508 Compliance Test™

Ready to find out if you’re 508 Compliant?

Operating a noncompliant 508 carries potentially serious consequences, which is why we decided to start The 508 Company. We want every 508 to be confident and ready if the IRS ever comes knocking for information or it becomes necessary to defend your organization’s tax-exempt status in court. And considering our nation’s current political climate, this unfortunately may happen sooner rather than later—hence the importance of being prepared!

About this Test

According to the IRS, they use term church in its generic sense as a place of worship. Therefore, when The 508 Company refers to churches, we are also referring to home fellowships, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other houses of worship which have long enjoyed Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, with resulting exemption from IRS Form 990 filings, availability of clergy housing allowances, and religious liberty protections.

In analyzing whether a religious organization may properly be characterized as a church for purposes of Section 508(c)(1)(A), the IRS has applied a 14-point test for determining whether an organization qualifies as a church for tax purposes. This 14-point test has been used since at least 1977. Some characteristics have greater weight than others.

Based on the IRS’s 14-point church test, rules for tax-exempt organizations, and multiple court cases from the 1970s to 2023, The 508 Company has built the following 508 Compliance Test,™ to help determine if your organization should be categorized as a tax-exempt church.

After the Test

Once you’ve completed the 508 Compliance Test,™ you will be redirected to a calendar page to schedule your 508 Compliance Consultation with one of our 508 Compliance Specialists. During your consultation, we will discuss your compliance results, answer any questions you may have, then discuss the next steps we suggest for your organization.