Which public records Pennsylvania keeps about a charity that asks you for money, in the state's own words. The agency the research names is the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. 8 official sources back this page. Last checked 2026-07-21.
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 on BCO-10 before covered solicitation or after crossing the contribution trigger
SOURCE VERIFIED
Use BCO-10 for initial registration and annual renewal. Initial registration is required before any compensated person solicits on the charity’s behalf, or within 30 days after the organization receives more than $25,000 in gross national contributions when no compensated solicitor is used. Fee: Initial/renewal fee follows the published fee bands and exact-boundary caution in PA-F052. Soliciting while unregistered can lead to late fees, cease-and-desist orders, administrative penalties and other enforcement.
Applies to: A charitable organization soliciting contributions from Pennsylvania residents unless excluded or exempt.
Exceptions
Exclusions, exemptions and short-form registration categories are technical.
Professional fundraiser registration does not replace the charity’s own registration.
Source: Charitable Organizations — Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations and 3 more official sources below.
Last verified
Renew charitable registration on the BCO-10 fiscal-year schedule
SOURCE VERIFIED
Renew on BCO-10 and attach the required federal return, financial statements, disclosures and fee. The form instructions state the filing must be postmarked no later than the 15th day of the 11th month following the close of the fiscal year; the registration certificate also shows the organization’s due date. Fee: Renewal fee follows PA-F052, plus any applicable late fee. Late filing produces a nonwaivable $25 monthly/partial-month late fee and can lead to solicitation restrictions or enforcement.
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 annual report by June 30
SOURCE VERIFIED
File the Department of State Annual Report, DSCB:15-146, with current registered office, principal office, governor/director and officer information. Nonprofit corporations use the January 1–June 30 filing window. Fee: No filing fee for nonprofit corporations. Beginning with annual reports due in 2027, failure to file can lead to administrative dissolution, cancellation, or termination six months after the due date. Exclusive name protection is lost when the Department files the applicable administrative action.
Applies to: Every domestic Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation and registered foreign nonprofit corporation that existed before the current calendar year.
Exceptions
This is separate from BCO-10 charity renewal, the IPPC statement, tax returns and federal Form 990.
Source: Annual Reports — Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations and 3 more official sources below.
Last verified
Who keeps these records in Pennsylvania
These are the offices the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania 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
8 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
Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations