Searching the Companies Register

Get help to use and understand our search options

There are several ways you can search the Companies Register to find the information we hold about New Zealand and overseas companies, and their current status.

What you can search for

By typing a term into the search box in the Companies Register, you can search directly for:

  • companies on the register — this includes:
    • current companies
    • companies incorporated in other countries and registered to do business in New Zealand
    • companies that have been removed or are in receivership
  • the previous names of those companies — although you can't do a specific search for these
  • directors of companies — including banned directors and prohibited managers
  • shareholders of companies
  • property secured against the company on the Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR).
Advanced search

Refining your results

You can sort your results alphabetically or by incorporation date.

Advanced search

You can use the advanced search to find specific results for:

  • types of companies, including unlimited companies, co-ops and companies on our Overseas Register
  • companies incorporated between specific dates
  • different types of company addresses — you can further refine the address search by adding a street name, city or postcode
  • the status of a company, for example if it's in voluntary administration or receivership
  • directors and shareholders, including the type of organisation they're associated with and their status.
Advanced search

You can also start an advanced search by searching the register using any search term. From the list of results, select Show advanced search in the top right of the screen.

Searching for NZ companies

Each result shows the basic details of a company — its name, number, New Zealand Business Number (NZBN), status, registered office and date of incorporation. Select its name to view all the information we have for that company, including:

  • current and previous addresses
  • the names, addresses and other information about the directors
  • the number of shares, the names of shareholders and how many shares they hold
  • all the company documents that have been registered with us, including directors' consents, annual returns or a constitution, if the company has one.

Company status

A company's status shows in a search and in the company's details. There are 4 statuses.

  1. Registered — means the company is currently registered.
  2. In liquidation or In receivership — means that we have received notice that a receiver or liquidator has been appointed to administer this company.
  3. Removed — means the company has been removed from the register. You can usually find out why by looking at the registered documents for the company.
  4. Approved — means the name that has been reserved, but has yet to be used to start a new company or change the name of an existing company.
Search for a company

Searching for overseas companies

Companies incorporated in other countries and registered to do business in New Zealand are registered on the Overseas Register. This register is part of the New Zealand Companies Register and you can search for specific overseas companies using that search.

You can only find all the companies on the Overseas Register or filter search results to show only overseas companies by doing an advanced search of the Companies Register.

In the advanced search:

  • select Entity type
  • to find all overseas companies, from the drop-down menu, select:
    • Overseas ASIC company — for all the Australian companies
    • Overseas non-ASIC company — for all companies incorporated in other countries
  • select Search to see the results.
Advanced search

Information about overseas companies

You can find the following information about an overseas company:

  • the country where it's incorporated and the date of incorporation
  • who the directors are
  • where in New Zealand its principal place of business is
  • if its constitution contains any restrictions on its ability to trade
  • where documents can be served on the company in New Zealand and who can receive them.

Searching for directors

You can search for directors by name — using their surname and first name can help to refine the search.

Search results show:

  • their full legal name
  • their address
  • the date they were appointed, and
  • their status — whether they're current or ceased (that is, they're no longer a director).

Select the link to Director to:

  • find their consent form agreeing to be a director
  • see a record of all the directors for that company.
Search for directors or shareholders

Disqualified directors

Information about disqualified directors includes:

  • any other names they're known by
  • their last known address
  • the disqualification period
  • the criteria under which they were disqualified — usually Sections 382(1) or 385 of the Companies Act 1993.

Banned directors

Search for a prohibited director, promoter or manager

Searching for shareholders

Search for shareholders by individual or company name.

Search results show their:

  • full name or the company name — depending on whether the shareholder is a person or an organisation
  • address
  • status — whether they're current or removed (that is, no longer a shareholder)
  • the number or percentage of shares they hold.

Select the link to Shareholder to see a record of all the shareholdings for that company and how they're allocated.

Search for directors or shareholders

Searching other Companies Office registers

The Companies Office administers more than 25 registers. You can search some of them from the Companies Office website.

Searching our registers

If you have an online services account, you can search the PPSR from the Companies Register.

Searching the PPSR from the Companies Register
Search for a business Search other registers

Using information in search results

You can save up to 1000 search results by:

  • printing them out
  • saving them as a PDF
  • attaching them to an email as a PDF
  • exporting them in a CSV file format to further analyse in spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel (or similar).

If your search returns more than 1000 results, try refining your search. If your search still returns over 1000 results you can send us a data request.

Request data Data services — Companies Office

Using other applications to search the Companies Register

We offer Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and a mobile application that lets you search Australian and New Zealand companies at the same time. These can help to streamline your business activities.

Searching using other applications

All help topics

Before you start a company 7 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 11 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.

Keeping company details up to date 13 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.

See all 13 guides for Keeping company details up to date

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 8 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.

Complying with the law 11 guides

Find out how New Zealand law affects the directors and shareholders of your company, and your responsibility to create and maintain accurate company records, report to us and file financial statements.

Financial reporting 7 guides

​Some large New Zealand and overseas companies, and all FMC 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.

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.

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 9 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.

Managing your online account 8 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.

Getting support to use the Companies Register 8 guides

Get help with any technical problems you have using the register, such as uploading documents or searching for companies, directors and shareholders.