How to Complete NJ CRI Forms: Registration, Renewal, and Fees

New Jersey charities file their state registration on one of the CRI forms through the online portal at charportal.dca.njoag.gov. First-time filers use either the CRI-200 short form or the CRI-150I long form; renewing charities use the CRI-200 or the CRI-300R. Which one you file depends on how much your organization raised in the fiscal year you’re reporting, whether you used a professional fundraiser, and whether you qualify for the volunteer-only short form. The NJ CRI forms all require two officer signatures, the same core set of attachments, and a fee tied to your gross contributions.

Which CRI Form You File

Two questions decide your form: is this your first registration or a renewal, and did you receive more than $25,000 in gross contributions during the fiscal year being reported?

Initial Registration

CRI-200 (short form). For a first-time filer that raised $25,000 or less and either is a bona fide veterans’ organization or used only volunteers for every function, including solicitation.
CRI-150I (long form), with the CRI-150IC addendum. For a first-time filer that raised more than $25,000, or that contracted with a professional fundraiser at any level of contributions.

Annual Renewal

CRI-200 (short form). For a renewing charity that raised $25,000 or less, or a bona fide veterans’ organization.
CRI-300R (long form). For a renewing charity that raised more than $25,000, or that had a contract with a professional fundraiser during the reporting year.

The $25,000 threshold is measured on gross contributions. If your organization crosses that line during the year, you have 30 days from the date contributions exceed $25,000 to move to the long form.¹ A charity that contracts with a professional fundraiser files the long form regardless of contribution level.²

What to Gather Before You File

Missing attachments are one of the most common reasons a filing stalls. Have the following ready before you log into the portal:

Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).
Names and addresses of all current officers and directors.
A financial summary showing total revenue, gross contributions, and functional expenses for the reporting year.
Your IRS Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N for the fiscal year being reported, if the IRS required one.

First-time filers also submit copies of the organization’s bylaws, articles of incorporation, and IRS determination letter granting tax-exempt status. If any of those documents is unavailable, include a cover letter explaining why.²

Two Officer Signatures

Every CRI filing must be signed by two officers of the charity certifying the accuracy of the submission. A single signature will not be accepted.²

Certified Audit

Long form filers (CRI-150I or CRI-300R) that received more than $500,000 in total gross revenue during the reporting year must submit a certified audit prepared by an independent accountant.³ A separate Division page states the audit threshold as $1,000,000 in monetary contributions, excluding one-time bequests, capital project funds, and in-kind donations.² Because the Division’s own pages give different figures and different metrics, organizations near either threshold should confirm the current requirement with the Charities Registration Section before filing.

Filing Through the Online Portal

All CRI forms are filed electronically at charportal.dca.njoag.gov.⁴ Paper submission is no longer the standard process.

On the portal home page, select “Sign In | Register.” If your organization already has a myNewJersey account linked to the charity portal, sign in with those credentials. Otherwise, choose “Register” to create a myNewJersey account or link an existing state account to the charity system.²

Once logged in, the portal walks you through the fields on your form and lets you upload attachments (Form 990, audit, bylaws, determination letter) as PDFs. Both authorized officers then apply electronic signatures. The final step is payment. The portal accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express with no additional service fee, and it sends an automated email receipt once the payment processes.²

Fees

Fees are based on gross contributions, not total gross revenue:²

CRI-200 short form, up to $25,000 in contributions: $30.
CRI-150I or CRI-300R long form, $25,001 to $100,000: $60.
CRI-150I or CRI-300R long form, $100,001 to $500,000: $150.
CRI-150I or CRI-300R long form, over $500,000: $250.

Organizations that are exempt but choose to register voluntarily pay a flat $30. A $25 late fee applies to any filer who submits after the deadline, regardless of form type or revenue.

Deadline and Extensions

Every registered charity must renew within six months of the close of its fiscal year. A calendar-year organization has a June 30 renewal deadline.²

If you cannot meet that date, request an extension through the portal before the original due date passes. Extensions are available to charities with gross contributions greater than $10,000. Organizations that voluntarily registered at the $10,000-or-below level cannot request extensions, so the six-month deadline is firm for them.²

The $25 late fee attaches if you fail to submit a complete filing within 30 days of the annual deadline.⁵ The Division may also list your organization as non-compliant on the public registry.

Who Must Register and Who Is Exempt

Under the Charitable Registration and Investigation Act (N.J.S.A. 45:17A-18 et seq.), charitable organizations, professional fundraisers, fundraising counsel, and commercial co-venturers soliciting or collecting donations in New Jersey must register with the Charities Registration Section before conducting those activities.⁶

The $10,000 threshold sets the registration line. An organization that receives $10,000 or less in gross contributions during a fiscal year and uses only volunteers for all functions, including fundraising, is exempt from mandatory registration. Once contributions cross $10,000 in any fiscal year, the organization has 30 days to register.¹ Hiring a professional fundraiser triggers mandatory registration regardless of how much the organization raises.² Below-threshold, volunteer-only organizations may still register voluntarily for $30 per year, but voluntary filers cannot request extensions.

Certain categories do not register at all under N.J.S.A. 45:17A-26:

Corporations, trusts, foundations, or associations incorporated or established for religious purposes, and affiliated charitable agencies operated by or under the supervision of a religious body.
Schools whose curricula are registered or approved by the New Jersey Department of Education or the Commission on Higher Education, and educational institutions soliciting only from students, alumni, faculty, trustees, and their families.
Libraries registered by the State Department of Education whose annual financial reports are filed with that department.
Local units of a parent charity already registered in New Jersey, where the parent has reported the local unit’s information and the local unit uses only members or volunteers for solicitation.

The exemptions are read narrowly. A charity that calls itself religious but was not incorporated for religious purposes does not qualify, and an educational institution soliciting beyond its own community loses the exemption.¹

Penalties for Filing Late or Not at All

Late renewals draw the $25 flat fee. Soliciting without a required registration draws much more. The Attorney General can investigate, issue subpoenas, and seek injunctions or restraining orders against unregistered solicitations. Civil penalties under the CRI Act reach up to $10,000 for a first violation and $20,000 for each subsequent violation. Violating an Attorney General order lifts the penalty to $25,000 per violation, enforced through summary proceedings in Superior Court.¹

If You Work with a Professional Fundraiser

Professional fundraisers and fundraising counsel have their own registration track. Initial registration uses Form CRI-500P; annual renewal uses CRI-500PR. Both carry a $250 fee, and the fundraiser’s renewal deadline is always June 30, with registrations running July 1 through June 30 of the following year. Late renewals add the same $25 flat fee that applies to charities.⁷

Two things follow for the charity. First, contracting with a professional fundraiser puts you on the long form (CRI-150I or CRI-300R) regardless of your contribution level. Second, the fundraiser’s registration does not cover yours, and yours does not cover the fundraiser’s. Both parties file separately.

1
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. New Jersey Code 45:17A – Charitable Registration and Investigation Act
2
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Charities Registration and Investigation Section
3
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Charitable Registration and Investigation Section – Forms
4
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Charities Registration and Investigation
5
Cornell Law Institute. New Jersey Admin Code 13:48-2.1 – Fee Schedule
6
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Charities Registration and Investigation Section
7
New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Registration – Paid Fund-Raisers Registration Information