California Form CT-1CF is the Annual Registration Renewal Fee Report for Commercial Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes, and every commercial fundraiser soliciting in California must file it each year with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charities and Fundraisers to keep their registration active. Filing on time keeps your license valid, your bond in force, and your right to solicit California donors intact.
Missing the January 15 due date or under‑reporting campaign revenue can trigger a registration suspension under California Government Code §12599, and the Registry reports that roughly 1 in 4 CT‑1CF filings come back with deficiency letters because of missing campaign reports, missing bond renewals, or arithmetic errors on the financial schedule. The good news is that the form is short, predictable, and easy to get right once you know what every box wants.
In this guide you will learn:
- 📝 How to complete every line, box, and schedule on Form CT‑1CF without guessing
- đź’µ How the $350 renewal fee, the $25,000 surety bond, and the late penalties actually work
- 🗂️ Which campaign reports, contracts, and financial schedules must travel with the form
- 🧾 How three real commercial fundraisers (in‑state, out‑of‑state, and first‑year) fill the form line by line
- ⚖️ How to avoid the 10 most common mistakes that lead to suspension under 11 CCR §308
What the Form Is and Who Must File It
California Form CT‑1CF is the annual renewal report that every commercial fundraiser for charitable purposes uses to renew its registration with the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers inside the California Department of Justice. The form reports the prior calendar year’s California fundraising activity, identifies every charity the fundraiser worked for, and transmits the $350 annual registration fee required by Government Code §12599(d). The Attorney General uses the form to police compliance with the Supervision of Trustees and Fundraisers for Charitable Purposes Act.
A “commercial fundraiser” under California law is any person or company that, for compensation, solicits funds in California for a charity, or receives or controls those funds. That definition is broad. It captures telemarketers, direct‑mail vendors who handle donor checks, professional event promoters, crowdfunding facilitators that custody donations, and many digital fundraising agencies. Volunteer solicitors, bona fide employees of the charity, and “fundraising counsel” (planners who never touch the money) file different forms and do not use CT‑1CF.
The form is filed by the fundraising company itself, not by the charity. If the company solicited a single dollar in California during the prior year, or even held an active registration without activity, CT‑1CF is still due. Out‑of‑state fundraisers that called, emailed, or mailed California residents must file the same form as in‑state fundraisers, because California asserts jurisdiction over solicitations received in the state. The current revision date printed at the bottom of the form is CT‑1CF (Rev. 09/2023), and you should confirm you are using that version on the official CT‑1CF PDF before you start.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gathering paperwork before you open the form prevents the back‑and‑forth that triggers most deficiency letters from the Registry. Commercial fundraisers handle other people’s money, so the Attorney General expects clean, complete records on the first submission. Pulling the items below into one folder usually takes a CPA an afternoon, and it shaves weeks off the review timeline.
Here is the pre‑filing checklist for CT‑1CF:
- Your CT registration number (CT‑#######). Without it, the Registry cannot match your renewal to your file, and the package is returned unprocessed.
- Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN). Cross‑checked against IRS records to confirm the entity behind the registration.
- Prior year’s CT‑1CF. You will copy your legal name, address, and officers forward, and you need it to reconcile carry‑over balances.
- Every signed contract with every charity you served in California during the report year, because each contract requires a separate campaign financial report.
- Bank statements and donor receipts for each campaign, to support the gross‑receipts and disbursement lines.
- Proof of your $25,000 surety bond renewal, filed on Form CT‑4CF under 11 CCR §308; a lapsed bond freezes the renewal.
- A current list of officers, directors, and responsible persons, with home addresses, because the Registry runs background checks.
- A check or money order for $350 payable to the Department of Justice; the Registry does not accept cash, and most filers cannot pay by credit card on paper filings.
- Your in‑state agent for service of process, if you are domiciled outside California, because the form will not be accepted without one.
Missing any one of these items is the single most common reason CT‑1CF renewals are rejected. The Registry processes filings in the order received, so a deficiency letter pushes you to the back of the line and can leave your registration expired during the gap.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
The only authoritative source for CT‑1CF is the California Attorney General’s Registry website. You can download the fillable PDF directly from the Registry forms page, and the current file is named ct1cf-form.pdf. Do not use third‑party copies from tax‑software vendors, because those copies sometimes lag a revision and the Registry rejects superseded versions on sight.
Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader, not in a browser preview, because browser previews flatten the form fields and strip the signature blocks. Type your entries into the form fields, save the file under a name that includes your CT number and the report year, and then print a clean copy on white paper for mailing. The Registry currently does not accept CT‑1CF through its online Registry Search and Verification portal; that portal is for charity registrants, not commercial fundraisers, and the portal will reject CT‑1CF if you try to upload it.
If you cannot download the form, you may request a paper copy by writing to the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, P.O. Box 903447, Sacramento, CA 94203‑4470, but expect a two‑week mail turnaround. Most CPAs and registered agents keep a stock of the current revision so their clients do not lose filing days waiting on the postal service. Print the form single‑sided, because the Registry scans every page individually and double‑sided pages cause scan errors that look like missing data.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form CT-1CF Line by Line
The form is organized into a header block, a financial summary, a list of charitable organizations served, an officer disclosure, and a signature block. Work through it top to bottom, and complete a separate campaign financial report (a one‑page narrative attachment) for each charity contract before you sign. The full statute behind these instructions sits at Government Code §§12599–12599.10.
Report Period Boxes (Top of Page 1)
The top of page one asks for the calendar year you are reporting. CT‑1CF is always a calendar‑year form, even if your business runs on a fiscal year, because 11 CCR §308 ties the report to the calendar year.
Write the four‑digit year in the box — for example, 2025 if you are filing the renewal due January 15, 2026. Maria Lopez, who runs a small Sacramento telemarketing firm, writes 2025 in this box on her January 2026 filing.
A common edge case is a fundraiser that registered mid‑year. Even a partial year still uses the full calendar year here, and you simply explain the short period inside each campaign report. Filers sometimes write a fiscal year like 7/1/24–6/30/25, and the Registry rejects the form because the box is calendar‑year only. The misconception that “no activity = no filing” is also wrong; a registered fundraiser must file CT‑1CF every year until the registration is formally withdrawn.
Box 1 — Legal Name of Commercial Fundraiser
This box wants the exact legal name on file with the California Secretary of State, not a “doing business as” name. The Registry cross‑checks your entry against your articles of incorporation and your IRS records, and a mismatch flags the file for manual review.
Type the name in all capitals, with no punctuation other than what appears on the corporate filing. Maria Lopez’s company is registered as LOPEZ TELEFUNDRAISING INC., and that is exactly what she types.
If you operate under a DBA, list the DBA on the next line labeled “Also Known As.” A common mistake is dropping “Inc.” or “LLC” because it feels redundant, and the Registry kicks the file back because the legal name no longer matches the Secretary of State record. The misconception that DBAs are interchangeable with legal names causes the same problem.
Box 2 — Mailing Address
Box 2 captures the address where the Registry will mail official correspondence, including deficiency letters and renewal certificates. Use a physical street address whenever possible, because some Registry mailings (especially subpoenas) cannot be delivered to a P.O. Box.
Type the street, city, state, and ZIP on a single line, in that order. Maria writes 1450 J STREET SUITE 200, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814.
If you genuinely have only a P.O. Box, list the P.O. Box on the address line and add the physical street address on the “Street Address” line below it. The most common mistake here is using an old address and missing a deficiency notice, which silently expires the registration. Filers also wrongly believe an out‑of‑state mailing address disqualifies them from filing, but California welcomes out‑of‑state filings as long as a California agent for service of process is named in Box 4.
Box 3 — Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
This nine‑digit number ties the filing to your IRS account and to the bond carrier’s records. The Registry rejects any CT‑1CF that lists a Social Security number in this box, because commercial fundraisers must be a registered business entity, not an individual.
Enter the number with the standard hyphen after the first two digits, like 94‑1234567. Maria types her firm’s FEIN exactly as the IRS issued it.
If your firm changed FEINs because of a merger or restructuring, you must file a new CT‑1CF registration on Form CT‑3CF rather than renewing under the old number. The most common mistake is transposing two digits, and the resulting mismatch with IRS data triggers a manual review that adds 4–6 weeks. Many filers think the FEIN line is optional for sole‑proprietor commercial fundraisers; it is not, because California does not allow sole proprietors to register as commercial fundraisers in the first place.
Box 4 — California Agent for Service of Process
Out‑of‑state fundraisers must name an in‑state agent who can accept legal papers on the company’s behalf. California‑domiciled fundraisers may name an officer of the company.
