Virginia charitable solicitation registration

Start with the Virginia activity, not merely the organization’s federal label. The state covers an organization that intends to solicit contributions in the Commonwealth or have funds solicited on its behalf, unless an exclusion or exemption applies. Inventory digital targeting, direct mail, events, grant appeals, chapters, alternate solicitation names, and professional fundraising relationships before launch.

Review Form 100 first if the organization appears to fit a Virginia charitable or civic exemption. If the full activity does not qualify, use Form 102 for initial registration. An approved Form 100 exemption does not renew annually, while a Form 102 registration moves into annual renewal. Preserve the supporting facts instead of checking an exemption category solely to avoid the registered filing.

Virginia launched Evoke for charitable registration in March 2026. A new applicant creates an account, starts an initial registration, completes the requested application, uploads the filing records, and pays through the platform. Existing organizations link the registration code to their account. Assign the account and inbox to an accountable owner so the record is not lost during staff or vendor turnover.

Paper Form 102 and check payment are still accepted. Use the current Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs address and instructions, and distinguish regular mail from an overnight delivery. Do not combine an abandoned online draft with a separate mailed packet unless the agency directs it; choose one controlled submission set and retain exactly what was delivered.

Form 102 asks for the current legal and solicitation names, physical and mailing addresses, Virginia offices, chapters or affiliates, contact information, organization type, formation facts, officers and directors, fiscal year, tax status, fundraising methods, professional firms, prior regulatory actions, and current and completed-year financial information. The current initial fee listed by VDACS is $100.

Virginia’s rules require the completed Form 102 or accepted Unified Registration Statement with all questions answered, the required attachments, and the specified certifications; the paper form uses two notarized signatures. Financial reports generally address the most recently completed fiscal year while other answers describe the current year. Use public federal-return copies and reconcile the filing to approved board and accounting records.

A submitted application is not permission to solicit if the record is incomplete. Monitor Evoke or the designated correspondence channel, cure questions from the same source file, and retain the acceptance letter. VDACS makes registration evidence available through Evoke and its public database as records are migrated, so verify the organization’s legal name and status after review.

Registration does not imply state endorsement. Calendar the annual Form 102 renewal for the 15th day of the fifth calendar month after fiscal year end and record the filing owner, financial-statement dependency, and extension decision. Virginia also requires changes to filed information to be reported promptly, so do not wait for annual renewal to correct a material identity or contact change.

Record the Form 100 or Form 102 conclusion, submission channel, amount paid, names of both certifying officers, date sent, agency response, and public-status result. Then give the fundraising owner one clear launch decision: registered, exempt on the documented facts, or on hold for agency completion. Keeping that decision with the campaign brief prevents a marketing calendar from outrunning the regulatory record.