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Generally there are two ways a charity can be a federally regulated entity:

  1. It is a ‘constitutional corporation’ or it is a trust whose trustees are all constitutional corporations.

    A constitutional corporation is:

    • a foreign corporation,
    • a ‘trading or financial corporation’ formed in Australia that carries out substantial ‘trading’ or ‘financial’ activities.
  2. It is connected with a Territory (the ACT, the Northern Territory, Jervis Bay or an external Territory such as Norfolk Island and Christmas Island) because:
    • it is a body corporate that is taken to be registered in a Territory under s 119A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth),
    • its main activities are carried out in or in a way connected with a Territory, or
    • it is a trust governed by the law of a Territory.

The ACNC can use all of its regulatory powers against federally regulated entities. View more information about how we ensure charities meet their obligations.