Names protected by legislation

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

• New legislation for incorporated societies
• About incorporated societies
• Your responsibilities
• How to use our services
• Setting up your online services account
• Using the online dashboard
• Confirming your authority to manage information

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

• How to search the register
• Searching our other registers

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

• Before you set up a society
• Things to do before you apply
• Using our Constitution Builder tool
• Applying to incorporate a society
• Your responsibilities

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

• Getting ready for reregistering
• Reregistration videos and tools
• Your society will need a constitution
• Using our Constitution Builder tool
• Applying to reregister your society
• What happens to societies that don’t reregister

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.

• Your responsibilities
• Rules and constitutions
• Holding meetings
• Restrictions on money-making activities
• Entering into contracts
• Records you should keep
• Using our Constitution Builder tool

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.

• Filing annual financial statements for 1908 Act societies
• Filing annual financial statements and annual returns for 2022 Act societies
• Requesting an extension to your filing deadline

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

• Confirming your authority to manage information
• Updating your society's contact details on the register
• Updating officer details on the register
• Changing your society's rules or constitution
• Changing your society's name
• Updating your AGM month or balance date on the register
• Requesting a correction to the register
• How societies amalgamate

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.

• Bringing an incorporated society to an end
• When a society needs liquidating

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.

• Application by a society
• Application by a creditor

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

• Forms
• Fees
• Managing your payment options

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.

• Setting up your online services account
• Updating your online services account details
• Confirming your authority to manage information
• Using the online dashboard
• Managing your payment options
• Forgotten your RealMe® username or password
• Filing documents with electronic signatures