For nonprofit founders

Tax-exempt status, and everything after it

Becoming a 501(c)(3) is more than an IRS form. There is the entity, the right federal application for your size, and a layer of state charitable registration in most of the states you fundraise in. We prepare and file the whole path, and keep the annual returns and renewals on track so your exemption never lapses.

Start your 501(c)(3) Which IRS form fits?
Federal exemption filed State registration handled Annual 990 tracked
The formation and filings behind mission-driven organizations 501(c)(3) prepared and filed Charitable registration by state 4.9 from 8,200+ reviews Annual 990 on your calendar
501(c)(3)
Federal tax-exempt status, prepared and filed for you
0
States plus DC that require charitable solicitation registration
1023 or EZ
We match you to the right IRS application, short-form or full
Annual 990
The yearly information return we keep on your calendar
The part after the IRS letter

Exemption is federal. Fundraising is state by state

Founders celebrate the IRS determination letter and assume the compliance is done. It is not. Most states require you to register before you solicit donations from their residents, with renewals on their own schedules, and the annual 990 keeps your federal status alive. Miss the state layer and a routine grant application or online donate button can become a compliance problem.

We handle the full arc: the nonprofit entity, the right IRS application for your size, the charitable registration in each state you raise money in, and the annual returns that keep it all current, so your board can focus on the mission instead of the filings.

Only half registered
  • Federal exemption, but no state registration
  • Soliciting donors in states you never filed in
  • The wrong IRS form for your size
  • A missed 990 that risks your status
  • Renewals discovered when a grant asks
Handled on File.Business
  • Federal exemption and state registration
  • Registered where you actually fundraise
  • The right IRS application for your size
  • The 990 filed to keep status alive
  • Every renewal tracked on your calendar
Short-form or full application?

Answer two questions, see your IRS path

Smaller nonprofits can use the short-form Form 1023-EZ. Two thresholds decide it. Tell us yours.

Your organization
Recommended application
Form 1023-EZ
SHORT FORM

You are within both thresholds, so you can likely use the short-form Form 1023-EZ, which is far simpler and is usually approved in a matter of weeks. We confirm the finer eligibility rules before filing.

  • Nonprofit entity incorporated with compliant purpose language.
  • EIN for the organization.
  • State charitable registration where you fundraise.
Start this application

This is general guidance, not legal or tax advice. Some organizations are barred from the short-form form regardless of size, and we confirm eligibility before filing.

The whole nonprofit setup

Everything a 501(c)(3) needs, in one place

Entity, exemption, and the state layer, handled together.

Nonprofit entity

Incorporated with the right language

EIN

Federal tax ID for the org

501(c)(3) application

Form 1023 or 1023-EZ

Charitable registration

Where you solicit donations

Bylaws and board

Governance the IRS expects

Nonprofit banking

A dedicated organizational account

Registered agent

Required in your state

990 and renewals

Every filing tracked
How your nonprofit gets recognized

From idea to tax-exempt and registered

Five steps, in the right order. Select one to see the detail.

Step 1

Incorporate the nonprofit

We form the nonprofit corporation in your state with the specific purpose and dissolution language the IRS requires to grant exemption, so the entity itself does not become the reason your application is delayed.

Articles with the language the IRS looks for.
Entity: INCORPORATED
Purpose language compliant
Ready for a board
Step 2

Get the EIN and adopt bylaws

The EIN is your organization's tax ID, and bylaws plus an initial board and conflict-of-interest policy are the governance the IRS expects to see. We set them up so your application reflects a real, well-run organization.

Governance the IRS expects, in place before you file.
EIN: ISSUED
Bylaws adopted
Board and policy set
Step 3

File the right 501(c)(3) application

We match you to the short-form Form 1023-EZ if you qualify by size, or the full Form 1023 if you do not, and prepare it carefully. The short-form path is usually recognized in weeks, while the full one takes longer but suits larger organizations.

Form 1023-EZ if eligible, otherwise the full Form 1023.
Application: FILED
Right form for your size
Determination on the way
Step 4

Register where you fundraise

Most states require charitable solicitation registration before you ask their residents for donations, whether by mail, event, or an online donate button. We register you in each state you raise money in and note every renewal date.

Registered before you solicit. Charitable registration.
Fundraising states: REGISTERED
Renewals noted
Donate button covered
Step 5

File the annual 990 and keep it current

Every exempt organization files an annual 990 return, and the version depends on your size. Miss it three years running and the IRS revokes your exemption automatically. We track it, along with state renewals, so status is never lost to a missed deadline.

The 990 and every renewal in the calendar.
Annual 990: TRACKED
State renewals scheduled
Exemption stays alive
How this compares for a nonprofit

Federal and state, not just the IRS form

Most services stop at the exemption and leave the state layer to you. Here is the difference.

