Tips from Registration Analysts
Charities Commission ,
Incorrect or incomplete applications cause delays and re-work. To ensure your application gets through the process as quickly and easily as possible, we urge you to check your application carefully before sending it in or submitting it online to us.
If you're not sure about anything, check our online help (i.e. FAQs and 'Tips for applying', and 'Fact sheets' – all links from the homepage), email info@charities.govt.nz or call our free information line 0508 242 748.
Here are some issues our registration analysts would like applicants to be aware of:
- Only approved, final versions of the forms are acceptable – some people are sending in draft copies of the application forms or designing their own versions. These will not be accepted by the Commission.
- If you are already registered with the Companies Office your "legal name" is the full name you are already registered under. The "legal name" of your organisation that you write on your application form must match the full name you are registered under with the Companies Office if you are already an incorporated society, incorporated as a board under the Charitable Trusts Act or a company. It is important to get this right. For a full explanation and other information on 'the name of your organisation' see:
www.charities.govt.nz/guidance/name.html.
You can also check your legal name on the Companies Office website at: www.companies.govt.nz.
- Registered charities must fill out a Notification of Change Form to report any changes – After you have applied but before your organisation has been registered it is acceptable to write a letter notifying us of any changes to your application details. However, once registered, you need to fill out a Notification of Change Form. You must let us know about changes (including the date when the change comes into effect) to any of these six key areas: the name of your charity; address for service; balance date; rules; purposes of your charity; a change in the officers.
You can find the Notification of Change Form on our website at:
www.charities.govt.nz/news/forms/bw_form_3.pdf.
You will also be able to fill out the form online once we upgrade the Charities Register later this month. If you prefer, you can request a paper copy by emailing info@charities.govt.nz or by calling us on freephone 0508 242 748.
For more information on 'what do when something about your charity changes' visit:
www.charities.govt.nz/news/fact_sheets/changes.htm.