New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, an incorporated society is a group of at least 15 people who have applied for registration under the ''Incorporated Societies Act 1908''. Once registered the

Society A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...

constitutes a distinct

legal entity In law, a legal person is any person or 'thing' (less ambiguously, any legal entity) that can do the things a human person is usually able to do in law – such as enter into contracts, sue and be sued, own property, and so on. The reason for ...

which provides protection to members from debts, contracts etc. In return, members do not have a personal financial interest in the property or assets (if any) owned by the society. The vast majority of New Zealand sports clubs and organisations, charitable organisations, and community organisations operate as incorporated societies. To maintain registration, annual returns must be made to the Registrar of Incorporated Societie

At any stage the Society may be wound up by members' resolution, creditors or the Registrar (if compliance is not maintained).

References

{{NewZealand-gov-stub New Zealand business law Incorporated