As of 2026-07-23 · verified against primary sources
Maryland charitable solicitation registration: requirements, fees, and deadlines
| Registration | Required |
| Agency | Maryland Secretary of State — Charitable Organization Division |
| Initial fee | $0–$300, tiered on contributions |
| Renewal fee | $0–$300, tiered on contributions |
| Renewal / report due | 6 months after fiscal year end |
| Filing channel | Electronic filing available |
Who must register
Maryland generally requires charitable organizations to register with the Maryland Secretary of State — Charitable Organization Division before soliciting contributions there, unless an exemption applies. Requirements attach to out-of-state charities soliciting Maryland residents as well as local ones.
Md. Code, Bus. Reg. § 6-401(a) · official source
Exemptions we check for
Likely exempt if it is a religious organization, a parent organization of one, or a school affiliated with a religious organization, holding a federal tax-exempt declaration, and it uses no professional solicitor (Md. Code, Bus. Reg. § 6-102(c)(1)) — self-executing; evidence is submitted only if the Secretary of State requests it.
BR § 6-102(c)(1)(i)+(ii)2 verbatim in md-dc-primary-sources.md — ALL (c)(1) exemptions are conditioned on not employing a professional solicitor ((c)(1)(i));…
Likely exempt if its charitable contributions from the public are under $25,000 for the year and it uses no professional solicitor (Md. Code, Bus. Reg. § 6-102(c)(1)(ii)4) — exempt from registration, but Maryland requires the Exempt Organization Fund-Raising Notice BEFORE soliciting and annually within 8 months after each fiscal year end (no fee).
BR § 6-102(c)(1)(ii)4 + (c)(1)(i); operationalized through the SOS Exempt Organization Fund-Raising Notice ('submitted prior to any solicitation … annually t… · a filing is required to claim this exemption
The state, not Steadworthy, decides whether an exemption applies.
Financial statement thresholds
- CPA review at $400,000+ contributions · BR § 6-402(b)(7) as amended by Ch. 394, Acts of 2026 (SB 354, approved 2026-05-12, EFF. 2026-07-01): CPA review at charitable contributions >=$400,000-<$1,00…
- Independent audit at $1,000,000+ contributions · Same Ch. 394
Is your charity registered in Maryland? Check free.
Citations
- Md. Code, Bus. Reg. § 6-401(a) · source · verified 2026-07-23
- BR § 6-401 (register with the Secretary of State); Charitable Organization Division, 16 Francis St., Annapolis. Online via Maryland OneStop (onestop.md.gov). · source · verified 2026-07-23
- BR § 6-407 verbatim tiers on charitable contributions from the public · source · verified 2026-07-23
- Same § 6-407 annual fee with each Annual Update. Late fee § 6-407(c) · source · verified 2026-07-23
- BR § 6-408(b) · source · verified 2026-07-23
- Maryland OneStop portal (onestop.md.gov) for initial + annual registrations; paper/email accepted (10-30 days online, 6-8 weeks peak). · source · verified 2026-07-23
- BR § 6-102(c)(1)(i)+(ii)2 verbatim in md-dc-primary-sources.md — ALL (c)(1) exemptions are conditioned on not employing a professional solicitor ((c)(1)(i));… · source · verified 2026-07-23
- BR § 6-102(c)(1)(ii)4 + (c)(1)(i); operationalized through the SOS Exempt Organization Fund-Raising Notice ('submitted prior to any solicitation … annually t… · source · verified 2026-07-23
- BR § 6-402(b)(7) as amended by Ch. 394, Acts of 2026 (SB 354, approved 2026-05-12, EFF. 2026-07-01): CPA review at charitable contributions >=$400,000-<$1,00… · source · verified 2026-07-23
- Same Ch. 394 · source · verified 2026-07-23
Statuses and requirements reflect public records and cited sources as of the dates shown. Informational, not legal advice.