What must be included in the application form?

Note | Except where specifically noted on the form, the details you provide (including details and signatures of the members and witnesses provided with this application) will be made publicly available on the Societies and Trusts Online website.  That is, anyone searching for the incorporated society on the Register will be able to see these details. 

You will need to enter the following information on the application form:

Name of society

The name of your incorporated society must not be identical or deceptively similar to that of another incorporated society or other body corporate operating in New Zealand. 

Although you do not reserve the name (as you must do for a company) you should conduct a free Register Search online at www.societies.govt.nz to make sure the name is available.  To search for companies and other body corporates, conduct a free Register Search at www.companies.govt.nz

Your application will be returned to you if you submit it and the name you have chosen is unavailable.  The Registrar may also decline names that are in his opinion undesirable.

Conduct a fee online search now.

Address for the registered office

This must be an actual physical address, for example '6 High Street, Wellington'.  You cannot use a post office box, private bag or DX address as the registered office.

Address for communication

This is the address to which the Registrar will usually send communications, for example reminders to file annual financial statements.  The address for communication can be either a postal or a physical address.  Where possible, you should also supply an email address (the email address will not be visible on the website, it will only be used by the Registrar as a point of contact).

Other organisational details

A society has the option to provide additional information including the address for premises (for example the location of the clubrooms), website address, a description of the society's purpose and the name and contact details of officers.  While it is not mandatory to supply this information, it can be a useful way of promoting your society and providing alternative contact details that will be helpful to both the Registrar and the public.

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Details of the person completing the form

These details enable us to contact the appropriate person if there are any issues with the application.  This person will also be sent the certificate of incorporation when the society is registered.

Signatures of 15 members

The form must be signed by fifteen members.

Members of an incorporated society can be individuals or corporate bodies (e.g. other incorporated societies, companies or charitable trusts).  For the purpose of making up the 15 members necessary to file the application, a corporate body counts as three members and individual members count as one member.

For example, an application could be signed by:

• 15 individual members, or
• five corporate body members, or
• a combination of both.

Individual members must provide their name and address. 

An officer or director of a corporate body can sign on its behalf or alternatively use the corporate body's common seal (if it has one).

Each signature of an individual must be witnessed, a witness is able to witness more than one signature.

Your application will be rejected if a person signs the form both as a member and as a witness.


Download the forms you need to apply for incorporation now