Which public records Missouri keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the Missouri Attorney General. 11 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-08-07.
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 if the organization has not yet obtained section 501(c)(3) recognition and no other exemption applies
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the Missouri charitable-organization initial registration before solicitation; corporate formation alone does not create the federal-status exemption.
How often
Initial, then annual while registered
Filed with
Missouri Attorney General
Form or portal
Charitable Organization Initial Registration Form
Applies to: A newly formed Missouri charitable organization soliciting contributions before it has federal §501(c)(3), §501(c)(7) or §501(c)(8) recognition and that does not fit another §407.456 exemption.
Exceptions
Religious, educational, membership-only, hospital/auxiliary, political and federally recognized §501(c)(3)/(7)/(8) exemptions must be tested separately.
A nonexempt registered charitable organization files its annual report within 75 days after fiscal year end
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the sworn annual report within 75 days after the close of each fiscal year; the $15 annual fee applies under the statutory/rule framework, subject to the current form's fee screen and statutory exceptions.
How often
Annual while registered
Filed with
Missouri Attorney General
Form or portal
Charitable Organization Annual Report
Applies to: A charitable organization that is registered because no §407.456 exemption applies.
Exceptions
Qualifying §501(c)(3)/(7)/(8) organizations do not file this annual report; do not publish the 75-day formula as a universal 501(c)(3) deadline.
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 corporate registration report annually by August 31 unless a valid biennial election is in effect
SOURCE VERIFIED
Annual reporting is the default. After the initial report, file by August 31 each reporting year unless the corporation has made and remains in a valid biennial election under §355.857.
How often
Annual by default
Filed with
Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Form or portal
Annual/Biennial Registration Report workflow
Applies to: Domestic and qualified foreign Chapter 355 nonprofit corporations.
Exceptions
A corporation on a valid biennial cycle files according to §355.857 rather than annually.
These are the offices the Missouri 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.
Missouri Attorney General
Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division
This page carries Missouri'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 Missouri.
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 Missouri 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
11 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
Missouri Attorney General / Missouri Secretary of State
15 CSR 60-3 — Charitable Organizations and Professional Fund-Raisers