A benefit of incorporating is an association has perpetual succession, which means it can continue to exist regardless of any changes to it its membership.

However, there may come a time where the association has a lack of members or there is no longer any interest in continuing its activities and the incorporation of the association should be ended.

Ending an association

There are a number of ways in which an association’s incorporation can cease. These include the:

• association’s members voluntarily applying for its cancellation;
• Commissioner ordering its cancellation;
• association’s members voluntarily applying for its winding up under the Corporations Act 2009; or
• association or its members, creditors or the Commissioner applying to Supreme Court for its winding up;

An association’s incorporation may also come to an end if its members choose to either amalgamate (merge) the association with another incorporated association to form a new incorporated association or becoming registered as a different type of body corporate under another law.

Reporting defunct or disbanded associations and clubs

We are compiling a list of associations which may be defunct as they have not been submitting an annual information statement and appear to have been inactive/dormant for 12 months or more.

If you are or were a member of a club, society or association which is now defunct please let us know by completing our very simple 'report a defunct association' online form. 

Handy information you might be able to provide us includes: 

• Registered name of the incorporated association:
• Association Registered number 
• Contact details
• Last known activity
• Any previous members

Show Cause notices issued to incorporated associations under s144 of the Associations Incorporation Act 2015 (the Act)

The Commissioner for Consumer Protection has reasonable cause to believe that the attached list of incorporated associations are no longer operating and have been issued with a show cause notice under s.144 of the Act.

The associations have not lodged Annual Information Statements in the past three years or more and have not responded to the Commissioner’s attempts to contact them or have been reported as defunct.

If your association is on the list of Associations of proposed cancellation and is still operating, it is needed to lodge an Annual Information Statement (AIS) by 4 November 2024.

Please contact our team on 1300 232 171 or email for any further information and advice.

Incorporated Associations cancelled by order of the Commissioner for Consumer Protection

The Commissioner for Consumer Protection has now given direction to cancel the attached list of incorporated associations who did not show cause.

The Cancellation of the attached incorporated associations came into effect as of 25 June 2024.

Any incorporated associations having assets (property, funds, fixtures, etc) are deemed vested with the State of Western Australia.  If you are aware of the cancelled association having assets, please contact us.  

Cancelled associations that believe the direction was made in error can request to have the incorporation reinstated but will need to provide evidence of it being operational and having a minimal of at least six members.

To have the association reinstated, you will need to provide the last three:

• Annual Information Statements
• Financial Statements
• Annual General Meeting (AGM) minutes
• The Record of Office Holders

Please contact our team on 1300 232 171 or email for any further information and advice.

Go to the Inc guide e-book: Deregistering an incorporated association www.commerce.wa.gov.au/books/inc-guide-incorporated-associations-western-australia/deregistering-incorporated-association