Maine Fundraising Licensing

Resources for charities, businesses, professional fundraisers, and individuals conducting charitable solicitation activities
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Below, you'll find licensing requirements for a range of fundraising activities. At a glance, you can see requirements, fees, filing instructions, and links to forms for everything from charitable gaming and cause marketing to professional fundraisers and charitable gift annuities.

Make sure your fundraising activities meet the unique requirements of each jurisdiction where you’re soliciting. Feel free to explore, bookmark, and share!

Maine charitable solicitation license, Maine fundraising license
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Company Licenses

Maine Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses

Maine Beano/Bingo Registration

Game Type:

Bingo

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Age Restrictions:

Participants must be at least 16 years old.

Initial Registration

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Form:

Form MGCU 5000: Beano/Bingo Registration

Agency Fee:

$15 if the organization wants to register for a single week, $60 if the organization wants to register for a single month, or $700 to register for the calendar year.

Registration Renewal

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Form:

Beano/Bingo Registration

Agency Fee:

$15 if the organization wants to renew for a single week, $60 if the organization wants to renew for a single month, or $700 to renew for the calendar year.

Due:

Licenses are issued for week-long, month-long, and year-long periods of time, so renewal dates depend on the initial license period.

Maine Charitable Gift Annuity Registration

Not required



Charitable Gift Annuity licensure is not required on the State level in Maine.

No filing is required, but charities need to meet certain conditions before issuing charitable gift annuities. Maine exempts charities from following insurance regulations regarding charitable gift annuities if the following conditions are met: "A. The organization is a nonprofit organization that is either: (1) An organization to which the Maine Nonprofit Corporation Act applies; or (2) Organized under the laws of a jurisdiction within the United States and qualified as a foreign corporation pursuant to Title 13-B, chapter 12. B. The organization qualifies as a tax-exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)(3) or a successor provision. C. The organization: (1) Has been operating continuously for 5 or more years; (2) Is a parent or subsidiary of a qualified organization; or (3) Is the successor to an organization that meets the requirements of paragraphs A and B and both organizations together have operated continuously for 5 or more years.".

Law:

ME Rev Stat. Title 24-A Chapter 1 § 3 and ME Rev Stat. Title 24-A Chapter 9 § 703-A

Maine Charitable Organization License

Agency:Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Law:

Maine Revised Statutes Ann., Title 9, Ch. 385, §§ 5001-5018

Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite:No
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required?No

Automatic Exemption

Exemption Eligible Organizations:
  • Organizations that solicit primarily within their membership and do not contract with a professional solicitor. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "membership" does not include those persons who are granted a membership upon making a contribution as a result of a solicitation
  • Persons soliciting contributions for the relief of any individual specified by name at the time of the solicitation, when all of the contributions collected, without any deductions whatsoever, are turned over to the named beneficiary for that individual's use
  • Charitable organizations that do not intend to solicit and receive and do not actually solicit or receive contributions from the public in excess of $35,000 during a calendar year or do not receive contributions from more than 35 persons during a calendar year, if the charitable organizations do not contract with professional solicitors and if no part of the assets or income inures to the benefit of or is paid to any officer or member
  • Educational institutions, the curriculums of which in whole or in part are registered or approved by the Department of Education, either directly or by acceptance of accreditation by an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education, and organizations operated by the student bodies of such institutions
  • Hospitals that are nonprofit and charitable
  • Free clinics
Law:

Maine Revised Statutes Ann., Title 9, Ch. 385, § 5006

Initial Registration

Form:

Charitable Organization Application

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$20

Turnaround:

2-3 weeks

Original Ink:Not required
Notarization Required?:Not required
Notes:
  • Check the website for the status of your license. PENDING means it is under review. ACTIVE means your organization is authorized to solicit.
  • Some Maine counties and municipalities may require charities that solicit in-person to register prior to fundraising.
Before you Apply:

Domestic 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.

Foreign 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.
  • If you will foreign qualify in Maine, obtain a certificate of good standing from your home state to submit during the foreign qualification process. The certificate cannot be more than 90 days old when filing foreign qualification documents.
How to Apply:

Domestic Applicants:

  1. File entity formation documents with the Maine Secretary of State - Bureau of Corporations, Elections, and Commissions.
  2. Submit a Charitable Organization Application and all required attachments to the Maine Office of Professional and Occupation Regulation.

Foreign Applicants:

  1. Determine whether or not your charity will need to foreign qualify based on your activity in Maine. If not required, skip to number 3.
  2. File foreign qualification documents with the Maine Secretary of State - Bureau of Corporations, Elections, and Commissions.
  3. Submit a Charitable Organization Application and all required attachments to the Maine Office of Professional and Occupation Regulation.
Required Attachments:
  • Current year budget or IRS form 990
  • IRS determination letter
  • List of officers and directors
  • List of individuals responsible for custody of contributions received and distributed
  • List of states where licensed
  • Professional fundraising contracts
  • Criminal Conviction and Disciplinary Action Documentation (if applicable)

Registration Renewal

Form:

Charitable Organization Application and Annual Fundraising Activity Report for Charitable Organization

Filing Method:

Online.

