Charitable Services Section

100 West First Street, Room 147
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-996-1260 (Voice)
213-996-1279 (Fax)
E-mail:
pccharity@lapd.online

 

The Charitable Services Section is responsible for regulating and monitoring Charitable activities, Bingo Gaming Enforcement, and investigations related to non-profit organizations throughout the City of Los Angeles. The Section is comprised of civilian investigators and administrative personnel whose main function is to ensure charitable and non-profit organizations comply with Section 44.04, Article 4, of the Los Angeles Municipal Code and the City’s Charitable Solicitation Ordinance No. 185,605, Eff. 7/8/18.

All activity regulated by the Charitable Services Section are examined and analysis reports are acted upon by the Police Permit Review Panel, which is empowered by the Board of Police Commissioners. Angelenos and constituents of the City of Los Angeles are encouraged to contact the Charitable Services Section to report suspicious or illegal activity related to charitable events and/or nonprofit organizations.

Frequently Asked Questions About Charitable Organizations

Charitable Services Section issues an Information Card. The Information Card has an identifying number and will be issued within 15 days of receipt of the Notice.

It is unlawful to conduct or play a game of bingo in the City of Los Angeles without a valid bingo license issued pursuant to Article 4.5 Bingo of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.

Comply with the provisions of Section 44.15(a)(1) through (9) of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC). Submit an Application for Endorsement [PDF] to Charitable Services Section, Los Angeles Police Commission.

Bingo may only be conducted no more than three days per week. No bingo session shall exceed six continuous hours and any one licensee shall permit not more than one bingo session in one day.

A fifty-dollar ($50) license fee shall be paid upon application for a bingo license or upon annual renewal thereof. In the event an application for license is denied, one half of the fee shall be refundable to the applicant. A bingo license shall be valid for a period of one year. An additional fee for law enforcement and public safety costs incurred by the City of Los Angeles. The feel shall be computed as follows: Each licensee shall pay a monthly fee equal to.922% (00922) of the total amount paid out in bingo prizes for that month in excess of $2,000. The above fee shall be adjusted, if necessary, in order to recover the city's administrative costs, and adopted in the same manner as provided in Section 12.37-1, 1 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code for establishing fees.

No, an Information Card Permit issued by the City of Los Angeles is only valid for the cities and /or regions under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department.

ANotice of Intentions needs to be completed and returned to Charitable Services Section at least 15 days prior to the beginning of your solicitation or advertisement of your fundraising activity. A Notice of Intention can be faxed or mailed to your organization.

Social Services Department was dissolved in 1997 as a Department and put under the Los Angeles Police Commission, Commission Investigation Division, Charitable Services Section, located at 200 North Spring Street, Room 1513, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

The documents are (1) Corporation Articles (and Amendments), (2) Bylaws, (3) Internal Revenue Service letter of income tax exemption and (4) Franchise Tax Board (State of California) letter of income tax exemption, and (5) the Charitable Trust (CT) number issued by the State of California, Office of the Attorney General.

The Information Card will be sent to the person named at the end of Notice of Intention as the person in charge of appeal. That name will be put on the Information Card along with a telephone in which they can be contacted regarding the appeal or event.

The Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) requires any person or organization soliciting or holding a special event in the City to obtain an Information Card from Charitable Services Section of the Los Angeles Police Commission prior to the event or appeal. The IC provides important information to the donor so they may make an educated decision whether to support that organization.

You can find the Los Angeles Municipal Code, City Charter and Rules and Code on the Los Angeles City website. www.lacity.org.

Each solicitor must possess and display upon request a copy of the Information Card to all persons solicited. Mail appeals must contain a replica of the Information Card or the information contained on the card. The Information Card must be displayed at the site of special events.

The form must be completed and submitted with the signatures of two officers of the organization and filed with Charitable Services Section, Los Angeles Police Commission within 30 days after the close of the solicitation.

An eligible organization may apply to the Los Angeles Police Commission Charitable Services Section for a license to conduct a bingo game(s). The application shall be on forms provided by Charitable Services and shall be filed not less than 60 days before the date on which the game is to be played or the series of games is to commence. Request a bingo application by contacting Police Commission Charitable Services Sections.

Bingo may only be conducted between the hours of 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight. No bingo session shall exceed six continuous hours and any one licensee shall permit not more than one bingo session in one day.

Bingo equipment and/or supplies must be purchased by suppliers licensed to sell in the City of Los Angeles. Contact Charitable Services Section for an up to date list of suppliers.

An officer (listed on file) needs to submit a cover letter requesting desired revision change(s) with an effective date and enclosed a revised lease or rental agreement reflecting necessary change(s).