What do I need to do once we are registered?

England and Wales: This page sets out the position in full — the timing, and what you set up now. Scotland: covered, and different — OSCR reports its own decision-time figures rather than the two-stage timing England publishes. The public register entry now names every trustee, with a statutory deadline for keeping it current that has no England and Wales equivalent. Northern Ireland: covered in full — CCNI’s own post-decision process, including the query stage, the timeline, the number, the welcome pack and how to appeal, is sourced directly.

What to do straight after charity registration

Three things need to happen, in this order. They are the same whether the Charity Commission, OSCR or CCNI registered you. First, record the charity number where trustees can find it again. Second, check the public register entry that now carries it. That entry is what funders and donors will see.

If the regulator sent questions first, respond to regulator queries before any of this.

Third, set up any access the regulator asks for in its messages after the decision. What you must show on other documents, such as letters, invoices and your website, has its own page. That page comes next.

England and Wales: two fast figures

In England and Wales the Commission checks that an application is complete within 48 hours. The register entry then appears publicly within a further 48 hours of the applicant being told. Both figures are easy to misread as “registration is quick.” They mark the two ends of the process.

The check for completeness comes at the start and publication at the end. The figures say nothing about the middle. That is where the time goes: eligibility checks, any follow-up queries and the decision itself. Do not let two fast numbers suggest a fast process. The explainer on what it costs and how long it takes covers the full timeline.

Scotland: the register entry and OSCR’s update deadline

The Scottish Charity Register shows more about a charity than most founders expect. Since March 2026 it shows even more.

As well as the charity’s name, principal office and purposes, it now names each trustee. Most England and Wales founders have nothing like this. The English register does not publish trustee names in the same way.

Keeping that entry correct has its own deadline, and most charities do not know it exists. A Scottish charity must notify OSCR of a change to the register’s contents within 3 months of the change. These include a change of trustee, of principal office or of governing document.

The England and Wales register has no matching statutory deadline. So it is worth setting a reminder for this one when you build your first-year calendar. Do not assume it works the way the rest of the guide implies. The reporting hub’s step to keep your register entry current covers every change you must report.

On timing, OSCR publishes its own figures, not the two-stage England and Wales split above. In its latest reported year it completed 96.1% of registration decisions within 6 months of receiving the application. The next page covers what you must show on Scottish documents once registered. That includes the number, the working name and the website home page.

Northern Ireland: the full post-decision picture

A successful decision brings a unique NIC (Northern Ireland Charity) number and a welcome pack. The pack covers the duty to display the number, ongoing reporting duties and how to keep the register entry current. If CCNI needs more information, it will contact the applicant specifying what is needed and by when. Failure to respond may delay, and ultimately may cause CCNI to refuse, the application — requiring a fresh application. Applicants may also be offered the chance to AMEND their governing document during the process (e.g. purposes or other provisions that are a barrier to registration); the decision to accept that offer rests with the charity trustees. To see which reporting duties apply to you, confirm which filings actually apply to you.

If CCNI refuses, it explains why in writing. You can still apply again, for example after changing the governing document to remove a barrier CCNI found. A decision TO register is published on the public register (supporting transparency and trust). A decision NOT to register is not usually published, unless CCNI considers there is a strong reason to do so — e.g. the decision sets a precedent affecting other organisations. You can challenge a decision in two ways: A decision may be challenged via CCNI's own decision review procedure (referred, where possible, to someone who did not make the original decision) or by seeking a review from the Charity Tribunal for Northern Ireland.

Showing your registered status on documents

The threshold for stating your status in official publications is on the next page. This page only names the duty, so the detail is not given twice. You now have your charity number and a checked register entry, so the next step is to show your charity status on documents.

Common mistake: not checking the public register entry after registration

The number arrives by email and founders assume the entry is correct. The entry goes public soon after you are told. It is what funders and donors will see. Any error in it is for the charity to correct. Nobody else will flag it for you.

Worked example

Tollgate Youth CIO is notified of its registration decision. The trustees check the new entry on the public register. They catch a mistyped postcode before a funder ever sees it. They then file the charity number where they will find it for every future funding application.

A month later, one trustee resigns. The treasurer notifies OSCR’s equivalent register promptly rather than waiting. For a Scottish charity, that update carries its own deadline. England and Wales has nothing like it.