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Registering a Cooperative Society Process

  • Meeting of interested persons

The first step in registering a cooperative society is to hold a meeting with members of a community or society who are interested in forming and operating a cooperative society.

 

  • Decisions to be made

The meeting of interested persons should make decisions on the following:

  • Decide on the type of business activity the cooperative society prefers to undertake;
  • Decide on share capital and membership;
  • The meeting should also be attended by a minimum of 10 potential members.

 

 

Further Information

  • In order to be qualified for membership of a cooperative society, a person must:
  • Be at least 16 years of age and;
  • Be a resident of or occupy land within the society’s area of operations as described in the society’s by-laws.

Survey Report Form content

  • Form to be filled by applicant(s) wanting to form a cooperative society and is a proposal to form a cooperative society. Form contains summary on background and details of the business activity that a prospective cooperative wants to engage in.

Submission of Survey Report Form

  • Survey Report Form to be addressed to the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (ROC).

 

Cooperative Societies Unit support

  • If the Registrar is of the view that a prospective cooperative society will need help to complete the Form, then the Registrar may send an officer(s) from his Unit to:
  1. Conduct educational/awareness activities on cooperative society ideologies and;
  2. Help members of the cooperative society fill out the Survey Report Form.

More Information

Learn more about the  Cooperative Societies Unit.

Download Survey Report Form - Cooperative Societies

Screening of Survey Report Form

  • Completed Survey Report Forms are screened for approval by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (ROC).

Cooperative society granted special permissions

  • If a Survey Report Form is approved by the Registrar, the following permissions will be granted to prospective cooperative societies:
    1. Permission to hold general meeting to elect committee and;
    2. Permission to form by-laws and;
    3. Permission to raise share capital.

 

Further Information

The first general meeting can either be held immediately or not later than one month after receipt of certificate of registration from Registrar (Section 22 of Cooperative societies Act).

 

Application Form filled by Members

Applicant society applies to be registered through a standard application process.

Application is to be sent to the Registrar with copies of by-laws

The Standard Application for Registration Form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar together with three (3) copies of the cooperative society’s agreed by-laws and a non-refundable fee.

 

 

Further Information

All applications for registration should be signed by a minimum of 10 members and each application should have the following attachments:

  1. List of all members of the society and capital agreed to by each.
  2. Names and addresses of committee and officers of the cooperative society.
  3. Three (3) copies of the by-laws of the society.   

Registrar Approves Application

Registrar will screen applications for registration and is the only governmental officer authorized to register cooperative societies.

Certificate of Registration Issued

If the registrar is satisfied with the application, a certificate of registration will be issued to the cooperative society along with:

  1. Member registration sheets
  2. Minutes book
  3. Appropriate business recording books
  4. Agreed book keeping system to be adopted

Contact the Registrar for More Information

 

Further Information

In cases where an application for registration is rejected by the Registrar; an appeal can be made to the Minister of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration within one month of such a refusal having being made.

Application for Business License

A cooperative society’s certificate of registration can be used to apply for a business license. This is done through the same process as that for a business license for business names and companies.

Business Licensing Authorities

The authorities for issuing business licenses are the business licensing board of the Honiara City Council if the cooperative society is to operate within the capital city or the relevant provincial government if the society is to operate within provincial jurisdictions.

  • Contact the Registrar for more information.

 

Further Information

Application for business licenses will require the submission of:

  • The cooperative society’s certificate of registration
  • The society’s Tax Identification Number (TIN)
  • Physical address of cooperative society
  • Business license fee

 Visit the Inland Revenue website for more on tax.