Campaign Finance Checklist for Candidates Filing With OCPF
Summary
OCPF has published a depository candidate checklist covering the full lifecycle of campaign finance compliance in Massachusetts, from registering with OCPF and opening a designated bank account using Form D-103, through to filing deposit reports and expenditure disclosures. Key contribution limits are specified: individual donors may give up to $1,000 per calendar year ($50 cash maximum), corporate entities including LLCs, LLPs, S-Corps, and partnerships are prohibited from contributing, and PAC contributions are capped at $500 per candidate per year with aggregate limits ranging from $7,500 for House candidates to $18,750 for Senate candidates. Candidates must deposit contributions within seven days of receipt, are required to clarify expenditure purposes on all checks and debit card transactions, and must file subvendor reports when a single vendor is paid $5,000 or more annually with $500 or more in expenditures made on the candidate's behalf.
“Candidates may receive up to $1,000 per calendar year per individual.”
Massachusetts political candidates and candidate committees should review their contribution-tracking procedures against the limits stated here: $1,000 per individual per calendar year, $50 cash maximum, no corporate or LLC contributions, and PAC limits of $500 per candidate per year with aggregate caps of $7,500 (House) and $18,750 (Senate). Committees that have paid vendors approaching $5,000 in aggregate should proactively assess subvendor reporting obligations before crossing that threshold.
About this source
GovPing monitors Massachusetts OCPF for new government & legislation regulatory changes. Every update since tracking began is archived, classified, and available as free RSS or email alerts — 4 changes logged to date.
What changed
The checklist codifies OCPF's depository system requirements, under which candidates must appoint a bank to file monthly reports on their behalf and make all expenditures by committee check or debit card with a clear purpose stated in the memo. Contributions must be deposited within seven days of receipt, with deposit reports filed promptly afterward (OCPF recommends within three days). Expenditures are subject to a purpose-clarity requirement, and statewide candidate committees face a more restrictive standard prohibiting expenditures primarily for personal use. Subvendor reporting obligations arise when aggregate vendor payments reach $5,000 in a year with downstream expenditures exceeding $500.
Candidates and candidate committees filing with OCPF must implement internal controls to ensure timely deposits, accurate donor record-keeping (including residential addresses for all donors regardless of amount, and occupation/employer for contributions of $200 or more), and proper expenditure documentation. Committees paying vendors at or near the $5,000 threshold should establish monitoring processes to trigger subvendor reporting obligations. The prohibition on corporate, LLC, LLP, S-Corp, and partnership contributions is absolute and applies regardless of entity type.
Archived snapshot
Apr 24, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Question/Answer
QA-710 Depository candidate checklist (getting started)
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Full Text
Every candidate who files with OCPF is in the depository system of reporting. The depository system requires a candidate to appoint a bank to file monthly reports on his or her behalf. CLICK HERE FOR THE GETTING STARTED VIDEO.
This is a checklist for starting and maintaining a depository bank account with OCPF.
GET STARTED: Organize/Register with OCPF on-line, here.
Open a bank account by completing the D103 form, here. You will need an EIN from the IRS to open a bank account. The bank must sign the form. Please see our list of banks that participate in the depository system of reporting.
Candidates may receive up to $1,000 per calendar year per individual. Limits chart. The cash limit is $50 per individual per year. Collect the names and residential addresses of all donors, regardless of amount.
DEPOSIT REPORTS: Deposit contributions within seven days of receipt, and file a deposit report with OCPF shortly afterward. Deposit reports itemize the name and address of the donor, as well as the occupation and employer for contributions of $200 or more. OCPF highly recommends filing a deposit report within three days of deposit (the statutory filing schedule is not as frequent, and differs depending on the office sought). Deposit report t utorial.
One deposit = One deposit report.
Candidates may not receive money from corporations, LLCs, LLPs, S-Corps and partnerships.
PACs may contribute up to $500 per calendar year to a candidate. There are aggregate PAC limits for candidates for state and county office (House candidate limit: $7,500 / Senate candidate limit: $18,750)
EXPENDITURES: A candidate may make expenditures to enhance his or her political future, so long as the expenditure is not primarily personal. A clear "purpose" for an expenditure is required. Example: "Catering for summer campaign launch party."
Expenditures made by statewide candidate committees are subject to a more restrictive standard than expenditures by other candidate committees. Specifically, a political committee organized or operating on behalf of a candidate for the office of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state secretary, treasurer and receiver general or state auditor may receive, pay and expend money or other things of value for reasonable and necessary expenses directly related to the campaign of the candidate but shall not make any expenditure that is primarily for the candidate's or any other person's personal use. 9. The bank will file reports each month on behalf of a candidate, disclosing the total deposits and expenditures for the month. The bank will also itemize expenditures, based on check and debit card activity.
Only make expenditures by committee check or committee debit card. IMPORTANT: When an expenditure is made by committee check, the purpose of the expenditure must be clearly explained in the memo section of the check. Click here to learn more about clarifying expenditures, if expenditures are made by debit card. Please clarify your debit card expenditures shortly after the bank report is filed.
Candidates may need to file subvendor reports, if the committee pays a vendor $5,000 or more in the year, and the vendor makes expenditures more than $500 on behalf of the candidate. Please see this guide.
Illustrated Guides for Depository Committees
Update occupation and employer
Report credit and debit card contributions
Account for merchant provider refunds
Amend a deposit report that has already been efiled
Named provisions
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