Steadworthy

As of 2026-07-21 · verified against primary sources

Colorado charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines

RegistrationRequired
AgencyColorado Secretary of State — Charities and Fundraisers Program
Initial fee$10
Renewal fee$10
Renewal / report due15th day of the 8th month after fiscal year end
Filing channelElectronic filing available

Who must register

Colorado generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Colorado Secretary of State — Charities and Fundraisers Program before soliciting contributions there, unless an exemption applies. Requirements attach to out-of-state charities soliciting Colorado residents as well as local ones.

C.R.S. § 6-16-104(1) — register before soliciting; § 6-16-104(9)(a) — may not solicit prior to registration or renewal of an expired registration [effective … · official source

How to register in Colorado

  1. 01Register with the Colorado Secretary of State before soliciting: file the registration statement online through the SOS charities system. The registration fee is $10.C.R.S. § 6-16-104(1) ('prior to engaging in any of these activities, file a registration statement with the secretary of state'); SOS fee schedule (rev. 2024…
  2. 02Renew annually: the registration runs until your financial report is due — the 15th day of the eighth month after your fiscal year end at the latest (earlier without an IRS extension) — and the renewal fee is $10. A three-month extension is available on application.C.R.S. § 6-16-104(4)(a), (5)(a); 8 CCR 1505-9 Rule 5.1.2; SOS fee schedule

Exemptions we check for

The state, not Steadworthy, decides whether an exemption applies.

If you use a paid fundraiser

Colorado's small-organization exemption (under $25,000 gross revenue or ten or fewer contributors) is unavailable to a charity that has contracted with a paid solicitor to solicit in the state — so engaging one can make an otherwise-exempt small organization register. Since August 12, 2026, an auctioneer providing auctioneer services to a charity — contracted, paid, or volunteering — is excluded from the 'paid solicitor' definition, so hiring one does not defeat the exemption. Paid solicitors and consultants also carry their own, anniversary-based registrations.

C.R.S. § 6-16-104(6)(c) (exemption 'shall not apply to a charitable organization that has contracted with a paid solicitor'); § 6-16-103(7) as amended by HB2…

If you haven't registered yet

Colorado's fines are modest and fixed by rule: $60 for a late renewal or overdue report and $300 for soliciting after being notified the registration lapsed, with statutory caps of $100 and $300 a year. Getting current means filing a reinstatement plus the missed financial reports — up to the past three fiscal years — and paying the outstanding fees and fines.

8 CCR 1505-9 Rules 6.1.1-6.1.2 (fines), 8.2.1 (reinstatement, up to three consecutive fiscal years); C.R.S. § 6-16-114(1)(c)-(d) (statutory caps). · how to get current, calmly

Is your charity registered in Colorado? Check free.

Free. No account. Built from public records. Informational, not legal advice.

Colorado registration: common questions

Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Colorado Secretary of State — Charities and Fundraisers Program before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting Colorado residents.
How much does charitable registration cost in Colorado?
The initial registration fee is $10, and renewal is $10. Fees are stated as the state sets them; where a fee varies with contributions, the tiers are cited on this page.
When is the Colorado charitable registration renewal due?
15th day of the 8th month 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 Colorado?
Colorado 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 Colorado charities also commonly solicit:

Citations

Statuses and requirements reflect public records and cited sources as of the dates shown. Informational, not legal advice.