Incorporated Societies Act 2022

Administration of societies - Accounting records, financial reporting, and annual returns - Balance date

100: Balance date of other societies

You could also call this:

"When a society's financial year ends"

Illustration for Incorporated Societies Act 2022

You need to know when a society's balance date is. The balance date is the date the society's financial year ends. It can be the date in the society's constitution, a date the committee chooses, or 31 March. You have rules to follow for a society's balance date. The society must have a balance date each year. But it does not need one in the year it is incorporated if the first balance date is within 15 months. You can change the balance date without the Registrar's approval if the time between balance dates is not more than 15 months. The society still needs a balance date each year. You can also change the balance date with the Registrar's approval. If the balance date is in the society's constitution, you must follow section 30 or 31 to make a change.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS100988.

This page was last updated on 4 January 2026 — View changes

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99: Balance date of charitable entities, or

"When Charitable Societies Must Balance Their Books"

101: Accounting records must be kept, or

"Societies must keep accurate financial records at all times."

Part 3Administration of societies
Accounting records, financial reporting, and annual returns: Balance date

100Balance date of other societies

The balance date of a society (other than a charitable entity) is the close of—
the date specified in the constitution as the society’s balance date; or
any other date that the committee adopts as the society’s balance date (if the balance date is not specified under paragraph (a)); or
31 March (if the balance date is not specified under paragraph (a) or (b)).

The following apply to a society (other than a charitable entity):
the society must have a balance date in each calendar year (subject to paragraphs (b) to (d)):
the society need not have a balance date in the calendar year in which it is incorporated if its first balance date is in the following calendar year and is not later than 15 months after the date of its incorporation:
the society may change its balance date without the approval of the Registrar if—
1. the period between any 2 balance dates does not exceed 15 months; and
2. the society continues to have a balance date in each calendar year:
the society may change its balance date with the approval of the Registrar before the change is made (and the change may be approved with or without conditions).

If the balance date is specified in the society’s constitution, a change must be made in accordance with section 30 or 31 (without limiting subsection (2)(c) and (d)).