Texas Fundraising Registration Requirements

Texas State Fundraising Registration

Resources for charities, businesses, professional fundraisers, and individuals conducting fundraising activities

 

Texas 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.


Texas 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

Texas Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses

Texas Bingo License

Game Type:

Bingo

Agency:Texas Lottery - Charitable Bingo Operations Division
Age Restrictions:

Participants must be at least 18 years old. Minors accompanied by a parent or legal guardian are allowed to play bingo.

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Agency:Texas Lottery - Charitable Bingo Operations Division
Form:

Form ID-1: Application for an Original License to Conduct Bingo

Registration Renewal

Agency:Texas Lottery - Charitable Bingo Operations Division

Texas Charitable Gift Annuity Registration

Agency:Texas Department of Insurance
Law:

TX Stat. Title 2 Subtitle B § 102.001 et seq.

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Organization Age Requirement:

3 years of continuous existence immediately preceeding licensure.

Minimum Unrestricted Cash or Cash Equivalent Requirement:

$100,000

Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Notes:

Texas 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



Texas Charitable Solicitation Registration

Agency:Texas Secretary of State - Registrations Unit
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Bond Requirements:

Veteran's organizations have a bond requirement of $5,000 if the solicitor solicits in only one county, $10,000 if the solicitor solicits in more than one county but fewer than six counties, or $25,000 if the solicitor solicits in six or more counties.

Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Automatic Exemption

Agency Fee:

$0

Notes:

Only certain public safety organizations, independent promoters, public safety publications, veterans organizations, and telephone solicitors are required to register. All other charities are automatically exempt.

Initial Registration

Form:

Form 3201: Public Safety Organization, Independent Promoter, or Public Safety Publication Registration/Renewal Statement or Form 3501: Veterans Organization Solicitation Registration Statement

Agency Fee:

$150 for veterans organizations and $250 for public safety organizations

Notes:
  • Registration is only required for certain public safety organizations, independent promoters, public safety publications, veterans organizations, and telephone solicitors.
  • Some Texas counties and municipalities may require charities that solicit in-person to register prior to fundraising.
Before you Apply:

All Applicants:

  • Check the available exemptions to see if your charity is eligible for exemption from the full registration requirement.
  • Look through the list of required attachments and make sure that you have each required document in hand before starting the registration application.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. File entity formation documents with the Texas Secretary of State - Corporations Section.
  2. Submit a registration form and all required attachments to the Texas Secretary of State - Registrations Unit.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. Determine whether or not your charity will need to foreign qualify based on your activity in Texas. If not required, skip to number 3.
  2. File foreign qualification documents with the Texas Secretary of State - Corporations Section.
  3. Submit a registration form and all required attachments to the Texas Secretary of State - Registrations Unit.
Required Attachments:

  • IRS form 990
  • Professional fundraising contracts

Registration Renewal

Form:

Form 3201: Public Safety Organization, Independent Promoter, or Public Safety Publication Registration/Renewal Statement (Renewal) or Form 3501: Veterans Organization Solicitation Registration Statement (Renewal)

Agency Fee:

$150 for veterans organizations and $250 for public safety organizations

Due:

Annually by the registration anniversary date.

Due Date Extension:

Texas does not grant extensions for charitable organization registration.

Required Attachments:

None

Supplemental Reporting
Veterans Organization Annual Report

Form:

Form 3503: Veterans Organization Annual Report

Filing Method:

Mail

Agency Fee:

$50

Due:

Annually by January 15.

Notes:

This report is due when a veterans organization receives more than $500 during a calendar.

Texas Commercial Co-Venturer Registration

Not required



Commercial Co-venturer licensure is not required on the State level in Texas.

Texas 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.

Texas Fundraising Counsel Registration

Not required



Fundraising Counsel licensure is not required on the State level in Texas.

Texas does not currently have a traditional registration requirement for fundraising counsels, but they may need to follow other regulations before and after fundraising events.

Texas Law Enforcement Telephone Solicitation Act (LETSA) Registration

Agency:Texas Attorney General - Financial and Tax Litigation Division - Charitable Trusts Section
Law:

Texas Business and Commerce Code § 303.053

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Bond Requirements:

$50,000

Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

LETSA Registration Form

Agency Fee:

$50

Required Attachments:
  • A copy of the organization’s most recently filed IRS Form 990 and other federal tax returns, including all supplements, amendments and attachments to those returns, and any requests for extension to file those returns. If the organization has not filed a 990, attach a statement as to the reason none is filed, and a copy of the organization’s most recent financial statements, including audited financial statements, if any have been prepared.
  • A signed copy of the commercial telephone solicitor statement obtained from each commercial telephone solicitor and each subcontracted telephone solicitor

Registration Renewal

Form:

LETSA Registration Form (Renewal)

Agency Fee:

$50

Due:

Annually by the 15th day of the fifth month following the organization's fiscal year end.

Texas Professional Fundraiser Registration

Not required



Professional Fundraiser licensure is not required on the State level in Texas.

Texas does not have a broad registration requirement for professional fundraisers, although solicitors for veteran's organizations may be required to register.

Texas Raffle License

Not required



Charitable Gaming licensure is not required on the State level in Texas.

Texas does not issue permits for charitable raffles at the state level, however, charities must follow the relevant state laws when conducting a raffle. Charities can only host 2 raffle events per calendar year.

Texas Temporary Bingo License

Game Type:

Bingo

Agency:Texas Lottery - Charitable Bingo Operations Division
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Agency:Texas Lottery - Charitable Bingo Operations Division
Form:

Form ID-20: Original Application for Temporary Bingo Occasions for Non-Licensed Organization

Renewal Not Required

Not required



Temporary licenses allow for a single bingo event, so there is no need to renew.

More information: Texas Lottery - Charitable Bingo Operations Division

Texas Veterans Organization Solicitor Registration

Agency:Texas Secretary of State - Registrations Unit
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:Not Set
Bond Requirements:
  • $5,000 if the organization solicits in not more than one county;
  • $10,000 if the organization solicits in more than one county but fewer than six counties; or
  • $25,000 if the organization solicits in more than five counties.
Exam Required?Not Set
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?Not Set

Initial Registration

Form:

Form 3504: Veterans Organization Solicitor's Registration Statement

Agency Fee:

$500

Original Ink:Not required
Notarize:Not required

Registration Renewal

Form:

Form 3504: Veterans Organization Solicitor's Registration Statement (Renewal)

Agency Fee:

$500

Due:

Annually by the registration anniversary date.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarize:Not required

Financial Reporting

Form:

Form 3506: Veterans Organization Solicitor's Quarterly Report

Agency Fee:

$50

Due:

By the end of each calendar quarter in which the solicitor raised at least $5,000 for a veteran's organization.

Notes:

A solicitor that raises more than $5000 for a veterans organization during a calendar quarter, must file the following report with the secretary of state at the end of that calendar quarter.

Individual Licenses

Texas Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses

Texas Individual Professional Fundraiser Registration

Not required



Professional Solicitor licensure is not required on the State level in Texas.

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 Texas.


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