Confirming your authority to manage information

Confirm your authority to manage a trust board's information on its behalf.

Before you can manage information on the register about a charitable trust board, you’ll need to confirm that you have the authority to do so.

Who needs to confirm

If you are the one incorporating a charitable trust board, you will have your authority confirmed automatically. Otherwise, you must demonstrate to us that you are authorised to access and manage information, by following the steps below.

Setting up your online services account

To confirm your authority to manage information on the register you must first have:

  • a RealMe® login
  • an online services account with the Companies Office.

Ways to confirm your authority

There are four ways to confirm your authority to maintain information on our registers. These are:

  1. using your ‘registry key’
  2. using your board's email address(es)
  3. providing ID verification
  4. providing a letter of authorisation.

Choosing how to confirm

To confirm your authority to act on behalf of your trust board, first choose one of the four options:

  1. Log in to your online services account
  2. Search for your charitable trust board by name, number or New Zealand Business Number (NZBN).
  3. Click the ‘Confirm Authority’ link on the 'View Details' screen.
  4. Select one of the four options to confirm your authority and follow the relevant instructions (below).

Confirming authority using the trust board's registry key

Prior to 16 September 2019 charitable trust boards were sent a seven-digit registry key at the time of registration.

To use this key to confirm your authority:

  1. Enter the registry key in the box provided.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm you are authorised to act on behalf of the charitable trust board and select the ‘Submit’ button.
  3. If the key you have entered matches our records, authority will be confirmed immediately. If there is no match, you’ll be asked to try again, or to choose a different option.

Confirming your authority using an email address

  1. Enter the email address for your charitable trust board.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm you are authorised to act on behalf of the trust board, and click the ‘Submit’ button.
  3. If the email address matches an email address on the register, an activation code will be sent to that address. If there is no match, you’ll be asked to try again, or choose a different option.
  4. Click on the link in the email to validate the activation code.
  5. If the activation code is correct, authority will be confirmed immediately.

How to confirm authority using ID verification

To use this option you must have a current New Zealand driver licence or passport.

  1. Select the ‘Proof of Identity’ type (driver licence or passport).
    1. If you select driver licence, you’ll be prompted to enter your licence number, licence version number and date of birth.
    2. If you select passport, you’ll be prompted to enter your passport number, expiry date and date of birth.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm that you agree to your identity document being used to verify your identity, and that you are authorised to act on behalf of the charitable trust board.
  3. Click the ‘Submit’ button.
  4. If we’re able to verify your identity, authority will be confirmed immediately. If not, you’ll be asked to try again, or to select another option to confirm your authority.

How to confirm authority by letter of authorisation

  1. Complete and upload the letter of authorisation.
  2. Tick the declaration box to confirm you are authorised to act on behalf of the trust board.
  3. Click the ‘Submit’ button.

Letter of authorisation

The letter of authorisation should confirm the following:

  • the name and NZBN of the charitable trust board
  • your name and contact details
  • that you have authority to act on behalf of the trust board.

The following letter template sets out the information you must provide.

Log in and confirm your authority

Managing who has authority

Once a user has confirmed their authority to manage information on behalf of a charitable trust board, they can grant the same authority to other people in their organisation, and cancel the authority of others, or themselves.

Granting authority to other users

To grant authority to other users in your trust board:

  1. Log in to your online services account.
  2. On your dashboard, select the charitable trust board from ‘My Businesses’.
  3. On the 'View Details' page, select ‘Grant Authority’ from the ‘Maintain Authority’ menu.
  4. Choose the type of user account to which you wish to grant authority (an individual or an organisation account).
  5. Enter the email address of the individual or organisation.
  6. Click the ‘Apply’ button.

An email with activation instructions will then be sent to the email address you have entered. If the user to whom you are granting authority does not already have a RealMe account or online services account, they will be prompted to set these up as part of the activation process.

Log in and manage authorities

Cancelling authority

To cancel the authority of another person in your trust board:

  1. Log in to your online services account.
  2. On your dashboard, select the charitable trust board from ‘My Businesses’.
  3. Select ‘View Authority’ from the ‘Maintain Authority’ menu.
  4. On the ‘View Authority’ screen, you will see a list of users that currently have authority. Each user will have a ‘Revoke’ option next to their name. Select the ‘Revoke’ option for the user whose authority you wish to remove.
  5. Enter the reason for the cancellation.
  6. Click the ‘Apply’ button.

Once you have submitted your request, the user will immediately be removed from the list of authorised users, and will no longer have access to the trust board's information on the register.

Log in and manage authorities

How to cancel your own authority

If you no longer need access to manage information for a charitable trust board, you can cancel your own authority.

  1. On your dashboard, select the charitable trust board from ‘My Businesses’.
  2. On the 'View Details' page, select ‘Revoke your own authority’ from the ‘Maintain Authority’ menu.
  3. Enter the reason for the cancellation.
  4. Click the ‘Apply’ button.

Once you have submitted your request, you’ll be immediately removed from the list of authorised users, and will no longer have access to the trust board's information on the register.

Log in and manage authorities

All help topics

Getting started on the register 7 guides

Find out about charitable trusts and the Charitable Trusts Register, how to set up an online services account, and where to start when incorporating a charitable trust board.

Searching the Charitable Trusts Register 2 guides

Searching the register for information about charitable trust boards and their status.

Starting a charitable trust board 5 guides

To incorporate a charitable trust board you must submit an application, along with the required documents. There is no registration fee.

Keeping charitable trust board details up to date 6 guides

Ending a charitable trust board 2 guides

There are two ways to end a charitable trust board. If the board is no longer operating, it can apply to be dissolved. If it is unable to pay its debts, it can be placed in liquidation.

Restoring a charitable trust board to the register 1 guide

A trust board that has been removed from the Charitable Trusts Register can apply to us to be restored.

Forms 1 guide

Find the forms you'll need to register your charitable trust board or keep its details up to date. Please note: there are no fees for registering or maintaining a charitable trust board.