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As of 2026-07-23 · verified against primary sources

Illinois charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines

RegistrationRequired
AgencyIllinois Attorney General — Charitable Trust Bureau
Initial fee$15
Renewal fee$15
Renewal / report due6 months after fiscal year end
Filing channelElectronic filing available

Who must register

Illinois generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Illinois Attorney General — Charitable Trust Bureau before soliciting contributions there, unless an exemption applies. Requirements attach to out-of-state charities soliciting Illinois residents as well as local ones.

225 ILCS 460/2(a) · official source

How to register in Illinois

  1. 01Register once with the Attorney General's Charitable Trust Bureau — a single CO-1 ($15) covers both Illinois acts. The Solicitation Act requires it before any solicitation (and reaches any charity located in Illinois, soliciting or not); the Trust Act requires it within 6 months of receiving charitable income or principal over $4,000 and before disbursing any of it. File via the AG's online portal or on paper (CO-1 + CO-2 for new organizations, checks to the Illinois Charity Bureau Fund). Registration is then perpetual — no renewal filing, just the annual report.225 ILCS 460/2(a) (prior-to-solicitation + located-in-state trigger, $15), (c) (perpetual registration); 760 ILCS 55/2 (>$4,000 property), 55/6(a) (within 6 …
  2. 02File the AG990-IL annual report within 6 months of fiscal year close (June 30 for calendar-year books) with the $15 fee; extensions: a 60-day extension is granted automatically for organizations in compliance, on written request received by the due date (400.60(g)(1)), AND an extension coinciding with an IRS extension is available on written request with a copy of the IRS extension or Form 8868 (400.60(g)(2)) — separately or together, each requested in writing before the current due date. Financial tiers (through 2028): CPA audit above $500,000 in contributions — or above just $25,000 if any fundraising isn't carried on solely by unpaid persons or staff employees; CPA review $300,000–$500,000. These P.A. 103-121 tiers sunset January 1, 2029.760 ILCS 55/7(d), (g) + 225 ILCS 460/4(a), (f) (FYE+6mo report; 60-day max extension); 225 ILCS 460/4(b) (audit >$500,000, or >$25,000 with non-volunteer fun…

Form CO-1 (initial registration)

Charitable Organization Registration Statement (CO-1)

225 ILCS 460/2(a) (registration statement + $15 fee prior to any solicitation) and 760 ILCS 55/5(b), 55/6(a) (trust-side registration within 6 months of rece… · official form

Form CO-2 (initial registration)

Financial Information Form (CO-2)

AG Charitable Trust Bureau filing instructions — CO-2 accompanies the CO-1 for organizations under one year old. · official form

Form CO-3 (initial registration)

Religious Organization Exemption Form (CO-3)

225 ILCS 460/3(a)1 (religious exemption claimed on initial registration, effective on the AG's determination); 760 ILCS 55/4(a) (religious organizations excl… · official form

Form AG990-IL (annual renewal)

Illinois Charitable Organization Annual Report (AG990-IL)

760 ILCS 55/7(d) + 225 ILCS 460/4(a) — annual report within 6 months of fiscal year close (calendar year → June 30), $15 filing fee. · official form

Financial statement thresholds

If you use a paid fundraiser

Illinois wires paid fundraising into its AUDIT tier, not just registration: any fundraising not carried on solely by unpaid persons or the charity's own staff drops the audit trigger from $500,000 to $25,000 in contributions — a condition broader than 'professional fundraiser.' Several § 3(b) no-registration categories (named-individual relief, united-fund allocatees, school PTOs) are also conditioned on unpaid fundraising.

225 ILCS 460/4(b) (audit above $25,000 when fundraising isn't solely by unpaid persons/staff employees, P.A. 103-121); 460/3(b) (unpaid-fundraising condition…

If you haven't registered yet

Illinois enforces on two tracks with different mechanics. Under the Solicitation Act there is NO advance-notice period: registration simply does not continue once an annual report goes unfiled — no new registration until the missing report is filed and accepted, and re-registering takes a current registration statement, financial reports for every missed year, and a $200 penalty fee (against $15 to have stayed current), plus the $100 late-report fee; the Attorney General can also seek a $500-$1,000 civil penalty in circuit court, and under the AG's rules delinquency moves through late fees and fines to cancellation and an order to cease operations, with immediate cancellation for misrepresenting an AG endorsement. On the Charitable Trust Act side, cancellation takes 21 days' notice by regular mail to the registrant, its agent, or its president before the effective date — and reports arriving after cancellation require reregistration.

225 ILCS 460/2(e) (automatic non-continuation on unfiled annual report; re-registration = current statement + all delinquent financial reports + $200 penalty… · how to get current, calmly

Is your charity registered in Illinois? Check free.

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Illinois registration: common questions

Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Illinois Attorney General — Charitable Trust Bureau before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting Illinois residents.
How much does charitable registration cost in Illinois?
The initial registration fee is $15, and renewal is $15. Fees are stated as the state sets them; where a fee varies with contributions, the tiers are cited on this page.
When is the Illinois charitable registration renewal due?
6 months 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.
Does Illinois require audited financial statements?
Illinois requires an accountant's report above a revenue threshold. The lowest threshold on record is a review above $300,000 in contributions. Every threshold and its citation are listed on this page.

Related: registration fees by state · renewal deadlines by state · exemptions · all state registration requirements

Nearby states

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

Citations

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