How to use our services

Registering and maintaining your incorporated society

Becoming an incorporated society requires that you register and maintain your organisation on the Incorporated Societies Register. All the tasks needed to do this can be carried out online.

Using our online services

Before you can use our online services, you’ll need a RealMe® login, and an online services account with the Companies Office.

What is RealMe? RealMe website

RealMe logins and setting up your online services account

Doing things online enables quicker processing, allows you to check the progress of applications, and saves you the cost of postage.

If you prefer, you can file all necessary documents with us manually. This does not require an online services account. Both options are covered in the help guides on this website.

Confirming your authority to manage information

To manage your incorporated society's information on the register you’ll also need to confirm that you have the authority to do so. This is a simple one-off process.

Read more about confirming your authority

Terms and conditions

When you create an online services account, you'll be asked to agree to our terms and conditions. These set out your responsibilities and help to ensure the information you provide is kept secure. By agreeing to our terms and conditions, you're committing to keeping your information on the register up to date.

Terms and conditions

A printable PDF guide ‘Getting started on the Incorporated Societies Register’ is available. You may wish to have this handy when setting up your online services account.

Getting started on the Incorporated Societies Register PDF, 942 KB opens in a new window

All help topics

Getting started on the register 7 guides

Find out about incorporated societies and the Incorporated Societies Register, and what's needed to register and maintain an incorporated society in New Zealand.

Searching the Incorporated Societies Register 2 guides

Find out how to search our registers for information about incorporated societies, and other entities

Starting an incorporated society 5 guides

To incorporate a society in New Zealand you must submit an application, along with the required documents, and pay a registration fee.

Reregistering under the 2022 Act 6 guides

To remain on the register, existing societies will need to reregister under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 before April 2026

Running your incorporated society 7 guides

Once you’ve registered, you’ll need to keep your details on the register up to date, and follow the rules that apply to incorporated societies and how they are run.

Meeting your annual filing requirements 3 guides

Once you've registered your incorporated society, you'll need to file annual financial statements. Societies registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 must also complete an annual return.

Keeping society details up to date 8 guides

Once you've registered your incorporated society, you'll need to file annual financial statements and update other society details when they change.

Ending an incorporated society 2 guides

When an incorporated society reaches the end of its 'life', it must be wound up and removed from the register. Here we outline the ways this can be done – by dissolving the society (1908 Act), removing the society from the register (2022 Act) or placing it in liquidation.

Restoring an incorporated society to the register 2 guides

An application can be made to us to have an incorporated society restored to the register, by the society itself, or by a creditor. You'll need to provide evidence to support your application.

Forms and fees 3 guides

The forms you might need to update a society's details, along with the fees that apply and ways you can pay.

Managing your online account 7 guides

To update society details on the Register of Incorporated Societies you need a Companies Office online services account. It's free to set up, but fees apply for some transactions.