Meeting reporting requirements
Your requirements for financial reporting, completing annual returns and notifying us when details change
On this page:
Filing your financial statements
All incorporated societies must prepare and file annual financial statements that record their financial activities and position. The Incorporated Societies Act 2022 (the 2022 Act) will change how some societies need to prepare these.
Registered charities
If your society is a registered charity, you will continue to use External Reporting Board (XRB) reporting standards and file your financial statements with Charities Services. Your audit or review requirements under the Charities Act 2005 also remain the same under the 2022 Act. Find out more on the Charities Service website
All other societies
All other societies must file financial statements with us. After reregistering under the 2022 Act, the standards you need to follow depends on the nature of your society.
- 'Small’ societies only need to meet minimum requirements set out in the 2022 Act.
- All other societies must use XRB accounting standards and will fall within one of 4 reporting tiers depending on its size.
These financial statements must be —
- dated, and
- signed by 2 members of the committee on behalf of your society.
The reporting standards you must follow
Criteria | Standards |
---|---|
Is a 'small society' — Total operating payments less than $50,000 in each of the previous 2 financial years + Total current assets of less than $50,000 at the end of the 2 previous financial years + is not a registered charity or donee organisation for tax purposes. Note |
Minimum standards under Incorporated Societies Act 2022 apply
|
Total operating payments less than $140,000 |
Tier 4 XRB standards apply
|
Total expenses less than $2 million |
Tier 3 XRB standards apply
|
Total expenses less than $30 million |
Tier 2 XRB standards apply
|
“Public Accountability” or total expenses greater than $30 million |
Tier 1 XRB standards apply
|
Some larger societies must have their statements audited
Your society only needs to have its financial statements audited if in each of the 2 previous accounting periods of the society, the total operating expenditure of the society and all entities it controls (if any) are $3 million or more.
This covers all Tier 1 societies and some Tier 2 societies but will not cover societies that fall within Tier 3 or Tier 4 or small societies.
External Reporting Board (XRB) webinar
Watch this video presentation by the XRB on the reporting tiers, and in particular Tiers 3 and 4.
Completing your annual return
All incorporated societies registered under the 2022 Act must complete an annual return. The annual return is a record of key information about your society, such as address and officer details.
Registered charities
If your society is a registered charity, you will continue to file your annual return with Charities Services. Find out more on the Charities Service website .
All other societies
All other societies must complete an annual return with us. You will complete this online at the same time you file your financial statements. This keeps the register up to date and shows that your society is still operating.
You will need to check and, if necessary, update the details recorded on the register for your society’s officers and addresses.
You will also need to certify that, at the time you complete the annual return, the —
- information about the society on the Incorporated Societies Register is up to date, and
- number of members is at least 10 for the purposes of section 8(1) of Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
Notifying us when details change
All societies, even if they are registered charities, must notify us of the following changes.
- Changes to its constitution – within 25 working days.
- Changes to its officers (when new officers are elected or appointed, if they’ve changed their address or when they cease to act) – within 20 working days.
- Changes of contact person - within 20 working days.
- Changes to its registered office address – at least 5 working days before the address is due to take effect.
To notify us you just need to update your society’s details online. Find out more about updating your details
How you can stay up to date
We will update the information here on our website throughout the reregistration period. You can also choose to receive updates from us directly to your inbox.
Sign up to receive updates from usIf you have any questions or comments about these law changes, you can email us at engage@societies.govt.nz.
Published 8 July 2022, updated 9 October 2024