West Virginia Charitable Organization Registration: CHR-1

West Virginia at a glance

Registration: Required, unless an exemption applies. Secretary of State, Charitable Organizations Division handles it. Source
Filing: CHR-1 Registration of Charitable Organization. Source
Renewal: Your renewal is due on the anniversary of your initial registration. Source
Renewal fee: $15 to $50, by band. Source
Late filing: A late fee applies, in the words of the source. Source
Extension: Available; the deadline section says how. Source
Exemptions: 7 listed, each quoted. Source

Every deadline, fee and exemption quotes its source and links to it.

Overview

Regulatory Agency: Secretary of State, Charitable Organizations Division
Registration Required: Yes

Track your West Virginia deadlines automatically

Your West Virginia renewal is due on the anniversary of your initial registration. CharityFile emails reminders before that date once you add your registration date. Reminders need a paid plan or a live trial. Initial registration is due prior to any solicitation.

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Fee Schedule

Revenue range	Fee
$0 to $999,999.99	$15 Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source “shall pay an annual registration fee of $15”
$1,000,000.01 or more	$50 Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source “every charitable organization collecting more than $1 million during one year which submits an independent registration to the Secretary of State shall pay an annual registration fee of $50”

Late filing fee

Late fee source: “statement or report required to be filed in any one year may not exceed $500.” — code.wvlegislature.gov

Annual filing

Your renewal is due on the anniversary of your initial registration

Extension. Good-cause written request; not to exceed 90 days. During the extension the previously filed statement remains in effect. Not IRS Form 8868.

Extension source: “For good cause shown, the Secretary of State may extend the due date for the annual filing of a registration statement or report by a charitable organization or a professional fundraiser for a period not to exceed 90 days.” — code.wvlegislature.gov

Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source

“which shall be good for one full year and which shall be refiled in the next and each following year in which the charitable organization is engaged in solicitation activities”

Required Documents

CHR-1 Registration of Charitable Organization. Forms and instructions: Agency page

Financial Statement
For the initial registration and the renewal
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source
“A copy of a balance sheet and a statement or report of income and expenses for the organization’s immediately preceding fiscal year or a financial statement reporting information showing the kind and amount of funds raised during the preceding fiscal year, the costs and expenses incidental to the fundraising and showing how the funds were disbursed or allocated for the same fiscal year”
Form CHR-1 is the filing
For the initial registration and the renewal
Source: sos.wv.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source
“Complete registration statement (or unified registration statement plus West Virginia supplement);”
IRS Form 990
For the initial registration and the renewal
When: CHR-1: 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N. If the organization files Form 990-N it must complete the Computation of Fundraising Percentage Form.
Source: sos.wv.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source
“Provide a copy of your most recent IRS Form 990; 990 EZ; or 990-N. If your organization files a Form 990-N they will be required to complete the Computation of Fundraising Percentage Form provided by our office;”

Exemptions

Educational
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified May 4, 2026 (5 mo ago) · send source
“(1) Educational institutions, the curriculums of which, in whole or in part, are registered or approved by the State Board of Education, either directly or by acceptance of accreditation by an accrediting body recognized by the State Board of Education; and any auxiliary associations, foundations and support groups which are directly responsible to the educational institutions”
Membership only
Organizations which solicit only within the membership of the organization by…
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified May 4, 2026 (5 mo ago) · send source
“(4) Organizations which solicit only within the membership of the organization by the members thereof: Provided, That the term “membership” does not include those persons who are granted a membership upon making a contribution as the result of solicitation.”
Hospital
Hospitals and licensed nursing homes which are nonprofit and charitable
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source
“Hospitals and licensed nursing homes which are nonprofit and charitable”
Named individual relief
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified May 4, 2026 (5 mo ago) · send source
“when all of the contributions collected without any deductions whatsoever are turned over to the named beneficiary”
Religious
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source
“Churches, synagogues, associations or conventions of churches, religious orders or religious organizations that are an integral part of a church which qualifies as tax exempt under the provisions of 26 U.S.C. §501(c)(3) and which qualifies as being exempt from filing an annual return under the provisions of 26 U.S.C. §6033”
Single event passthrough
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source
“Any person, firm, corporation or organization that sponsors a single fundraising event for the benefit of a named charitable organization where all or part of the funds collected are donated to the named charitable organization: Provided, That the named charitable organization receiving the funds is registered pursuant to this article, reports each of these donations individually and certifies that no funds were withheld by the organization that solicited the funds”
Small organization
Any charitable organization that does not employ a professional solicitor or…
Threshold: $50,000 (contributions)
Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source
“Any charitable organization that does not employ a professional solicitor or fundraiser and does not intend to solicit and receive and does not actually raise or receive contributions, donations or grants from the public in excess of $50,000 during a calendar year.”

