Register as a charity
You need to register as a charity to be able to fundraise for a charitable purpose on an ongoing basis in Queensland.
Organisations already registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) don't need to register as a charity with us. However, most organisations must notify us of ACNC registration before starting to fundraise.
Only the following organisations can fundraise in an ongoing way without registering as a charity or notifying us of ACNC registration:
- recognised religious denominations
- parents and citizens associations
- hospital foundations.
Already registered with ACNC?
Notify us of ACNC registration online
What registered charities do
Registered charities can conduct fundraising appeals for money or goods. They can do this in person, by phone, by advertising, through social media and by mail.
A charitable purpose includes supplying any of the following to a person (or animal) in distress:
- help
- aid
- relief
- support (including financial or goods)
- care
- housing
- education
- instruction.
Reasons for distress may include (but aren't limited to):
- death or disability of someone they depend on
- disease or sickness
- age
- physical or mental illness
- poverty
- unemployment
- a natural disaster or other emergency.
A charity's income and property must be used to promote its objectives. It can't be distributed amongst members or used to pay dividends to members (unless the members are charities).
Your suitability to apply
To register as a charity you must:
- be an association of 3 or more people with a governing body controlling the association's management—you don't have to be an incorporated association
- have a constitution that sets out your charitable objectives and operating rules—if some of your objectives are non-charitable, you may be able to apply to fundraise for a community purpose instead
- have a clause in your constitution that states you're not for profit—unless your members are only charities.
If you're not eligible, you may be able to:
Ready to register online?
It's free.
Read more about registering online.
Supporting documents
You must attach the following supporting documents to your application:
- your association's constitution, certified as accurate by 2 members of the governing body
- the resolution or minutes from the meeting where the members or governing body decided to register as a charity, certified as accurate by 2 members of the governing body
- a statement of your organisation's financial affairs (and audited financial statements, if available)
- written approval from the central body, if your organisation is a branch or section of a larger organisation.
Processing time
Applications usually take 4 to 6 weeks to process. It can take longer if you haven't supplied all the information we need.
Other ways to apply
Complete the application to register as a charity form.
You can lodge the form:
In person—visit one of our locations
By post
Registration Services Unit
Office of Fair Trading
GPO Box 3111
BRISBANE QLD 4001
Note: You can't apply by email or phone.
Attachments
When submitting this form, you must remember to submit the supporting documents.
Fee: Nil
More information
- Find out about the reporting requirements of fundraising entities.
- Read the guide to Australian Consumer Law for fundraising and other activities.