Section 6-401 - Registration required(a) A charitable organization shall register and receive a registration letter from the Secretary of State before the charitable organization:(1) solicits charitable contributions in the State;(2) has charitable contributions solicited on its behalf in the State; or(3) solicits charitable contributions outside of the State, if the charitable organization is in the State.(b) A separate registration statement and a registration letter is necessary before any of the following charitable organizations can solicit:(1) a federated fund-raising organization consisting of independent charitable organizations, including a united fund and a community chest, that: (i) have joined to solicit charitable contributions and distribute them among themselves; but(ii) keep their own operating authority and control; or(2) an independent charitable organization, including one that is a member of a federated fund-raising organization, unless it is specifically exempted or it does not solicit charitable contributions other than as a member of a federated fund-raising organization.(c)(1) A parent organization shall submit a consolidated registration statement for the affiliates, branches, or chapters in the State that it coordinates, controls, or supervises.(2) An affiliate, branch, or chapter of a charitable organization shall: (i) report information needed for a consolidated registration statement to its parent organization;(ii) submit a separate registration statement; and(iii) receive a registration letter from the Secretary of State prior to soliciting.(3) For purposes of this subsection, an independent member agency of a federated fund-raising organization is not an affiliate, branch, or chapter.