Write the agent’s full legal name and California street address on the two lines provided. KAREN PATEL, 200 SPEAR STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105 is the entry that Boston‑based Atlantic Direct Mail LLC uses for its agent.
If the agent has changed since last year, you must also update your Secretary of State filing through bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov before the renewal is processed, otherwise the Registry sees a mismatch and pauses the file. The most common mistake is naming a registered‑agent service that has lapsed, and the consequence is loss of legal notice. Filers often think a P.O. Box satisfies this box; it does not, because service of process requires personal delivery.
Box 5 — Telephone, Fax, and Email
The Registry uses these contact points for fast deficiency cures, so accuracy here can save weeks.
Use a monitored business email, not a personal Gmail account, and include area codes for all phone numbers. Maria enters (916) 555‑0144 and compliance@lopeztele.com.
A common edge case is a fundraiser whose only “office” is a virtual one; in that case use the principal’s mobile number rather than leaving the line blank. The most common mistake is listing a phone number that goes to voicemail jail, and the consequence is a missed cure window. Filers sometimes leave email blank because they fear spam, but a blank email field triggers a Registry rule requiring all correspondence by mail, which doubles processing time.
Box 6 — Registration (CT) Number
Your CT number is on every prior letter from the Registry and on your initial CT‑1 confirmation. It is the single most important identifier on the form.
Write the full number including the CT prefix, like CT‑0123456. If the box is blank, the Registry cannot match your filing and treats it as a brand‑new registration, which costs you the renewal fee and forces a re‑registration package.
If you genuinely never received a number — meaning you have never registered before — you should be filing initial registration Form CT‑1CF (Initial) along with Form CT‑3CF, not a renewal. The most common mistake is leaving this blank because the filer cannot find the number, and the consequence is a 6–8 week processing delay. Many filers wrongly believe their FEIN can substitute for the CT number; it cannot, because the systems are separate.
Box 7 — List of Charitable Organizations Served (California Activity)
This is the heart of the form. List every California charity for which you solicited, received, or controlled funds during the report year.
For each charity, enter the legal name, the charity’s CT registration number, the contract start date in MM/DD/YYYY format, and the contract end date. Maria lists three charities, including VETERANS WEST FOUNDATION, CT‑0987654, 03/01/2025, 12/31/2025.
If the same charity ran two separate campaigns, list them on separate lines. The most common mistake is omitting a charity because the campaign produced no revenue, and the consequence is a false‑certification finding under Government Code §12599.6. Filers often think contracts that ended mid‑year do not count; they do, because the report period covers any day of activity.
Box 8 — Total Number of California Campaigns
Count the lines you wrote in Box 7 and write that number here. The Registry uses this count to confirm it received a campaign financial report attachment for every campaign.
Write the number in plain digits, like 3. Maria writes 3 because she ran three California campaigns in 2025.
If you ran zero California campaigns but kept the registration active, write 0, and attach a one‑page statement explaining the inactive year. The most common mistake is miscounting because a single charity ran multiple events, and the consequence is a missing‑attachment deficiency. Filers often think “campaign” means “event”; it does not — it means a contract, and one contract can cover many events.
Box 9 — Gross Receipts From All California Campaigns
This is the total dollars donors gave during the report year, before any fundraiser fees or expenses are subtracted. Pull the figure from your campaign‑level reports, and make sure the sum of those reports equals this line to the penny.
Enter whole dollars, with a dollar sign, like $1,284,500. Maria’s three campaigns together brought in $412,300.
If a donor pledged but did not pay during the year, do not include the pledge here; CT‑1CF is cash‑basis. The most common mistake is reporting net receipts instead of gross, and the consequence is an automatic audit referral because the Registry’s net‑disbursement ratio comes out wrong. The misconception that “gross” means “net of refunds” trips up newer filers; refunds are reported separately on the campaign report, not netted here.
Box 10 — Total Funds Disbursed to Charitable Organizations
This line shows what actually reached the charities. The Attorney General publishes the ratio of Box 10 to Box 9 on its website, and unusually low ratios attract enforcement attention under Government Code §12599.6.
Enter the total dollars paid to all charities listed in Box 7, in whole dollars. Maria writes $268,000 because that is what she remitted across the three campaigns.
If a charity directs you to forward funds to a fiscal sponsor, count that disbursement here only if the sponsor is itself a registered California charity. The most common mistake is including the fundraiser’s own retention as a “disbursement,” and the consequence is a false report finding. Filers often think “disbursement” includes in‑kind services; it does not — only cash transfers count.
