Automatic Revocation of Exemption
Most tax-exempt organizations are required to file an annual return or notice with the Internal Revenue Service. (See Annual Return Filing Exceptions for a list of organizations that are not required to file.) Section 6033(j) of the Internal Revenue Code automatically revokes the exemption of any organization that fails to satisfy its filing requirement for three consecutive years. The automatic revocation of exemption is effective as of the due date of the third required annual filing or notice.
Organizations on the Automatic Revocation of Exemption List (Auto-Revocation List) previously recognized as exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are no longer eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions under Code section 170.
Publication of an organization’s name on the Auto-Revocation List serves as notice to donors and others that the organization is no longer eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions under section 170 and that donors and others may not rely on an IRS determination letter dated before the effective date of revocation or on a prior listing in either Exempt Organizations Select Check (Pub. 78 data) or the IRS Business Master File extract for purposes of claiming tax-deductible contributions. Because the list is an official IRS record of organizations that lost their exempt status for failing to file for three consecutive years, an organization whose exempt status is reinstated remains on the list. If, however, you think your organization was erroneously listed as revoked, see our frequently asked questions.
Because of system limitations, the name field may capture only the first few words of a long organizational name. For example, if the organization's full name is XXXXX YYYYY ZZZZZ University, Alumni Association Chapter 214, the name field may only display XXXXX YYYYY ZZZZZ University. You can check Exempt Organizations Select Check (Pub. 78 data) to ensure that an organization is still eligible to receive tax deductible contributions. For best search results, be sure to enter the exact legal name of the organization.
For more information, see:
- Information for State and Federal Credit Unions
- Churches, Integrated Auxiliaries, and Conventions and Associations of Churches
- Reinstatement of Tax-Exempt Status After Automatic Revocation and Deductibility of Contributions
- Frequently Asked Questions - Automatic Revocation of Tax-Exempt Status for Failure to File Annual Return or Notice
- Notice Regarding Effective Date of Revocation
- Fact Sheet
- News Release
