State rules directory
Links to official government sources only. We don't say whether something is allowed or required in your state, especially raffles. Rules vary, change often, and depend on your group's facts. Read the source or contact the office.
Links only, no verdicts. Each link was checked on the date shown and goes to an official .gov or state government site. If a link breaks or a page changes, the official office is the authority, not this site.
Federal (all states)
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Annual filing: IRS, Form 990-N (e-Postcard) for small exempt organizations
- Losing exempt status: IRS, Automatic revocation of exemption
- Look up an organization: IRS, Tax Exempt Organization Search
States and DC
A missing category for a state means we could not load and confirm an official page for it on the check date. It does not mean no rule exists. Some state sites block automated checks, so we left those links out rather than guess.
Alabama
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Alabama Attorney General, Charitable Organizations
- Nonprofit entity filings: Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities
Alaska
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Alaska Department of Law, Charities & Paid Solicitors
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Alaska Department of Revenue, Charitable Gaming FAQs
- Nonprofit entity filings: Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
Arizona
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles (statute): Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3302, Exclusions
- Nonprofit entity filings: Arizona Corporation Commission, Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation instructions (PDF)
Arkansas
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charities (consumer info): Arkansas Attorney General, Charitable Giving
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Bingo/Raffle
- Nonprofit entity filings: Arkansas Secretary of State, Business & Commercial Services
California
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: California DOJ, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers
- Raffles: California DOJ, Nonprofit Raffles
- Nonprofit entity filings: California Secretary of State, bizfile
Colorado
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Colorado Secretary of State, Charities and Fundraisers
- Raffles / bingo: Colorado Secretary of State, Bingo and Raffles license FAQs
- Raffles / bingo: Colorado Secretary of State, Apply for a Bingo-Raffle License
Connecticut
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Charitable Solicitation Registration
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Connecticut DCP Gaming Division, Bingo, Bazaar and Raffle Information
- Nonprofit entity filings: Connecticut Business Services (business.ct.gov)
Delaware
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Delaware Board of Charitable Gaming, Raffle Event
- Nonprofit entity filings: Delaware Division of Corporations
District of Columbia
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Charitable Services
- Nonprofit entity filings: DC DLCP, Domestic Nonprofit Corporation
Florida
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Solicitation of Contributions
- Raffles / drawings (statute): Florida Statutes 849.0935
- Nonprofit entity filings: Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)
Georgia
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Georgia Secretary of State, How-To Guide: Charities
- Nonprofit entity filings: Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division
Hawaii
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Hawaii Attorney General, Tax & Charities Division
- Nonprofit entity filings: Hawaii DCCA, Business Registration Division
Idaho
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles (statute): Idaho Code 67-7710
- Nonprofit entity filings: Idaho Secretary of State, Business Resources
Illinois
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Illinois Attorney General, Charity Registration
- Nonprofit entity filings: Illinois Secretary of State, Business Services
Indiana
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Indiana Gaming Commission, Charity Gaming
- Nonprofit entity filings: Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division
Iowa
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing, Charitable Gambling
- Nonprofit entity filings: Iowa Secretary of State, Business Entity Forms and Fees
Kansas
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Kansas Department of Revenue, Charitable Gaming
- Nonprofit entity filings: Kansas Secretary of State, Businesses
Kentucky
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Kentucky Attorney General, Registration requirements for charitable organizations
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Kentucky Office of Charitable Gaming
- Nonprofit entity filings: Kentucky Secretary of State, Business Filings
Louisiana
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Louisiana Office of Charitable Gaming
- Nonprofit entity filings: Louisiana Secretary of State, Forms & Fee Schedule
Maine
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Charitable Organizations licensing
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Maine Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit, Charitable Gaming
- Nonprofit entity filings: Maine Secretary of State, Corporations
Maryland
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Maryland Secretary of State, Charities
- Nonprofit entity filings: Maryland SDAT, Businesses
Massachusetts
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Massachusetts Attorney General, Soliciting charitable funds
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Massachusetts Attorney General, Guidance on Raffles
- Nonprofit entity filings: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division
Michigan
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Michigan Attorney General, Charitable Organizations
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Michigan Lottery Charitable Gaming Division, Raffles
- Nonprofit entity filings: Michigan LARA, Corporations Division
Minnesota
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Minnesota Attorney General, Charities
