Oklahoma Nonprofit Compliance

• Organizations incorporated for religious purposes and actually engaged in bona fide religious programs, and other organizations directly operated, supervised, or controlled by a religious organization
• Educational institutions that have a faculty, regularly enrolled students and offer courses of study leading to the granting of recognized degrees when solicitations of contributions are primarily confined to its student body and their families, alumni, faculty and trustees and any 501(c)(3) organization authorized by and having an established identity with such institutions
• Fraternal organizations, when soliciting from their own members, and patriotic and civic organizations, when solicitation of contributions is confined to the membership of said organizations, and the solicitation is managed by their own membership without paid solicitors
• Persons soliciting contributions for a named individual person, when such individual person is specified by name at the time of solicitation, the purpose for such contribution is clearly stated, and if the gross contributions collected, without any deductions whatsoever for the benefit of the solicitor or any other person, be deposited directly to an account in the name of the beneficiary

OK Stat § 18-552.4

SOS FORM 101-01/13: Registration Statement of Charitable Organization

Mail or online.

Depends on annual contributions:

• $15 if contributions did not exceed $10,000
• $65 if contributions exceeded $10,000

There is a 4% credit card fee if filing online.

1 week

• The president, chairman, or principal officer must sign. The signature need not be notarized.
• The secretary will mail back a statement of receipt and certificate.
• Some Oklahoma counties and municipalities may require charities that solicit in-person to register prior to fundraising.

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 Oklahoma, obtain a certificate of good standing from your home state to submit during the foreign qualification process. The certificate cannot be more than 60 days old when filing foreign qualification documents.

Domestic Applicants:

1. File entity formation documents with the Oklahoma Secretary of State - Business Filing Department.
2. Submit a Registration Statement of Charitable Organization and all required attachments to the Oklahoma Secretary of State - Charitable Organizations Section.

Foreign Applicants:

1. Determine whether or not your charity will need to foreign qualify based on your activity in Oklahoma. If not required, skip to number 3.
2. File foreign qualification documents with the Oklahoma Secretary of State - Business Filing Department.
3. Submit a Registration Statement of Charitable Organization and all required attachments to the Oklahoma Secretary of State - Charitable Organizations Section.

• IRS determination letter
• List of officers and directors
• Professional Fundraiser Attachment (if applicable)

SOS FORM 101-01/13: Registration Statement of Charitable Organization (Renewal)

Mail or online.

Depends on annual contributions:

• $15 if contributions did not exceed $10,000
• $65 if contributions exceeded $10,000

There is a 4% credit card fee if filing online.

• Annually before the anniversary date of your initial registration (if first renewal) or previous renewal filing. This means that your renewal date will change every year unless you file on the same day every year. You will not receive a renewal reminder.
• There is no specific filing window for renewals.

Oklahoma does not grant extensions for charitable organization registration.

There are no late fees, but penalties may be applicable if solicitation occurred while not being registered. 

• Note the list of attachments required.
• The president, chairman, or principal officer must sign. The signature need not be notarized.

• List of officers and directors
• Professional Fundraiser Attachment (if applicable)

$0

To close out your registration, either submit a letter requesting cancelation or simply let the license lapse.