How To Register A Ministry Name

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When you lot first a church in the US you typically register it with the state and federal governments. This registration isn't the same every bit getting a license to operate your church. In fact, there's no legal requirement that yous register your church at all. Even so, if you lot want to incorporate your church, you must register it with your land's secretary of country. Incorporation is necessary if you lot want tax-exempt condition from the federal government, which tin save your church a lot of money and help you use donations more than efficiently.^[one]

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Choose the officers for your church corporation. Apart from yourself, cull people who will operate your church and serve on its board of directors. These people volition be making important business organization decisions on behalf of the church.^[two]
- Although church building officers should all exist over 18 years one-time, there aren't whatsoever other legal requirements. Choose officers who believe in your church and will go on to support and uplift your church building and its members.
- Officers who are also lawyers or accountants tin can help your church past offering their professional person services gratuitous of accuse.
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Open up a bank account for your church building. Once you take an EIN for your church, yous tin can open up upwardly bank accounts in the church's name. You'll need these bank accounts to take donations, fund projects, and pay any church employees.^[4]
- Many churches have special bank accounts available specifically for churches. These accounts typically don't charge whatsoever fees and may have other features that tin help promote your church. Enquire around at different banks to choose the best accounts for your church.
4
Choose a location for your church. Choosing a location for your church building may depend on what area you feel most called to government minister to. You lot may take already identified a building you want to employ or you lot may decide to build a new church.^[5]
- Edifice a new church building building typically requires yous to raise pregnant capital. Yous may want to utilise a temporary location while the building is being constructed.
- Talk to other pastors well-nigh you to become a experience for areas in your community that aren't beingness reached as well as others.
Tip: If you start in a temporary location and move the church later, brand sure you update the IRS with the new accost for your EIN.
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Write upwardly the bylaws for your church corporation. The bylaws are the rules of operation for your church's board. You might recollect of the bylaws as your church building's constitution. Typically, you don't accept to submit this certificate to the country when yous register your church corporation. Nonetheless, you will probable need to submit them to the IRS every bit part of your awarding for taxation-exempt status.^[6]
- Your bylaws govern how the church building'southward lath operates, hires church employees, and makes decisions on behalf of the church building. Bylaws besides include information about how board members tin can step downwards and new board members can be added.
- Search online for sample bylaws for other churches. These will give you lot some idea of the types of information to include in your bylaws. You can as well get assist from an attorney who specializes in church building or nonprofit corporation germination.
- In addition to bylaws, many churches likewise create documents such equally a "Statement of Beliefs" or a "Statement of Religion." If you are starting a church of a particular domination, your church'due south counsel may already have these documents prepared. You would just need your board of directors to adopt them.

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Consult an attorney who specializes in church corporation germination. Incorporating a nonprofit organization tin can be more complicated than incorporating a for-profit business organization. An attorney will make certain your documents have all the language required past your state to form a nonprofit church corporation.^[7]
- Some attorneys offer their services to churches for costless. Your local bar association will be able to help you observe attorneys that will work with your church'south budget and needs.
- Religious legal associations may also be able to connect you with an attorney or give you legal advice.
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Draft your church's manufactures of incorporation. The articles of incorporation is typically the only document you demand to file with your state. It lists the name, EIN, and accost of your church building likewise as the names and address of your board members.^[eight]
- If you've decided not to hire an attorney to draft your documents, look for forms or templates for your country. These are typically available from the office of your country's secretary of state and you may be able to download them from the secretarial assistant of state's website.^[9]
- To find the website for your state's secretary of state, visit http://www.e-secretaryofstate.com/ and scroll the list until you find your state.
Tip: If yous're drafting your ain documents, make sure any forms or templates you use take any linguistic communication required to form a nonprofit religious corporation.
3
Annals your church building corporation with your land. When you've completed your articles of organization and any other documents required by your land, submit them to the appropriate country regime agency along with the incorporation fee. While fees vary among states, they are typically no more than $100.^[10]
- Your land may have a cover sheet or other application class that yous need to fill up out and file in addition to your articles of incorporation.
- Nonprofit organizations typically must register with their state to solicit donations from the general public. However, churches typically are not required to register and are not subject area to the same reporting requirements equally other nonprofit organizations.^[11]
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Comply with your country's corporate recordkeeping requirements. To maintain your corporate status, certain financial and donation records must be kept and made bachelor for inspection upon request. Some states may require regular inspect reports to be submitted to the land.^[12]
- An accountant who specializes in bookkeeping for churches and other nonprofit organizations tin can aid ensure that your records are maintained co-ordinate to your state's regulations.

