Registration and Reportable Business Relationship ('RBR') Information

Resources to help you file and navigate the online Lobbying Application
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Overview: Statements of Registration

The Lobbying Act requires the filing of a biennial Lobbyist Statement of Registration (“Registration”).  A Registration is a forward-looking document that captures the actual and anticipated Lobbying Activities, including the Focuses and Parties that you expect to lobby, during the biennial (two-year) period.  Registrations must be filed by a Lobbyist who is retained, employed, or designated to lobby, and exceeds or reasonably anticipates exceeding  the $5,000 threshold for combined Reportable Lobbying Compensation and Expenses at the State and/or Municipal Level in a calendar year.  Lobbyists who have exceeded or anticipate exceeding the threshold must file a Registration for every Client on whose behalf the Lobbyist lobbies, regardless of the Compensation or Expenses paid by each Client individually.

What follows is the information to help you get ready to file a Registration. 

How do I obtain forms to register and report?

Electronic Filing:  The Commission encourages all Filers to register and report online using the Lobbying Application ("LA") to register and submit filings.  Electronic filing has several advantages not available to paper filers, as described below. 

Advantages to filing online:

  • 24-hour access.
  • Information will prepopulate to certain sections of your filings for you.
  • Registration and Client Semi-Annual filing fees can be securely paid by credit card.
  • Filing deadlines are extended until midnight, saving a rushed trip to the JCOPE office.
  • Start and finish your Filings at your convenience with the “save” function.
  • Eliminate time-consuming entry of bill numbers by copying/pasting into your Filing.
  • Automatically review Filings for missing information before you submit.
  • Access to all your Filings and their processing statuses.

 

Paper/PDF Filing:  Filers seeking a paper/PDF form should contact the Lobbying Help Desk at (518) 474-3973 or [email protected] for assistance. 

 

Forms required to be filed and who is responsible for filing them:

 

Name of FormFiled ByFiling Fee
Lobbyist Statement of RegistrationLobbyists If the $5,000 threshold is expected to be exceeded for a Client - $200 Registration fee per Client or $100 prorated for the registering in the second half of a biennial period.  If $5,000 threshold is not expected to be exceeded for the Client, no fee is required.
Reportable Business Relationship FormLobbyists and Public Corporations No fee required. The Lobbyist Reportable Business Relationship Form is considered a part of the Lobbyist's Statement of Registration.
Public Corporation Statement of RegistrationPublic Corporations No fee required.

 

 

Filing Due Dates

Registration Filing Instructions

Guidance documents on how to file the Statement of Registration.

  • Coalition Filing Requirements

    Beginning with the 2021 Biennial Registration Period, the Commission’s regulations have been amended to simplify and clarify how Lobbying Activity by Coalitions should be disclosed. The following guidance will assist a Coalition in determining whether it is required to file Lobbying Reports as a Coalition, or if, instead, its Members are required to disclose their Coalition Contributions in their own Lobbying Reports. Applicable for filing years 2023 through 2021.  

    Revised 11/27/2024

    Download

  • How to Properly Disclose Lobbying Activities Information

    Please reference this document PRIOR to disclosing Lobbying Activities in the Lobbyist Statement of Registration, Lobbyist/Public Corporation Bi-Monthly Report, Disbursement of Public Monies Bi-Monthly Report, and the Client Semi-Annual Report.  Applicable for the 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 Biennial.

    Revised 11/28/2022

    Download

  • Lobbying Report Extension Request Instructions

    The purpose of this document is to assist Filers with the submission of an Extension Request in COELIG’s Lobbying Application (‘LA’). NOTE: This document is not intended to assist Individuals/Organizations in determining whether they should request an extension.

    Download

Lobbying Application Instructions

Instructions for navigating the online Lobbying Application.

Lobbying Agreement Forms and Sample Letters

  • Sample Letter: Explanation Lapse for 2019-2020 Filings

    This sample letter can be used if (1) the Lobbying Agreement was not executed by a Client within 15 days of the date on which the Lobbyist agreed to – or was authorized to – begin Lobbying Activity (the start date); or (2) there is a ‘gap in time’ from the expiration (end date) of a Lobbying Agreement already on file with the Commission, and the start date of a ‘new’ extended agreement.

    Only valid for Filings for the 2019-2020 Biennial Period. 

    Download

Registration Terminations

Lobbyists and Public Corporations may terminate a registration early in the Lobbying Application. 

 

registration terminations

 

Reportable Business Relationship Information

  • Reportable Business Relationship Questionnaire

    This is for use by a Lobbyist or Client Organization to send to its equity partners, officers, directors or High-Level Individuals, as applicable, to determine whether such persons have Reportable Business Relationships that must be disclosed by the Lobbyist or Client Organization. 

     

    Revised 11/4/2022

    Download

PDF Forms for 'Paper Filers'

Filers seeking a paper/PDF form should contact the Lobbying Help Desk at (518) 474-3973 or [email protected] for assistance.

Contact Lobbying Filings Specialist

For technical assistance, or help with Registrations, Lobbyist Bi-Monthly reports, Client Semi-Annual reports, and other lobbying-related disclosure forms, the Lobbying line is available from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, by contacting the main Commission phone number.

 

Contact us by phone:

Hotline - Press '1' to speak to the Lobbying Unit 800-87-Ethics (800-873-8442)

Contact us by email:

Mailing Address:

New York State 

Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government

540 Broadway

Albany, New York 12207