Steadworthy

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

Tennessee charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines

RegistrationRequired
AgencyTennessee Secretary of State — Division of Business and Charitable Organizations
Initial fee$50
Renewal fee$80–$240, tiered on revenue
Renewal / report duelast day of the 6th month after fiscal year end
Filing channelElectronic filing available

Who must register

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

Tenn. Code Ann. § 48-101-504(a)(1) · official source

How to register in Tennessee

  1. 01Register with the Tennessee Secretary of State before soliciting — through the TNCaB online portal or on paper — with the $50 initial fee. Budget for the first-year extra: new registrants owe quarterly financial reports, due 30 days after each quarter.Tenn. Code § 48-101-504(a)(1) (register prior to any solicitation), (b) ($50 initial fee), (c) (first-year quarterly reports).
  2. 02Renew by your anniversary date — the last day of the sixth month after your fiscal year ends — with a fee tiered on gross revenue ($80 to $240). Extensions run 90 days for good cause, plus 60 more only with proof of an IRS extension. Small-organization exemptions are claimed and re-sworn annually on the same clock, free.Tenn. Code § 48-101-506(d) (anniversary = last day of sixth month after FYE), (c)(1) (renewal tiers), (e) as amended by PC533 (90 + 60 extension); § 48-101-5…

Exemptions we check for

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

Financial statement thresholds

If you use a paid fundraiser

Tennessee's small-organization exemption (public contributions of $50,000 or less) is void if the charity uses any professional solicitor, fundraising counsel, or commercial co-venturer — engaging one means registering within the normal rules, whatever your size.

Tenn. Code § 48-101-502(a)(2)(B) as amended by PC533 (eff. 2024-07-01) — small-org exemption void if professional solicitors, counsel, or co-venturers are used.

If you haven't registered yet

Tennessee's late fee is $25 per month or part of one while a renewal is overdue, and an expired registration means pausing solicitation until it's renewed. Getting current is filing the overdue renewal with the accrued monthly fees — mechanical, not dramatic. (Letting a claimed exemption lapse without re-swearing it annually can also draw civil penalties, so exempt orgs keep the same calendar.)

Tenn. Code § 48-101-506(f)(1) ($25/month late fee); § 48-101-506(d) (registration expires on the anniversary date); PC533 § 8 (civil penalties for failure to… · how to get current, calmly

Is your charity registered in Tennessee? Check free.

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

Tennessee registration: common questions

Does a charity need to register to solicit donations in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Tennessee Secretary of State — Division of Business and Charitable Organizations before soliciting contributions in the state, unless an exemption applies. The requirement reaches out-of-state charities soliciting Tennessee residents.
How much does charitable registration cost in Tennessee?
The initial registration fee is $50, and renewal is $80–$240, tiered on revenue. Fees are stated as the state sets them; where a fee varies with contributions, the tiers are cited on this page.
When is the Tennessee charitable registration renewal due?
last day of the 6th 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee 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.
Does Tennessee require audited financial statements?
Tennessee requires an accountant's report above a revenue threshold. The lowest threshold on record is a audit above $1,000,000 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 Tennessee charities also commonly solicit:

Citations

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