Requirements for Conducting a Bazaar/Raffle

• Any organization desiring to operate a bazaar or raffle in a municipality, shall make application to the municipal official on the form prescribed by the municipal official. 
• The form shall include, but not be limited to:
  • A description of the bazaar or raffle to be conducted and any other information which the municipal official reasonably requires for the protection of the public. 
  • In each application, there shall be designated three active members of the applicant under whom the bazaar or raffle described in the application is to be held, operated and conducted and to the application shall be appended a statement signed, under the penalty of false statement, by such members so designated that they are residents of this state and will be responsible for the holding, operation and conduct of such bazaar or raffle in accordance with the terms of the permit and the provisions of said sections, and that the statements contained in the application are, to the best of their knowledge and belief, true.
• After receipt of an application, the municipal official, shall, for any permit where the total aggregate prize would exceed $7,500.00, make or cause to be made an investigation of the qualifications of the applicant and the facts stated in the application and if the municipal official determines that the applicant is qualified to hold, operate and conduct a bazaar or raffle, that the members of the applicant designated in the application to hold, operate or conduct such bazaar or raffle are residents of this state, bona fide active members of the applicant and persons of good moral character and have never been convicted of a felony and that such bazaar or raffle is to be held, operated and conducted in accordance with the provisions of said sections, the municipal official shall issue a permit to such applicant.

Any sponsoring organization that holds, operates or conducts any bazaar or raffle shall furnish to the municipal official, a report showing:

• The amount of gross receipts derived from each bazaar or raffle
• In the case of a raffle, the number and price of tickets sold
• Each item of expense incurred or paid and each item of expenditure made or to be made and the name and address of each person to whom each such item has been or is to be paid
• The net profit derived from each bazaar or raffle and the uses to which the net profit has been or is applied
• A list of prizes of a retail value of $50.00 or more offered or given with the amount paid for each prize purchased or the retail value for each prize donated and the names and addresses of the persons to whom the prizes were given
  • Such report shall be furnished during the next succeeding month
    • The municipal official shall keep such report on file and available for public inspection for a period of one year thereafter
    • The sponsoring organization shall maintain and keep any books and records that may be necessary to substantiate the particulars of such report, which books and records shall be preserved for at least one year from the date of such report and shall be available for inspection

Any organized church, volunteer fire company or veteran’s organization or association conducting a bazaar or raffle:

• May be permitted to redeem prizes in cash
• Shall be exempt from the requirement of preserving unsold raffle tickets beyond ninety days after the conclusion of the holding, operating and conducting of such bazaar or raffle and shall be permitted to dispose of unclaimed prizes after ninety days; and
• May file a reconciliation of expenditures and receipts signed by an officer in lieu of an accountant.