Missouri charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines

Who must register

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

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.1 (register before soliciting, except subsection-2 exempt orgs); mechanics § 407.462.1 · official source

How to register in Missouri

1. 01Most charities never register in Missouri: an organization with a federal 501(c)(3), 501(c)(7), or 501(c)(8) exemption (and no private inurement) is exempt from registration and reporting entirely, self-executing — nothing to file. The duty falls mainly on nonprofits outside those subsections: they register with the Attorney General before soliciting, with a $15 fee.Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.1 (no soliciting without the required registrations and reports),.2(6) (501(c)(3)/(c)(7)/(c)(8) exemption, no-inurement condition — …
2. 02Registered organizations file an annual report within 75 days after fiscal year end — a deadline stated by the AG's Registration FAQ; no statute fixing it was found, so treat it as the AG's administration. The exemption lifts registration and reporting only: Missouri's anti-fraud solicitation provisions apply to everyone.AG Registration FAQ (annual report within 75 days after FYE — administrative source, statutory locus not found); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.2 (exemption lifts …

Exemptions we check for

• Likely exempt if it holds a federal tax exemption under section 501(c)(3), 501(c)(7), or 501(c)(8) — Missouri exempts such organizations from charitable registration (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.2(6)).

  Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.2(6); AG FAQ concurs. Self-executing — no claim filing exists.

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

If you use a paid fundraiser

Missouri's hospital exemption is conditioned on not using an outside professional fund-raiser — a hospital that hires one loses it. The headline 501(c)(3)/(c)(7)/(c)(8) exemption, by contrast, carries no fundraising condition at all: a paid fundraiser doesn't change most charities' exempt status here.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.2(5) (hospital exemption conditioned on no outside professional fund-raiser),.2(6) (501(c)(3)/(c)(7)/(c)(8) exemption unconditioned …

If you haven't registered yet

Soliciting without the required registration and reports violates § 407.456.1, enforced by the Attorney General under Missouri's merchandising-practices law. The practical exposure is narrow — most charities sit inside the 501(c)(3)/(c)(7)/(c)(8) exemption — but the anti-fraud provisions reach exempt and registered organizations alike.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.1 (solicitation bar absent required registrations/reports); § 407.456.2 (exemption does not lift the anti-fraud provisions). · how to get current, calmly

Missouri registration: common questions

Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in Missouri?

Yes. Missouri generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Missouri Attorney General before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting Missouri residents.

How much does charitable registration cost in Missouri?

The initial registration fee 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 Missouri charitable registration renewal due?

75 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 Missouri?

Missouri 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.

Nearby states

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

• ArkansasRequired
• IowaNo requirement
• IllinoisRequired
• KansasRequired
• KentuckyRequired
• NebraskaNo requirement
• OklahomaRequired
• TennesseeRequired

Citations

• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.1 (register before soliciting, except subsection-2 exempt orgs); mechanics § 407.462.1 · source · verified 2026-07-22
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.462.1 (initial registration filed with the office of the attorney general) · source · verified 2026-07-22
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.462 ($15 initial registration/amendment fee unless AG sets otherwise by rule) · source · verified 2026-07-22
• MO AG Registration FAQ · source · verified 2026-07-22
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.2(6); AG FAQ concurs. Self-executing — no claim filing exists. · source · verified 2026-07-22
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.1 (no soliciting without the required registrations and reports),.2(6) (501(c)(3)/(c)(7)/(c)(8) exemption, no-inurement condition — … · source · verified 2026-08-07
• AG Registration FAQ (annual report within 75 days after FYE — administrative source, statutory locus not found); Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.2 (exemption lifts … · source · verified 2026-08-07
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.1 (solicitation bar absent required registrations/reports); § 407.456.2 (exemption does not lift the anti-fraud provisions). · source · verified 2026-08-07
• Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.456.2(5) (hospital exemption conditioned on no outside professional fund-raiser),.2(6) (501(c)(3)/(c)(7)/(c)(8) exemption unconditioned … · source · verified 2026-08-07

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