The final countdown for NZ incorporated societies
With less than six months left to reregister under the 2022 Act, more than half of NZ incorporated societies are at risk
In brief
- All incorporated societies must reregister under the 2022 Act by 5 April 2026 to continue in their current form
- Ministers declined a one-year extension for the reregistration deadline
- Members urged to act now and help raise awareness
The clock is ticking for New Zealand’s incorporated societies. With under six months remaining, less than half of the country’s 24,000 incorporated societies have reregistered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. Those that do not by 5 April 2026 will be deregistered.
The 2022 Act, introduced to modernise governance and accountability, requires all existing incorporated societies to reregister. Incorporated societies were given 2½ years - between 5 October 2023 to 5 April 2026 - to complete this process. However, despite widespread communication, progress has been slow. This has raised concerns across the sector, with many potentially unaware of the consequences of missing the deadline. If they do not act soon, incorporated societies stand to lose their legal status as an incorporated body, access to their bank accounts, ownership of their other assets and entity name, amongst other consequences.
Recognising the challenge, CA ANZ co-signed a joint letter to a group of Ministers. The letter called for a one-year extension to the reregistration deadline, supported by an education programme, aiming to give incorporated societies more time to comply. However, Ministers have declined this request, confirming that the 5 April 2026 deadline remains firm.
CA ANZ urges all members working in or with incorporated societies to take immediate action. If you are involved with an incorporated society, check its reregistration status and help guide it through the process. Raising awareness within your networks is critical to ensure incorporated societies are not left to deal with the unintended consequences.
The next six months are crucial. CA ANZ remains committed to supporting members and the not-for-profit sector through this transition. For further guidance, members are encouraged to access available resources, such as the Parry Field Lawyers Information Hub and seek professional advice where needed.
How you can help:
- Review the reregistration requirements (e.g. constitution must include the information set out in section 26 of the 2022 Act)
- Support incorporated societies to prepare and submit their applications
- Share information with colleagues and community groups to spread the word.