Box 11 — Officers, Directors, and Responsible Persons
List each officer, director, and any other person responsible for the fundraising activities. The Registry runs criminal background checks against this list under 11 CCR §308.
For each person, enter full legal name, title, and home address (not a business address). Maria lists MARIA LOPEZ, PRESIDENT, 88 PINE LANE, ELK GROVE, CA 95624.
If a responsible person joined or left mid‑year, list them with the dates of service noted in parentheses. The most common mistake is listing only the CEO and omitting other officers, and the consequence is an incomplete‑disclosure finding that can suspend the registration. Filers often think “responsible person” means only owners; it includes anyone with day‑to‑day authority over solicitations or donor funds.
Box 12 — Surety Bond Information
Every commercial fundraiser must maintain a $25,000 surety bond, and Box 12 confirms it is in force. The bond protects donors and charities if the fundraiser misappropriates funds.
Enter the bond number, the carrier’s legal name, and the bond’s effective dates. Maria writes Bond #98765432, Hartford Fire Insurance Company, 01/01/2025–12/31/2025.
If the bond renewed mid‑year, list both bonds and attach Form CT‑4CF for each. The most common mistake is letting the bond lapse for even one day, and the consequence is automatic suspension of the registration during the lapse. The misconception that the bond can be replaced by an irrevocable letter of credit is wrong; California requires a true surety bond.
Box 13 — Signature Block and Penalty‑of‑Perjury Declaration
The form must be signed under penalty of perjury by an officer of the company. An electronic typed name does not satisfy the signature requirement on the paper filing.
Sign in blue or black ink, print the signer’s name and title beneath the signature, and date the form in MM/DD/YYYY format. Maria signs, prints MARIA LOPEZ, PRESIDENT, and dates the form 01/10/2026.
If the only officer is unavailable, you may grant a written power of attorney to another person and attach it; otherwise the unsigned form is rejected. The most common mistake is letting a non‑officer like a bookkeeper sign, and the consequence is a perjury‑defective filing that the Registry rejects. The misconception that a digital signature counts on paper is wrong; California demands an original wet signature on CT‑1CF.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
The three scenarios below show how very different commercial fundraisers complete the same form. Each filer’s facts shape the campaign list, the gross receipts, and the bond details, but the structure of the form is identical across all three. Read them side by side to see how the Registry expects different fact patterns to look on the page.
Scenario 1 — Maria Lopez, In‑State Mid‑Size Telemarketer
Maria runs Lopez Telefundraising Inc. in Sacramento, with three California charity contracts in 2025.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Report Year | 2025 |
| Box 1 — Legal Name | LOPEZ TELEFUNDRAISING INC. |
| Box 2 — Mailing Address | 1450 J STREET SUITE 200, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814 |
| Box 3 — FEIN | 94‑1234567 |
| Box 6 — CT Number | CT‑0123456 |
| Box 8 — Number of Campaigns | 3 |
| Box 9 — Gross Receipts | $412,300 |
| Box 10 — Disbursed to Charity | $268,000 |
| Box 12 — Bond Info | Hartford #98765432, 01/01/2025–12/31/2025 |
| Box 13 — Signature | Maria Lopez, President, 01/10/2026 |
Scenario 2 — Atlantic Direct Mail LLC, Out‑of‑State Filer
Atlantic Direct Mail LLC is based in Boston and ran two California campaigns in 2025, soliciting California donors by mail.
