From 5 October 2023 until 5 April 2026, all 24,000 incorporated societies in New Zealand must re-register under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 (the “new Act”).
So what does this mean for you and your society? In this article we’ll set out what you need to know ahead of the re-registration period.
What will re-registration involve?
Companies Office wants to make the re-registration process as simple as possible with no fees. There will be an online form to complete with a few key pieces of information for your society:
- New Zealand Business Number and registration number;
- the physical address of your proposed registered office;
- your balance date;
- who your contact person is;
- the names of the proposed officers and for each officer:
- their physical address (note this won’t be publicly available);
- their written consent to being an officer; and
- a certificate confirming they are not disqualified from holding office as an officer – Companies Office have made a template for this available here;
- confirmation your society has 10 members; and
- confirmation that an officer considers the proposed constitution complies with the Act.
Your society will also need to upload a constitution that complies with the new Act. We have done a series of six articles on this topic which you can find on our Information Hub. We are helping many incorporated societies review and update their constitutions in preparation for the new Act – if this is something you would like assistance with, please feel free to get in touch.
What can you do to prepare?
Now is a great time to take a look at your constitution and practices to make sure they are fit for purpose under the new Act. Do you have a disputes resolution procedure? How do you deal with conflicts of interest? We have lots of information on how the new Act will affect your society available on our Information Hub and are happy to help your society to prepare. You can contact us anytime by email or phone.
This article is not a substitute for legal advice and you should consult your lawyer about your specific situation. Please feel free to contact us at Parry Field Lawyers.
