TLDR
Washington requires charitable solicitation registration through the Secretary of State Charities Program for any nonprofit that solicits or receives more than $50,000 in contributions in a fiscal year, or that compensates anyone for fundraising. Initial registration costs $60; annual renewal is $40 and due within 11 months of the fiscal year end. Statutory authority is RCW 19.09.
What This Workflow Covers
Washington requires charitable solicitation registration through the Secretary of State Charities Program for nonprofits that solicit or receive more than $50,000 per fiscal year, or that pay anyone to fundraise. The statutory authority is RCW 19.09. Registration is filed online through the Washington Corporations and Charities Filing System.
This workflow walks through initial registration and the annual renewal cycle. It assumes the organization is already incorporated as a Washington nonprofit corporation and has an EIN. If you are forming a new nonprofit, see the Washington nonprofit startup guide first.
Why It Matters
Soliciting in Washington without registering creates two risks. The first is the statutory civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation under RCW 19.09.340. The second is reputational: the Charities Program publishes a public registry, and donors, foundations, and watchdog groups check it during due diligence. A missing or lapsed registration is visible.
The Attorney General’s Office has brought enforcement actions against unregistered fundraisers, including out-of-state organizations whose only Washington presence was an online donation page. Geographic distance does not exempt a nonprofit from the registration requirement.
Step 1: Confirm the Requirement Applies
Read the exemptions in RCW 19.09.025 first. Common exempt categories:
- Religious organizations and their integrated auxiliaries
- Political committees registered under RCW 42.17A
- Schools, colleges, and universities with established curricula
- Hospitals licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW
- Organizations soliciting only from members (with restrictions)
If the organization is not exempt, the trigger is solicitation directed at Washington residents combined with either:
- Total contributions exceeding $50,000 in a fiscal year, or
- Any compensated fundraiser, regardless of revenue
The threshold applies to projected contributions for the fiscal year you are entering, not the prior year. Organizations approaching the threshold should register before they cross it, not after.
Step 2: Gather Documents
The online filing requires PDF uploads:
- IRS determination letter (or Form 1023 acknowledgment if pending)
- Articles of Incorporation
- Bylaws
- Most recent IRS Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N
- Independent audit report if total revenue exceeds $1 million
- List of officers and directors with home or business addresses
- Commercial fundraiser contract, if any
If the organization has been operating without 501(c)(3) status, attach the Form 1023 acknowledgment letter and an unaudited financial statement signed by the treasurer.
Step 3: File the Registration
Log in to the Washington Corporations and Charities Filing System using the account associated with the corporate UBI. The Charities Program filing module guides through the required fields:
- Organization information (name, UBI, EIN, accounting year)
- Contact information for the registered office and program contact
- Principal officers and directors
- Mission and charitable activities
- States in which the organization currently solicits
- Compensation disclosure for directors and officers
- Financial summary for the most recent fiscal year
- Commercial fundraisers under contract
The financial summary asks for total contributions, total expenses, and program services percentage. Reconcile these numbers to the Form 990 before entry — the Charities Program staff cross-reference them.
Step 4: Pay the Fee
Initial registration is $60, payable by credit card or ACH within the portal. The portal issues an immediate confirmation. Approval takes 5–10 business days under normal staffing.
If the filing is rejected for a missing document or inconsistent financials, the portal allows resubmission without an additional fee.
Step 5: Calendar the Renewal
Renewal is due 11 months after the close of the accounting year. For a December 31 fiscal year, renewal is due November 30 of the following year. The renewal fee is $40 if filed on time, $90 if filed late.
A typical renewal calendar for a calendar-year nonprofit:
- May 15 — Form 990 filed (15th day of the 5th month after year end)
- June — Pull Form 990 figures into Charities Program renewal worksheet
- October 1 — Final review of officer and director list
- November 1–15 — File renewal in Corporations and Charities Filing System
- November 30 — Final deadline
Building this calendar into the grant calendar and deadline alerts feature in GrantPipe prevents the most common renewal failure: missed deadline because the staff member who handled the last filing has left.
Common Mistakes
Filing under the threshold and stopping. A nonprofit that started below $50,000 and registered voluntarily is still required to renew annually as long as solicitation continues. Some organizations let the initial registration lapse, then are surprised when they cross the threshold the next year and the Charities Program flags the gap.
Reporting Form 990 numbers inconsistently. The Charities Program financial summary must reconcile to the Form 990. If the Form 990 reports $400,000 in contributions and the Charities Program filing reports $350,000, expect a request for clarification. Reconcile before filing.
Forgetting commercial fundraiser disclosure. If the nonprofit hired a paid fundraiser — including a development consultant who works on commission — the contract must be attached and the fundraiser must be separately registered. Many small nonprofits miss this disclosure.
Treating the corporate annual report as the same filing. The corporate annual report ($10) and the Charities Program registration ($40) are separate filings with separate deadlines. Filing one does not satisfy the other.
After Registration
Maintain the registration file with the supporting documents, the confirmation number, and the renewal calendar. The Charities Program may request additional documentation at any time, and donors or grantmakers occasionally ask for proof of current registration as part of their due diligence.
For broader compliance after registration is in place, see the grant compliance guide and the restricted fund accounting guide. The Grant Compliance Checklist includes a charitable registration tracker for organizations soliciting in multiple states.
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Source: RCW 19.09.079
- Solicitation
- Any oral or written request for a contribution, including online donation pages, direct mail, telephone calls, and grant proposals to private foundations. Defined in RCW 19.09.020.
DEFINITION
- Commercial fundraiser
- A for-profit entity hired by a nonprofit to solicit contributions on its behalf. Commercial fundraisers must register separately and post a $25,000 surety bond under RCW 19.09.079.
DEFINITION
- Accounting year
- The nonprofit's fiscal year. Renewal deadlines are calculated from the close of the accounting year, not the calendar year.
DEFINITION
- Annual financial report
- A summary of revenue, expenses, and program spending submitted with each Charities Program renewal. Must reconcile to the IRS Form 990 if one was filed.
DEFINITION
“Most nonprofits cross the $50,000 threshold mid-year and forget to register until renewal time. The statute requires registration before solicitation crosses the threshold, not after.”
“The Charities Program enforces. Washington's Attorney General has brought public actions against unregistered fundraisers, and those actions show up in donor due diligence searches for years afterward.”
Q&A
What documents do I need to register with the Washington Charities Program?
You need the IRS determination letter (or pending Form 1023 acknowledgment), most recent financial statement or Form 990, list of officers and directors with addresses, articles of incorporation, and bylaws. Commercial fundraiser contracts must also be attached if applicable.
Q&A
What happens if I solicit in Washington without registering?
RCW 19.09.340 authorizes civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation, plus restitution. The Attorney General may seek injunctive relief, and the Secretary of State may revoke the organization's registration. Each unregistered solicitation can be a separate violation.
Q&A
Do I need to register if my nonprofit is based outside Washington but has Washington donors?
Yes. Washington's registration requirement is based on solicitation directed at Washington residents, not the location of the organization. An online donation page accessible to Washington residents counts as solicitation.
Frequently asked