About us Legal information & your privacy

Upcoming Changes for Incorporated Societies.

To comply with law changes, all incorporated societies must reregister with the New Zealand Companies Office by 5 April 2026 to continue operating.

What’s changing?

New obligations

Incorporated societies have new obligations under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 (2022 Act). More information about these obligations is available at the New Zealand Companies Office Law changes hub for incorporated societies.

Are you impacted?

You can find out if your organisation is an incorporated society by checking the Incorporated Societies Register.

These changes also affect incorporated societies that are registered charities. Check the Charitable Trusts Register

Reregister

All incorporated societies must reregister with the Companies Office before 5 April 2026 to continue operating as an incorporated society. This may mean making some changes to your society.

Get in touch

If your society or its key people change as part of your reregistration, let us know, as these changes may affect your accounts, signing authorities, and/or access to existing banking services. 

Come into a branch, call the team, or contact your relationship manager for more information and support. Contact us

Reregister your society with the Companies Office.

If you want your society to continue to operate as an incorporated society, you’ll need to reregister with the Companies Office by 5 April 2026. To do this, you’ll need:

  • A constitution that’s compliant with the 2022 Act
  • Dispute resolution procedures clearly outlined in your constitution
  • A governing committee responsible for managing the operation and affairs of your incorporated society
  • At least 10 members in your incorporated society
  • Contact details for at least one person so the Companies Office Registrar can reach your incorporated society.

Find out more on the Companies Office website.

Keep your banking up to date.

Let us know as soon as possible if you:

  • Update your constitution, members, governance or signatories: We’ll make sure your banking details are correct.
  • Change your entity type (e.g. company, partnership, charitable trust): We may need to set up new accounts or transfer existing ones.
  • Close your incorporated society: Contact us as soon as possible before 5 April 2026 so we can help redistribute any assets, cover off any outstanding lending, and close your accounts.
  • Choose not to reregister: Contact us before 5 April 2026 so we can update your banking arrangements.

Act before 5 April 2026 to keep your banking access.

If you don’t reregister your incorporated society and you don’t contact us to make changes to your banking before 5 April 2026, you’ll lose authority over your incorporated society’s accounts and won’t be able to access them or make payments.

Contact us.

Come into a branch, call the team, or contact your relationship manager for more information and support. Contact us