How to Change a Nonprofit Name

Two Separate Reports: State and IRS

A nonprofit's legal name lives in its articles of incorporation, a document filed with the state where it's organized. Changing the name on your website, letterhead or social media doesn't change the organization's actual legal name; only an amendment filed with the state does that. Once the state amendment is approved, you then report the new name to the IRS, since the IRS's own records (and your 501(c)(3) determination letter) still reflect the old name until you tell it otherwise.

Step 1: Amend Your Articles of Incorporation With the State

The specific form and fee depend on your state of formation. Two examples:

• Texas: file Form 424, Certificate of Amendment, with the Texas Secretary of State. The filing fee for a nonprofit corporation is $25, lower than the $150 fee other entity types pay, per the Texas Secretary of State.
• Georgia: file Form CD 110, Articles of Amendment, with the Georgia Secretary of State. The fee is $20 plus a service charge, totaling $30 for a paper filing, per the Georgia Secretary of State.

Other states have their own form and fee for amending nonprofit articles of incorporation; check your own state's Secretary of State or equivalent filing office before you start. Before filing, confirm the new name is available and meets your state's naming rules (see our guide on how to choose a nonprofit name), since a rejected amendment just adds a delay.

Step 2: Report the Name Change to the IRS

Once the state has approved your amendment, report the change to the IRS using one of two methods, per the IRS:

• If you file Form 990 or 990-EZ: report the change on your next annual return by checking the name-change box on page 1.
• If you file Form 990-N (the e-Postcard), or if you want a letter confirming the change: send a letter or fax (not a phone call) to the IRS's Customer Account Services, including both the old and new names, your EIN, and the signature of an authorized person with their title, such as "Jane Doe, Executive Director."

For an incorporated nonprofit, attach a copy of the amendment to your articles of incorporation and proof it was filed with your state, since that's the documentation the IRS actually uses to update its own records of your organization's name. An organization that wants a formal written acknowledgment, for example to show a bank or a grantmaker, can also request an affirmation letter from the IRS's Exempt Organizations Determinations office confirming the new name along with your 501(c)(3) status.

Step 3: Update Everything Else That Uses the Old Name

Once both filings are done, update the name everywhere else it appears, including:

• Your bank accounts and any lines of credit.
• State charitable solicitation registrations in every state where you're registered to fundraise.
• Grant agreements, vendor contracts, and your general liability and D&O insurance policies.
• Your own bylaws, if they state the organization's name, and your website, letterhead and donation receipts.

Missing one of these can create a mismatch that slows down a future transaction, an audit, or a grant renewal, since the counterparty will expect your legal name to match what's on file with the state and the IRS.

Timing: Avoid Operating Under Two Names Longer Than Necessary

Between filing the state amendment and completing the IRS report, your organization's legal name and the name the IRS has on file will briefly be out of sync. Keep that window short by filing the IRS report as soon as the state amendment is approved, rather than waiting for the organization's next annual return if your situation calls for a faster, letter-based update.

A Name Change Doesn't Reset Your EIN or 501(c)(3) Status

Changing your name doesn't require a new EIN and doesn't require reapplying for tax-exempt status; your existing EIN and determination letter continue to apply to the organization under its new name once both filings are complete. Don't let a formation-service upsell convince you that a name change requires starting your exemption over.

Check Name Availability Before You File the Amendment

A state will reject an amendment to a name that's already taken or too similar to another entity on file. Search your state's business entity database, and consider a trademark search through the USPTO, before you finalize the new name and file the amendment, rather than finding out after a rejected filing.

Don't Forget Your Charitable Solicitation Registrations

If your nonprofit is registered to solicit donations in one or more states, those registrations list your organization's legal name too, and most states expect you to update them when your name changes, separate from updating your home state's corporate filing and the IRS. See our guide on charitable solicitation registration requirements for how that registration generally works.

This Is Not Legal Advice

The specific documents a particular state or the IRS will accept, and how a name change interacts with existing contracts, grants or registrations, depends on your organization's situation. Talk to a nonprofit attorney if your name change is part of a larger rebrand, merger or restructuring.