Enforcement in West Virginia

Penalties

any person who willfully and knowingly violates any provision of this article, or who shall willfully and knowingly give false or incorrect information to the Secretary of State in filing statements or reports required by this article, whether such report or statement is verified or not, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined upon first conviction thereof in an amount not less than $100 nor more than $500, or be imprisoned in the county jail for not more than six months, or be both fined and imprisoned, and for the second and any subsequent offense to pay a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, or be imprisoned for not more than one year, or be both fined and imprisoned.

Source: W.Va. Code § 29-19-15 · verified September 15, 2026 (1 mo ago) · send source

“any person who willfully and knowingly violates any provision of this article, or who shall willfully and knowingly give false or incorrect information to the Secretary of State in filing statements or reports required by this article, whether such report or statement is verified or not, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined upon first conviction thereof in an amount not less than $100 nor more than $500, or be imprisoned in the county jail for not more than six months, or be both fined and imprisoned, and for the second and any subsequent offense to pay a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, or be imprisoned for not more than one year, or be both fined and imprisoned.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Does West Virginia require charitable solicitation registration?

Yes. West Virginia requires charitable organizations, as its statute defines them, to register. The Secretary of State, Charitable Organizations Division handles registration.

Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · verified September 24, 2026 (22 days ago) · send source

“Every charitable organization, except as provided in section six of this article, which intends to solicit contributions, donations or grants within this state or to have funds solicited or received on its behalf shall, prior to any solicitation, register with the Secretary of State, in a manner or method authorized and upon forms prescribed by him or her which shall be good for one full year and which shall be refiled in the next and each following year in which the charitable organization is engaged in solicitation activities.”

How much does West Virginia charitable registration cost?

Annual filing fees in West Virginia range from $15 to $50. Fee depends on annual revenue. Specifically: $15 for organizations with revenue $0 to $999,999.99; $50 for organizations with revenue $1,000,000.01 or more.

When is the West Virginia charitable registration filing deadline?

In West Virginia, your renewal is due on the anniversary of your initial registration. Initial registration is due prior to any solicitation. Extension. Good-cause written request; not to exceed 90 days. During the extension the previously filed statement remains in effect. Not IRS Form 8868.

Source: code.wvlegislature.gov · send source

“For good cause shown, the Secretary of State may extend the due date for the annual filing of a registration statement or report by a charitable organization or a professional fundraiser for a period not to exceed 90 days.”

What documents are required for West Virginia charitable registration renewal?

The primary form is CHR-1 Registration of Charitable Organization. Forms and instructions: https://sos.wv.gov/business/charities/charitable-organizations

Are there any exemptions from West Virginia charitable registration?

Yes. This guide cites these West Virginia exemptions:

Educational
Membership only
Hospital
Named individual relief
Religious
Single event passthrough
Small organization
Whether an exemption applies depends on your facts. Read the quoted source above.

Where do I file West Virginia charitable registration?

Filings go to the Secretary of State, Charitable Organizations Division; the agency page names the current method.

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