Important note: This article is general educational information, not legal, tax, or accounting advice. Confirm any requirement with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs’ Charities Registration Section or a qualified professional before you rely on it.
You are probably here because your organization is about to ask New Jersey residents for money, or because a New Jersey charity registration renewal is coming up and someone has to work out which form, which fee and which date.
New Jersey’s rules turn on three dollar lines. One decides whether you register at all, a second decides which form you file, and a third decides whether you need an audit. The first two, and the fee, count gross contributions; the audit line counts something narrower. Mix them up and you can file the wrong form, pay the wrong fee or skip an audit you owe.
Here is how the three lines work, and the deadline that does not move when you extend your federal return.
Key takeaways
- Charities based, operating or soliciting in New Jersey register with the Division of Consumer Affairs unless exempt, and renew every year online through the NJ Charities Portal.
- Over $10,000 in gross contributions, or anyone paid to solicit, means you must register. Over $25,000, or a contract with a professional fund raiser, means the long form: CRI-150I to register and CRI-300R to renew. Otherwise the short form, CRI-200.
- Under the statute, a certified audit is automatically required only for long-form filers with more than $1,000,000 in monetary contributions; mission-related in-kind gifts, one-time bequests and capital-only gifts are left out.
- The renewal is due six months after the fiscal year ends, June 30 for a calendar year. An IRS extension for the 990 does not extend it; New Jersey needs its own extension request.
- Fees are $30 on the short form and $60, $150 or $250 on the long form, plus a $25 late fee for a late renewal.
On this page
- Three dollar lines, two ways of counting
- Who must register in New Jersey
- Which form: CRI-200, CRI-150I or CRI-300R
- When New Jersey requires an audit
- New Jersey charity registration fees
- Renewal deadline and extensions
- Filing through the NJ Charities Portal
- The statement your solicitations must carry
- What happens if you are late or unregistered
- What to settle before you file
- Getting help with annual filings
- Sources reviewed
- Frequently asked questions
- Related NPO Resources guides
Three dollar lines, two ways of counting
Think of a doorframe with three pencil marks: an organization grows past them one at a time, but the top mark is measured differently from the other two. New Jersey’s three lines come from the Charitable Registration and Investigation Act, N.J.S.A. 45:17A-18 and following, and the Division’s registration information page:
- $10,000 — whether you register. An organization with $10,000 or less in gross contributions whose fund raising is done entirely by people not paid to solicit may choose whether to register. The Division phrases this as not using “a professional fundraiser”; the statute’s wording also covers your own paid staff who solicit. Above that, it must register within 30 days of crossing the line, not at the end of the fiscal year.
- $25,000 — which form. Up to $25,000 in gross contributions, the short form CRI-200. More than that, or any contract with a professional fund raiser, the long form.
- $1,000,000 — whether you need an audit. Only long-form filers, and only counting monetary donations. Take an organization with $600,000 in donated food, $400,000 in cash gifts and $200,000 in program fees: only the $400,000 in cash gifts counts toward the statute’s line.
The fee scale reads the same figure as the first two lines: the Division’s page notes that fees “are based on gross contributions, not total gross revenue.” Under N.J.A.C. 13:48-1.3, gross contributions are those received from everywhere, not only from New Jersey. So before you file, write down two numbers from your books, gross contributions and monetary donations, and one yes-or-no: did anyone get paid to solicit?
Who must register in New Jersey
The Division’s registration page says charitable organizations “based, operating or soliciting within the State of New Jersey must register” unless the CRI Act exempts them. Its FAQ adds that registration “is not limited to IRS 501(c)3 organizations” and covers charities that solicit New Jersey residents, and section 45:17A-39 applies the Act to organizations whose principal place of business is outside the state.
The main exemptions in section 45:17A-26 are:
- religious organizations, and charitable agencies affiliated with, operated by or supervised by them;
- educational institutions whose curricula are registered or approved by the state, and libraries registered by the Department of Education, provided their annual financial report is filed with the Department of Education;
- organizations with gross contributions of $10,000 or less whose fund raising is carried on entirely by people who are not paid to solicit.
