This page lists the different payments required for registered charities.
Fee to submit an application to register as a charityThere is no cost to submit an application to register as a charity with Charities Services.
Fee to update a registered charity's detailsThere is no cost to update the details of a charity already registered with Charities Services. Charities can access their online account to make changes directly as required.
Annual return feeYour charity may need to pay a fee t…
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All registered charities in New Zealand appear on the Charities Register. The Register summarises each charity’s purposes, activities, sector and includes their annual return – a yearly report which details their income, expenditure and activities.
Read more about "The Charities Register/Te Rēhita Kaupapa Atawhai"...Learn how to search, sort and group charities’ data by: activity, beneficiaries, location, staffing, assets, expenditure and more.
Get the picture on charities in New ZealandThis tool can provide you with information and a surprising range of insights into the charitable sector in New Zealand. The search criteria are very broad, so the possible searches are virtually limitless.
Charities’ data can allow you to answer questions like
Where are charities located?
Who has the most volunteers?
Whi…
Officers of a charitable entity are responsible for ensuring that their organisation is run in accordance with its rules and the requirements of the Charities Act 2005. In particular, an officer needs to ensure that their organisation’s funds and assets are used exclusively to advance the charitable purposes of the organisation. Your organisation’s charitable purposes are stated in its rules document, so one of the most important roles of an officer is to have a thorough understanding of these r…
Read more about "Who are your officers and what do they do?"...People often ask us to clarify their personal liabilities as an officer of a charity. Your personal liability depends on the structure of your charity.
As an officer, you should have a good understanding of your charity’s rules document and its legal structure. You should also understand laws that may apply to your charity such as health and safety, tax, contract and labour laws.
If your organisation is an unincorporated group, you may be personally liable for any obligations the group takes o…
A registered charity may wind-up at any stage. This means that the charity will discontinue their activities and cease to exist. The process of winding up will be different for each charity depending on its legal structure and rules.
There are a number of reasons a charity may wind-up, for example:
the purposes are no longer relevant or services are no longer required
the charity is not financially sustainable
a lack of members or support
the charity is becoming a company or changing their le…
Charities Services, Ngā Ratonga Kaupapa Atawhai, is part of the Department of Internal Affairs, Te Tari Taiwhenua, and administers the Charities Act 2005. We strive to be a modern, responsive, risk-based regulator focused on promoting public trust and confidence in the charitable sector and encouraging the effective use of charitable resources.
Our vision is that our work contributes to a well-governed, transparent and thriving charitable sector with strong public support. We do this by regist…