Incorporated associations

A group of five or more people may register an incorporated association. It is a simple and inexpensive way to establish a legal entity and limit the liability of members.

Your association's purpose

The purpose of your association may be any of the following:

• religious, educational, benevolent or charitable
• to provide medical treatment or attention
• to promote or encourage literature, science, art or a cultural activity
• to provide recreation or amusement
• to beautify or improve a community centre.

You must contact Licensing NT to approve any other purpose for your association, for which you may be charged an additional fee.

Your association's name

Your association's name must meet all of the following requirements:

• be different from business and organisation names listed on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission website.
• not use any unauthorised names based on the Associations Regulations 2004.
• use 'incorporated' or 'inc' as the last word of its name.

You must contact Licensing NT to approve use of any unauthorised name.

For new associations, include your proposed name in your registration form.

Public information about your association

Licensing NT maintains all the following information about associations:

• a public register of association names
• financial statements
• constitutions
• names and addresses of public officers.