CapabilityFile.BusinessDIY formsFormation siteGeneric filer
Right IRS application for your sizeOn your ownOne pathPer filing
Compliant purpose language in articlesNot availableVariesVaries
State charitable registration handledNot availableAdd-onPer state
Annual 990 tracked to hold statusNot availableNot availableIf asked
Renewals across states trackedNot availableNot availableNot available
Transparent, published pricingTieredPer filing

The honest version. A nonprofit attorney and accountant matter, especially for complex programs, grants, and the 990 itself, and nothing here is legal or tax advice. What File.Business does is form the entity, file the exemption, and carry the state registration and renewals, so your team and advisors spend time on the mission. Compare on the comparison hub.

BosAI for nonprofits

An operator who knows the exemption path

Ask in plain English. BosAI knows the IRS forms, the state layer, and what keeps your status.

BosAIFounder workspace, Bright Futures Foundation

We are a small new charity. Do we use the short IRS form?

Probably. If your gross receipts will stay under 50,000 dollars a year and your assets under 250,000 dollars, you likely qualify for the short-form Form 1023-EZ, which is usually recognized in weeks. A few kinds of organizations are barred regardless of size, so I check those rules before we file.

We got our IRS letter. Can we start fundraising online everywhere?

Not quite. Most states require charitable solicitation registration before you ask their residents for donations, and an online donate button reaches all of them. Tell me which states you will actively fundraise in and I will register you there and add the renewals to your calendar.

What keeps our exemption from being taken away?

Filing your annual 990 on time. Missing it for three consecutive years triggers automatic revocation of your exempt status. I track the 990 and your state renewals so that never happens. See your compliance calendar.
From a nonprofit founder

Exempt and registered, before our first campaign

I thought the IRS letter was the finish line, then a grant application asked for our charitable registration in three states we had never filed in. File.Business had already recommended the short-form form, handled the exemption, and registered us where we fundraise. When the annual 990 came due, it was on the calendar. Nothing about our status was ever in question.
Founder and Executive Director
Community 501(c)(3)
501(c)(3)
recognized on the short-form path
12 states
of charitable registration, current
0
lapses in exempt status

Representative composite based on nonprofit outcomes. Nothing here is legal or tax advice; consult your professional for your situation.

Nonprofit guides and tools

The 1023, charitable registration, and the calendar

Practical resources for building a compliant nonprofit. All free to read.

Guide

Form 1023

The 501(c)(3) application, short-form and full.

Read the guide Guide

Charitable registration

Which states require it before you fundraise.

Read it Guide

Bylaws and governance

The board structure the IRS expects.

Read it Live tool

Compliance calendar

The 990 and every state renewal, tracked.

Open the calendar
For the questions founders actually ask

Straight answers on exemption, forms, and states

Which IRS form do we use, 1023 or 1023-EZ?
If your annual gross receipts will stay under 50,000 dollars and your total assets are under 250,000 dollars, you can likely use the short-form Form 1023-EZ, which is much shorter and usually recognized in weeks. Larger organizations, and certain types regardless of size, use the full Form 1023. We confirm your eligibility and file the right one. See Form 1023.
Is 501(c)(3) status all we need to fundraise?
No. Federal exemption is separate from the state charitable solicitation registration that most states require before you ask their residents for donations. Around thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia require it, with renewals on their own schedules, and it applies to online fundraising too. See charitable registration.
In which states do we have to register to fundraise?
Generally the states whose residents you actively solicit, whether by mail, events, grants, or an online donate button, and most states with a registration law expect it. A handful of states do not require registration at all. We map it to where you actually raise money and register you there.
What keeps our exemption from being revoked?
Filing your annual 990 return. The version depends on your size, and failing to file for three consecutive years triggers automatic revocation of your exempt status. We track it, and your state renewals, so a missed deadline never costs you your status.
Do we need bylaws and a board before applying?
Yes. The IRS expects real governance, which means bylaws, an initial board of directors, and a conflict-of-interest policy, and your articles need specific purpose and dissolution language. We put that structure in place so your application reflects a properly organized nonprofit. See bylaws and governance.
Can we start operating while the IRS reviews our application?
Often yes, and if the IRS grants exemption, it generally applies retroactively to your formation date when you file within the required window. Donors' deductions and your exempt treatment then relate back, though it is wise to be clear with early donors while the determination is pending. We handle the timing so you do not lose that retroactive coverage.
Do we need a registered agent and a separate bank account?
Yes to both. Your state requires a registered agent for the nonprofit corporation, and a dedicated organizational bank account keeps charitable funds clearly separate, which matters for your books, your 990, and donor trust. We set up both as part of formation. See nonprofit banking.
Does this replace our accountant or attorney?
No, and this is not legal or tax advice. A nonprofit accountant and attorney matter for program design, grants, and the 990 itself. File.Business forms the entity, files the exemption application, and carries the state registrations and renewals, so your advisors focus on the harder questions. Talk to us.
Federal exemption and state registration

Get exempt, and stay that way

Incorporate, file the right 501(c)(3) application, register where you fundraise, and let us keep the 990 and renewals on track. Start now, or talk with our team about your organization.

Start your 501(c)(3) See charitable registration
SOC 2 Type II · Not a law firm · State fees passed through at cost