--- title: "California Nonprofit, Charity, and Legal Entity Setup" slug: "california-nonprofit-charity-and-legal-entity-setup" tags: ["nonprofit", "california", "Entity"] updated: 2022-10-12T22:09:27Z published: 2022-10-12T22:09:27Z canonical: "resourceportal.antientropy.org/california-nonprofit-charity-and-legal-entity-setup" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://resourceportal.antientropy.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # California Nonprofit, Charity, and Legal Entity Setup ### Who is this article for? Anyone wanting to start a nonprofit or charity in the state of California. Starting a nonprofit and charity in California requires registering with different state agencies. You may file these online or mail these forms to the corresponding agency. ### California Nonprofit and Charity Overview - Incorporate with the California Secretary of State - [Register for your EIN](/v1/docs/applying-for-an-ein) - Register for the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts - [Apply for tax-exempt status with the IRS](/v1/docs/applying-for-charity-status-us) - Apply for state income tax exemption with the Franchise Tax Board (this is specific to California). ### Items Needed During This Process - [Registered Agent](/v1/docs/us-registered-agent) - [Articles of Incorporation](/v1/docs/articles-of-incorporation) - [Board Members](/v1/docs/nonprofit-board-member) - [Bylaws](/v1/docs/us-corporate-bylaws) --- ### Incorporating with the California Secretary of State 1. Check for the availability of your organization's name on the database on the [Secretary of State website](https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business). You can also request to reserve a name for 60 days. --- 1. File articles of incorporation [online](https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov). You will be required to pay a $100 fee. [Template here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H4fTLobxdFY9wKssuFrsdNy4PSckEajl0CF-rRQlpJQ/edit?usp=sharing). --- 1. Appoint your [board of directors](/v1/docs/nonprofit-board-member). In California, a board must be composed of at least three directors. --- 1. Create your [Bylaws](/v1/docs/us-corporate-bylaws). 1. Include a conflict of interest policy 2. Ensure that all board members understand and sign during the [first board meeting](/v1/docs/us-nonprofit-board-meeting-requirements) 3. In California, you’re not required to file bylaws with the state. --- 1. Complete [Form SI-100](https://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/corp/pdf/so/corp_so100.pdf) 1. The Statement of Information form must be submitted within 90 days of filing the articles of incorporation. There is a $20 fee. It may take several weeks to process before the filing office sends a notification of your incorporation. You may receive a certificate of incorporation with the state seal. --- ### Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts File the initial registration with the [Attorney General](https://oag.ca.gov/charities/initial-reg) within 30 days of first receiving charitable assets. This also applies to foreign nonprofits that do business in California. **Here are the requirements:** - [Form CT-1](https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/media/ct1-form.pdf) - Initial registration fee of $50 - Nonprofit organization’s founding documents - Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Articles of Association, Trust Agreement, current Bylaws - IRS Determination Letter - IRS Application for Recognition of Exemption Submit the above to: California Attorney General’s Office Registry of Charitable Trusts P.O. Box 903447 Sacramento, CA 94203-4470 Typical processing time is about 90 days from receipt of the requirements, provided that the documents are complete. You can check the status of your registration here. --- ### Franchise Tax Board Specific to California, you can submit [Form FTB 3500](https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/Search/Home/FormRequest/3043) to the Franchise Tax Board to apply for state income tax exemption. --- ### Additional Registration Requirements Depending on your nonprofit organization and the type of activities you conduct, you may also need to apply for state-specific exemptions and other licenses. **Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts** - California Charitable Solicitation Registration - California Commercial Fundraiser Registration - California Fundraising Counsel Registration - California Raffle Registration **California Office of the Attorney General - Bureau of Gambling Control** - California Registration Certificate (host one game night within a year) **California Department of Insurance** - California Charitable Gift Annuity Registration ## Related - [Starting a Nonprofit or Charity in the US](/how-to-start-a-nonprofit-us.md) - [Board Member Requirements](/board-member-requirements.md) - [US Nonprofit Board Meeting Requirements](/us-nonprofit-board-meeting-requirements.md) - [US Corporate Bylaws](/us-corporate-bylaws.md)