The name of your organisation

Updated June 2026 

To register under the Charities Act 2005 (the Act), your organisation must use a name that meets the requirements of the Act. This page explains the naming rules.

Provide your legal name

When you apply to be a registered charity, you must provide your charity’s legal name. This is your organisation’s official name, used by the public and government agencies to identify you. It must be lawful and not offensive or misleading.

Your legal name may be different to the name you use in day-to-day activites, so check it before you apply.

Check your legal name

  • If your organisation was created by legislation, check the Act of Parliament to find the name established for it.
  • If neither applies, look for:
    • the name in your rules or governing document, such as a trust deed
    • the most formal name your charity is known by.

Include words like “The”, “Te”, “Trust”, “NZ”, or “New Zealand” if they are part of your name.

Only include “Incorporated” if it is part of your legal name. Societies under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 must have a name that ends with “Incorporated”, “Inc”, “Manatōpū”, or a combination of these.

Other names you use

You must include any other names your charity is known by in your application. If your application is approved, these names will appear on the Charities Register.

How we check your name

We check your legal name against the Companies Office registers and the Charities Register. If your organisation is incorporated under one of the following, your name must comply with section 15 of the Act:

If your organisation is not incorporated under one of these Acts, your name must still not be offensive or misleading

Offensive names

A name may be considered offensive if it is:


  • obscene
  • contrary to public policy, for example if it shows racial prejudice or includes hate speech
  • likely to offend a section of the community or a religion.

Misleading names

A name may be considered misleading if it:

  • suggests a different purpose than stated in your rules
  • Implies a connection with another organisation when no connection exists
  • is identical to the name of another registered organisation, or
  • breaches any Act, including the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981.