How much does charitable registration cost in Georgia?

The initial registration fee is $35, and renewal is $20. Fees are stated as the state sets them; where a fee varies with contributions, the tiers are cited on this page.

When is the Georgia charitable registration renewal due?

every 24 months from the registration's effective date. 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 Georgia?

Georgia 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.

Does Georgia require audited financial statements?

Georgia requires an accountant's report above a revenue threshold. The lowest threshold on record is a review above $500,000 in gross revenue. Every threshold and its citation are listed on this page.

As of 2026-07-22 · verified against primary sources

Georgia charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines

Registration	Required
Agency	Georgia Secretary of State — Securities and Charities Division
Initial fee	$35
Renewal fee	$20
Renewal / report due	every 24 months from the registration's effective date
Filing channel	Electronic filing available

Who must register

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

O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(a),(b)(1) · official source

How to register in Georgia

01Register with the Georgia Secretary of State before soliciting: file Form C100 (or the Unified Registration Statement) with a consent to service of process and the $35 fee — online through the SOS platform or by mail; Georgia accepts both.O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(a), (b)(1) (effective registration before soliciting), (c) ($35 initial fee); Ga. Comp. R. 590-9-4-.01 (Form C100 or the URS + consent to …
02Renew every two years — Georgia registration runs a rolling 24-month term from its effective date, with a $20 renewal fee and a window that opens 90 days before expiration. Attach your last two 990/990-EZs (a 990-N is not accepted; organizations that don't file a 990 use Georgia Form C200). Miss expiration and there's a 30-day grace; after that, reinstatement is a new C100 with the $35 fee.O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(9) (24-month term), (c) ($20 renewal); Ga. Comp. R. 590-9-4-.04 (90-day window, grace); SOS guidance (990-N not accepted; Form C200; re…

Exemptions we check for

Likely exempt if it is a religious organization — one that conducts regular worship services, or is a 501(c)(3) religious organization never required to file IRS Form 990 (O.C.G.A. §§ 43-17-9(a)(8), 43-17-2(14)); self-executing, no filing required.
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9(a)(8) + § 43-17-2(14) definition, prong (B) verbatim
Likely exempt if it has no agreement with a paid solicitor and its total revenue from contributions was under $25,000 for both the immediately preceding and current calendar years (O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9(a)(5)); self-executing, no filing required.
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9(a)(5). CAVEATS

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

Financial statement thresholds

CPA review at $500,000+ gross revenue · O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(4)
Independent audit at $1,000,000+ gross revenue · O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(4)

If you use a paid fundraiser

Georgia's small-organization exemption (under $25,000 in contributions in both the preceding and current calendar years) is available only to charities with no paid-solicitor agreement — signing one removes it, whatever your size.

O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9(a)(5) — small-org exemption conditioned on no agreement with a paid solicitor and contributions revenue under $25,000 for both the immedia…

If you haven't registered yet

An expired Georgia registration has a 30-day grace period; after that, getting current means filing a fresh Form C100 with the $35 fee — reinstatement is a re-filing, not a fine ladder. Soliciting without an effective registration is what the statute prohibits, so the practical fix is simply to bring the registration current before continuing to fundraise.

O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(a) (unlawful to solicit without an effective registration); Ga. Comp. R. 590-9-4-.04 and SOS guidance (30-day grace; reinstatement = new C… · how to get current, calmly

Is your charity registered in Georgia? Check free.

Georgia registration: common questions

Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in Georgia?: Yes. Georgia generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Georgia Secretary of State — Securities and Charities Division before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting Georgia residents.
How much does charitable registration cost in Georgia?: The initial registration fee is $35, and renewal is $20. Fees are stated as the state sets them; where a fee varies with contributions, the tiers are cited on this page.
When is the Georgia charitable registration renewal due?: every 24 months from the registration's effective date. 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 Georgia?: Georgia 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.
Does Georgia require audited financial statements?: Georgia requires an accountant's report above a revenue threshold. The lowest threshold on record is a review above $500,000 in gross revenue. Every threshold and its citation are listed on this page.

Nearby states

Fundraising rarely stops at a border — where Georgia charities also commonly solicit:

Citations

O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(a),(b)(1) · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(1) (registration filed with the Secretary of State) · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(c) · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(c) · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(9) · source · verified 2026-07-22
Online ENCOURAGED, not mandatory · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9(a)(8) + § 43-17-2(14) definition, prong (B) verbatim · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9(a)(5). CAVEATS · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(4) · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(4) · source · verified 2026-07-22
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(a), (b)(1) (effective registration before soliciting), (c) ($35 initial fee); Ga. Comp. R. 590-9-4-.01 (Form C100 or the URS + consent to … · source · verified 2026-08-07
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(b)(9) (24-month term), (c) ($20 renewal); Ga. Comp. R. 590-9-4-.04 (90-day window, grace); SOS guidance (990-N not accepted; Form C200; re… · source · verified 2026-08-07
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-5(a) (unlawful to solicit without an effective registration); Ga. Comp. R. 590-9-4-.04 and SOS guidance (30-day grace; reinstatement = new C… · source · verified 2026-08-07
O.C.G.A. § 43-17-9(a)(5) — small-org exemption conditioned on no agreement with a paid solicitor and contributions revenue under $25,000 for both the immedia… · source · verified 2026-08-07

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