Steadworthy

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

Minnesota charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines

RegistrationRequired
AgencyMinnesota Attorney General — Charities Division
Initial fee$25
Renewal fee$25
Renewal / report due15th day of the 7th month after fiscal year end
Filing channelPaper / mail

Who must register

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

Minn. Stat. § 309.52 subd. 1 · official source

How to register in Minnesota

  1. 01File Form C1 with the Minnesota Attorney General's Charities Division before soliciting — or within 30 days of contributions exceeding $25,000 in an accounting year. There's no portal: email the PDF to charity.registration@ag.state.mn.us (organization's legal name in the subject) or mail it; the fee is $25. Two duly constituted officers must execute it under a board resolution.Minn. Stat. § 309.52, subd. 1 (registration before solicitation), subd. 1a (30 days after exceeding $25,000), subd. 2 ($25 fee), subd. 3 (two-officer executi…
  2. 02File the Form C2 annual report by July 15 (calendar-year books) or the 15th day of the seventh month after your fiscal year end, with the $25 re-registration fee and your IRS return minus contributor schedules. Extensions are discretionary, for cause, up to four months — not tied to a federal extension. Over $750,000 total revenue requires a GAAP audit by an independent CPA (no review tier; donated food for free distribution is excluded from the threshold).Minn. Stat. § 309.53, subd. 1 (July 15 / FYE+6.5-month deadline; four-month discretionary extension), subd. 8 ($25 annual fee), subd. 3 (audit above $750,000…

Form MN-C1 (initial registration)

Charitable Organization Initial Registration (Form C1)

Minn. Stat. § 309.52, subd. 1, 3 — registration statement on file with the Attorney General before any solicitation, executed by two officers; AG Charities D… · official form

Form MN-C2 (annual renewal)

Charitable Organization Annual Report (Form C2)

Minn. Stat. § 309.53, subd. 1 — annual report by July 15 (calendar-year books) or the 15th day of the seventh month after fiscal year end; AG Charities Divis… · official form

Exemptions we check for

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

Financial statement thresholds

If you use a paid fundraiser

Employing a professional fundraiser voids Minnesota's small-organization and member-only exemptions (§ 309.515, subd. 2) — though not the religious or educational ones. The small-org exemption already requires ALL functions including fundraising be performed by unpaid persons. Professional-fundraiser contracts must be filed with the AG within 7 days of execution.

Minn. Stat. § 309.515, subd. 2 (professional fundraiser voids the (a) small-org and (d) member-only exemptions); § 309.52, subd. 1 (contracts filed within 7 …

If you haven't registered yet

Missing the annual report doesn't just add Minnesota's $50 late fee — the registration LAPSES, and a defaulted organization is ineligible to re-register until the default is cured. Registered ch. 309 organizations are exempt from the separate charitable-trust registration track (§ 501B.36(6)); losing the registration can put trust-track obligations back in play.

Minn. Stat. § 309.53, subd. 2 ($50 late fee in addition to all other fees, costs, and penalties); § 309.52, subd. 7 (registration lapses on missed annual rep… · how to get current, calmly

Is your charity registered in Minnesota? Check free.

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

Minnesota registration: common questions

Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in Minnesota?
Yes. Minnesota generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Minnesota Attorney General — Charities Division before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting Minnesota residents.
How much does charitable registration cost in Minnesota?
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 Minnesota charitable registration renewal due?
15th day of the 7th 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota 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 Minnesota require audited financial statements?
Minnesota requires an accountant's report above a revenue threshold. The lowest threshold on record is a audit above $750,000 in gross revenue. 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 Minnesota charities also commonly solicit:

Citations

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