Incorporation creates your organization and the IRS makes it tax-exempt, but neither gives you the right to ask the public for money. That right runs through each state’s charity regulator, and the rules are genuinely state-by-state: what triggers registration, what it costs, what renews when, and who is exempt all differ. We will not pretend to maintain fifty states’ worth of fees on this page; instead, each step links the authoritative source to check for your states.

Why this matters more for SGOs: §25F donors can live anywhere your website reaches, and a nationwide donate button is exactly the situation the multistate registration rules were written for. It is also part of getting listed: under Treasury’s temporary regulations, an organization is “located in” a state for §25F only if it is authorized to do business there and complies with that state’s charity laws, and every participating state must require that compliance, including whatever it requires before a charity may solicit donations there, before it lists you. Budget real attention here before your first campaign.

The steps

  1. A third layer, separate from incorporation and 501(c)(3): most states require charities to register before soliciting residents. Check the exemption list on the regulator's page, file with the stage-1 paperwork you already have, and calendar the renewal the day it's granted. For §25F it matters twice: under Treasury's temporary regulations, complying with a state's charity laws is part of being "located in" that state for its SGO list.

    0/3 insideStep-by-step guide →

    NASCO state regulator directory ↗

  2. A donate button reachable nationwide can trigger duties in other states. The Charleston Principles: registration is expected where you target residents or receive repeated, substantial online gifts. Let your §25F geography lead: every state whose SGO list you seek must require you to meet its charity laws, including authorization to do business and to solicit there. Re-check annually with real donor data.

    0/3 insideStep-by-step guide →

    Harbor Compliance state-by-state chart (free) ↗