File a Charity Optional Re-Registration Online

Purpose: A re-registration is submitted for organizations that have become involuntarily closed with the Charities Program. If the organization has been involuntarily closed over beyond 6 years then a Charity Optional Registration will need to be submitted and a new registration number will be issued.

All information, except the financial information, will be pre-populated. The organization may update the pre-populated information as needed. Below are instructions for what is required in each section if updating is needed.

Qualifier Questions

Answer yes or no to all questions and check that “All information is true and accurate”. Once this is done select continue. If you qualify for an optional registration, you will be brought to the optional registration online form. If you do not qualify for an optional registration the system will bring you to a charity registration and there will be a filing fee associated to this filing. The instructions below can be used for both an optional and a charity registration.

Organization Name

Provide the organization’s name. If the organization provides a UBI Number (9-digit Unified Business Identifier) that is recorded with the Secretary of State Corporations Division, the name must match the business name on record.

FEIN (Federal Employer Identification Number)

Provide the organization’s FEIN. If the organization does not have a FEIN, you can apply on the IRS website. A FEIN is required for registration with the Charities Program.

UBI Number

Is a 9-digit number issued by several state agencies (L&I, ESD, DOR-BLS etc.) which allows the organization to do business in Washington State.

Also Known As “AKA” Name(s)

Provide all names that the organization uses for solicitation.

Federal Tax Exempt Status

If the organization has received a federal tax exempt status from the IRS select “Yes”. The organization will need to upload its IRS determination letter that was provided from the IRS. If the organization does not have the IRS determination letter you may upload a statement attesting that the organization has been provided this status from the IRS. If the organization is a part of a Group Exemption, a letter from the central organization confirming its relationship with the registering organization is required to be uploaded with a copy of the central organization’s IRS determination letter.

Is this Charitable Organization associated with any Corporation or LLC?

If the organization is registered as a Nonprofit Corporation, Limited Liability Company, or a Profit Corporation in a state or country other than Washington State select “Yes” and select the jurisdiction where the organization is currently incorporated. If the jurisdiction is Washington State the UBI will be required to be provided.

Purpose of the Organization

Provide the organization’s purpose/mission. If the purpose is longer than 500 characters; provide as much of the purpose as able and then upload the full purpose as an attachment in the “upload additional documents” section at the bottom of the online form.

Organization Name Look Up

The organization name will be pre-populated; if the name has changed select “look up” to ensure the new organization name is available.

Organization Email

Provide the email address for the general public to be able to contact the organization. Confirm the email address by entering again in the confirm organization email section. This email address will also receive notifications from our office.

Organization Website

If the organization has a website enter it the format of www.website.com/org/net.

Phone Number

Provide the phone number for the general public to be able to contact the organization, this may include an extension if applicable.

Mailing Address

Provide the mailing address of the organization. If outside of the united states, the country can be selected from the drop down menu. The screen parts will adjust to the country that is selected.

Street Address

Provide the physical address of the organization. If the same as the mailing address you may select the check box to autofill the street address. The street address cannot be a PO Box or PMB. If the organization does not have a physical address provide the zip, city, and state. If the state is Washington, the organization will need to provide the county as well.

Do you use any other addresses for solicitation

If the organization uses different address(s) for solicitation from the mailing/street address select “Yes” and upload a list of the other addresses used.

Financial Information

Provide the financial information for the fiscal year being requested. In the Solicitation Report if there is no financial information to report for a specific line enter zero. If the fiscal year is different from the year being requested or the beginning gross assets pre-populated from the previous fiscal year-end ending gross assets are incorrect a charity amendment will need to be submitted for review and successfully filed prior to being able to submit a renewal.

If the organization has been involuntarily closed more than 1 fiscal year the organization may add the missing years by selecting “add”. The system will then provide the fiscal year dates and financial fields for the fiscal year that was last missed. After completing select “add financial information” and that fiscal year will populate in the financial history grid. Multiple missed fiscal years can be provided through a re-registration.

Solicitation Comments

If necessary, provide additional information regarding the financial figures reported in the solicitation report.

Did the organization solicit or collect contributions in WA during the accounting year reported?

If the organization solicited or collected contributions in Washington State select “Yes” and indicate the types by selecting all that apply. If “Yes” a minimum of one type must be selected.

Is the Organization Registered to Fundraise Outside of WA?

If the organization is registered to fundraise in other states select “Yes” and provide the states and countries.

Does the Organization pay any of its Officers or Employee?

 If the organization pays any officers or employees select “Yes” and provide the first and last name of up to three people receiving the highest compensation. If there are no paid employees select “No”.

Persons Accepting Responsibility

A minimum of one person or officer accepting responsibility for the organization must be provided. Please enter each person’s name, title, phone number, and address. If the person’s address and phone number are the same as the organization’s mailing address select “contact information same as organization” and this information will be pre-populated for you. After entering the information select “add new officer”, the name will be added to the persons accepting responsibility grid. You may follow these steps to add each person needed. Please enter each name needed and do not upload a list.

Financial Preparer

If financial information has been provided the system will require a financial preparer. Select if the financial prepare is a business or an individual. Provide all information, business name if applicable, first and last name, title, and address.

Legal Information

Legal Actions include any administrative or judicial proceedings alleging that the organization or any individual in its registration has failed to comply with these rules, RCW 19.09, or state or Federal laws pertaining to taxation, revenue, charitable solicitation, or record-keeping, whether such action has been instituted by a public agency or a private person or business.

Provide the court’s jurisdiction, case number, title of legal action, and the date of legal action then select “add legal information”. Multiple legal information can be provided. For each legal action upload the court documents under this section.

Does the Organization use one or more Commercial Fundraisers to solicit contributions in WA?

If the charity uses a commercial fundraiser to solicit on its behalf select “Yes” and search for the commercial fundraiser. If there is not a result for your search you are able to add the commercial fundraiser information. Our office does not record the relationship between a charity and a commercial coventurer or fundraising counsel/consultant. The definition of a commercial fundraiser, commercial coventurer, and fundraising counsel/consultant can be found under RCW 19.09.020(4)(5)(10).

Return Address for this Filing

If provided, the confirmation regarding this specific filing will be sent to this address, in addition to the organization’s mailing address.

Upload Additional Documents

This section is used to upload additional documents as needed. Our office does not require a charity’s federal tax document.

Signature/Attestation

Select the box next to “by executing this document, the applicant certifies the following”. Provide the first and last name and a contact phone number.

Review Submission

When completed you will be able to select continue and be brought to a review screen, confirm that all information is correct and then select add to the cart.

Once at the shopping cart select the organization’s submission and select check out, you will then be able to review the amount to be paid, if applicable and select “proceed to checkout”. The system will automatically calculate the fees that will need to be submitted once added to your cart.

Once at the checkout screen provide the payment information and place your order.

There are no additional processing fees for using our online filing system when filing charities documents. Once the registration is completed, either automatically or once it is reviewed by a charities team member, you will be able to access the organization’s confirmation letter and file stamped documents under the “notices and filed documents” tab on the user dashboard.