Washington close-out at a glance
Charity filing
Use Charity Closure in the Corporations and Charities Filing System when the closure conditions are met.
Closure conditions
The organization stopped Washington public solicitation and donations or permanently ceased operations.
Current fee
The Secretary of State lists no fee for a charitable closure.
Future activity
A voluntarily closed charity uses the state’s re-registration path before resuming covered activity.
Confirm that the Washington charity-closure test is met
The Secretary of State describes Charity Closure for an organization that stopped soliciting and receiving donations from the general public in Washington or permanently ceased operations. Review donation pages, mail and email appeals, events, peer-to-peer tools, social campaigns, grants, recurring gifts, commercial fundraisers, and donations received after the proposed date.
Document both sides of the test when the organization will continue elsewhere: public solicitation stopped and Washington public donations are no longer being received under the active campaign posture. Preserve geotargeting, web settings, CRM reports, processor records, and contract notices that support the filing.
Use the CCFS Charity Closure transaction
Complete the current Charity Closure in the Corporations and Charities Filing System using the existing Washington registration identity. Confirm the legal name, UBI or charity record, fiscal year, responsible contact, cessation facts, and any final solicitation-report information required by the live transaction. The current fee schedule lists charitable closure at no cost.
Save the submitted record, system receipt, correspondence, and closure confirmation. Recheck the CCFS public record after processing. A browser confirmation or changed public label should be preserved with the accepted filing, not used as the only evidence.
Resolve amendments, fundraisers, and reporting before closure
Washington requires charities to report specified changes, and professional fundraiser contracts and solicitation reports can create related work. Review open amendments, renewals, involuntary-closure notices, fundraiser registrations, contracts, and campaign reports. Close or amend each record according to its own instructions rather than assuming the charity closure automatically updates every participant.
Reconcile final Washington contributions and expenses to the organization’s financial records and federal return. Preserve the data supporting public disclosures and the final campaign period. Ending solicitation does not erase duties tied to earlier fundraising.
Keep charity closure separate from nonprofit dissolution
A Washington domestic nonprofit corporation uses the Secretary of State’s nonprofit dissolution process, and a foreign nonprofit uses the applicable statement of withdrawal. The state’s current forms page notes separate filings and, for some entity closures, Department of Revenue clearance requirements. The charity closure alone does not end the legal entity.
If the organization is dissolving, address board authority, liabilities, employees, grants, contracts, restricted assets, permitted recipients, tax accounts, and final returns with organization-specific advice. Save the charity and entity outcomes as separate records with aligned effective dates.
Plan for re-registration and long-term proof
Washington’s forms guidance says an organization that voluntarily closed uses Charity Re-Registration if it later resumes covered activity. Do not restart public solicitation or Washington donation acceptance based on the old registration. Review current law, fees, financial data, and fundraiser relationships before relaunch.
The close-out file should contain board approval, solicitation and donation stop evidence, CCFS closure submission and confirmation, final campaign and financial records, fundraiser closure, corporate and tax evidence, asset support, dated public checks, and the record custodian. This distinguishes a deliberate close-out from involuntary closure caused by a missed renewal.
Official Washington sources
Sources reviewed August 28, 2026. Live forms, the organization’s record, governing documents, and agency instructions control. This guide is informational and is not legal or tax advice.
Washington close-out FAQ
When should a charity use Washington Charity Closure?
Use it when the organization stopped soliciting and receiving donations from the general public in Washington or permanently ceased operations.
How much is the Washington charitable closure fee?
The Secretary of State's current fee schedule lists charitable closure at no cost.
Does Washington Charity Closure dissolve a nonprofit corporation?
No. Domestic dissolution and foreign withdrawal are separate entity filings.
What if a voluntarily closed charity wants to fundraise in Washington again?
Use the current Charity Re-Registration path and obtain effective status before resuming covered activity.
Is voluntary closure the same as involuntary closure?
No. Voluntary closure documents an intentional exit; involuntary closure can result from missed renewal or other record problems and has a different recovery path.
What should the Washington close-out file contain?
Keep the CCFS filing and confirmation, solicitation and donation stop evidence, final campaign records, fundraiser closure, entity and tax records, asset support, public checks, and custody plan.