Before you register
Updated June 2026
This page is for organisations thinking about becoming registered charities. Registration is optional so take time to understand what it involves before you apply.
Learn about the benefits and obligations of registration to help decide whether it is right for your organisation. Registration may not suit every organisation. For some, especially smaller groups, the ongoing obligations may outweigh the benefits.
Things to consider before you decide
Before you register, you should be confident that your organisation:
- has a charitable purpose and provides public benefit
- has considered whether it could work with, or join an existing charity doing similar work
- is set up with a legal structure, such as a trust, society or company
- can operate in line with the Charities Act 2005
- has people who can take on officer or governance roles
- can report annually to Charities Services, including financial information and details about your people and activities.
If your organisation cannot meet these requirements, registration is not the right option at this time.
NZ Navigator self-assessment tool
NZ Navigator is a free online self-assessment tool for community organisations. It can help your organisation understand its strengths, identify areas to improve, and decide whether it is ready to register as a charity.
The tool looks at your organisation’s:
- governance and leadership
- finances and administration
- people and relationships
- direction and planning.
After you complete an assessment, you receive a report with feedback and an action plan.
Next steps
If you decide that registering is right for your organisation, visit our preparing to register page to learn what you need to have in place before you apply.