Legal Stuff: These links to information and comments on State Raffle laws are here as a convienence to all you raffle holders out there and is NOT legal advice. I am not a lawyer. Be sure to contact your organizations attorney for proper legal council on raffles laws, restrictions and other issues in your state!
First Steps for Holding a Raffle
So your organization
wants to hold a vehicle raffle?
- The very first step of holding
a raffle, before finding the car, before making advertising flyers
or getting the tickets printed, is to find out about your states Raffle
Law. First and foremost contact your organizations lawyer (I know,
I know, I can hear the groaning now). Each state deals with raffles
in very different ways. In some states holding a vehicle raffle is
illegal, in others you need permits from various governmental agencies,
in still others your organization must have been officially in existence
for several years before you can even hold a raffle. Is some states
you can call it a "car fundraiser" not a "car raffle." This is what
our politicans do with their time apparently - come up with strange
and mystical rules on raffles.
- Beyond these bigger issues
there are numerous smaller, yet equally legally binding, points that
must be addressed. From dollar value limits on prizes and what must
be printed on the raffle tickets to the ability to sell tickets out
of state or online; these issues must be known by your organization.
-
Along this same line be prepared to answer legal and tax questions
from your ticket buyers. In your state are raffle tickets able to
be written off as a charitable donation? What payments are the winner
of your raffle responsible for at the time of possession of the prize?
Taxes, tags, title, personal property tax and so on again differ from
state to state. What happens if you are holding a raffle in South
Carolina and the winner of the prize is from Arizona? All of these
answers must be in hand before you begin to advertise your raffle.
-
The point is there are going to be legal and tax related issues and
questions. The first step of any raffle is to contact your organizations
lawyer prior to anything else! Your raffle should be a fun and profitable
endeavor that raises funds for the cause of your choice; not a legal
headache.
- This is a great
site for fundraising advice, ideas and guidance. The link below will
take you to their United States Raffle Laws section. Look it over,
get an idea on your states laws but still, without question, contact
your organizations lawyer for legal advice.
Thanks for the time and
Good Luck!
