Complying with the law
- Keeping company records You must keep records that show how you operate and manage your company.
- How we enforce the law If companies or their directors break the law, we can take a range of actions including prosecution.
- Reporting to the Companies Office Find out what you need to report to the Companies Office and when.
- Reporting a director Find out how to lodge an official complaint about a company director.
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Company meetings
You must follow specific procedures when you run meetings for directors or shareholders.
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How to file an annual return
How to prepare and file your company's annual return.
- What it means to be a director Learn about the role and responsibilities of a company director.
- What it means to be a shareholder Find out about the rights and responsibilities of shareholders.
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Who needs to submit financial statements
Find out which companies and entities must submit audited financial statements each year.
- Banned directors What it means to be a prohibited director.
- Making a complaint Find out how to report potential breaches and criminal activity.
Other help topics
Before you start a company
5 guides
Get an overview of how companies are structured, find out about the company records you need to keep, and what's involved when you incorporate with and report to the Companies Office.
Starting a company
12 guides
You need to comply with New Zealand laws when you incorporate your company with the Companies Office, including reserving a company name, appointing directors, issuing shares and registering for tax.
- Incorporating a company
- How to reserve a company name
- Transferring a company name reservation
- Company addresses
- Tax registration
- Registering the appointment of a director
- Registering a shareholder
- Filing director and shareholder consent forms
- Issuing shares in a company
- Incorporating with a company constitution
- How overseas companies set up as an NZ business
- Ultimate holding companies
Keeping company details up to date
12 guides
Once your company is registered with the Companies Office, nominate who will have authority to file your annual returns, and update your name, address, constitution, director and shareholder details.
- How to file an annual return
- Getting authority to update company records
- Getting a copy of your company information
- Adding or removing a company constitution
- Changing a company name
- Updating company addresses
- Registering the appointment of a director
- Updating a director's details
- Managing share allocations
- Updating a shareholder's details
- Applying for a correction to the register
- Changing your financial reporting month
Shares and shareholders
7 guides
When you incorporate, you must provide details of all company shares and shareholders. As changes occur, you must update this information on your own share register and in your company's annual return.
Company directors
8 guides
Directors have responsibilities to their company and shareholders, and under the Companies Act 1993. You must register all your directors with the Companies Office and they must sign a consent form.
Filing annual returns
7 guides
Find out about filing an annual return — the information you need to update, how to change your filing month or request a time extension — and what happens if you don't file your annual return by the due date.
Financial reporting
7 guides
Some large New Zealand and overseas companies, and all Financial Markets Conduct reporting entities must submit audited annual financial statements to the Companies Office.
Managing an overseas company in New Zealand
11 guides
Before they can carry out some business activities, companies incorporated in other countries, including Australia, must register with the Companies Office and then keep their company details up to date.
- Registering your company to do business in NZ
- How overseas companies set up as an NZ business
- How to transfer incorporation to NZ
- Financial reporting for overseas companies
- Reporting for NZ companies registered in Australia
- Annual returns for overseas companies
- Updating directors' details
- Updating addresses of overseas companies
- Changing the name of an overseas company
- Updating the constitution of an overseas company
- How to remove a company from the Overseas Register
Closing a company
11 guides
When your company closes down you need to remove it from the register. Your company can be removed if it amalgamates with another company or doesn't file its annual return.
- Before you close your company
- Removing your company from the register
- When the Registrar removes your company
- How to remove a company from the Overseas Register
- Objecting to the removal of a company
- Withdrawing an objection
- How companies amalgamate
- Before you apply for amalgamation
- Preparing documents for a long-form amalgamation
- Preparing documents for a short-form amalgamation
- Applying for company amalgamations
Restoring a company to the register
4 guides
Only some companies can be reinstated to the Companies Register once they've been removed. Find out who can apply, what evidence to provide and if you should apply to the Registrar or the High Court.
When your company fails
10 guides
Find out about voluntary administration, receivership and liquidation (external administration), and the roles and responsibilities of those appointed to manage your company's affairs.
- What happens during voluntary administration
- Appointment and responsibilities of administrators
- What happens after a watershed meeting
- What happens during receivership
- Appointment and responsibilities of receivers
- What happens during liquidation
- Appointment and responsibilities of liquidators
- Filing by administrators, liquidators or receivers
- Holding creditors' meetings
- Safe harbour for company directors
Managing your online account
9 guides
Creating an account with the Companies Office allows you to complete the majority of your transactions online. It's free to set up, but fees apply for some transactions, such as filing annual returns.
- Setting up your online services account
- Getting authority to update company records
- Managing who can use and update your account
- Forgotten your RealMe® username or password
- Customising your online services account
- Schedule of fees
- Managing payments on the Companies Register
- Lodging other documents
- Filing documents with electronic signatures
Getting support to use the Companies Register
5 guides
Get help with any technical problems you have using the register, such as uploading documents or searching for companies, directors and shareholders.