| Form Section | What Atlantic Enters |
|---|---|
| Report Year | 2025 |
| Box 1 — Legal Name | ATLANTIC DIRECT MAIL LLC |
| Box 2 — Mailing Address | 55 STATE STREET, BOSTON, MA 02109 |
| Box 3 — FEIN | 04‑7654321 |
| Box 4 — CA Agent | KAREN PATEL, 200 SPEAR STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105 |
| Box 6 — CT Number | CT‑0456789 |
| Box 7 — Charities | Sierra Wildlife Trust; Bay Area Food Pantry |
| Box 9 — Gross Receipts | $1,284,500 |
| Box 10 — Disbursed to Charity | $915,000 |
| Box 13 — Signature | Robert Chen, Managing Member, 01/12/2026 |
Scenario 3 — Janet Kim, First‑Year Registrant
Janet Kim’s startup, GiveSpark Solutions, registered in March 2025 and ran one California crowdfunding campaign before year‑end.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Report Year | 2025 |
| Box 1 — Legal Name | GIVESPARK SOLUTIONS LLC |
| Box 2 — Mailing Address | 900 BRYANT STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103 |
| Box 3 — FEIN | 87‑9988776 |
| Box 6 — CT Number | CT‑0998877 |
| Box 7 — Charities | Oakland Youth Coding Project, CT‑0667788 |
| Box 8 — Number of Campaigns | 1 |
| Box 9 — Gross Receipts | $78,400 |
| Box 10 — Disbursed to Charity | $58,800 |
| Box 12 — Bond Info | Travelers #44556677, 03/01/2025–02/28/2026 |
| Box 13 — Signature | Janet Kim, Member, 01/14/2026 |
How to File the Completed Form
CT‑1CF is filed only on paper, and the Registry treats the postmark date as the filing date. The complete package includes the signed form, every campaign financial report, the bond renewal on Form CT‑4CF, and a check for $350 made payable to the Department of Justice. The form acceptance rules sit in 11 CCR §308.
You may file by U.S. mail to the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, P.O. Box 903447, Sacramento, CA 94203‑4470, with a processing time of 6–10 weeks; keep your certified‑mail receipt as proof of timely filing. You may also file by overnight courier (FedEx, UPS) to the street address at 1300 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, which often shaves a week off processing because the package skips P.O. Box sorting; keep the courier tracking number as your proof. The Registry does not accept fax filings of CT‑1CF, and it does not currently accept online filings of CT‑1CF through the Registry portal. Walk‑in delivery is permitted at the I Street address during business hours, and the counter clerk will date‑stamp a copy of your form as proof of filing.
The renewal fee is $350 by check or money order; cash and credit cards are not accepted on paper filings, and a bounced check triggers a $25 NSF fee plus a registration hold. Place the fee check on top of the package so it is not missed, and write your CT number on the memo line so it can be matched if it gets separated.
What Happens After You File
Once the Registry receives your package, a clerk logs it, deposits the check, and assigns the file to a reviewer. You will not receive an immediate confirmation; the first official communication is usually the renewed registration certificate, which arrives 6–10 weeks after filing.
If anything is missing or unclear, the Registry sends a deficiency letter with a 30‑day cure window. Failing to cure inside the 30 days converts your registration status to delinquent on the public Registry Verification Search, and California charities may not legally contract with a delinquent fundraiser. Repeated deficiencies can lead to suspension or revocation under Government Code §12598, and revocation bars the firm from soliciting in California for at least one year.
While the renewal is pending, your registration remains active if the renewal was postmarked on or before January 15. A package postmarked January 16 or later is late, and the Registry assesses a $25/day late fee up to a $1,000 cap, plus a discretionary penalty under Government Code §12586.1. Once the certificate arrives, store it with your prior years’ filings and update your charity contracts to reference the new effective date.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
The list below collects the errors that produce the bulk of deficiency letters at the Registry, and each one is easy to avoid with a 10‑minute pre‑mail review.
- Using a stale form revision. The Registry rejects superseded versions of CT‑1CF on sight and does not toll the deadline.
- Leaving the CT number blank. The package cannot be matched and is treated as a brand‑new registration.
- Reporting net receipts in Box 9. Triggers an automatic audit referral and false‑report finding.
- Skipping a charity in Box 7. Causes a false‑certification finding under Government Code §12599.6.
- Letting the surety bond lapse. Suspends the registration for every day the bond is not in force.
- Listing only the CEO in Box 11. Incomplete‑disclosure finding that can hold up renewal indefinitely.
- Sending a personal check. Bounces a higher percentage of the time and the Registry charges a $25 NSF fee.
- Forgetting to attach campaign financial reports. Each missing report adds 30 days to processing and may trigger a hearing.
- Using a fiscal year in the report‑period box. Form is calendar‑year only and the entry is rejected.
- Letting a bookkeeper sign the form. Only an officer can sign under penalty of perjury, and a non‑officer signature voids the filing.
- Mailing without certified delivery. Without proof of timely mailing you cannot rebut a “late” assessment.
- Forgetting the $350 fee. A package without the fee check is held until you mail the check, and the original postmark may be lost.
Do’s and Don’ts
The cheat sheet below captures the habits that separate a clean filing from a deficiency loop.
