Registrable Australian bodies are registered by and have certain obligations to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), and can operate in all states and territories.
It is not a different type of legal entity, but certain legal entities can become a registered Australian body.
Some organisations, like incorporated associations, can only operate in their ‘home’ state or territory (the jurisdiction where they were incorporated). But by becoming a registered Australian body, these organisations can operate nationally.
This page contains information for registrable Australian bodies that are also registered charities. It provides an overview of when to contact ASIC or the ACNC, and how to notify the right regulator of changes to your charity’s details.
When to contact ASIC or the ACNC
Charities that are also registrable Australian bodies should contact ASIC regarding their status as a registrable Australian bodies, and should contact the ACNC about their charitable status. To register the organisation as an incorporated association in the first instance, contact the state or territory regulator.
This table outlines which regulator to contact in specific situations:
| Situation | Contact ASIC | Contact ACNC |
| Applying to register a registrable Australian body | Yes | No |
| Applying to register as a charity | No | Yes |
| Providing notification of change of organisation name | Yes | Yes |
|
Providing notification of changes to:
|
No | Yes |
| Providing notification if ceasing to operate outside of state or territory of incorporation and deregistering as a registrable Australian body | Yes | No |
| Revoking charity registration | No | Yes |
Changes to charity details
You need to notify the ACNC of changes to your charity's details. You can update this information in the ACNC Charity Portal.
- Name – both ASIC and the ACNC need to be notified if your charity's name changes.
- Address For Service – your charity’s Address For Service is the official email or physical address where the ACNC sends all correspondence. Registrable Australian bodies must provide a physical registered office address. If your charity provides an email address as well as the registered office address, the ACNC will use this as your charity’s main contact.
- Responsible People – you only need to notify the ACNC of changes to your charity's Responsible People (also called directors, board or committee members).
- Governing document – you only need to notify the ACNC of changes to your charity's governing document (also called the constitution or rules).
If you have lodged a notice previously with ASIC about your charity’s operating hours, you need to notify ASIC if your charity changes its operating hours.
Deregistering
You need to notify ASIC if your charity ceases interstate operations and no longer conducts business outside of its state or territory of incorporation and deregister as a registrable Australian body.
If your charity is winding up, or no longer meets the eligibility requirements to be a registered charity, you need to revoke its charity registration with the ACNC.
Information on the ACNC and ASIC Registers
Since charities notify the ACNC, rather than ASIC, for most changes to charity details, ASIC's register may not show current information for registrable Australian bodies.
Visit the ASIC website for more information about obligations to ASIC as a registered charity.