What is the Register?
We maintain a Register of Charities (the Register) that lists all charities that are registered in Ireland on or after 16 October 2014. If a charity was registered after this date but no longer exists, its information is also available when searching the Register.
The Register is a reliable, transparent source of information on charities in Ireland, having the information on the Register publically available helps to build public trust and confidence in the sector.
The Register of Charities includes the following details about a charity:
- Its charitable purpose and aims
- The names of its trustees
- How many people it employs
- How many volunteers it has
- Any annual reports it has filed
- Certain financial information
- Governance Code status
- Its classification
If you are a charity trustee, it is important that you ensure the details of your charity on the Register of Charities are correct and kept up-to-date.
It is a legal requirement for charities to keep their information up-to-date on the Register.
Keeping your charity’s details on the register up-to-date also ensures charities receive important communications from us.
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How to update the Register
Updating the Register is a straight forward process. We have a webinar which details the steps you need to take when updating the Register of Charities. All updates must be made using specific forms which are available when you log into MyAccount, our online system.
How to log into MyAccount
We have a range of resources to help you in this process. Our step-by-step guide provides a visual overview while our ‘How to’ video takes you through each stage of the process. Our User Guide for Charities also offers guidance on this process. You must be logged into MyAccount to file reports and forms on behalf of your charity.
Once logged in, you will see a section called New Filing on the left side of the screen. Click on New Filing and there will be a pop-out from the right hand side; click on Existing Charity at the top and then click on Start for your charity.
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Forms available to update the Register
Update required
Name of Form
Purpose of Form
Classification
Charity Classification form
Use this form to select your organisation’s charity classification. More information on the charity classification standard is available. Our step-by-step guide provides an overview.
Update trustees
Update Trustees, Connections and External Advisors
Use this form to update, add or remove charity trustees, or to update information relating to connections* and external advisors.
Explainer: Connections exist where there are family relationships, business partnerships or contracts of employment between charity trustees with any of your employees or suppliers of goods or services. Any relevant connections should be notified to the Charities Regulator.
Verify charity details
Charity Details Verification
Use this form as a one-stop solution for updating your charity’s details. You should use this form to check that all of charity’s details are correct.
The form will auto-populate the details from the Register and you can use this form to check they are correct.
If they are not correct the form allows you to update your details including; your telephone number; email address; address of the charity; Companies Registration Office number and Revenue Charitable Tax Exemption (CHY) number.
Explainer: The principal address generally refers to the location where the charity trustees direct, control, and coordinate the charity’s activities. For a charity that is a company, the principal address will normally be the registered address of the company as listed in the Companies Registration Office.
We suggest you input a dedicated telephone number here for your charity rather than a personal number.
We suggest you use a dedicated email address for your charity rather than a personal email address and ensure that more than one person has access to it, for example charityname@gmail/hotmail/yahoo.ie.
Allows a person to submit forms on behalf of the charity (Authorised Filer)
Authorised Filer
Use this form to update who can access a charity’s account in MyAccount. We have a range of resources to help you in this process. Our step-by-step guide provides a visual overview and our ‘How to’ video takes you through each stage of the process.
Submit your Annual Report
Annual Report
Use this form to submit your Annual Report. Every year a charity must submit an Annual Report to us within 10 months of the end of their financial year. We have an Annual Report webpage detailing the information required to complete the report.
Updating your constitution or charitable purposes
Submit a Constitution / Update your Charitable Purposes Form
Use this form to submit a copy of your constitution or to inform us that you are proposing changes to your charitable purpose(s), main object, income and property or winding up clauses.
The constitution or governing document is the legal document setting out what your charity is set up to do and how it operates. It may also be known as the ‘rules’, depending on the organisation's legal structure.
The majority of changes that charity trustees may want to make to the constitution of a charity do not need to be reviewed by the Charities Regulator before they are made. However, you must still submit a copy of your most up-to-date constitution to us.
Some changes, however, must be reviewed by the Charities Regulator before they are made. They are:
- Main Object
- Charitable purpose
- Income and Property Clause
- Winding up clause
If you intend to change any of these, you must submit the proposed changes to us. We will conduct a review of your constitution to ensure your constitution will remain compliant with the requirements of the Act to be a charitable organisation.
You should indicate clearly the proposed changes in the document you upload for review. For example you can track the changes on the existing document.