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Complete your application for recognition of tax-exempt status. Visit https://www.irs.gov/charities-not-profits/applying-for-taxation-exempt-condition to download the form you need. Make sure you also download and read the instructions carefully.^[13]
- Filing for recognition of tax-exempt status can be complicated. If you've hired an attorney, they may be able to help yous. An accountant or revenue enhancement professional who specializes in working with nonprofit or religious organizations tin can also help.
- Some accountants and tax professionals offering their assistance to churches free of accuse. Try posting an ad on your church's website or social media request for help.
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Gather the required supporting documents for your church. When you apply for recognition of tax-exempt status, y'all must submit documents that support the information yous provided in your application. Some of these documents include:^[fourteen]
- Your church corporation's manufactures of incorporation
- Your church building'due south bylaws
- Your Statement of Religion or Statement of Belief
- Any other documents listed on your application
Tip: Copy or print each certificate you want to include with your application. At the top of each folio, write or type the name of your church, your church's EIN, and the portion of the application the document applies to.
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Organize your application packet following IRS recommendations. The IRS has a specific order in which you should organize your application and documents before you lot submit it to the IRS. This enables the IRS to process your application more quickly. Generally, follow this order from height to bottom of the packet:^[15]
- A bank check or money order for your user fee
- Your Class 1023 Checklist
- A Grade 8821 Tax Data Dominance (if necessary)
- Any expedite asking
- Your completed awarding form and required schedules
- Your articles of incorporation
- Your bylaws and other rules of operation
- Class 5768
- All other attachments
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Transport your application parcel to the IRS. Post your bundle to Internal Revenue Service, Attention: EO Determination Messages, End 31, PO Box 12192, Covington, KY 41012-0192. Include a check or money club for the user fee, which, as of 2019, is $600.^[16]
- Use a private delivery service if y'all desire proof of a mail and receipt date. You must utilize one of the approved delivery services included on the list at https://world wide web.irs.gov/filing/private-delivery-services-pds. Applications submitted using a private delivery service must be mailed to Internal Revenue Service, Attention: EO Conclusion Letters, Finish 31, 201 West Rivercenter Blvd., Covington, KY 41011.
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Wait for a response from the IRS. It may have up to 12 months for the IRS to brand a decision on your application. If the IRS has whatever questions or needs additional information to procedure your application, an IRS amanuensis volition telephone call you.^[17]
- If y'all submitted your application within 27 months of the date yous started your church, your tax-exempt status volition relate dorsum to that date, regardless of how long it takes the IRS to procedure your application.
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Report your revenue enhancement-exempt status to your state revenue bureau. Fifty-fifty if the IRS recognizes your church equally tax-exempt, you lot however have to register separately with your state. Taxation-exempt status does not automatically transfer from federal to state and each state has its own tax-exempt requirements and regulations.^[18]
- Go to https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/country-links and click on the name of your country to find out more about your state's tax-exempt registration requirements.
- Once your church'south tax-exempt condition is recognized, maintain proper financial records according to federal and state requirements. You may want to choose an accountant who is experienced in accounting for churches or other nonprofit organizations.
Tip: Even if the IRS fails to recognize your church building every bit revenue enhancement-exempt, your church may still be tax-exempt under your state'south revenue enhancement law.

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This commodity describes how to annals a church building in the US. If you desire to start a church building in some other state, the procedure will be unlike. Consult an attorney who specializes in the germination and registration of religious and nonprofit organizations.