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What are the obligations of an ACNC-registered charity with a fundraising licence?
An ACNC-registered charity with a fundraising licence (or authority) is subject to a number of ongoing obligations that affect how it conducts its authorised fundraising activity, including general conduct standards and specific state-based legislative requirements. While the National Fundraising Principles aim to harmonise these rules, charities must still adhere to specific local laws regarding identification, financial management, and reporting.
We have set out a high level summary of some of the key themes below. Each state and territory’s laws have nuanced requirements that in a number of cases are not consistent with any other state or territory.
View our guide to fundraising laws in Australia for more information.
Ethical conduct and the National Principles
In jurisdictions like Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales and the ACT, ACNC-registered charities holding deemed licences are now required to follow the 16 National Fundraising Principles. These include:
- truthfulness – fundraisers must never mislead or deceive donors or use false information
- transparency – representatives must explain the purpose of the charity and how the funds will be used in an audience-appropriate manner
- identifiable to the public – volunteers and personnel must be clearly identifiable to the public
- pressure and exploitation – charities must not place undue or unreasonable pressure on potential donors or exploit vulnerable circumstances
- compliance with requests – if a person refuses to donate or asks to stop receiving marketing, the charity must acknowledge and comply with that request
See The National Fundraising Principles.
All fundraising campaigns must be truthful. No misrepresentations should be made regarding the purpose of the appeal or how funds will be used. There are specific obligations in a number of state and territory fundraising laws but – even where a state or territory law doesn’t cover it, deceptive fundraising is likely to breach other laws and give rise to liability.
Identify collectors
A number of states and territories have specific rules relating to collectors. In some cases, such as for NSW and Victoria, these rules apply in addition to the National Fundraising Principles.
Collectors must generally wear a numbered identification badge that includes the ACNC-registered charity’s name, contact details, the collector’s name, and whether they are a volunteer or a paid collector. Local rules need to be consulted. For example, in New South Wales there is a specific requirement for badges that are signed and dated by the authorised fundraiser, and in the ACT face-to-face collectors must provide the purpose of the collection and a business telephone number for the licensee.
Permissible time for appeals
Specific restrictions apply to the times during which door-to-door or telephone fundraising can occur to prevent nuisance. On weekdays, this is generally allowed between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm (door-to-door) or 8:00 pm (telephone). On weekends, these activities are generally restricted to between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. Most fundraising activities are prohibited on public holidays unless the holiday is closely connected to the charity’s specific purpose.
Financial management and record keeping
ACNC- registered charities must maintain high standards of financial accountability to retain their authority to fundraise:
- dedicated bank accounts – in some states and territories, there are specific requirements regarding the use of a dedicated bank account and a minimum number of signatories. It is often useful for accountability and governance purposes, regardless of a legal requirement to do so to deposit funds into a specific bank account.
- deposit timeframes – funds must be banked within strict timeframes. For example, typically within five days in the ACT, seven days in WA, and ‘immediately’ in New South Wales
- receipts – a charity must issue a receipt for any personal donation , typically where the amount exceeds $2.00)
- retention of records – financial records and details of all persons associated with the appeal must generally be kept for seven years
- expense limits – expenses must be lawful and proper. A number of states and territories have specific requirements. For example, in New South Wales, fundraisers must take all reasonable steps to ensure that total expenses do not exceed 50% of the gross proceeds for donation-only appeals (with no associated supply of goods or services)
Reporting obligations
To reduce red tape, ACNC-registered charities have streamlined reporting requirements in many jurisdictions.
In NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT, charities that fulfill their reporting obligations to the ACNC (by lodging an Annual Information Statement) are generally not required to lodge separate annual financial returns with the state fundraising regulator – noting that this reporting relief is subject to the charity meeting specific conditions in some jurisdictions. ACNC-registered charities must still notify state regulators (like Access Canberra or NSW Fair Trading) of changes in circumstances, such as changes to the organisation’s name, address, objects, or bank account details.
Protection of children
If children are involved in fundraising, the organisation must comply with strict state-based age and supervision rules. These can include things such as:
- minimum age (for example, in New South Wales, the minimum age for volunteering is eight years)
- children must be adequately supervised by an adult, with specific limits on the number of hours they can work (for example, in New South Wales, no more than four hours on a school day)
- requirements for parental / guardian support
Collection receptacles
In general, collection tins or boxes must be securely constructed, sealed, and consecutively numbered. Additional specific requirements apply in a number of states and territories.
View our guide to fundraising laws in Australia for more information.
The content on this webpage was last updated in May 2026 and is not legal advice. See full disclaimer and copyright notice.
