California Form 3500 (Application Exemption) is the primary document organizations use to apply for state tax-exempt status with the California Franchise Tax Board. The form requests your organization’s name, contact details, and structural information, including whether you operate as a foreign corporation, trust, or limited liability company. It also asks about your IRS tax-exempt status, governance structure, financial activities, fundraising history, and planned future activities.
Organizations filing for the first time must include a full narrative of their purposes and activities alongside detailed financial data. The Franchise Tax Board reviews this information against previously filed records before approving or denying the application. Processing time typically ranges from a few weeks to several months depending on the complexity of the application. See the official California Form 3500 page for the most current version of this document and additional filing guidance.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Form Name | Application Exemption |
| Also known as | California Form 3500, CA FTB 3500 |
| Form Length | 20 pages |
| Fillable? | No |
| Fillable fields | 0 |
| Avg. time to fill out | 5 min |
| Filing Authority | California Franchise Tax Board |
| Other names | application exemption fillable, application exemption online, application exemption marketplace |
