Register a Foreign Nonprofit in Oklahoma

Registering a Foreign Nonprofit in Oklahoma

Nonprofits from outside Oklahoma must file a Certificate of Qualification (Foreign Corporation) with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. You’ll also need to pay fees and provide documentation from the state you originally incorporated in. Your Certificate of Qualification can be filed online, in person, or by mail.

Filling out a Certificate of Qualification application means giving the Secretary of State certain details about your corporation, including the following:

• Nonprofit corporation name
• Additional registered agent information
• A signature from the organization’s president or vice president
• Nonprofit corporation’s purpose

You will also need to provide a Certificate of Good Standing (or an equivalent document) from your nonprofit’s home state, dated within 60 days before filing for the Certificate of Qualification.

Nonprofits with names already in use in Oklahoma must attach an Oklahoma Trade Name Report for a new name that is distinct from any currently in use in the state.

Submitting Your Oklahoma Certificate of Authority

You may file your corporation’s Oklahoma Certificate of Authority by mail, online, or in person.

Mail and in-person filings:
Oklahoma Secretary Of State
421 NW 13th St, Suite #210
Oklahoma City, OK 73103

Online filings:
Oklahoma Secretary of State Entity Filing

The filing fee is $300. If paying by credit card, there’s also a processing fee of 4% of the transaction total ($312). In person filings must also pay an additional $25 per-document fee ($325). Other filing methods are more expensive than using standard mail, but they’re also faster. Mail filings take up to two weeks to process, while online filings are processed in a day or two, and in-person filings get same-day processing.

Will I need a registered agent in Oklahoma for my foreign nonprofit corporation?

The Oklahoma Secretary of State is automatically your corporation’s registered agent, even charging you $100 annually to do so. However, the Secretary of State will only receive service of process for your corporation, and only communicating by registered mail, may take longer than other registered agents to notify you about those services of process.

That’s why an additional registered agent can be useful: a quality professional registered agent service will notify you of service of process much faster than the Secretary of State will, and provide more services than simply letting you know when your mail has arrived.

Hiring Northwest as Your Oklahoma Registered Agent

Choose Northwest as your Oklahoma registered agent, and you’ll pay a flat rate price of $125 annually. It’s the same price every year, with no weird fees or cancellation fees.

You’ll get an online account that tracks your report due dates, the states you’re registered in, and when your yearly service with us is up. All documents we receive locally for you will be immediately uploaded into your account. If you get served with a lawsuit, we can email up to four people and your attorney at the same time for real time complete viewing. You’ll also get Oklahoma annual report reminders and a library of pre-populated forms and their specific filing instructions.

You can also add our business identity services to help set your foreign nonprofit up in Oklahoma. A robust and localized online presence makes your nonprofit seem more trustworthy and professional, even if you’re new to the area. We can help you build a securely hosted custom website with an unique domain, plus give you a local phone number and up to ten email addresses to help establish your nonprofit in Oklahoma.

Does the Oklahoma registered agent need to sign the Certificate of Authority?

No. Your registered agent in Oklahoma is not required to sign your nonprofit’s Certificate of Authority.

Do foreign nonprofit corporations need to file annual reports?

No, but foreign nonprofit corporations must pay a $100 annual registered agent fee to the Oklahoma Secretary of State. The fee is due on July 1. You will receive notification about this fee.

The registered agent fee must be paid with a check or money order payable to the Oklahoma Tax Commission, and mailed to the Commission at 2501 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73194.

More resources for Oklahoma nonprofits

For more information about operating your nonprofit to Oklahoma, read our guides to the state’s nonprofit tax exemptions and how to register as a charity in Oklahoma.