496.405 Registration statements by charitable organizations and sponsors.—
(1) A charitable organization or sponsor, unless exempted pursuant to s. 496.406, which intends to solicit contributions in or from this state by any means or have funds solicited on its behalf by any other person, charitable organization, sponsor, commercial co-venturer, or professional solicitor, or that participates in a charitable sales promotion or sponsor sales promotion, must, before engaging in any of these activities, file an initial registration statement, and a renewal statement annually thereafter, with the department.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), any changes in the information submitted on the initial registration statement or the last renewal statement must be updated annually on a renewal statement provided by the department on or before the date that marks 1 year after the date the department approved the initial registration statement as provided in this section. The department shall annually provide a renewal statement to each registrant by mail or by electronic mail at least 30 days before the renewal date.
(b) Any changes to the information submitted to the department pursuant to paragraph (2)(d) on the initial registration statement or the last renewal statement must be reported to the department on a form prescribed by the department within 10 days after the change occurs.
(c) A charitable organization or sponsor that is required to file an initial registration statement or annual renewal statement may not, before approval of its statement by the department in accordance with subsection (7), solicit contributions or have contributions solicited on its behalf by any other person, charitable organization, sponsor, commercial co-venturer, or professional solicitor or participate in a charitable sales promotion or sponsor sales promotion.
(d) The registration of a charitable organization or sponsor may not continue in effect and shall expire without further action of the department under either of the following circumstances:
1. After the date the charitable organization or sponsor should have filed, but failed to file, its renewal statement in accordance with this section.
2. For failure to provide a financial statement within any extension period provided under s. 496.407.
(2) The initial registration statement must be submitted on a form prescribed by the department, signed by an authorized official of the charitable organization or sponsor who shall certify that the registration statement is true and correct, and include the following information or material:
(a) A copy of the financial statement or Internal Revenue Service Form 990 and all attached schedules or Internal Revenue Service Form 990-EZ and Schedule O required under s. 496.407 for the immediately preceding fiscal year. A newly organized charitable organization or sponsor with no financial history must file a budget for the current fiscal year.
(b) The name of the charitable organization or sponsor, the purpose for which it is organized, the name under which it intends to solicit contributions, and the purpose or purposes for which the contributions to be solicited will be used.
(c) The name of the individuals or officers who are in charge of any solicitation activities.
(d) A statement of whether:
1. The charitable organization or sponsor is authorized by any other state to solicit contributions.
2. The charitable organization or sponsor or any of its officers, directors, trustees, or principal salaried executive personnel have been enjoined in any jurisdiction from soliciting contributions or have been found to have engaged in unlawful practices in the solicitation of contributions or administration of charitable assets.
3. The charitable organization or sponsor has had its registration or authority denied, suspended, or revoked by any governmental agency, together with the reasons for such denial, suspension, or revocation.
4. The charitable organization or sponsor has voluntarily entered into an assurance of voluntary compliance in any jurisdiction or agreement similar to that set forth in s. 496.420, together with a copy of that agreement.
5. The charitable organization or sponsor or any of its officers, directors, trustees, or employees, regardless of adjudication, has been convicted of, or found guilty of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, or has been incarcerated within the last 10 years as a result of having previously been convicted of, or found guilty of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, any felony within the last 10 years and, if so, the name of such person, the nature of the offense, the date of the offense, the court having jurisdiction in the case, the date of conviction or other disposition, and the disposition of the offense.
6. The charitable organization or sponsor or any of its officers, directors, trustees, or employees, regardless of adjudication, has been convicted of, or found guilty of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, or has been incarcerated within the last 10 years as a result of having previously been convicted of, or found guilty of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, any crime involving fraud, theft, larceny, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, misappropriation of property, or any crime enumerated in this chapter or resulting from acts committed while involved in the solicitation of contributions within the last 10 years and, if so, the name of such person, the nature of the offense, the date of the offense, the court having jurisdiction in the case, the date of conviction or other disposition, and the disposition of the offense.
7. The charitable organization or sponsor or any of its officers, directors, trustees, or employees has been enjoined from violating any law relating to a charitable solicitation, and, if so, the name of such person, the date of the injunction, and the court issuing the injunction.
