As of 2026-07-22 · verified against primary sources
Alabama charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines
| Registration | Required |
| Agency | Alabama Attorney General — Consumer Interest Division |
| Initial fee | $25 |
| Renewal fee | $25 |
| Renewal / report due | 90 days after fiscal year end |
| Filing channel | Electronic filing available |
Who must register
Alabama generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Alabama Attorney General — Consumer Interest Division before soliciting contributions there, unless an exemption applies. Requirements attach to out-of-state charities soliciting Alabama residents as well as local ones.
Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(a) · official source
How to register in Alabama
- 01Register with the Alabama Attorney General through the AG's online application before soliciting, with the $25 fee. Alabama registration never expires — once registered, the ongoing duty is the annual report, plus reporting changes within 10 days.Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(a) (register with the Attorney General before any solicitation), (d) ($25 fee), (e) (registration remains in effect unless cancelled or …
- 02File the sworn annual report with a financial statement — a copy of your 990 is acceptable — within 90 days of your fiscal year end, with the $25 fee. The AG can extend up to 180 days on request through your online profile; an IRS extension doesn't carry over automatically.Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(g) (sworn annual report + financial statement within 90 days of fiscal year close; $25), (g)(1) (AG extension up to 180 days).
Form AL-CO-REG (initial registration)
CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Ala. Code s. 13A-9-71(a) (pre-solicitation registration 'upon a form prescribed by the Attorney General'); (d) ($25 fee 'at the time of registration'). · official form
Form AL-CO-RENEWAL (annual renewal)
CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION RENEWAL STATEMENT
Ala. Code s. 13A-9-71(g) · official form
Exemptions we check for
Likely exempt if it is a religious organization — Alabama exempts religious organizations from charitable registration (Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(2)); the exemption is self-executing, with an optional exemption filing available from the Attorney General.
Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(2). Self-executing ('shall not be required... to register'); no statutory claim filing — the AG's online 'Exempt Charity Application'…
Likely exempt if it neither intends to receive nor actually receives more than $25,000 in contributions during its fiscal year (government grants and bona fide membership dues do not count) and all of its fundraising is carried on by unpaid persons (Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(7)) — self-executing; registration is required within 30 days if contributions exceed the threshold.
Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(7); 'contribution' excludes government money and bona fide dues (§ 13A-9-70(5)) — so our contributions figure (which includes governm…
The state, not Steadworthy, decides whether an exemption applies.
If you use a paid fundraiser
Alabama's small-organization exemption (contributions of $25,000 or less, with government money and bona fide dues not counting toward the cap) requires all fundraising be conducted by unpaid persons — paying a fundraiser removes it. Professional fundraisers and co-venturers also carry their own AG registrations and bond.
Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(7) (small-org exemption conditioned on fundraising by unpaid persons; 'contribution' per § 13A-9-70(5) excludes government grants and…
If you haven't registered yet
Alabama's registration statute sits in its charitable-fraud article, so knowing violations carry criminal exposure — but the civil track comes with notice first: a civil penalty of up to $5,000 can only follow 15 days' written notice, and non-filing leads to cancellation only after at least 15 days' mailed notice. Getting current means registering (or re-registering) through the AG's online application and filing the overdue annual reports.
Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(q) (violations as charitable fraud), (r) (civil penalty up to $5,000 after 15 days' notice), (g) (cancellation for non-filing after ≥15 … · how to get current, calmly
Is your charity registered in Alabama? Check free.
Alabama registration: common questions
- Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in Alabama?
- Yes. Alabama generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Alabama Attorney General — Consumer Interest Division before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting Alabama residents.
- How much does charitable registration cost in Alabama?
- The initial registration fee is $25, and renewal is $25. Fees are stated as the state sets them; where a fee varies with contributions, the tiers are cited on this page.
- When is the Alabama charitable registration renewal due?
- 90 days after fiscal year end. The date is computed from the organization's own fiscal year end under the rule this page cites, so it differs between charities.
- Are any charities exempt from registering in Alabama?
- Alabama recognizes exemptions, and this page lists each one we check for with its statutory citation. The state, not a third party, decides whether an exemption applies.
Related: registration fees by state · renewal deadlines by state · exemptions · all state registration requirements
Nearby states
Fundraising rarely stops at a border — where Alabama charities also commonly solicit:
Citations
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(a) · source · verified 2026-07-22
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(a) (registration filed with the Attorney General) · source · verified 2026-07-22
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(d) · source · verified 2026-07-22
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(g) · source · verified 2026-07-22
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(g) · source · verified 2026-07-22
- AG online web application (initial filing, annual filings, exemptions, extensions); legacy paper forms still posted — online offered, not mandated. · source · verified 2026-07-22
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(2). Self-executing ('shall not be required... to register'); no statutory claim filing — the AG's online 'Exempt Charity Application'… · source · verified 2026-07-22
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(7); 'contribution' excludes government money and bona fide dues (§ 13A-9-70(5)) — so our contributions figure (which includes governm… · source · verified 2026-07-22
- Ala. Code s. 13A-9-71(a) (pre-solicitation registration 'upon a form prescribed by the Attorney General'); (d) ($25 fee 'at the time of registration'). · source · verified 2026-08-25
- Ala. Code s. 13A-9-71(g) · source · verified 2026-08-25
- s. 13A-9-71(b) verbatim · source · verified 2026-08-25
- s. 13A-9-71(b) · source · verified 2026-08-25
- s. 13A-9-71(b) (initial only). · source · verified 2026-08-25
- s. 13A-9-71(g) (financial statement contents; 990 in lieu); renewal form s.3 verbatim. · source · verified 2026-08-25
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(a) (register with the Attorney General before any solicitation), (d) ($25 fee), (e) (registration remains in effect unless cancelled or … · source · verified 2026-08-07
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(g) (sworn annual report + financial statement within 90 days of fiscal year close; $25), (g)(1) (AG extension up to 180 days). · source · verified 2026-08-07
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(q) (violations as charitable fraud), (r) (civil penalty up to $5,000 after 15 days' notice), (g) (cancellation for non-filing after ≥15 … · source · verified 2026-08-07
- Ala. Code § 13A-9-71(f)(7) (small-org exemption conditioned on fundraising by unpaid persons; 'contribution' per § 13A-9-70(5) excludes government grants and… · source · verified 2026-08-07
Statuses and requirements reflect public records and cited sources as of the dates shown. Informational, not legal advice.