New Zealand Law Society - Admission Dates

Admission Dates

Below are the key dates for group admission ceremonies in New Zealand's major centres.

Ceremonies at all other courts are arranged on a one-off basis as required. Contact the High Court or your local Law Society branch for more information

Auckland Admissions

Please note that the Auckland High Court has limited the number of applicants to 130 per admission date. Accordingly, the Law Society may be required to limit the number of Certificate of Character applications it processes for Auckland applicants to 130, on a first-come-first-served basis.  

Applications received once this limit has been reached will not be accepted and will need to be re submitted for a later admission date.   

Admission date: 23 February 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 10 November 2023 and no later than 1 December 2023
Last date for Referee reports to arrive: 1 December 2023
Last date to file documents at High Court: 26 January 2024

Admission date: 3 May 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 19 January 2024 and no later than 9 February 2024
Last date for Referee reports to arrive: 9 February 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 5 April 2024

Admission date: 12 July 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 5 April 2024 and no later than 26 April 2024
Last date for Referee reports to arrive: 26 April 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 21 June 2024

Admission date: 20 September 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 7 June 2024 and no later than 28 June 2024
Last date for Referee reports to arrive: 28 June 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 23 August 2024

Admission date: 29 November 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 16 August 2024 and no later than 6 September 2024
Last date for Referee reports to arrive: 6 September 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 1 November 2024

Hamilton, Rotorua & Tauranga Admissions

Admission Date: Friday 16 February 2024 - Tauranga

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 24 October and no later than 3 November 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 17 November 2023
Last date to file documents at High Court: 16 January 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 22 March 2024 - Hamilton

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 27 November 2023 and no later than 8 December 2023 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 22 December 2023 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 22 February 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 19 April 2024 - Rotorua

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 3 January 2024 and no later than 12 January 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 26 January 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 19 March 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 17 May 2024 - Tauranga

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 26 January 2024 and no later than 9 February 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 23 February 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 17 April 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 14 June 2024 - Hamilton

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 19 Feb 2024 and no later than 1 March 2024
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 15 March 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 14 May 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 12 July 2024 - Rotorua

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 25 March 2024 and no later than 5 April 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 19 April 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 12 June 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 23 August 2024 - Tauranga

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 6 May 2024 and no later than 17 May 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 31 May 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 23 July 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 27 September 2024 - Hamilton

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 10 June 2024 and no later than 21 June 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 5 July 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 27 August 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 25 October 2024 - Rotorua

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 8 July 2024 and no later than 19 July 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 2 August 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 25 September 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 15 November 2024 - Hamilton

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 29 July 2024 and no later than 9 August 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 23 August 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 15 October 2024 

Admission Date: Friday 13 December 2024 - Hamilton

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 26 Augsut 2024 and no later than 6 September 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 20 September 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 13 November 2024 

 

Hawke's Bay Admissions

All enquires regarding Hawkes Bay admissions please contact the Auckland Branch.
Phone: 09 304 1000  
Email: aucklandregistry@lawsociety.org.nz  

Admission date: 17 June 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 16 February 2024 and no later than 18 March 2024 
Last day for Referee Reports to arrive: 1 April 2024 
Last day to file documents at High Court: 16 May 2024 

Admission date: 21 October 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 21 June 2024 and no later than 22 July 2024 
Last day for Referee Reports to arrive: 5 August 2024  
Last day to file documents at High Court: 20 September 2024 

Whanganui Admissions

Admission Date: Friday, 3 November 2023 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than Friday 7 July 2023 and no later than Friday 4 August 2023 

Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: Friday 4 August 2023 

Last date to file documents at High Court: Friday 6 October 2023 

 

Admission Date: Monday 17 June 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than Monday 19 February 2024 and no later than Monday 18 March 2024 

Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: Monday 18 March 2024 

Last date to file documents at High Court: Monday 20 May 2024 

 

Admission Date: Monday 30 September 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than Monday 3 June 2024 and no later than Monday 1 July 2024 

Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: Monday 1 July 2024 

Last date to file documents at High Court: Monday 2 September 2024 

Palmerston North Admissions

Admission Date: Monday 10 June 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than Monday 12 February 2024 and no later than Monday 11 March 2024

Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: Monday 11 March 2024 

Last date to file documents at High Court: Monday 13 May 2024 

 

Admission Date: Monday 18 November 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than Monday 22 July 2024 and no later than Monday 19 August 2024 

Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: Monday 19 August 2024 

Last date to file documents at High Court: Monday 21 October 2024 

Wellington Admissions

Admission date: 8 December 2023

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier 11 August 2023 and no later than 1 September 2023
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 1 September 2023
Last date to file documents at High Court: 10 November 2023

Admission date: 15 March 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier 17 November 2023 and no later than 8 December 2023 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 8 December 2023 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 16 February 2024 

Admission date: 21 June 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier 23 February 2024 and no later than 15 March 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 15 March 2024 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 24 May 2024 

Admission date: 20 September 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier 24 May 2024 and no later than 14 June 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 14 June 2024 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 23 August 2024 

Admission date: 6 December 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier 9 August 2024 and no later than 30 August 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 30 August 2024 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 8 November 2024 

Please see the information for applicants applying to the Wellington branch for a Certificate of Character.

Christchurch Admissions

Admission Date: 22 March 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 13 November 2023 and no later than 22 December 2023
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 22 December 2023
Last date to file documents at High Court: 23 February 2024

Admission Date: 21 June 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 19 February 2024 and no later than 22 March 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 5 April 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 24 May 2024

Admission Date: 20 September 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 20 May 2024 and no later than 21 June 2024
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 5 July 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 23 August 2024

Admission Date: 6 December 2024

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 5 August 2024 and no later than 6 September 2024
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 20 September 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 8 November 2024

Please see information to assist with filing court documents from the Christchurch High Court.

Please see important points to note to assist with completing the application.

Dunedin Admissions

Admission date: Tuesday 22 August 2023

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 29 May 2023 and no later than 23 June 2023
Last date for Referee reports to arrive: 23 June 2023
Late date to file documents at High Court: 21 July 2022

Admission date: Tuesday 17 October 2023

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 24 July 2023 and no later than 18 August 2023
Last date for Referee reports to arrive: 18 August 2023
Late date to file documents at High Court: 15 September 2023

Admission date: Tuesday 20 February 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No later than 1 December 2023 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 19 January 2024 

Admission date: Tuesday 18 June 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No later than 12 April 2024 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 17 May 2024 

Admission date: Tuesday 13 August 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No later than 7 June 2024 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 12 July 2024 

Admission date: Tuesday 8 October 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No later than 2 August 2024 
Last date to file documents at High Court:6 September 2024 

 

Taranaki Admissions

Admission date: Monday 20 May 2024

Last date to file documents at High Court: 22 April 2024

 

Admission date: Monday 4 November 2024

Last date to file documents at High Court: 7 October 2024

Southland Admissions

Admission Date: 21 May 2024

Admission Date: 16 July 2024

Admission Date: 10 September 2024

Admission Date: 5 November 2024 

 

Nelson Admissions

Admission Date: 20 November 2023

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 21 July 2023 and no later than 18 August 2023.
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 18 August 2023
Last date to file documents at High Court: 20 October 2023

Admission date: 24 June 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 23 February 2024 and no later than 15 March 2024 
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 15 March 2024 
Last date to file documents at High Court: 24 May 2024 

Admission date: Tuesday 7 October 2024 

Applications to branch for Certificates of Character: No earlier than 1 June 2024 and no later than 1 July 2024
Last date for Referee Reports to arrive: 1 July 2024
Last date to file documents at High Court: 7 September 2024 

 

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