(e) The names, street addresses, and telephone numbers of any professional solicitor, professional fundraising consultant, and commercial co-venturer who is acting or has agreed to act on behalf of the charitable organization or sponsor, together with a statement setting forth the specific terms of the arrangements for salaries, bonuses, commissions, expenses, or other remunerations to be paid the fundraising consultant and professional solicitor.
(f) With initial registration only, a statement showing when and where the organization was established and the tax-exempt status of the organization together with a copy of any federal tax exemption determination letter. If the charitable organization or sponsor has not received a federal tax exemption determination letter at the time of initial registration, a copy of such determination must be filed with the department within 30 days after receipt of the determination by the charitable organization or sponsor. If the organization is subsequently notified by the Internal Revenue Service of any challenge to its continued entitlement to federal tax exemption, the charitable organization or sponsor shall notify the department of this fact within 30 days after receipt.
(g) The following information must be filed with the initial registration statement and must be updated when any change occurs in the information that was previously filed with the initial registration statement:
1. The principal street address and telephone number of the charitable organization or sponsor and the street address and telephone numbers of any offices in this state or, if the charitable organization or sponsor does not maintain an office in this state, the name, street address, and telephone number of the person who has custody of its financial records. The parent organization that files a consolidated registration statement on behalf of its chapters, branches, or affiliates must additionally provide the street addresses and telephone numbers of all such locations in this state.
2. The names and street addresses of the officers, directors, trustees, and principal salaried executive personnel.
3. The date when the charitable organization or sponsor’s fiscal year ends.
4. A list or description of the major program activities.
5. The names, street addresses, and telephone numbers of the individuals or officers who have final responsibility for the custody of the contributions and who will be responsible for the final distribution of the contributions.
(3) Each chapter, branch, or affiliate of a parent organization required to register under this section must file a separate registration statement and financial statement or report the required information to its parent organization, which shall then file, on a form prescribed by the department, a consolidated registration statement for the parent organization and its Florida chapters, branches, and affiliates. A consolidated registration statement filed by a parent organization must include or be accompanied by financial statements as specified in s. 496.407 for the parent organization and each of its Florida chapters, branches, and affiliates that solicited or received contributions during the preceding fiscal year. However, if all contributions received by chapters, branches, or affiliates are remitted directly into a depository account that feeds directly into the parent organization’s centralized accounting system from which all disbursements are made, the parent organization may submit one consolidated financial statement on a form prescribed by the department. The consolidated financial statement must comply with s. 496.407 and must reflect the activities of each chapter, branch, or affiliate of the parent organization, including all contributions received in the name of each chapter, branch, or affiliate; all payments made to each chapter, branch, or affiliate; and all administrative fees assessed to each chapter, branch, or affiliate. A copy of Internal Revenue Service Form 990 and all attached schedules filed for the preceding fiscal year, or a copy of Internal Revenue Service Form 990-EZ and Schedule O for the preceding fiscal year, for the parent organization and each Florida chapter, branch, or affiliate required to file such forms must be attached to the consolidated financial statement.
(4)(a) Every charitable organization, sponsor, or parent organization filing on behalf of one or more chapters, branches, or affiliates that is required to register under this section must pay a single registration fee. A parent organization filing on behalf of one or more chapters, branches, or affiliates shall total all contributions received by the chapters, branches, or affiliates included in the registration statement to determine registration fees. Fees shall be assessed as follows:
1. Ten dollars, if the contributions received for the last fiscal or calendar year were less than $5,000.
2. Seventy-five dollars, if the contributions received for the last fiscal year were $5,000 or more, but less than $100,000.
3. One hundred twenty-five dollars, if the contributions received for the last fiscal year were $100,000 or more, but less than $200,000.
4. Two hundred dollars, if the contributions received for the last fiscal year were $200,000 or more, but less than $500,000.
5. Three hundred dollars, if the contributions received for the last fiscal year were $500,000 or more, but less than $1 million.
6. Three hundred fifty dollars, if the contributions received for the last fiscal year were $1 million or more, but less than $10 million.
