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How to find information about an Incorporated Society

Introduction

In addition to the documents filed when a society applies for incorporation, a society is obliged to file certain information with the Registrar of Incorporated Societies. This information is held on a register that is available to the public to search for free. Most documents filed by a society can be viewed online at www.societies.govt.nz

If you do not have access to the Internet, many public libraries provide computer terminals with Internet access. The Ministry of Economic Development Internet Kiosk facilities are also available in our Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch offices.

Searching online at www.societies.govt.nz

To search the incorporated society database online, first access our website at www.societies.govt.nz and then follow the steps below:

• Select Register Search from the left hand menu bar

• Use one of the search options to locate the society

• Click on the society’s name, the following screen will display information and documents for that society

If you cannot immediately locate the society you are looking for, try one of the other search options available on the Register Search screen. The society may have a different registered name from the one that you are familiar with. The "keyword search" is a useful tool. For example, if the society you are looking for is involved in cycling, you could enter "cycling" as a keyword. Search results will be returned for all companies and societies with the word "cycling" in their names.

What information will you find online?

The following information can be located online:

• The date the society was incorporated

• The current status of the society, for example is it "registered" or "struck off" (removed from the register)

• The registered office.

Copies of the following documents can be viewed online for free:

• A copy of the society’s rules

• Copies of the annual financial statements

• Change of address forms (if any).

The documents are in a PDF format so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. If you do not have this program, it can be downloaded for free from www.societies.govt.nz by selecting Site Information from the left hand menu bar and then Site Software.

Not all documents can be viewed online

Some older documents for societies that are not available online are held in a central location in hard copy.  Copies of the archived company documents can be ordered from our website by clicking on the Order Archived Documents button in the documents list and following the instructions on screen.

• Searches for Incorporated Societies and Charitable Trusts are free.  The fees for the Companies Office to provide this service are set out in Schedule 2 of the Companies Act Regulations 1994.  A $NZ10.00 search fee (per file request) and a $NZ1.00 per page cost will apply to other entities registered with the Companies Office.

• Delivery Timeframes - The standard delivery turnaround time will be ten working days per request.

Until 3 July 2006 Searchlink Limited were contracted to the Companies Office to provide copies of archived documents for companies, incorporated societies and charitable trusts.  These searches are now completed by Companies Office staff.

Address for sending documents

Registrar of Incorporated Societies
Ministry of Economic Development
National Processing Centre
Private Bag 92061
Auckland Mail Centre

Related Resources

• Pamphlet - Societies Online pdf |file size 162Kb

• Fact Sheet - Searching

Find out more about incorporated societies

In our Information Library we have gathered together a range of resources to help you use our societies services. You will find answers to common questions, forms and fact sheets that step you through our online services.

Use our Contact Us service to look through these resources and we hope that your question will be answered there. If not, you will be given the opportunity to email us direct.

Alternatively, call us during business hours (8.30am-5pm weekdays) on Freephone 0508 SOCIETIES 0508 762 438 (Overseas callers call +64 3 962 2602).

Keep up to date with news and developments for the Companies Office and other business units and subscribe to the Business Update, our regular online newsletter. Sign up on line to receive your copy of the Business Update at http://news.business.govt.nz/bulletin/.

Updated 26 March 2007