That last group may still register voluntarily. If it does, the Division says it pays a $30 fee, files a renewal every year, and “may no longer be granted extensions of time to file.”
Registration comes with a short review period. Section 45:17A-23 makes it unlawful to solicit “before the Attorney General has been given the opportunity to review the registration statement,” and under section 45:17A-22 the Attorney General has 10 business days to say the requirements are not met; if no notice is sent, the registration statement is accepted. Our guide to charitable solicitation registration explains what triggers registration across states.
Which form: CRI-200, CRI-150I or CRI-300R
Short form: CRI-200
For $25,000 or less in gross contributions, or a bona fide veterans’ organization. The same form registers and renews.
Long form: CRI-150I, then CRI-300R
For more than $25,000 in gross contributions, or any contract with a professional fund raiser; the statute’s short-form test also excludes organizations whose own paid staff solicit. To register, the Division asks for “Form CRI-150I and CRI-150IC (with addendum)”; CRI-300R renews each year.
A first registration includes copies of the organization’s by-laws, articles of incorporation, IRS determination letter and most recently filed Form 990; if any of these does not exist, the Division asks for a cover letter explaining why. A renewal goes in with a copy of the Form 990 or 990-EZ for the year being reported, if the IRS required one. New Jersey does not accept the multistate (Unified Registration Statement) form: the FAQ says “All charity registrations must be filed online through the NJ Charities portal.”
Two officers sign every registration. N.J.S.A. 45:17A-23(c), carried forward in P.L.2021, c.381, requires “two authorized officers, including the chief fiscal officer of the organization,” and the Division’s certification form asks for one of them to be the Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer.
When New Jersey requires an audit
Since January 18, 2022, when P.L.2021, c.381 took effect, a long-form filer whose annual report shows “gross revenue in excess of $1,000,000 in monetary donations” must include financial statements audited by an independent certified public accountant, along with any management letters from the audit. For long-form filers above $25,000 and below $1,000,000 in monetary donations, the financial report is certified by the organization’s president or another authorized officer, and the Attorney General can still ask for an audit.
Three kinds of money are left out of the $1,000,000 count:
- In-kind contributions directly related to the mission. The law names food for food pantries or food banks and supplies for shelters; the Division’s page also lists donated goods, materials, equipment, property and services.
- One-time bequests, per the Division’s page and N.J.A.C. 13:48-5.3, which was written for the older test.
- Contributions received solely for capital projects, on the same basis.
The same law adds a requirement in the other direction: annual financial reports must include a summary of all non-monetary in-kind contributions and the value given to them. The Division states that when the facts call for an audit, the requirement “cannot be waived,” and that it does not apply to short-form filers.
One caution: the Division’s regulations, N.J.A.C. 13:48, still describe the older line of more than $500,000 in gross revenue. They were readopted without change effective October 2, 2024, while the 2022 statute set its own line at $1,000,000 in monetary donations, and the Division’s registration page uses $1,000,000. If your organization is near either figure, settle the level with your accountant early.
New Jersey charity registration fees
Every filer pays a registration fee, set by gross contributions for the year being reported:
| Form and gross contributions | Fee |
|---|---|
| CRI-200 short form, $10,000 or less | $30 |
| CRI-200 short form, $10,001 to $25,000 | $30 |
| CRI-150I or CRI-300R long form, $25,001 to $100,000 | $60 |
| Long form, $100,001 to $500,000 | $150 |
| Long form, more than $500,000 | $250 |
From the Division’s registration information page and FAQ, read 22 October 2026. Fees change; check the source.
A renewal filed after its due date adds a $25 late fee, the same for every filer. Fees are paid online by credit or debit card when you file, and the Division says there is no service fee.
