The law classifies three categories for individuals or organizations operating these receptacles:  

  • Charitable Organization that places or maintains a receptacle
  • Any person (for-profit business) retaining all proceeds from sale of items collected
  • Any person who collects donated items and pays all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the items to a charitable organization

Individuals can now snap a photo of any donation bin in Tennessee, and post it to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag “#BinCheck” as a way to report a bin in question to the Division of Charitable Solicitations and Gaming. Posts should also include the bin’s approximate location, including city, county and business it may be near.

Nonprofit Bin Labeling Requirements
  • Charitable organization's name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Email Address
  • A statement expressing the charitable purpose for which the charitable organization exists.
For-profit Bin Labeling Requirements
  • Person's Name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • Email Address
  • Statement: 'This is not a charity.  Donations made here will be sold by a For-profit business and are not tax-deductible.
Professional Solicitor Labeling Requirement
  • Donations made here will be sold by a For-profit business, and a portion of the proceeds will be paid to [Name of Charitable Organization].  Further information about these payments can be obtained from [Name of Person operating the collection receptacle] at [Phone number and email address] and from [Name of Charitable Organization] at [Phone number and email address].