Confirming your authority to manage information

You need to be authorised to manage a society’s information on the register

Before you can manage information on the register for an incorporated society, you’ll need to confirm that you have the authority to do so.

Who needs to confirm

If you incorporated your society your authority will have been confirmed automatically. Otherwise you must demonstrate to us that you are authorised to access and manage information on the register. To do this, follow the steps below.

Setting up your online services account

To confirm your authority to manage information on the register you must first have:

  • a RealMe® login
  • an online services account for the Incorporated Societies Register.

RealMe logins and setting up your online services account

Ways to confirm your authority

There are 4 ways to confirm your authority to maintain information on the register.

You can:

  1. use your 'registry key'
  2. use your society's email address(es)
  3. provide ID verification (using a current NZ Driver Licence or NZ Passport)
  4. provide a letter of authorisation.

Choosing how to confirm

To confirm your authority to act on behalf of your society —

  1. Log in to your online services account.
  2. From your dashboard menu, choose the 'Search Business' option.
  3. Find and select the society.
    You can search using their name, number or New Zealand Business Number (NZBN).
  4. Select the 'confirm your authority' link at the top of the 'View Details' screen.
  5. Choose one of the 4 options to confirm your authority then follow the relevant instructions (outlined below).

Confirming authority using the society's registry key

Prior to 16 September 2019 incorporating societies were sent a 7-digit registry key at the time of registration.

To use this key to confirm your authority —

  1. Enter your registry key in the box provided.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm you are authorised to act on behalf of the incorporated society and select ‘Submit’.
  3. If the key you've entered matches our records, your authority will be confirmed immediately. But if there's no match, you’ll be asked to try again, or choose a different option.

Confirming your authority using an email address

  1. Enter the email address for your incorporated society, or for an officer where officer details have been recorded on the register.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm you are authorised to act on behalf of the organisation, and select ‘Submit’.
  3. If the email address matches an email address on the register, we will send an activation code to that address. If there is no match, you’ll be asked to try again, or choose a different option.
  4. Click on the link in the email to validate the activation code.
  5. If the activation code is correct, authority will be confirmed immediately.

How to confirm authority using ID verification

To use this option you must have a current New Zealand driver licence or passport.

  1. Select the ‘Proof of Identity’ type (driver licence or passport).
    • If you select driver licence, you’ll be prompted to enter your licence number, licence version number and date of birth.
    • If you select passport, you’ll be prompted to enter your passport number, expiry date and date of birth.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm that you agree to your identity document being used to verify your identity, and that you are authorised to act on behalf of the incorporated society.
  3. Select the ‘Submit’ button.
  4. If we’re able to verify your identity, authority will be confirmed immediately. If not, you’ll be asked to try again, or select another option to confirm your authority.

How to confirm authority by letter of authorisation

  1. Complete and upload the letter of authorisation.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm you are authorised to act on behalf of the society.
  3. Click ‘Submit’.

Letter of authorisation

The letter of authorisation should confirm the following:

  • the name and NZBN of the incorporated society
  • your name and contact details
  • that you have authority to act on behalf of the society.

The following letter template sets out the information you must provide.

Template for letter of authorisation PDF, 98 KB opens in a new window

Log in and confirm your authority

Managing who has authority

Once a user has confirmed their authority to manage information on behalf of an incorporated society, they can grant the same authority to other people in their organisation, and cancel the authority of others, or themselves.

Granting authority to other users

To grant authority to other users in your society:

  1. Log in to your online services account.
  2. On your dashboard, select the incorporated society from 'My Businesses'.
  3. On the 'View Details' page select 'Grant Authority' from the 'Maintain Authority' menu.
  4. Choose the type of user account to which you wish to grant authority (an individual or an organisation account - see note below).
  5. Enter the email address of the individual or organisation.
  6. Select the 'Apply' button.

We will send an email to the email address you have entered. This email will contain instructions for activating their login. If the user to whom you are granting authority does not already have a RealMe account or online services account, they will be prompted to set these up as part of the activation process.

Log in and manage authorities

Cancelling authority

To cancel the authority of another person in your society —

  1. Log in to your online services account.
  2. On your dashboard, select the incorporated society from 'My Businesses'.
  3. Select 'View Authority' from the 'Maintain Authority' menu.
  4. On the 'View Authority' screen, you will see a list of users that currently have authority.
    • Each user will have a 'Revoke' option next to their name.
    • Select the 'Revoke' option for the user whose authority you wish to remove.
  5. Enter the reason for the cancellation.
  6. Select 'Apply'.

Once you have submitted your request, the person will immediately be removed from the list of authorised users, and will no longer have access to the society's information on the register.

Log in and manage authorities

How to cancel your own authority

If you no longer need access to manage information for an incorporated society (for example, you have resigned as an officer), you can cancel your own authority.

  1. On your dashboard, select the incorporated society from 'My Businesses'.
  2. On the 'View Details' page, select 'Revoke your own authority' from the 'Maintain Authority' menu.
  3. Enter the reason for the cancellation.
  4. Select 'Apply'.

Once you have submitted your request, you’ll be immediately removed from the list of authorised users, and will no longer have access to the organisation's information on the register.

Log in and manage authorities

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.