Steadworthy

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

South Carolina charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines

RegistrationRequired
AgencySouth Carolina Secretary of State — Division of Public Charities
Initial fee$50
Renewal fee$50
Renewal / report due4 months and 15 days after fiscal year end
Filing channelElectronic filing available

Who must register

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

S.C. Code § 33-56-30(A) · official source

How to register in South Carolina

  1. 01File a registration statement with the South Carolina Secretary of State before soliciting — online through the SOS charities system or by mail — signed by both your CEO and CFO and certified true, with the $50 fee.S.C. Code § 33-56-30(A) (registration statement before solicitation; $50 fee; CEO and CFO signatures, certified true).
  2. 02Renew annually and file the annual financial report within four and a half months of your fiscal year end — a 990/990-EZ/990-PF is accepted in lieu (a 990-N is not). Extensions must be filed with the SC Secretary of State, either a written request or a copy of your IRS Form 8868; they are not automatic. A delinquent report blocks renewal.S.C. Code § 33-56-60(A) (annual financial report within four and one-half months of fiscal year close); § 33-56-60(E) (delinquent AFR blocks renewal); SOS gu…

Form SC-REG-STATEMENT (registration)

Registration Statement for a Charitable Organization

S.C. Code s. 33-56-30(A) ('signed by the chief executive officer and chief financial officer... certified as true, and... filed, along with a fee of fifty do… · official form

Form SC-AFR (registration)

Annual Financial Report for a Charitable Organization

s. 33-56-30(B)(15) verbatim ('an annual financial report for the immediately preceding fiscal year... on forms prescribed by the Secretary of State or on the… · official form

Exemptions we check for

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

If you use a paid fundraiser

Most of South Carolina's exemptions — including the $25,000 small-organization exemption — are available only to charities that use no professional solicitor, counsel, or commercial co-venturer, so engaging one removes them. Only the public-school and $10,000 micro-organization exemptions survive the use of a paid fundraiser, and a professional fundraiser working for an exempt charity must still register itself.

S.C. Code § 33-56-50(A) as amended by 2026 Act No. 170 (eff. 2026-05-18) — (A) exemptions conditioned on no professional solicitor/counsel/co-venturer; § 33-…

If you haven't registered yet

A late South Carolina annual financial report can draw a discretionary $10-a-day fee, capped at $2,000 per delinquent report, and blocks the registration from renewing until filed; broader noncompliance can bring up to $2,000 per violation, but only after a 15-day certified-mail notice. Getting current means filing the overdue reports and any assessed fees — the notice-first structure means there is time to fix it.

S.C. Code § 33-56-60(E) ($10/day capped $2,000 per delinquent report; renewal bar); § 33-56-140(B) (up to $2,000/violation after 15-day certified-mail notice). · how to get current, calmly

Is your charity registered in South Carolina? Check free.

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

South Carolina registration: common questions

Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in South Carolina?
Yes. South Carolina generally requires charitable organizations to register with the South Carolina Secretary of State — Division of Public Charities before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting South Carolina residents.
How much does charitable registration cost in South Carolina?
The initial registration fee is $50, and renewal is $50. Fees are stated as the state sets them; where a fee varies with contributions, the tiers are cited on this page.
When is the South Carolina charitable registration renewal due?
4 months and 15 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 South Carolina?
South Carolina recognizes exemptions, and this page lists each one we check for with its statutory citation. At least one of them still requires a filing to claim it — an exemption is not always automatic. 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 South Carolina charities also commonly solicit:

Citations

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