Agency Fee:

$20

Due:

Annually by November 30. Renewals can be filed as early as October 1.

Due Date Extension:

Maine does not grant extensions for charitable organization registration.

Original Ink:Not required
Notarization Required?:Not required
Penalties:

There is a $50 late fee for renewals filed within 90 days after the expiration date.

Notes:
  • Make sure to include all required attachments
  • Late applications filed December 1 - March 1 must include a $50 late fee. After March 1st, applicants must file a new initial application.
Required Attachments:

  • List of officers and directors

Reinstatement

Not required



Formal Reinstatement is not required. Charities can renew an existing license for up to 90 days past its expiration date. After 90 days, they must go through the initial licensing process again. Late fees do not apply to charities filing going through this process.

Change of Fiscal Year

Filing Method:

Mail or email

Agency Fee:

$0

Turnaround:

1-2 business days

Notes:

Email notification of the change to charitable.sol@maine.gov

Cancelation

Form:

Annual Fundraising Activity Report for Charitable Organization

Agency Fee:

$0

Notes:

To close out your registration, submit a letter indicating your withdrawal request and a final annual fundraising activity report, which can be emailed, faxed, or mailed.

Maine Commercial Co-Venturer Registration

Not required



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

Maine 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.

Maine Cribbage Tournament Registration

Game Type:

Cribbage tournament

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit

Initial Registration

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Form:

Form MGCU 5300: Charitable Cribbage Tournament Registration

Agency Fee:

$15 if the organization wants to register for a single week, $60 if the organization wants to register for a single month, or $700 to register for the calendar year.

Registration Renewal

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Agency Fee:

$15 if the organization wants to register for a single week, $60 if the organization wants to register for a single month, or $700 to register for the calendar year.

Due:

Licenses are issued for week-long, month-long, and year-long periods of time, so renewal dates depend on the initial license period.

Maine Fundraising Counsel Registration

Not required



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

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

Maine Games of Chance License

Game Type:

Various card games

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Notes:

Charities must also obtain approval from the relevant municipal body for this license.

Initial Registration

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Form:

Form MGCU 5300: License to Conduct Games of Chance (Card Games)

Agency Fee:

Fees vary by type of games offered and duration of license. See the form for details.

Registration Renewal

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Agency Fee:

Fees vary by type of games offered and duration of license. See the form for details.

Due:

Licenses are issued for week-long, month-long, and year-long periods of time, so renewal dates depend on the initial license period.

Maine Games of Chance Registration

Game Type:

Various games of chance (including raffles)

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit

Initial Registration

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Form:

Form MGCU 5400: Games of Chance Registration

Agency Fee:

$15 if the organization wants to register for a single week, $60 if the organization wants to register for a single month, or $700 to register for the calendar year.

Registration Renewal

Agency:Maine Department of Public Safety - Gambling Control Unit
Agency Fee:

$15 if the organization wants to register for a single week, $60 if the organization wants to register for a single month, or $700 to register for the calendar year.

Due:

Licenses are issued for week-long, month-long, and year-long periods of time, so renewal dates depend on the initial license period.

Maine Professional Solicitor License

Agency:Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Bond Requirements:

$25,000

Initial Registration

Form:

Professional Solicitor Application

Filing Method:

Mail or online.

Agency Fee:

$20

Original Ink:Not required
Notarization Required?:Not required
Before you Apply:
  • List all other names under which the Professional Solicitor intends to solicit contributions
  • Provide details about whether the organization has ever had any court action taken against it by a licensing, registration or regulatory authority or law enforcement agency in any jurisdiction that resulted in a
    restraining order, injunction, civil judgment, criminal conviction, consent judgment, consent agreement, agreement to pay restitution or investigative costs or any other type of negotiated disposition
  • Report types of solicitation campaigns the firm conducts
  •  
Required Attachments:
  • Copies of the contracts executed between charitable organizations and the firm
  • $25,000 bond 

Registration Renewal

Filing Method:

Online

Agency Fee:

$20

Due:

Annually by November 30.

Notes:

Renewal reminders are sent via email approximately 60 days prior to expiration.

Required Attachments:

Contract Filing

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

A copy of new contracts between a professional solicitor and a charity must be filed within 10 days after entering into the contract.

Law:

9 Maine Rev Stat. § 5008-A.7

Notes:

There is no form, simply file a copy of the contract with the department.

Amendment

Agency Fee:

$0

Due:

As an ongoing condition of licensure, a professional solicitor must notify the director of a change to the information contained in the licensee's application for initial or renewal licensure, including any additional disciplinary or court action taken against the licensee, within 10 days of the change. 

Law:

9 Maine Rev Stat. § 5008-A.7

Individual Licenses

Maine Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses

Maine Individual Professional Fundraiser Registration

Not required



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

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 Maine.

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