# How to Start a Nonprofit in Florida ## How do you start a nonprofit in Florida? To start a nonprofit in Florida, you recruit at least three directors, file articles of incorporation for a not for profit corporation with the Florida Division of Corporations, obtain an EIN, adopt bylaws at an organizational meeting, and apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) status. Before asking Florida residents for donations, the organization must register with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under the Solicitation of Contributions Act and renew that registration every year; small charities under the statutory revenue threshold can file a simplified exempt registration. Florida sales tax exemption requires a separate application to the Department of Revenue, and the corporation files a Florida annual report each year to stay active. Florida makes incorporation easy and fundraising regulated: articles filed through the Division of Corporations get most organizations started within days, but nearly every charity that asks Floridians for money must first register under the Solicitation of Contributions Act and renew every year. Here is the full sequence, from Sunbiz to your first compliant campaign. ## Forming a Florida Nonprofit Corporation A Florida not for profit corporation is formed under Chapter 617 of the Florida Statutes by filing articles of incorporation with the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, most easily through the Sunbiz portal. Florida requires at least three directors and a Florida registered agent who signs the filing. The state adds two obligations founders should plan for from day one: the annual report to the Division of Corporations due each year to keep the corporation active, and registration with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) under the Solicitation of Contributions Act before soliciting donations, renewed annually thereafter. Sales tax exemption is a separate application to the Department of Revenue. ## Florida Formation Steps in Order The national playbook in our pillar guide at /how-to-start-a-nonprofit applies in Florida with two state-specific emphases: the annual report that keeps the corporation alive and the FDACS registration that makes fundraising legal. ## The Solicitation of Contributions Act in Practice Florida's registration net is one of the widest in the country: charitable organizations and sponsors register with FDACS before soliciting in or from Florida, including online appeals that reach Florida donors. Registration renews annually with financial reporting tiered to contribution levels, and professional solicitors and fundraising consultants register separately, with solicitors posting surety bonds. Late renewals draw fines, and soliciting while unregistered is an enforceable violation. The Florida detail page at /charitable-registration-laws/florida-charitable-registration-laws tracks the thresholds and current requirements, and the multistate view at /charitable-registration-state-laws shows every other state your Florida campaigns may reach. ## Gaming, Foreign Charities, and the Rest of the Stack Florida authorizes drawings by chance for qualified charities under conditions that stop short of a full raffle license but carry strict disclosure rules; bingo runs under its own statute with local enforcement. Out-of-state charities soliciting Floridians register with FDACS the same as home-state organizations and, if they operate in Florida, qualify as foreign corporations with a Florida registered agent; our coverage at /registered-agent-for-nonprofits includes Florida and every other state. Solicitor bonds place through our in-house surety practice, and the whole Florida calendar, annual report, FDACS renewal, and Form 990, runs alongside your other states in one program at /nonprofit-licensing. ## How to get licensed 1. **Good Standing Assessment**, We analyze your business model and, in coordination with our attorney partners, help identify which licenses may apply in every state where you want to operate. 2. **Application Preparation**, We prepare all applications, gather required documentation, and coordinate background checks, financial statements, and surety bonds. 3. **Filing & Follow-Up**, We submit applications to each state and actively follow up with regulators to keep the process moving. 4. **Ongoing Filings**, After licensing, we manage your renewals, regulatory filings, and filing calendar so you never miss a deadline. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I have to register before fundraising in Florida? Almost always, yes. The Solicitation of Contributions Act requires charitable organizations to register with FDACS before soliciting contributions in or from Florida, and the annual renewal keeps that authority current. Small charities under the statutory revenue threshold can claim a simplified exempt registration, but it is a filing, not an automatic pass, and religious institutions have a statutory exemption with its own contours. ### How many directors does a Florida nonprofit need? Three. Chapter 617 requires a Florida not for profit corporation to have at least three directors. Officers may overlap with the board, and directors do not need to be Florida residents. ### What happens if I miss the Florida annual report? The Division of Corporations assesses a significant late fee and, if the report is still missing by the fall deadline, administratively dissolves the corporation. Reinstatement is possible but costs more than filing on time, and a dissolved corporation cannot legally operate or fundraise. Calendar it with your FDACS renewal so neither lapses. ### Is a Florida nonprofit exempt from sales tax? Only after applying. Florida 501(c)(3) organizations apply to the Department of Revenue for a consumer's certificate of exemption, which exempts qualifying purchases. It renews on a multi-year cycle, and exemption on purchases does not automatically extend to things the organization sells. --- ## How to cite this page Cite as: "How to Start a Nonprofit in Florida." Cornerstone Licensing. https://cornerstonelicensing.com/start-a-nonprofit-in-florida Published by Cornerstone Licensing. When quoting figures or legal requirements, link the canonical URL above and note the last-updated date (2026-07-31). The full content index for this site is at https://cornerstonelicensing.com/llms.txt.