The program does NOT:

• Help participants change their identities or relocate.
• Remove or delete existing public records.
• Offer legal advice.
• Relieve participants of their legal or financial responsibilities.

Under the Tennessee Public Records Act, T.C.A. § 10-7-501 et. seq., all state or local government records are considered public and are available for public inspection and copying, unless specifically protected by other law. This means that any member of the public can request that a state or local government official allow them to inspect and/or take a copy of certain records, which may contain an another individual’s name, address, or phone number. This means that an abuser may be able to track or discover the residential address of a victim through public records. The primary goal of the Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program is to prevent this from happening and provide victims of domestic violence and other crimes with a sense of security in their own homes and freedom from intimidation or further abuse.

"Solicit" or "solicitation" means any oral or written request, however, communicated, whether directly or indirectly, for a contribution.  See T.C.A. §48-101-501(11).

The Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program is a statewide address confidentiality program administered by the Office of the Tennessee Secretary of State. It is open to all victims of domestic abuse, stalking, human trafficking, rape, sexual battery, or any other sexual offense who satisfy eligibility and application requirements at no cost. Once a participant has been approved, they are provided with a ‘substitute’ address that can be used by them and their children as their official mailing address for all state and local government purposes, including public school or public benefits enrollment, subject only to a few limited exceptions.

The initial registration fee is $50 dollars.  The fee for renewing your registration is based on the following scale:

GROSS REVENUE REGISTRATION FEE 
$0 – $48,999.99                                              $80 
$49,000 – $99,999.99                                     $120
$100,000 – $249,999.99                                 $160 
$250,000 – $499,999.99                                 $200 
$500,000 and above                                      $240

“Contributions" means the promise or grant of any money or property of any kind or value, including the payment or promise to pay in consideration of a sale, performance or show of any kind which is advertised or offered in conjunction with the name of any charity.  “Contribution” does not include bona fide fees, dues or assessments paid by members; provided, that membership is not conferred solely as consideration for making a contribution in response to a solicitation.  See T.C.A. §48-101-501(3).

The Tennessee Secretary of State offers an online search of charities.  Please note, if you do not locate the organization, please consider the following:

• Organization could be exempt from the registration process by statute. Click HERE to learn more.
• Organization may file as a $50,000 and Under organization. To search those organizations, please click HERE.
• Make sure you are searching under the official legal name of the organization.

Renewal Filing fees are based the gross revenue for the filing period. Late fees are assessed per month.

For Renewal Dates after 7/1/2021:

Gross Revenue                        Filing Fee

• $0 to $50,000                                $0.00 *
• $50,000.01 to $99,999.99          $10.00
• $100,000.00 to $249,999.99     $10.00
• $250,000.00 to $499,999.99    $10.00
• $500,000 and over                        $10.00

Late Fees: $10/month

For Renewal Dates on or before 6/30/2021

Gross Revenue                        Filing Fee

• $0 to $50,000                                $0.00 *
• $50,000.01 to $99,999.99          $120.00
• $100,000.00 to $249,999.99     $160.00
• $250,000.00 to $499,999.99    $200.00
• $500,000 and over                       $240.00

Late Fees: $25/month

* Based on answers on the renewal form, an organization may qualify for an exemption because they received less than $50,000 in gross contributions from the public. Organizations that qualify for this exemption will not be charged a filing fee for the filing period.

We think it’s great you are interested in serving on one of Tennessee’s many boards and commissions!

To inquire about serving on a specific board, please reach out to the appointing authority of that board.

If you are unsure of the appointing authority, you can search our Boards and Commissions page here. Some boards have multiple appointing authorities, by clicking on a specific member’s name, you can see who is responsible for appointing a person to that particular position.

Yes, for good cause shown (e.g. application for extension to file an exempt organization return that was filed with the IRS), the division may extend the time for filing a renewal application for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days, during which time the previous registration remains in effect.   An organization may request a second extension of time for a period of sixty (60) days, as long as it provides proof that it has been granted an extension of time to file with the IRS.

Yes, the organization must renew its registration by the last day of the 6th month after the end of its accounting year.

A civil penalties up to $5,000 may be imposed for each and any violation.  Further, anyone who willfully and knowingly violates any provision of the Charitable Solicitations Act, or willfully and knowingly gives false or incorrect information in filing statements or reports to the division commits a Class B misdemeanor.  A second or subsequent offense is a Class E felony. 

Organizations that are exempt from the registration requirements of the Act include bona fide religious institutions, as defined by T.C.A. §48-101-502(c); educational institutions and supporting organizations as defined by T.C.A. §48-101-502(b); volunteer fire departments, rescue squads and local civil defense organizations; political parties, candidates, and Political Action Committees; hospitals; nursing homes; any corporation established by an act of congress of the United States that is required by federal law to submit annual reports of its activities to congress containing itemized accounts of all receipts and expenditures after being fully audited by the department of defense; and organizations that do not intend to solicit and receive and do not actually raise or receive gross contributions from the public in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) during a fiscal year. Organizations that do not intend to solicit and do not actually raise or receive gross contributions from the public in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) during a fiscal year must file an Exemption Request annually.