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Minnesota Gambling Control Board, Nonprofits and Permits
- Nonprofit entity filings: Minnesota Secretary of State, Business & Liens
Mississippi
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Mississippi Secretary of State, Charities
- Nonprofit entity filings: Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services
Missouri
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Missouri Attorney General, Charity Registration FAQs
- Nonprofit entity filings: Missouri Secretary of State, Business Services
Montana
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division
- Nonprofit entity filings: Montana Secretary of State, Business Services
Nebraska
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Nebraska Department of Revenue, Lottery/Raffle Information Guides
- Nonprofit entity filings: Nebraska Secretary of State, Business Services
Nevada
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charitable solicitation (statute): Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 82A
- Gaming regulator: Nevada Gaming Control Board
- Nonprofit entity filings: Nevada Secretary of State, Start a Business
New Hampshire
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles (statute): New Hampshire RSA Chapter 287-A, Raffles
New Jersey
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, Charities Registration
- Raffles / charitable gaming: NJ Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission, Bingo, Raffles, Casino Nights
- Nonprofit entity filings: NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services
New Mexico
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: New Mexico Department of Justice, Charities
- Gaming regulator: New Mexico Gaming Control Board
- Nonprofit entity filings: New Mexico Secretary of State, Business Services
New York
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: New York Attorney General, Charities registration
- Raffles / games of chance: New York State Gaming Commission, Raffles (checked 2026-10-21)
North Carolina
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: North Carolina Secretary of State, Charities
- Raffles (statute): N.C. General Statutes 14-309.15
- Nonprofit entity filings: North Carolina Secretary of State, Business Registration
North Dakota
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: North Dakota Secretary of State, Charitable Organizations
- Raffles / charitable gaming: North Dakota Attorney General, Charitable Gaming
- Nonprofit entity filings: North Dakota Secretary of State, Business
Ohio
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Ohio Attorney General, Charitable Ohio
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Ohio Attorney General, Charitable Gaming
Oklahoma
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Oklahoma Secretary of State, Charitable Organizations
- Nonprofit entity filings: Oklahoma Secretary of State, Business Services
Pennsylvania
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Pennsylvania Department of State, Information for Charities
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Small Games of Chance Overview (REV-1750, PDF)
- Nonprofit entity filings: Pennsylvania Department of State, Business
Rhode Island
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Charitable Organizations
- Nonprofit entity filings: Rhode Island Secretary of State, Business Services
South Carolina
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: South Carolina Secretary of State, Charities
- Raffles / charitable gaming: South Carolina Secretary of State, Raffles
- Nonprofit entity filings: South Carolina Secretary of State, Business Entities
South Dakota
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / lotteries (statute): South Dakota Codified Law 22-25-25
- Nonprofit entity filings: South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services
Tennessee
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Tennessee Secretary of State, Charities
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Tennessee Secretary of State, Charitable Gaming Event FAQs
- Nonprofit entity filings: Tennessee Secretary of State, Businesses
Texas
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles: Texas Attorney General, Charitable Raffles and Casino/Poker Nights
- Raffles (statute): Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 2002 (Charitable Raffles)
- Raffles (research guide): Texas State Law Library, raffle FAQ
- Nonprofit entity filings: Texas Secretary of State, Nonprofit Organizations
Utah
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charities / annual filing: Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Consumer Protection, Charities
- Nonprofit entity filings: Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code
- Games of chance (constitution): Utah Constitution, Article VI, Section 27
Vermont
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / games of chance (statute): 13 V.S.A. ยง 2143, Nonprofit organizations
- Nonprofit entity filings: Vermont Secretary of State, Nonprofit Corporation
Virginia
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Virginia VDACS, Charitable Solicitation Registration
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Virginia VDACS, Charitable Gaming Organization Licensing
- Nonprofit entity filings: Virginia State Corporation Commission, Business Entities
Washington
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Washington Secretary of State, Charitable Organizations
- Raffles: Washington State Gambling Commission, Raffles
West Virginia
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: West Virginia Secretary of State, Charities FAQs
- Raffles / charitable gaming: West Virginia Tax Division, Bingo and Raffle
- Nonprofit entity filings: West Virginia Secretary of State, Registration Steps
Wisconsin
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Charity registration: Wisconsin DFI, Charitable Organizations FAQ
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Wisconsin DOA Division of Gaming, Applying for a new raffle license
- Nonprofit entity filings: Wisconsin DFI, Business Entity File Online
Wyoming
Links last checked: 2026-10-22
- Raffles / charitable gaming: Wyoming Gaming Commission, Charitable Gaming
- Nonprofit entity filings: Wyoming Secretary of State, Business