Update your charity’s compliance status with the Charities Governance Code
Maintain Charities Governance Code Status form
Use this form to inform us of your level of compliance with the Charities Governance Code. Charities are required to confirm their compliance status with the Charities Governance Code when submitting their annual reports. However, if your charity is not fully compliant or has not finished its compliance process, you can still file your annual report. You use this form to update or amend your compliance status with the Charities Governance Code when further progress is made.
Further information is available through our Annual Report webpage.
Update address, email address, telephone number
Maintain Contact and Locations of Operation Details
Use this form to update your charity’s address, email address and telephone number.
Explainer: The principal address generally refers to the location where the charity trustees direct, control, and coordinate the charity’s activities. For a charity that is a company, the principal address will normally be the registered address of the company as listed in the Companies Registration Office.
We suggest you input a dedicated telephone number here for your charity rather than a personal number.
We suggest you use a dedicated email address for your charity rather than a personal email address and ensure that more than one person has access to it, for example charityname@gmail/hotmail/yahoo.ie.
Update charity’s name
Change of Name
Use this form if you have or are proposing to change your name.
This change requires the consent of the Charities Regulator so you must not adopt the changes until you have received this.
Please find guidance on Choosing your charity name
Update bank Account
Maintain Bank Account
Use this form to update your Bank/Credit Union/Electronic Payment Service account(s). You are required to submit details of all account(s).
Adding or changing professional fundraisers
Maintain Fundraiser Details
Use this form to add or remove professional fundraisers.
Explainer: A professional fundraiser is a person or company to whom an organisation may pay fee to assist them in fundraising, this includes online platforms were you might pay a percentage of the funds raised for the service provided.
Change financial year end
Change in Financial Year End
Use this form to change your financial year-end. You will need to provide your current financial year end, when you changed your financial year end and what the new date is. You will need to explain how you ensure there is no gap in your reporting.
To wind up your charity
Winding up and Deregistration of a Registered Charity
Use this form to wind up and deregister your charity.
If you are a section 40 charity (you were set up prior to 16 October 2014) you will need to contact the Revenue Commissioners in relation to winding up your charity.
Explainer: Guidance on Winding up a charity
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Can’t log in to MyAccount?
If you have forgotten your password or username or are not set up as an authorised filer, our ‘How to’ videos will guide you in recovering your password / user name or becoming an authorised filer, or you can follow the steps below.
Forgotten password?
- Click the ‘Forgot Password’ link on the MyAccount Login page
- Enter the login name for your customer account.
- We will send you an email with instructions to change your password. This link will only work if you have provided a valid login name and have access to the email address linked to your customer account.
Important: If you do not receive an email from us, you may not have provided the correct login name linked to your customer account.
Forgotten username?
- Click the ‘Forgot Password’ link on the MyAccount Login page
- Click ‘Forgot Login Name’
- Enter the email address linked to your customer account. This link will only work if you know and have access to the email address linked to your customer account. We will send you an email with the list of login names registered on this email address.
Important: If you do not receive an email from us, you may not have provided the correct email address linked to your customer account.
Create new user
If you cannot remember your login details and/or you cannot access the email address linked to your customer account, you will need to create a new user account. You do not need to be a trustee to be an authorised filer and it is open to the charity to decide who is authorised to submit filings or information on their behalf including external advisors or organisations.
Once you have completed and submitted the ‘create new user form, an email will be sent to the email address you have provided. This email contains a verification link.
When you have verified your new customer account, you should file an authorised filer form to access your charity’s account. -
Become an authorised filer
This step-by-step guide will assist you in completing the authorised filer form.
- Log in to your new customer account.
- Click on New Filing.
- There will be a pop-out from the right hand side, click on Existing Charity at the top.
- Enter your Registered Charity Number in the Search Charity Name or Registered Charity Number box.
- File an authorised filer form on behalf of the charity. You must upload a letter of authorisation on the charity’s headed paper, signed by at least one current charity trustee registered with the Charities Regulator. Please note, we do not accept digital signatures such as typed signatures. Suggested wording for the letter of authorisation is available on page 3 of the English user guide.
You will find a useful guide to help you navigate MyAccount. You can also download the Technical User Guide - How do I use 'MyAccount'? for any technical questions.