Start a nonprofit · Connecticut
How to Start a Nonprofit in Connecticut
Connecticut calls a nonprofit corporation a nonstock corporation. The certificate of incorporation costs $50 and can be filed online, and the annual report is also $50. Soliciting donations in Connecticut generally requires registering with the Department of Consumer Protection first, with a $50 fee unless the organization qualifies for an exemption.
Every fee and rule on this page was checked against the agency's own publication on November 8, 2026. Sources are linked under each item.
At a glance
The Connecticut requirements in one table.
| Type of entity | A Connecticut nonstock corporation, created by filing a Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of the State. Sources: SOTS nonstock fees |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $50 for the Certificate of Incorporation, which can be filed online. The same fee page lists an Organization and First Report at $50 and a name reservation at $60. Sources: SOTS nonstock fees |
| Expedited service | Available only online. The fee page does not state an expedited fee. Sources: SOTS nonstock fees |
| Federal exemption | Form 1023 ($600) or Form 1023-EZ ($275), filed electronically on Pay.gov. Sources: IRS fee page, IRS e-filing notice |
| Annual report | $50, filed online. Sources: SOTS annual report |
| Charity registration | Register with the Department of Consumer Protection before any solicitation in Connecticut. $50 initial and $50 renewal, unless an exemption applies. Sources: DCP charity FAQ |
| Sales tax | Qualifying charitable organizations apply to the Department of Revenue Services for a Sales and Use Tax Exemption Permit. The guide describing this is archived, so confirm current steps with the Department. Sources: DRS guide (archived) |
The steps
Five steps, in the order they happen.
Check the name and decide whether to reserve it.
The Secretary of the State lists a name reservation at $60. Reserving is optional and only matters if there is a gap between choosing a name and filing.
Sources: SOTS nonstock fees
File the Certificate of Incorporation.
The fee is $50, and the filing can be made online. Expedited service is available only for online filings, and the fee page does not state an expedited amount. The same fee schedule lists an Organization and First Report at $50, so confirm in the online filing flow whether it is a separate charge for a new nonstock corporation.
The statute that sets the minimum number of incorporators and directors could not be read for this page, so check that requirement on the Secretary of the State's certificate form before filing.
Sources: SOTS nonstock fees
Apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status.
Forming a corporation does not make it tax-exempt. The federal application is Form 1023, with a $600 user fee, or the shorter Form 1023-EZ, with a $275 user fee, for smaller organizations that pass the eligibility worksheet in the form instructions. Both are filed electronically on Pay.gov, and the IRS returns paper applications. The IRS notes that the amounts can change.
The IRS answers with a determination letter, the written ruling that recognizes the exemption.
Sources: IRS fee page, IRS e-filing notice
Register with Consumer Protection before soliciting.
The Department of Consumer Protection states that charities must register before any type of solicitation in Connecticut. An organization does not need 501(c)(3) status or incorporation before registering. Initial registration for a full charity is $50, with a $50 renewal and a $25 late fee for each month or partial month a renewal is late.
Charities that qualify for an exemption from the financial requirements pay no registration fee and file no financial report. An organization claiming the exemption based on contributions under $50,000 a year must still submit a Form 990. Registration is separate from federal tax-exempt status and does not make donations tax-deductible.
Sources: DCP charity FAQ
Apply for the sales tax exemption permit.
According to the Department of Revenue Services guide, an organization operated exclusively for charitable, religious or educational purposes and open to the general public can apply for a Sales and Use Tax Exemption Permit. The application described there includes a certified copy of the articles, financial statements for the prior three years, a property tax exemption letter or affidavit and the IRS determination letter. That guide is archived and marked not current, so confirm the current application with the Department before relying on it.
Sources: DRS guide (archived)
Charity rules
What the charity registration does and does not cover.
Connecticut registration works separately from federal status.
Not tied to 501(c)(3).
Registering with Consumer Protection does not require IRS recognition and does not create tax-deductible status.
Sources: DCP charity FAQ
Audit thresholds.
Gross revenue from $500,000 to $1,000,000 calls for an independent review or audit report, and over $1,000,000 calls for an independent audit report. Written waivers are available but not granted for two consecutive renewal cycles.
Sources: DCP charity FAQ
After you form
Staying in good standing.
Two things recur.
File the annual report.
The annual report fee is $50 and is filed online. The fee page does not state the due date, so check the Secretary of the State's filing policies.
Sources: SOTS annual report
Renew the charity registration.
Registration renews based on the fiscal year end and expires on the last day of the eleventh month after the fiscal year ends. Late renewal costs $25 for each month or partial month.
Sources: DCP charity FAQ
Common questions
Quick answers.
How much does it cost to start a nonprofit in Connecticut?
The Certificate of Incorporation costs $50, plus the IRS user fee of $275 for Form 1023-EZ or $600 for Form 1023. The fee schedule also lists an Organization and First Report at $50, so the state total may be $100. Charity registration with Consumer Protection adds $50 unless an exemption applies.
Do I have to register as a charity in Connecticut?
Generally yes, before soliciting. Consumer Protection states that charities must register before any type of solicitation in Connecticut, unless an exemption applies.
Does 501(c)(3) status exempt a Connecticut nonprofit from sales tax automatically?
No. The Department of Revenue Services guide describes a separate application for a Sales and Use Tax Exemption Permit. The guide is archived, so confirm current steps with the Department.
After the filing
What comes next for a Connecticut nonprofit.
The state filing is the short part. These are the next four jobs, and the book that handles each.
- Book I
Get the federal application and first-year budget right
The name, bylaws, the IRS application, a founding board and a first-year budget that balances.
- Book X
Start from finished documents
Forty annotated documents, including bylaws, budgets, policies, job descriptions and board papers, as editable Word files.
- Book VII
Build the board on purpose
What a board is for, recruiting for the skills you lack, working with the chair and running meetings that reach decisions.
- Book VIII
Stay in good standing
Charitable solicitation registration, operating in a second state, insurance and annual filings.
The complete set
All ten books and forty documents, $149.
All ten books in PDF and EPUB, plus the forty documents from Book X as editable Word files. The books are not sold separately.
Free when you join the list
Every Document a New Nonprofit Needs
Articles, bylaws, minutes, the exemption application, the policies and the filings: the whole sequence a new organization has to produce, in the order it arrives.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
- Connecticut Business One Stop, Domestic NonStock Corporations Fees
- Connecticut Business One Stop, Domestic Annual Report Forms and Fees
- Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Frequently Asked Questions from Charitable Organizations and Paid Solicitors
- Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, TSSN-38, The State Tax Guide for Nonprofit Organizations (archived)
- IRS, Form 1023 and 1023-EZ: amount of user fee
- IRS, Changes to the exempt organization determinations process
Last verified November 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the agency before you file. This page is general information and not legal or tax advice.