Single Audit Requirement Checker

    Determine if your organization is required to have a Single Audit under OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) — takes 30 seconds.

    Step 1: Select Your Organization Type

    Step 2: Annual Federal Award Amount Expended

    Include direct federal grants AND federal funds passed through state/local governments.

    How the Single Audit Threshold Works

    Under 2 CFR 200.501, a non-federal entity — a nonprofit, state or local government, Indian tribe, or institution of higher education — that expends $1,000,000 or more in federal awards during a fiscal year must have a Single Audit. The $1,000,000 threshold applies to fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2024; earlier fiscal years used $750,000.

    What counts toward the threshold

    The test is based on federal awards expended in the year, not the size of awards received. Grants, cooperative agreements, federal loans and loan guarantees, and federal funds passed through a state, county, or city agency all count. Purely state-funded grants do not, and payments received as a vendor under a procurement contract are not federal awards. For-profit organizations are outside the Single Audit rules entirely; their award terms set any audit requirement.

    What a Single Audit includes

    A Single Audit combines a financial statement audit performed under generally accepted auditing standards and Government Auditing Standards (the Yellow Book) with compliance testing of major federal programs. It covers the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, internal control over compliance, and a schedule of findings and questioned costs. The reporting package and Data Collection Form go to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse by the earlier of 30 days after you receive the auditor's report or nine months after year-end.

    If you are below the threshold

    An entity expending less than $1,000,000 is exempt from federal audit requirements for that year, but its records must remain available for review by federal agencies and pass-through entities. State law or funders may still require an audit — in Maryland, for example, a CPA audit is required at $1,000,000 or more in charitable contributions (see Maryland requirements). Tracking federal expenditures by program throughout the year makes it much easier to see when you are approaching the threshold.

    Read more about Single Audit services, preparing for your audit, and our full Audit & Assurance practice.

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    Single Audit FAQ

    The Single Audit threshold is $1,000,000 (raised from $750,000 effective for fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2024) in federal awards expended in one fiscal year. Organizations that expend $1,000,000 or more in federal financial assistance are required to have a Single Audit under 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance).

    Only if the state funds originate from federal sources, known as pass-through federal awards. If a state agency receives federal money and passes it through to your organization, those funds count toward the $1,000,000 threshold. Purely state-funded grants do not count.

    The Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC) is the online repository, operated by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), where Single Audit reports are submitted. The reporting package and Data Collection Form are due by the earlier of 30 days after receipt of the auditor's report or nine months after fiscal year-end (2 CFR 200.512).

    Auditors identify major programs using a risk-based approach (2 CFR 200.518). Programs are first classified as Type A or Type B; for most auditees the Type A threshold is $1,000,000, with higher sliding thresholds for larger auditees. Major programs tested must cover at least 40% of total federal awards expended, or 20% for auditees that qualify as low-risk.

    Failure to submit a Single Audit to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse by the deadline can result in funding suspension, loss of future grant eligibility, and referral to the cognizant federal agency for enforcement action. Grantors may also impose special conditions on future awards.

    Yes, as long as the CPA meets GAGAS (Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards) independence requirements and has expertise in 2 CFR 200 compliance. Virtual CPAs can perform Single Audits remotely using electronic document sharing, and many federal grantors have no geographic restrictions on auditor selection.

    The $1,000,000 threshold applies to fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2024. Earlier fiscal years use the prior $750,000 threshold. For a calendar-year organization, the first year under the new threshold is the year beginning January 1, 2025; for a June 30 year-end, it is the year beginning July 1, 2025.

    No. The Single Audit rules (2 CFR 200 Subpart F) apply to states, local governments, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and nonprofits. For for-profit recipients, the federal agency or pass-through entity sets any audit requirement in the award terms (2 CFR 200.501(h)). Payments received as a vendor under a procurement contract are not federal awards.

    The SEFA lists federal awards expended during the fiscal year by federal program, with Assistance Listing numbers and pass-through identifying numbers where applicable (2 CFR 200.510(b)). It is prepared by management, is the starting point for determining whether the $1,000,000 threshold is met, and drives the auditor's selection of major programs.

    Also see: Nonprofit Audit Requirement Checker | Nonprofit Audit Readiness Quiz

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