7. Four hundred dollars, if the contributions received for the last fiscal year were $10 million or more.
(b) A charitable organization or sponsor that fails to file a registration statement by the due date may be assessed an additional fee for such late filing. The late filing fee is $25 for each month or part of a month after the date on which the annual renewal statement was due to be filed with the department.
(c) All registration fees must be paid to the department and deposited into the General Inspection Trust Fund.
(5) Each chapter, branch, or area office of a charitable organization or sponsor must independently comply with the provisions of this section unless such entity is exempt from registration or has reported the required information to its parent organization for filing of a consolidated registration statement.
(6) An independent member charity of a federated fundraising organization must independently comply with the provisions of this section unless specifically exempted.
(7)(a) The department must examine each initial registration statement or annual renewal statement and the supporting documents filed by a charitable organization or sponsor and shall determine whether the registration requirements are satisfied. Within 15 business days after its receipt of a statement, the department must examine the statement, notify the applicant of any apparent errors or omissions, and request any additional information the department is allowed by law to require. Failure to correct an error or omission or to supply additional information is not grounds for denial of the initial registration or annual renewal statement unless the department has notified the applicant within the 15-business-day period. The department must approve or deny each statement, or must notify the applicant that the activity for which she or he seeks registration is exempt from the registration requirement, within 15 business days after receipt of the initial registration or annual renewal statement or the requested additional information or correction of errors or omissions. A statement that is not approved or denied within 15 business days after receipt of the requested additional information or correction of errors or omissions is approved. Within 7 business days after receipt of a notification that the registration requirements are not satisfied, the charitable organization or sponsor may request a hearing. The hearing must be held within 7 business days after receipt of the request, and any recommended order, if one is issued, must be rendered within 3 business days after the hearing. The final order must then be issued within 2 business days after the recommended order. If a recommended order is not issued, the final order must be issued within 5 business days after the hearing. The proceedings must be conducted in accordance with chapter 120, except that the time limits and provisions set forth in this paragraph prevail to the extent of any conflict.
(b) If a charitable organization or sponsor discloses information specified in subparagraphs (2)(d)2.-7. in the initial registration statement or annual renewal statement, the time limits set forth in paragraph (a) are waived, and the department shall process such initial registration statement or annual renewal statement in accordance with the time limits set forth in chapter 120. The registration of a charitable organization or sponsor shall be automatically suspended for failure to disclose any information specified in subparagraphs (2)(d)2.-7. until such time as the required information is submitted to the department.
(8) A charitable organization or sponsor, or an officer, director, trustee, or employee thereof, may not knowingly allow an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the charitable organization or sponsor to solicit contributions on behalf of such charitable organization or sponsor if such officer, director, trustee, or employee has, in any state, regardless of adjudication, been convicted of, been found guilty of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, or has been incarcerated within the last 10 years as a result of having previously been convicted of, been found guilty of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony within the last 10 years or a crime within the last 10 years involving fraud, theft, larceny, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, misappropriation of property, or a crime arising from the conduct of a solicitation for a charitable organization or sponsor, or has been enjoined in any state from violating a law relating to a charitable solicitation. The prohibitions in this subsection also apply to a misdemeanor in another state which constitutes a disqualifying felony in this state.
(9) The department may deny or revoke the registration of a charitable organization or sponsor if the charitable organization or sponsor, or an officer, director, or trustee thereof, has had the right to solicit contributions revoked in any state or has been ordered by a court or governmental agency to cease soliciting contributions within any state.
(10) A charitable organization or sponsor registered under this section which ends solicitation activities or participation in charitable sales promotions in this state shall immediately notify the department in writing of the date such activities ceased.
History.—ss. 5, 26, ch. 91-208; s. 2, ch. 93-174; ss. 2, 19, ch. 94-287; s. 5, ch. 95-372; s. 559, ch. 97-103; s. 1, ch. 97-250; s. 4, ch. 98-299; s. 2, ch. 99-307; s. 1, ch. 2001-351; s. 7, ch. 2013-251; s. 6, ch. 2014-122; s. 6, ch. 2023-155; s. 15, ch. 2024-137.
