dollar amount that will benefit the charitable organization.
How to Apply: The charity must be registered to solicit charitable contributions or otherwise exempt for the contract to be accepted.

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South Carolina Charitable Gift Annuity Registration
NOT REQUIRED
Charitable Gift Annuity licensure is not required on the State level in South Carolina.
No filing is required, but charities need to meet certain conditions before issuing charitable gift annuities. South Carolina exempts charitable, religious, benevolent, and educational organizations from insurance laws related to charitable gift annuities as long as they have been in existence for at least 5 years. For-profit entities, including nursing homes, are not exempt.
Law: SC Code § 38-5-20

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South Carolina Professional Fundraising Counsel Registration
Professional fundraising counsel means a person that for a fixed rate of compensation plans, conducts, manages, prepares materials for, advises, or acts as a consultant, directly or indirectly, in connection with soliciting contributions for or on behalf of a charitable organization, but that actually does not solicit, receive, or collect contributions as a part of these services. A person whose compensation is computed on the basis of funds actually raised or to be raised is not a professional fundraising counsel pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. A bona fide salaried officer or employee of a charitable organization maintaining a permanent establishment within this State, or the bona fide salaried officer or employee of a parent organization certified as tax exempt, is not a professional fundraising counsel.
Agency: South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Public Charities
Law: SC Code § 33-56-110
Registered Agent (Special Agent) Required? Yes
Initial Registration
Form: Registration Application for a Professional Fundraising Counsel
Agency Fee: $50
Registration Renewal
Form: Registration Application for a Professional Fundraising Counsel (Renewal)
Agency Fee: $50
Due: Annually
Contract Filing
Form: Notice of Solicitation
Agency Fee: $0
Due: File a notice of solicitation at least 10 days prior to the start of each solicitation campaign.
Notes: Contracts between charities and commercial coventurers must disclose the following, if applicable:
- Legal name and alias name, address, and registration number, if any, of the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer;
- Legal name, address, and registration number of the charitable organization;
- Name and residence address of each person directing or supervising the contract solicitation services;
- Description of the event or campaign;
- Date the solicitation or campaign will commence;
- Date the solicitation or campaign will terminate;
- Statement of the amount or guaranteed minimum percentage of gross receipts to be remitted or retained by the charitable organization, excluding the amount which the charitable organization must pay for fundraising costs;
- Statement of the amount or percentage of gross receipts with which the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer is compensated, including the amount the professional solicitor, professional fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer must be reimbursed as payment for fundraising costs; and
- If applicable, the maximum dollar amount that will benefit the charitable organization.
South Carolina Professional Fundraising Solicitor Registration
Professional solicitor means a person that, for monetary or other consideration, solicits contributions for or on behalf of a charitable organization, either personally or through its agents, servants, or employees or through agents, servants, or employees who are specially employed by or for a charitable organization, who are engaged in the solicitation of contributions under the direction of that person. "Professional solicitor" also means a person that plans, conducts, manages, carries on, advises, or acts as a consultant to a charitable organization in connection with the solicitation of contributions but does not qualify as "professional fundraising counsel" within the meaning of this chapter. A bona fide salaried officer, unpaid director, a bona fide employee of a charitable organization, or a part-time student employee of an educational institution is not a professional solicitor. A paid director or employee of a charitable organization is not a professional solicitor unless his salary or other compensation is paid as a commission computed on the basis of funds actually raised or to be raised.
Agency: South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Public Charities
Law: SC Code § 33-56-110
Bond Requirements: $15,000
Initial Registration
Form: Registration Application for a Professional Solicitor
Agency Fee: $50
Original Ink: Not required
Notarize: Not required
Notes:
Before you Apply:
Required Attachments:
Registration Renewal
Form: Registration Application for a Professional Solicitor (Renewal)
Agency Fee: $50
Due: Annually
Original Ink: Not required
Notarize: Not required
Contract Filing
Form: Notice of Solicitation
Agency Fee: $0
Due: File a notice of solicitation at least 10 days prior to the start of each solicitation campaign.
Notes: Contracts between charities and commercial coventurers must disclose the following, if applicable:
Financial Reporting
Form: Joint Financial Report
Agency Fee: $0
Due: Within 90 days after a campaign has ended and within 90 days after the anniversary of commencement for campaigns lasting more than a year.
South Carolina Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses
South Carolina Individual Professional Solicitor Registration
Agency: South Carolina Secretary of State - Division of Public Charitie
Initial Registration
Form: Registration Application for an Individual Professional Solicitor
Agency Fee: $50
Original Ink: Not required
Original Ink: Not required
Registration Renewal
Form: Registration Application for an Individual Professional Solicitor (Renewal)
Agency Fee: $50
Due: Annually
Original Ink: Not required
Original Ink: Not required
Learn about fundraising in other jurisdictions:
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