Don't Forget to File Your Biennial Report with DCRA!

April 1st was the deadline for nonprofits to file their Biennial Report, Form BRA-25, with the D.C. Government's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA).

Every nonprofit is required to file a biennial report the April 1st immediately following the year the organization was incorporated, and then every two years thereafter. Depending on the year in which your nonprofit was formed, you may have to file the report on even-numbered or odd-numbered years.

If you don't know what year your organization should file in, you can go to DCRA's CorpOnline website and check your organization's filing history under the "Business Filings Search" tab. You must create a free user profile in order to use CorpOnline. You should also check to see if your organization's status is listed as "Active," which indicates that all of your organization's prior reports have been filed and that your organization is in good standing with DCRA.   

A filing fee of $80 must accompany Form BRA-25. DCRA encourages nonprofits to file their annual reports on CorpOnline, where a link to the nonprofit version of Form BRA-25 can be found on the home page. Alternatively, Form BRA-25 can be filed in person at DCRA's Business License Center, located at 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor, Washington, D.C.

If a nonprofit does not file the form by April 1st, it will have to pay a late fee of $50. In addition, if a nonprofit does not file the form within five months of the April 1st due date, its corporate status will be revoked and it will no longer be authorized to do business in D.C. If that happens, the nonprofit's ability to do business in the District will be suspended and the validity of its existing contracts, such as its lease or grant agreements, could be questioned.

The good news is that a nonprofit whose corporate status has been revoked may file for reinstatement. In order to be reinstated, an organization must file all past due biennial reports with the accompanying filing and late fees, as well as Form GN-5, asking for reinstatement. There is an additional $80 fee for the reinstatement form.

For more information, including how to file online, go to the DCRA information page for nonprofit corporation filings.