Renewal deadline and extensions
The renewal is due six months after the fiscal year ends. The Division’s example: a December 31 year end means the New Jersey renewal “would always be due on June 30 of the following year.” That is about six weeks after the federal Form 990 is due on May 15, according to the IRS, so a 990 filed on time is ready before the New Jersey date.
Here is the trap. The Division’s page says IRS extensions of time to file the 990 “alone are not recognized by the CRI Act” for the New Jersey renewal. If you extend the 990 by six months and assume New Jersey follows, your registration is late on July 1. To move the New Jersey date:
- Request the extension through the NJ Charities Portal, which the Division says is the only way, before the renewal is due.
- Only compliant charities with gross contributions over $10,000 can ask; under N.J.A.C. 13:48-3.4 a request is denied if last year’s report or any fees are outstanding.
- Pay the year’s registration fee with the request, as N.J.A.C. 13:48-3.4(d) requires. The portal guide says the request is deemed approved once payment is submitted, giving 180 more days from the original due date; under N.J.S.A. 45:17A-23(b), the previous registration stays in effect meanwhile.
Filing through the NJ Charities Portal
All charity registrations, first-time and renewal, go through the NJ Charities Portal. The Division’s portal renewal guide walks through the steps:
- Create an account on the portal, or sign in if you have filed before. An organization that is already registered requests access to its existing record rather than registering again.
- Renew from the oldest open year to the newest. The portal lists each fiscal year in the organization’s registration history.
- Complete the form and upload attachments as PDF files; the guide warns that a password-protected file brings a deficiency notice, and asks you to upload every page.
- Send the certification for signature. The two authorized officers each receive a DocuSign email and sign electronically.
- Pay the fee by card, the last step, and keep the confirmation page and emailed receipt.
If you contract with a paid professional fund raiser or fund raising counsel, both of you must be registered, and the fund raiser files your signed contract at least 10 business days before working in New Jersey. A commercial co-venture contract is filed at least 10 days before the promotion starts, with a $30 fee, and a CCO-500 report with a $10 fee follows when it ends.
Questions go to the Charities Registration Section, P.O. Box 45021, Newark, NJ 07101, (973) 504-6215, or [email protected], according to the Division’s FAQ.
The statement your solicitations must carry
Section 45:17A-38 requires every printed solicitation, written confirmation, receipt or written reminder from or on behalf of a registered charity to carry a conspicuously printed statement. The wording in the regulation, N.J.A.C. 13:48-11.2(d), reads:
“INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING 973-504-6215” and, after the web address, “REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT.”
The web address printed in the regulation is an old state URL, so check the current wording and address with the Division before you print. If you solicit in other states too, check their rules as well; another state may require a statement of its own.
What happens if you are late or unregistered
Late fee
A renewal filed after its due date adds $25 to the registration fee, the same for every filer.
No extension next year
The portal guide says an organization with delinquent or deficient past years may not be allowed to request an extension until it fixes them; N.J.A.C. 13:48-3.4(f) requires denial if last year’s report or any fees are outstanding.
Civil penalties
Under section 45:17A-33, up to $10,000 for a first violation of the Act, and up to $20,000 for a second and each later violation.
New Jersey nonprofit corporations also file an annual report with the State Treasurer under N.J.S. 15A:4-5, which P.L.2021, c.381 also amended. That report is about the corporation’s existence, not its fund raising, and it is separate from the charity registration renewal.
What to settle before you file
Start with these, and add to them as the organization grows. A short list you actually run each year beats a perfect one you avoid.
- Write down two numbers and one yes-or-no: gross contributions, monetary donations after the in-kind, bequest and capital exclusions, and whether anyone was paid to solicit.
- Pick the form and fee from those numbers, and book the auditor early if you are over the audit line.
- Put June 30 (or your six-month date) on the calendar separately from the 990 — our nonprofit compliance calendar checklist has a place for both.
- If you extend the 990, request the New Jersey extension too, through the portal, before the due date.
- Confirm the two signers, one of them the treasurer or chief financial officer, and that both can receive DocuSign emails.
