Company Registration in New Zealand
                     
COMPANY REGISTRATION 
IN 
NEW ZEALAND
NEW ZEALAND IN A BRIEF
• New Zealand is an archipelago in the remote south-western Pacific, situated about 2,000 km 
southeast of Australia across the Tasman Sea. The country comprises two main islands – North 
and South Island and its population is around 4.75 million.
• Previously, New Zealand based its economy on the export of meat and dairy products to the 
United Kingdom. However, after Britain joined the European Economic Community, New Zealand 
had to diversify. Agriculture now represents only 4.9% of gross domestic product, with the 
economy being dominated by services at 71.6% of GDP, and manufacturing at some 23.5%.
• GDP reached US$205.9bn (2017 estimate), and GDP per capita is just under US$43,000. GDP 
growth is healthy; it was 4.4% in 2015, 3.5% in 2016 and slightly less at 3.0% in 2017. Its 
currency is the New Zealand dollar (NZD), known informally as the ‘kiwi dollar’.


COMPANY INCORPORATION
• One of the major advantages of utilizing NZ Companies is that, NZ is a full member of the Organization for 
Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) and thus not a harmful tax jurisdiction.
• Although it’s possible to register an unlimited liable company, they’re usually limited by liability or by 
guarantee. If Properly structured, a resident company can operate well and Tax Free hence assuring 
flexibility in the system.
• As of now there are several types of entities which are in operation namely:
I. LLC
II. LTC
III. LP
IV. FSP
V. And Lastly Foreign Trust

TYPES OF COMPANIES IN NZ
• Sole Trader
A sole trader operates a business on his or her own. The trader controls, manages and owns the business 
and is entitled to all profits but is also personally liable for all business taxes and debts.Many New Zealand 
businesses start as sole traders, which doesn’t require legal incorporation, and then progress to an 
incorporated company as the business grows.
• Partnership
If you want to partner up with someone else then you could form a ‘partnership’, ideally with an 
agreement but not always. Partnerships are most common among professional people and in the farming 
industry. In a partnership two or more people run a business together. Each partner:
1. Shares responsibility for running the business
2. Shares in any profits or loss equally, unless the partnership agreement states otherwise.
3. Is liable for any debt within the partnership.

TYPES OF COMPANIES 
• Limited Liability Company (LLC)
If you want to separate the business from your personal life, then you may want to form an official company. 
You need to register and go through a process before this can happen. Companies can be registered 
(incorporated) online (total cost: NZ$163.55 as of 2012). The LLC has proven to be the most popular and 
successful form of business structure.
• Non-profit organizations
A non-profit organization is any society, association or organization that is not carried on for the profit or gain 
of any member, and has rules that do not allow money, property or any other benefits to be distributed to any 
of its members.
• Trading Trust
Trading Trusts can offer benefits, but they are complicated and also require expert advice. Discuss this option 
with your accountant and your lawyer to see if it is more appropriate for your needs than the business 
structures outlined above
TYPES OF COMPANIES
• Loss Attributing Qualifying Company (LAQC)
This structure involves applying to be recognized by the Inland Revenue as a Loss Attributing 
Qualifying Company. This gives you a special tax status that allows you to offset any losses 
incurred in running your business against your personal income from other sources (such as 
investments).
• Co-operative
A co-operative business is owned and democratically controlled by its shareholder/members.
People (or entities) involved in a co-operative business choose to work together to achieve 
business goals that may not be possible or as easily achieved through individual or separate 
effort.

PRE-REQUISITES FOR A BUSINESS
A. Planning a business
Person required to plan the form and manner of operation of entity as a whole business plan, is 
most before move to any required steps/procedure to incorporate the business.
B. Choosing Business Name
• Next job to person who is planning to do business in Canada, required to choose proper name of 
Business and need to follow consistently with all the communication and business operation.
C.  Registering your business with the government
• The next important matter for business structure is to register it with concern department for 
commencement of job.
PRE-REQUISITES
D. Applying for permits and licenses
Irrespective of form/ structure of business, entity is required to obtain the permit and licenses as 
required by regulatory framework of Canada.
E.  Getting business support and financing
Last but not the least, as a universal truth of business it is the step to be followed at any cost i.e. 
business support and financing for the same.
This here is an 
example of a 
Local Fishing 
License/Permit in 
NZ

COMPANY FORMATION IN NEW ZEALAND
Now these are just Factors based on New Zealand as a Country and it’s Geographical 
Aspect
•Business Factors
The industry and type of business
Nationality of the headquarters/individual(s) and
Presence of existing trade agreements or relationships
•Location
Location will be another factor, since separate cities and regions may have different rules, costs and 
availability. It is always recommended to seek advice from relevant professionals, such as business or 
legal advisors, accountants and others depending on your needs.
•Regional Language
English is one of New Zealand’s two official languages, and is universally spoken. The other official 
language is Maori (Te Reo), which is spoken mainly by the indigenous population.
COMPANY FORMATION
Step 1: Naming of Business
It must be such unique and easy to remember, and should describe the products and services the business provide.
Step 2: Business Number
Register person required to obtain Business Number to identify your business to federal, provincial and municipal 
governments. This Business number will be used for dealing with the government regarding GST/Harmonized Sales 
Tax (HST), payroll, import/export and other activities.
Step 3: Filling up the information required
Registering shares and shareholders
You must register all shareholders in your company, and each shareholder must sign and return a consent form. You 
must also provide details of how many shares each shareholder owns.
Annual return filing month
Every company on the Companies Register, including overseas companies, must file an annual return. This isn't a 
financial statement — it's a yearly update of the publicly available information about your company.
These are some of the essentials you require and such.
FORMATION OF THE COMPANY 
Step 4:  File directors' and shareholders' consent forms
Once the companies submit their online application for incorporation, the authorities concerned send an 
email within a few minutes. Attached to the email are individual consent forms for each director and 
shareholders the company is registering.
Each director or shareholder must sign and return their form to the Companies Office within 20 working days 
to avoid having their registration cancelled.
• Last Step:  Receive your Certificate of Incorporation
Once the authorities receive all directors' and shareholders' consent forms your application is complete.
• If the authorities approve it:
• they send you a Certificate of Incorporation, and
• your company details become publicly available on the Companies Register.
INCENTIVES
• There are no general company tax breaks for companies investing in New Zealand. The 
government has taken the line that low corporation tax rates, no capital gains tax and a stable, 
low inflation economy constitute the best incentives.
• Non-tax incentives are available for investments in selected sectors, such as venture capital and 
film production, provided directly by the government in the form of financial support. There are 
also investment incentives involving unlisted companies.
• Anyone filming a large budget movie production in New Zealand may be eligible for assistance 
under the large budget screen production grant scheme. This scheme does not include tax 
incentives as such, although any grants that are made are exempt from income tax.
CONCLUSION
• Many Investors and business people have been choosing New Zealand as a 
place to invest in the recent times due to it’s climate and landscape, lifestyle 
and ease and the main thing which attracts them is the political stability of 
the Country.
• Also one of the reasons is that NZ is a well spoken Literate English dominant 
country which makes communications effective and simple.
• Because the investor policy options are transparent and also the investment 
options are easy to understand.

THANK YOU