Last updated: November 2026
Forming a Florida nonprofit is the easy part. Keeping it in good standing takes a handful of filings every year, with three different agencies, on three different calendars. Most of the nonprofits we see in trouble did not do anything wrong. They simply missed a deadline nobody was tracking.
Here is the yearly checklist, with each item explained below.
| Requirement | Who you file with | When | Cost | If you miss it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual report | Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) | January 1 to May 1, every year | $61.25 | Administrative dissolution in September; $175 to reinstate, plus the missed report fees |
| Registered agent | Florida Division of Corporations | At all times | $35 to change, or free on the annual report | You may miss lawsuits and state notices |
| Charitable solicitation registration | Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) | Before you ask for donations, then yearly | $10 to $400, based on contributions | $25 late fee per month, and you cannot legally solicit |
| Sales tax exemption certificate | Florida Department of Revenue | Every 5 years | No fee | The certificate expires, and you pay sales tax on purchases |
| Corporate records | Kept by the nonprofit | Ongoing | None | Trouble with members, lenders, or auditors |
| IRS Form 990 series | Internal Revenue Service | 15th day of the 5th month after year end (May 15 for a calendar year) | No IRS filing fee | Three missed years means automatic loss of tax-exempt status |
1. File your annual report with Sunbiz
Every Florida nonprofit corporation must file an annual report between January 1 and May 1, starting the year after it was formed. The fee for a nonprofit is $61.25, and unlike for-profit companies, nonprofits do not pay the $400 late fee.
That does not mean late is fine. If the report is not filed by the third Friday in September, the state administratively dissolves the corporation. Reinstatement costs $175 plus the annual report fee for each year missed. Until the report is filed, the nonprofit also cannot bring or maintain a lawsuit in Florida.
2. Keep a registered agent in place
Florida requires every nonprofit to keep a registered agent and registered office in the state at all times. This is where lawsuits and official state notices are delivered. If your agent was a founding board member who has since moved on, update it. A change costs $35 on its own, or you can make it on your annual report.
3. Register before you ask for donations
Under Florida's Solicitation of Contributions Act, a charity must register with FDACS before it solicits donations in Florida. Registration renews every year, one year after FDACS approved the first registration. The fee depends on contributions received in the last fiscal year:
| Contributions last year | Fee |
|---|---|
| Under $5,000 | $10 |
| $5,000 to $99,999 | $75 |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | $125 |
| $200,000 to $499,999 | $200 |
| $500,000 to $999,999 | $300 |
| $1 million to $9,999,999 | $350 |
| $10 million or more | $400 |
A late renewal costs $25 for each month it is late, and the late fee keeps running until the renewal is filed. More importantly, a charity whose registration has lapsed cannot legally solicit, and soliciting without a current registration can lead to administrative fines from FDACS on top of the late fees. Larger charities also need outside review of their financials: a CPA review or audit at $500,000 in contributions, and a full audit at $1 million.
Some organizations are exempt, including religious institutions and charities that raise less than $50,000 a year using only unpaid volunteers. That small-charity exemption is not automatic. You still have to file information with FDACS each year before soliciting, and register within 30 days of reaching $50,000.
4. Renew your sales tax exemption
A 501(c)(3) can apply to the Florida Department of Revenue for a Consumer's Certificate of Exemption, which lets it buy goods without paying sales tax. The certificate is good for five years. At renewal, the Department may send a written request for documents, and if you do not respond, the certificate expires.
5. Keep your records current
Florida law requires a nonprofit to keep its current articles and bylaws, minutes of all board meetings, minutes of member meetings for the past three years, a list of current directors and officers, accounting records, and its most recent annual report. Members can ask to inspect many of these records on five business days' written notice. Good minutes are also your best evidence that the board did its job if a decision is ever questioned.
6. Make sure your accountant files the IRS return
Most tax-exempt organizations must file a Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N every year, due on the 15th day of the fifth month after the end of the fiscal year. For a calendar-year nonprofit, that is May 15. If a nonprofit misses three years in a row, the IRS automatically revokes its tax-exempt status. This is a filing for your CPA, but it belongs on the board's calendar so nobody assumes someone else is handling it.
Let us keep track of it for you
Our registered agent service for nonprofits includes filing your Florida annual report, so the most common deadline is handled for you. We also help boards with bylaws, minutes, charitable solicitation registration, and governance questions as the organization grows. If you are still in the planning stage, start with Forming a Nonprofit in Florida and our 501(c)(3) cost guide. To talk through your organization, learn more about our nonprofit practice or schedule a free consultation.
This post is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Fees are current as of November 2026 and can change.