Getting help with annual filings
GivingArc | Nonprofit accounting
Bookkeeping, monthly close, and Form 990 preparation for small nonprofit teams. GivingArc is run by connectNPO, the company behind NPO Resources. The registration itself is filed by your organization through the NJ Charities Portal, and a certified audit required by New Jersey still comes from an independent certified public accountant.
To work from the official sources directly, our filing requirements by state page lists New Jersey’s official pages with the date each was last checked, and the Division’s directory of registered charities shows an organization’s registration status.
Sources reviewed
Every fact above was read on the pages below on 22 October 2026. Fees, forms and procedures change; check the source before relying on any figure here.
- NJ Division of Consumer Affairs — Charities Registration Information — thresholds, forms, audit, fees, due date, extensions, contracts.
- Charities Registration Section — FAQ — who must register, exemptions, multistate form, fees, contact details.
- Charities Portal Renewal FAQs and Troubleshooting — portal steps, DocuSign signatures, uploads, extension requests.
- P.L.2021, c.381 — the $1,000,000 audit line, the in-kind exclusion and summary, and the State Treasurer annual report; it also carries forward the two-officer signature, six-month renewal and 180-day extension in section 45:17A-23.
- Charitable Registration and Investigation Act, N.J.S.A. 45:17A-18 et seq. (Division courtesy copy) — sections 45:17A-22, -23, -24, -25, -26, -33, -38 and -39 (revised 2013 copy; the later amendment is linked above).
- N.J.A.C. 13:48, Charitable Fund Raising (Division copy dated May 9, 2022) and its 2024 readoption notice — gross contributions, extension rules in 13:48-3.4, the older audit test in 13:48-5.3 and the disclosure wording in 13:48-11.2.
- Certification form for CRI-150I, CRI-300R and CRI-200 — the two signers.
- IRS — Annual exempt organization return due date — the federal May 15 due date.
Frequently asked questions
Charitable organizations based, operating or soliciting in New Jersey must register with the Division of Consumer Affairs unless exempt. The main exemptions cover religious organizations, certain educational institutions and libraries, and organizations with $10,000 or less in gross contributions whose fund raising is done entirely by people not paid to solicit.
CRI-200 is the short form for organizations with $25,000 or less in gross contributions, or bona fide veterans’ organizations, used to register and to renew. CRI-300R is the long-form renewal for organizations over $25,000 or that contracted with a professional fund raiser; those organizations first register on CRI-150I.
Six months after the fiscal year ends. For a December 31 year end, the renewal is due June 30 of the following year.
No. The Division says IRS extensions for the 990 alone are not recognized. To move the date, a compliant charity with more than $10,000 in gross contributions can request a separate extension through the NJ Charities Portal before the due date, paying the registration fee with it.
Under the statute, automatically when a long-form filer received more than $1,000,000 in monetary contributions during the year reported; the Attorney General can also ask for one. Mission-related in-kind contributions, one-time bequests and contributions received solely for capital projects are not counted. Short-form filers are not subject to the audit requirement.
The short form CRI-200 costs $30. The long form costs $60 for $25,001 to $100,000 in gross contributions, $150 for $100,001 to $500,000, and $250 for more than $500,000. A late renewal adds $25.
No. The Division’s FAQ says all charity registrations must be filed online through the NJ Charities Portal.
Related NPO Resources guides
- Charitable solicitation registration — what triggers registration, and how New Jersey compares with other states.
- CHAR500: New York charity annual filing — New York’s annual filing, where the registration category sets the rules.
- BCO-10: Pennsylvania charity registration — Pennsylvania’s registration and renewal.
- North Carolina charitable solicitation license — North Carolina’s license, where paying an officer can remove the small-organization exemption.
- Form RRF-1: California charity registration renewal — California’s annual renewal.
- AG990-IL: Illinois charity annual report — the Illinois annual report.
- Form 990 filing requirements — the federal return New Jersey asks for.
- Nonprofit compliance calendar checklist — putting state and federal deadlines on one calendar.