Ohio Fundraising Licensing
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!
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- Ohio Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
- Local Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
- Ohio Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses
Company Licenses
Ohio Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
Ohio Bingo License
Initial Registration
Agency: | Ohio Attorney General |
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | Fees vary by type of games offered. $200 for bingo and as much as $5,000 for instant bingo, depending on revenue. |
Law: | ORC § 2915.01 et seq. |
Ohio Charitable Gift Annuity Registration
Not required
Charitable Gift Annuity licensure is not required on the State level in Ohio.
Ohio statutes do not address charitable gift annuities, but the state generally considers charities that issue annuities exempt from insurance regulation.
Ohio Charitable Registration
Agency: | Ohio Attorney General |
Law: | |
Foreign Qualification is Prerequisite: | No |
Registered Agent (Special Agency) Required? | No |
One-Time Exemption Registration
Exemption Eligible Organizations: | Charitable Trust Act Exemptions:
Charitable Organizations Act Exemptions:
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Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Law: | |
Notes: |
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Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 for organizations that have not yet solicited in Ohio. Fees range from $0-$200, depending on contributions, for organizations that have previously solicited in Ohio. |
Turnaround: | 1 week |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Notarization Required?: | Not required |
Notes: |
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Before you Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
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How to Apply: | Domestic Applicants:
Foreign Applicants:
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Required Attachments: |
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Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | For organizations registering under the Ohio Charitable Trust Act:
For organizations registering under the Ohio Charitable Organizations Act:
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Due: |
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Due Date Extension: | Due dates are automatically extended for 180 days beyond the original due date. |
Original Ink: | Not required |
Notarization Required?: | Not required |
Penalties: | There is a $200 late fee. |
Required Attachments: |
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Reinstatement
Not required
Charities wishing to renew a lapsed registration must submit a renewal filing and financial documents for each year not registered. These filings must be submitted separately with the required fee for each year + $200 per year late fee.
Change of Fiscal Year
Filing Method: | Email to charitableregistration@ohioago.gov |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Turnaround: | 1-2 business days |
Notes: | Your fiscal year can be changed by emailing charitableregistration@ohioago.gov written notice of the change including when the change occurred and what the new fiscal year end date is. Alternatively, the organization can email a copy of the short year Form 990 that was filed with the IRS. |
Cancelation
Form: | |
Filing Method: | Mail, fax, or email to CharitableRegistration@OhioAGO.gov |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Notes: | An organization that no longer solicits in Ohio should fill out and return a Solicitation Withdrawal form, which the state provides upon request. Fees and/or final annual reports may be required, depending on when the organization ceased soliciting. |
Ohio Commercial Co-Venturer Registration
Not required
Commercial Co-venturer licensure is not required on the State level in Ohio.
Ohio 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.
With some limited exceptions, a fund-raising counsel is any person, group, or other entity that, for compensation, plans, manages, advises, consults, or prepares material for or with respect to the solicitation in Ohio of contributions for any charitable organization or at any time has custody of contributions from a solicitation, but does not solicit contributions and does not employ, procure, or otherwise engage any compensated person to solicit contributions; see ORC 1716.01.
Fund-raising counsel are required to register with the Ohio Attorney General only if they will at any time have custody of charitable contributions from a solicitation conducted in Ohio.
Ohio Fundraising Counsel Registration
Agency: | Ohio Attorney General |
Law: | |
Bond Requirements: | $25,000 |
Notes: | The fundraising counsel registration is only required of counsels that collect or at any time have custody of charitable contributions. |
Automatic Exemption
Exemption Eligible Organizations: | Counsels that do not and will not have custody of contributions from a solicitation are exempt from the registration requirement. |
Law: |
Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $200 |
Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $200 |
Due: | Annually by March 31. |
Financial Reporting
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 90 days after a campaign has ended and on the anniversary of commencement for campaigns lasting more than a year. |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
With some limited exceptions, a professional solicitor is any person, group, or other entity that, for compensation, performs on behalf of or for the benefit of a charitable organization any service in connection with which contributions are or will be solicited in Ohio by the compensated professional or by any person it employs, procures, or otherwise engages directly or indirectly to solicit contributions; see Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 1716.01.
Ohio Professional Solicitor Registration
Agency: | Ohio Attorney General |
Bond Requirements: | $25,000 |
Initial Registration
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $200 |
Registration Renewal
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $200 |
Due: | Annually by March 31. |
Contract Filing
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | File a solicitation notice prior to the start of each solicitation campaign. |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
Financial Reporting
Filing Method: | |
Agency Fee: | $0 |
Due: | Within 90 days after a campaign has ended and on the anniversary of commencement for campaigns lasting more than a year. |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
Ohio Raffle License
Not required
Charitable Gaming licensure is not required on the State level in Ohio.
There is no state-level raffle license in Ohio, but the law limits which organizations can hold a raffle event.
Local Nonprofit & Fundraising Company Licenses
City of Columbus Charitable Solicitations Permit
Agency: | City of Columbus - Department of Building and Zoning - License Section (OH) |
Law: |
Automatic Exemption
Exemption Eligible Organizations: |
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Law: |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $60 |
Notarization Required?: | Required |
Required Attachments: |
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Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $60 |
Due: | Annually by the date of issuance. |
Required Attachments: |
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City of Columbus Professional Fundraiser License
Agency: | City of Columbus - Department of Building and Zoning - License Section (OH) |
Initial Registration
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $20 application fee + $150 license fee. |
Registration Renewal
Form: | |
Agency Fee: | $20 application fee + $150 license fee. |
Due: | Annually by December 31. |
Individual Licenses
Ohio Individual Nonprofit & Fundraising Licenses
Ohio Individual Professional Fundraiser Registration
Not required
Professional Solicitor licensure is not required on the State level in Ohio.
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 Ohio.