- Do download the form fresh every January from the Registry forms page, because the Registry quietly revises CT‑1CF in odd years.
- Do reconcile Box 9 and Box 10 against your campaign reports to the penny, because mismatches trigger automatic review.
- Do mail certified with return receipt, because the green card is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy.
- Do keep a complete copy of the package for at least 10 years, because Government Code §12599.5 requires extended record retention.
- Do confirm your bond is renewed before you sign Box 13, because a lapsed bond invalidates the certification.
- Do call the Registry at (916) 210‑6400 if your number is missing, because they will look it up while you wait.
- Don’t sign the form before the campaign reports are attached, because the signature certifies the entire package.
- Don’t rely on a typed signature, because California demands an original wet signature on CT‑1CF.
- Don’t mail the form in February to “round out” your books, because the deadline is firm at January 15.
- Don’t combine two charities on one line in Box 7, because each charity gets its own line.
- Don’t use whiteout, because corrections must be redone on a clean copy.
- Don’t assume “no activity” means “no filing,” because the registration must be renewed every year until withdrawn.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Many commercial fundraisers handle CT‑1CF in‑house, while others hand the package to a CPA or a charity‑compliance attorney. The trade‑off is mostly about volume, complexity, and risk tolerance.
Pros of filing on your own:
- You save the $1,500–$3,500 a CPA typically charges for the package, because the underlying numbers come from your own ledger.
- You learn the form intimately, which makes future filings faster.
- You control the timeline directly and can mail the day the books close.
- You avoid the back‑and‑forth that comes with handing data to an outside firm.
- You build an internal compliance muscle that pays off across other state filings.
Cons of filing on your own:
- A single arithmetic error can suspend your registration, and the cost of suspension dwarfs the CPA fee.
- The campaign‑report attachments are nuanced, and pros catch issues filers miss.
- You are personally exposed under penalty of perjury if a number is off.
- Background checks on officers can surface issues a compliance attorney would have addressed in advance.
- A deficiency letter eats far more staff time than a clean professional filing.
FAQs
Is Form CT‑1CF the same as Form CT‑1?
No. Form CT‑1 is the initial charity registration, while CT‑1CF is the commercial fundraiser annual renewal. They go to the same Registry but cover different filers.
Do I need to file CT‑1CF if I had no California activity last year?
Yes. As long as the registration is active, the renewal is due every January 15 until you formally withdraw the registration in writing.
Can I file CT‑1CF online?
No. The Registry currently accepts only paper filings of CT‑1CF, by mail, courier, or in‑person delivery to the Sacramento office.
Do I write my DBA or my legal name in Box 1?
No to the DBA in Box 1; Yes to the legal name on file with the Secretary of State. List the DBA on the “Also Known As” line below.
Does Box 9 want gross or net receipts?
Yes, Box 9 wants gross receipts before fees, expenses, and refunds. Reporting net receipts triggers an automatic audit referral.
Should the home address or the business address go in Box 11?
Yes, list the home address for each officer, because the Registry uses it to run background checks.
Is the $25,000 surety bond mandatory every year?
Yes. The bond must be in force for every day of the registration year, and a lapse triggers automatic suspension.
Can a sole proprietor register as a commercial fundraiser?
No. California requires a registered business entity, so a sole proprietor must form an LLC or corporation before filing.
Can my CPA sign the form on my behalf?
No. Only an officer of the company may sign under penalty of perjury; a CPA may prepare but not sign Box 13.
Is the $350 renewal fee refundable if my registration is denied?
No. The fee is a non‑refundable processing fee under Government Code §12599(d).
Do out‑of‑state fundraisers really have to file the same form?
Yes. Any solicitation received in California subjects the fundraiser to California jurisdiction and the same CT‑1CF requirement.
Is the deadline ever extended?
No in routine years. The Registry has granted only emergency extensions during declared disasters, and otherwise the January 15 date is firm.
Do I need to attach contracts to CT‑1CF?
Yes. Every charity contract that produced California activity must be attached, along with a one‑page campaign financial report for each.
What if I cannot find my CT number?
Yes, call the Registry at (916) 210‑6400, and a clerk will look it up using your FEIN while you are on the line.
Related reading
- How to Fill Out California Form CDTFA-735 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California CPUC Form 1 (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form CT-2TR (w/Examples) + FAQs
- How to Fill Out California Form CT-3 (w/Examples) + FAQs
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