State of California Department of Justice
Rob Bonta
Attorney General
Attorney General
Updated forms are available for download and are required with filings received by the Registry on or after January 1, 2022. Significant changes and important reminders include:
Note: Please expect 30-90 days to process filings (forms and/or supporting documentation) from the date received. We will reply, if necessary. Please check the Registry Search Tool for updates.
A commercial coventurer is a type of professional fundraiser. It is a person or organization who, for profit, is primarily engaged in a business other than in connection with raising funds for charitable purposes. A commercial coventurer raises money for charities by giving the charity a certain percentage from the sale of goods or services. A commercial coventurer represents to the public that the purchase or use of its goods or services will benefit a charitable organization. Unless exempt under Government Code section 12599.2, subdivision (b), a commercial coventurer is required to register and report to the Attorney General.
By law, the California Attorney General oversees the activities of commercial coventurers. A commercial coventurer that operates in California and is required to register must do all of the following:
Registration is required prior to soliciting any funds in California for charitable purposes, or prior to January 15th of each year.
Commercial coventurers must file an annual financial report for each campaign conducted for each charity during a calendar year.
Commercial coventurers are required to submit Form CT-6CF to report annually.
Annual financial reports must be filed by January 30 of each year.
SB 2015 has added Section 12586.1 to the Government Code which indicates that, in addition to a registration fee, a commercial coventurer may be assessed a late fee or an additional fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) for each month or part of the month after the date on which the registration statement or financial report were due to be filed if the commercial coventurer does any of the following:
No, a copy of the contract does not need to be submitted unless specifically requested by the Attorney General's Office.
The Online Filing Service allows charitable organizations and fundraisers to submit filings to the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers. Commercial Coventurers can use the Online Filing Service to submit annual registration filing with supporting documents and fees (e.g., Form CT-5CF), and to submit annual financial reports (Form CT-6CF). Registrants can also respond to requests for additional information, and manage their registration through the Online Filing Service.
To create an account, visit the Online Filing Service and select “Sign up now.” Enter an email address to receive a verification code, then verify your email. After that, enter your name and create a password.
If your organization has an existing registration with the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, link your Online Filing Service account to your organization’s registration record. If you have your organization’s registration code, navigate to the My Registrations section, and select “Don't see your registration? Click here to find it.” You will be prompted to enter the organization’s registration code and an identifying number associated with the organization, such as the FEIN, to link the registration to your account. Once linked (which may take hours), the organization will appear under My Registrations.
If you do not have the organization’s registration code, log in to the Online Filing Service, navigate to the My Registrations section, and select “Click here if you need help accessing your registration.” From there, submit a support request and provide information about the organization, including any identifying information you have available (such as the FEIN), along with your role with the organization. The Registry of Charities and Fundraisers will review your request and assist you with gaining access to the organization's registration record, if appropriate.
Note: For security purposes, registration codes are only provided to individuals who are authorized to access and manage the organization’s record.
For fundraising counsels registered in 2026, an Online Filing Service registration code letter is being mailed to the registrant’s address on record in August or September 2026 with the code.
If you cannot locate your registration code, you may request assistance through the Online Filing Service.
To request assistance, log in to the Online Filing Service and navigate to the My Registrations section. Select “Click here if you need help accessing your registration” and submit a support request. Be sure to provide the organization's name, any identifying information available (such as the FEIN), and your relationship to the organization.
The Registry of Charities and Fundraisers will review your request and, if appropriate, assist you with accessing the organization’s registration record or obtaining a new registration code.
Note: For security purposes, registration codes are only provided to individuals who are authorized to access and manage the organization’s record.
Once logged into the Online Filing Service, select the “Start a New Registration” button, and then select the Professional Fundraiser registration type. Then the Online Filing Service asks, “Which type of professional fundraiser are you applying or renewing for?” Select Fundraising Counsel.”
If you are renewing the registration of a fundraising counsel, navigate to the Professional Fundraisers section, and select the “File an Annual Renewal” button.
If your organization’s registration does not show as a registration to renew, ensure your Online Filing Service user account is linked to your organization’s registration record. For instructions on linking a registration record, see Frequently Asked Question 2. If your Online Filing Service user account is linked to your organization’s registration record, please contact the Professional Fundraisers Program for further assistance.
The $500 initial and renewal registration fee must be paid at the time of filing. The Online Filing Service accepts secure online payments via credit card or Automated Clearing House (ACH), which is payment using the organization's checking account.
