Register a Foreign Nonprofit in South Carolina
To register a foreign nonprofit in South Carolina, you need to file an Application by a Foreign Nonprofit Corporation for a Certificate of Authority to Transact Business with the South Carolina Secretary of State. This application can be submitted by mail ($10) or online ($15).
Have questions about how to complete and start a foreign nonprofit in South Carolina? The guide below shows you how to do it. If you’d rather not handle the paperwork yourself, you can hire Northwest, and we’ll get your nonprofit set up in no time.
Free PDF Download
Download the South Carolina Application by a Foreign Nonprofit Corporation for a Certificate of Authority to Transact Business. Fill out the form and submit it to the state.
FREE DOWNLOADDo It Yourself Online
Our free account and tools will walk you through registering your Foreign Nonprofit in South Carolina. All for free.
When You Want More, Get More
Hire Northwest and let an expert register your Foreign Nonprofit in South Carolina. Includes 1 year of registered agent service.
Free Guide to Registering a Foreign Nonprofit in South Carolina
Am I required to register my foreign non-profit in SC if I wish to conduct affairs there?
Yes, you will need to register with the South Carolina Secretary of State.
What form do I file in South Carolina?
Submit the completed Application by a Foreign Nonprofit Corporation for a Certificate of Authority to Transact Business. You will need to send the original and a copy of this form as well as a $10 filing fee to the South Carolina Secretary of State office. You can also file the certificate online for $15 (the $10 state fee plus a payment processing fee).
Will I need a certificate of existence?
Yes, it is required by South Carolina that your Application form be accompanied by an original certificate of existence, which has been issued by the Secretary of State from your non-profit’s home jurisdiction.
Does my foreign non-profit need a registered agent in South Carolina as well?
Yes, you will need a South Carolina registered agent in South Carolina.
What if the name of my non-profit is not available in South Carolina?
Then you will need to adopt a fictitious name and fill out the Fictitious Name Form.
Will my foreign non-profit need to register as a charity in SC before soliciting donations?
South Carolina requires that non-profit organizations register as a charity with the Secretary of State before soliciting contributions there. You will use the same Registration Statement for a Charitable Organization form as domestic charity registrations.
Where do I send the forms?
If you decide to file online, you can do so at the South Carolina Secretary of State website.
Mail
South Carolina Secretary of State
1205 Pendleton Street
Suite 525
Columbia, SC 29201