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What is fundraising?
Fundraising is an important source of income for many charities and not-for-profit organisations, but fundraising laws in Australia can be complex and vary across states and territories.
Because there is no single national fundraising law, organisations that fundraise in more than one state or territory need to consider – and potentially comply with – the laws in each of those jurisdictions.
The resources on this page are designed to help you understand:
- whether your activities are regulated as fundraising, and
- whether your organisation needs a licence, registration, or other approval to fundraise
Note
Fundraising is defined differently under the various laws in each state and territory and may be referred to by a different term. For example, in the Australian Capital Territory, fundraising is referred to as 'charitable collections'.
In general, the fundraising activities include:
- requesting donations to help a person, cause or organisation (whether in person or online)
- selling merchandise or memberships where some or all of the profits will go towards helping a person, cause or organisation
- holding events to raise money for a person, cause or organisation
Fundraising laws in Australia
If your organisation only fundraises in one state or territory – for example, by holding a local trivia night – you generally only need to comply with the fundraising laws of that jurisdiction.
This may involve obtaining approval to fundraise, such as a licence, registration, or authority. Some organisations or activities may be exempt from these requirements.
If your organisation asks for or receives funds from more than one Australian state or territory, it may need to comply with the fundraising laws of multiple jurisdictions. This can include obtaining separate registrations or licences in certain states or territories.
This may also apply if your organisation fundraises online, including through your website, social media platforms, or email campaigns.
Answers to common questions about fundraising laws
If you have a question about fundraising laws, use the links below to jump straight to the answer. If you need more detailed guidance, you can download our complete guide further down the page.
- What is fundraising?
- What fundraising activities are not regulated under fundraising laws?
- What are the National Fundraising Principles?
- Does a fundraiser need a fundraising licence?
- Does a charity registered with the ACNC need a fundraising licence?
- Does an organisation need to be registered as a charity with the ACNC to fundraise?
- Does an organisation that receives funds from multiple states and territories need a fundraising licence?
- Does an organisation need a fundraising licence to fundraise on its website, on social media, or through an email campaign?
- What are the obligations of an ACNC‑registered charity with a fundraising licence?
- What are the obligations of an organisation (not registered with the ACNC) that holds a fundraising licence?
- What are the obligations of an organisation conducting fundraising activities without needing a fundraising licence?
Download the full Guide to fundraising laws in Australia
Need more detailed guidance? We have revised our comprehensive guide to fundraising laws to provide more information to help organisations navigate these laws across Australia.
The guide covers:
- what activities are regulated under fundraising laws
- the laws that regulate fundraising in Australia
- when and how to get approval to conduct regulated fundraising activities
- ongoing obligations while fundraising
- the National Fundraising Principles
- record keeping and reporting obligations
Other laws you should be aware of
There are a range of other laws that might be relevant to your fundraising.
The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) sets out rules against misleading and deceptive conduct and unconscionable conduct. If your organisation makes a representation that it will do something in particular with funds raised, then it should be careful to keep that promise.
More information
For more information about the ACL, see our guide, 'The laws of advertising and your community organisation' on our advertising webpage.
More information
The content on this webpage was last updated in May 2026 and is not legal advice. See full disclaimer and copyright notice.
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This is legal information only and does not constitute legal advice. You should always contact a lawyer for advice specific to your situation.