No. Registration fees are not refundable, as all Form CT-3CF filings are processed even if a filing is rejected or submitted in error. This includes duplicate filings, incomplete submissions, or filings submitted by organizations that are already registered. Please confirm your organization's registration status before submitting Form CT-3CF and paying the registration fee.
Filing a complete Form CT-5CF starts the registration process. Filings are reviewed to determine whether a registration should be granted. A registration number is assigned by the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers to each registered commercial coventurer and registration is effective for the remainder of the calendar year. Registration renewal occurs on an annual basis thereafter through the filing of Form CT-5CF. The commercial coventurer will continue to use its registration number that was issued in the initial registration process for the renewal registration process. See Government Code section 12598, subdivision (e)(1), and California Code of Regulations, title 11, sections 339 to 341 for when registration may be refused, suspended or revoked.
Filings are processed based on the date of receipt, provided the filing is complete. Once approved, the Registry emails a confirmation of registration with the organization’s registration number and registration code. If the filing is incomplete or there are additional questions, the Registry emails the organization a notice with the information or documents requested.
Applicants can review the status of a filing in the Online Filing Service. Once logged in, go to the My Submissions section. Under the Initial Applications for Registration heading, check both the Submitted and Action Required tabs.
The registration code can be used to link your registration as a commercial coventurer with an Online Filing Service user account. Your registration code is not publicly available. Keep it secure, and do not share it with anyone, unless they are authorized to sign and submit filings in the Online Filing Service on your behalf (under penalty of perjury). Under no circumstances can a registration code be used to submit unauthorized filings, or to permit one registrant to submit filings for another registrant.
Once logged into the Online Filing Service, navigate to the Professional Fundraisers section, select the “File an Annual Report” button, and then the “File a Form CT-6CF” button.
If your organization’s registration is not listed as a registration to file for, ensure your Online Filing Service user account is linked to your organization’s registration record. For instructions on linking a registration record, see Frequently Asked Question 2. If your Online Filing Service user account is linked to your organization’s registration record, please contact the Professional Fundraisers Program for further assistance.
When completing Form CT-6CF, you are asked to provide information on the charitable organization you are reporting on. The state charity registration number can be obtained by looking up the charitable organization’s record in the Registry Search Tool. This is the registration number assigned by the Registry to the charitable organization, and typically begins with CT. It is not the Entity ID.
Yes, an annual financial report may be amended. In the Online Filing Service, navigate to My Submissions, and then select the Annual Reports and Submitted Tabs. Select the listed annual financial report filing you would like to amend, and then the “Amend Submission” button.
Registrants can review the status of a filing in the Online Filing Service. Once logged in, navigate to the My Submissions section, and select the type of filing (e.g. Initial Applications, Renewals, Annual Reports). Then check both the Submitted and Action Required tabs.
To view a filing in the Online Filing Service, after logging in, navigate to the My Submissions section, and select the type of filing (e.g. Initial Applications, Renewals, Annual Reports). Under the Submitted tab, the submitted filing is listed, even if it is pending processing. An online version of the filing is viewable.
To view an accepted filing in the Registry Search Tool, look up your organization’s record, and in the Registrations section, select your organization’s registration number to view registration-specific filings. Then select the type of filing (e.g. Initial Applications, Renewals, Annual Reports) for an online version of the filing. Select the Correspondence tab for an official PDF copy of the filing and other notifications.
Yes. You can save your progress at any point using the Save as Draft option and return later to complete your filing. In the Online Filing Service, drafts are saved in the My Submissions section, under the Created tab for the type of filing (e.g. Initial Applications, Renewals, Annual Reports).
Submitting a duplicate filing may result in processing delays, rejected filings, and duplicate records. If your organization is already registered, has a registration in progress, or has previously submitted forms or fees, do not submit a new registration through the Online Filing Service.
An authorized agent can sign and file Form CT-5CF on behalf of the registrant. An authorized officer of the registrant is required to sign and file Form CT-6CF. Each individual is required to sign through their own Online Filing Service user account.
Form CT-6CF requires the signature of two directors or officers of the charitable organization for verification. In the Online Filing Service, once an annual financial report is ready to be signed by the charitable organization’s directors or officers, the directors or officers should navigate to the My Submissions section, and then select the Annual Reports and Awaiting Signature tabs.
Page Last Updated: August 25, 2026