Which public records Florida keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Consumer Services. 9 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-08-10.
Free to read. No account needed. Nothing on this page is a rating or an endorsement of any organization.
What this state records about charities that ask you for money
Registration is a filing requirement, not a rating. States exempt whole categories of organization from it, so an organization that does not appear in a state record is not necessarily doing anything wrong, and one that does appear has not been endorsed.
Register with FDACS and obtain approval before soliciting contributions in or from Florida unless an exclusion or exemption applies
SOURCE VERIFIED
A charitable organization or sponsor that intends to solicit contributions in or from Florida, have contributions solicited on its behalf, or participate in a charitable/sponsor sales promotion must file the initial Chapter 496 registration and receive FDACS approval before the activity begins unless an exclusion or statutory exemption applies. Federal §501(c)(3) recognition is not itself a Florida solicitation-registration exemption.
Renew Chapter 496 registration annually by the organization-specific expiration date and pay the current late fee if delinquent
SOURCE VERIFIED
Registration must be renewed annually. The renewal date is one year after FDACS approved the initial registration, and FDACS sends a renewal statement about 30 days before that date. A late renewal fee is $25 for each month or part of a month after expiration; registration expires for failure to timely renew.
What financial detail the state requires at what size
This is what the organization has to produce for the state, which tells you what already exists to ask for. It is not a statement that any particular organization is above or below these thresholds.
Obtain an independent CPA review or audit when annual contributions are at least $500,000 but less than $1 million
SOURCE VERIFIED
For this exact contribution band, the annual financial statement must be reviewed or audited by an independent certified public accountant. If Form 990/990-EZ is used and contributions are $500,000 or more, the federal form must be prepared by a CPA or another professional who prepares such forms in the ordinary course of business.
Whether the organization is still current with the state
Every nonprofit corporation owes its state this filing to stay in good standing, and the state keeps the result as a public record. It is separate from any charity registration above, and being current says nothing about how an organization spends what you give it.
File the Florida nonprofit annual report each year for $61.25
SOURCE VERIFIED
File an annual report each calendar year to maintain active status. The first report is due in the calendar year following incorporation or Florida authority. The statutory filing window is January 1 through May 1. The current nonprofit annual-report fee is $61.25, and nonprofits are not subject to the $400 late fee imposed on specified for-profit entity types.
These are the offices the Florida research itself names for the filings above. An office that keeps a record is also the place to take a question or a concern about one.
This page carries Florida's rules, not any organization's filing history. The offices above hold the records for the organization you are asking about.
Which state's rules apply to your gift
Your state of residence, the organization's home state, and the state it solicits in can all differ. This page is about Florida.
What this organization promised you
Restrictions on your gift, refund terms, recurring-payment terms and the acknowledgment you receive come from the organization itself. Ask it, and keep what it sends.
BEFORE YOU GIVE
Make the checklist for your gift.
The federal side of a donation does not change by state: what to confirm before paying, and which record to keep afterward. Build a list around the gift you are actually making.
The rules above are three of the requirements Florida puts on a nonprofit. The full guide covers formation, governance, reporting, tax and employment, from the same official sources.
Linking to this donor page from your own donation page or donor FAQ is welcome. It does not replace your organization's required notices, policies or donation acknowledgments.
Official sources
9 official sources back the entries on this page. Every one is a government statute, regulation, agency instruction, form or portal.
Agency or authority
Source
Accessed
URL
Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations