Which public records Hawaii keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General, Tax & Charities Division. 15 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-08-02.
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 the Attorney General before soliciting contributions unless an exemption applies
SOURCE VERIFIED
Covered charities must register through the Attorney General’s charity system before soliciting. Incorporation, foreign qualification, federal recognition, and GET exemption do not replace this registration.
How often
Initial registration, then annual financial reporting
Applies to: A charitable organization soliciting contributions in Hawaii, including many domestic and foreign section 501(c)(3) organizations.
Exceptions
Statutory exemptions require separate analysis and generally an exemption application.
Source: Tax & Charities Division — Hawaii Department of the Attorney General, Tax & Charities Division and 5 more official sources below.
Last verified
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.
Do not apply the superseded automatic $500,000 contribution audit threshold
SOURCE VERIFIED
Current HRS § 467B-6.5 requires an audited financial statement with the Hawaii annual report only when the organization is required to obtain an audit by another governmental authority or a third party. The former automatic state threshold based on more than $500,000 in contributions is no longer the current rule.
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 nonprofit annual report in the quarter assigned by the incorporation or registration date
SOURCE VERIFIED
File an annual report containing the corporate name and jurisdiction, principal-office mailing address and registered-agent information, all directors and officers, and a brief description of activities. The due date is the last day of the anniversary quarter: March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31. No report is due in the formation or registration year.
These are the offices the Hawaii 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 Hawaii'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 Hawaii.
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 Hawaii 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
15 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
Hawaii Department of the Attorney General, Tax & Charities Division