Does a North Carolina Nonprofit Need an Audit?
North Carolina's solicitation licensing rule requires a licensed charity with total support and revenue of $250,000 or more for the preceding fiscal year to provide a CPA audit and Form 990; from $100,000 up to $250,000, a compilation by an independent public accountant and Form 990. Under $100,000, it may file the state's financial report form or Form 990.
Data as of Nov 15, 2026 · Source: Federal Audit Clearinghouse (public data)
Does a North Carolina nonprofit need an audit?
North Carolina's solicitation licensing rule requires a licensed charity with total support and revenue of $250,000 or more for the preceding fiscal year to provide a CPA audit and Form 990; from $100,000 up to $250,000, a compilation by an independent public accountant and Form 990. Under $100,000, it may file the state's financial report form or Form 990.
| Topic | Applies to | Rule | Threshold | Source | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State rule - audit | A charitable organization or sponsor with total support and revenue for the preceding fiscal year of $250,000 or more | A charitable organization or sponsor which has total support and revenue for the preceding fiscal year of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) or more shall provide an audit by a certified public accountant and a copy of IRS Form 990. The rule applies to organizations licensed under G.S. 131F-5; G.S. 131F-3 exempts, among others, a person who receives less than $50,000 in contributions in a calendar year and compensates no officer, trustee, organizer, incorporator, fund-raiser or solicitor. | $250,000 | 18 NCAC 11 .0506 (Simplified reporting for certain organizations), in the Secretary of State's Statutes & Rules reference | Last verified: 2026-11-15 |
| State rule - compilation | A charitable organization or sponsor with total support and revenue for the preceding fiscal year of at least $100,000 but less than $250,000 | A charitable organization or sponsor which has total support and revenue for the preceding fiscal year of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) but less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) shall provide a copy of a compilation performed and signed by an independent public accountant and a copy of the IRS Form 990. | $100,000 | 18 NCAC 11 .0506 (Simplified reporting for certain organizations), in the Secretary of State's Statutes & Rules reference | Last verified: 2026-11-15 |
| State rule - under $100,000 | A charitable organization or sponsor with total support and revenue for the preceding fiscal year of less than $100,000 | A charitable organization or sponsor which has total support and revenue for the preceding fiscal year of less than $100,000 may elect to file its financial statement as required by G.S. 131F-6(8), signed by three members of the audit or finance committee, or by G.S. 131F-6(9), a copy of its Form 990 and Schedule A or its Form 990-EZ. G.S. 131F-6(10) lets any charitable organization or sponsor include a financial report audited by an independent certified public accountant as an optional filing. | — | 18 NCAC 11 .0506 and G.S. 131F-6 in the Secretary of State's Statutes & Rules reference | Last verified: 2026-11-15 |
Who enforces this in North Carolina?
The first rule in the table comes from 18 NCAC 11 .0506 (Simplified reporting for certain organizations), in the Secretary of State's Statutes & Rules reference. Check that source for the North Carolina office and the filing instructions that apply to your organization.
How does this differ from the federal single audit?
The federal single audit applies when a nonprofit spends $1,000,000 or more in federal awards in a fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 2024 ($750,000 for earlier fiscal years). State rules are separate and are listed on this page.
Read what the single audit threshold means or check whether an organization needs a federal single audit.
North Carolina nonprofit single audits in the federal data
The federal single audit is a separate requirement. These pages count the North Carolina nonprofit filings in the Federal Audit Clearinghouse and the firms named on them.
- North Carolina nonprofit single audit statistics by year
- CPA firms that audit North Carolina nonprofits
Common questions
Does a North Carolina nonprofit need an audit?
North Carolina's solicitation licensing rule requires a licensed charity with total support and revenue of $250,000 or more for the preceding fiscal year to provide a CPA audit and Form 990; from $100,000 up to $250,000, a compilation by an independent public accountant and Form 990. Under $100,000, it may file the state's financial report form or Form 990.