Updated September 2026
The Charities Act 2005 (the Act) requires information about registered charities to be publicly available. This supports public trust and confidence in the charitable sector.
In some situations, Charities Services can restrict public access to certain information if it’s in the public interest.
This is a high threshold. Any reason to restrict information must clearly outweigh the importance of transparency.
We do not publish officers’ dates of birth or home addresses. You do not need to request this.
Information usually on the Charities Register
Under section 24 of the Act, the Charities Register must show:
- the name of the charity
- an address for service
- a registration number
- current and past officers
- copy of the charity’s rules
- application details
- annual returns
- updates filed by the charity.
When we may restrict information
Under section 25 of the Act, we may restrict public access to information or documents on the Charities Register if it is in the public interest.
We consider whether the reasons for restricting the information outweigh the Act’s purpose of promoting transparency and public trust.
We assess each request on a case-by-case basis.
Examples of public interest reasons
- Protect health or safety
Example: A women’s refuge requests that officers’ names and office locations are not shown.
- Protect privacy of volunteers or donors
Example: Withholding donor details in financial statements where donations were made anonymously.
- Reduce risk of misuse or fraud
Example: Withholding signatures on documents to prevent improper use.
Reasons we are unlikely to accept
We are unlikely to accept requests based on:
- avoiding embarrassment
- revealing the charity’s financial position
- a preference to keep financial statements private. Registered charities receive public benefits, so financial transparency is expected
- information being technical, misunderstood, or likely to cause debate or confusion
- financial statements being draft or unaudited
- Commercial sensitivity in consolidated financial statements of a controlled company. These must be public to show a complete picture of the charity’s operations
- concerns that publication will lead to more funding requests.
We also decline requests if the information is already public, such as on the Companies Office Register or the charity’s own website.
How to apply to restrict information
You can request to restrict information from public access when you apply for registration or update your details.
If you update information that is already restricted, you must confirm that you want it to remain restricted.
Your written request must explain:
- the information you want restricted
- why restricting it is in the public interest, and
- rrovide evidence to support your request.
If you are claiming unreasonable commercial harm or risk of misuse, also include:
- he commercial activity you want to protect
- the specific information to be withheld
- how publication would cause harm
- why that harm would be unreasonable.
If you want to restrict part of a document, such as part of your financial statements or rules, you must first provide a complete, unedited version. If we approve your request, we may publish an edited version.
If we decline your request
If we do not agree to restrict the information, we will discuss your options with you. These may include:
- amending or withdrawing your request
- discontinuing your application or deregistering
- seeking judicial review in the High Court or making a complaint to the Ombudsman.
See Objections to decisions for more information.
Access to restricted information
Some people and organisations may still access restricted information, including:
- Government agencies that we must share information with by law, such as Inland Revenue and Statistics New Zealand.
- People making requests under the Official Information Act 1982, which we assess on a case‑by‑case basis.