Changing the name of a company
What's required when changing your name
To change your company's name, you must first reserve a new name using our 'Change Company Name' service.
You'll also need to follow the procedures set out in your constitution, if you have one, for changing your company’s name.
Authority to update a company name
Before you can change the name of a company you must have:
- a RealMe® login
- an online services account with the Companies Register
- authority to act for your company.
Checking that a company name is available
The new name you choose for your company cannot be 'identical or almost identical' to that of another company.
The rules relating to company names
MBIE's ONECheck service allows you to confirm the availability of a proposed company name. It provides:
- the ability to check registered company names, web domains and social media usernames in one simple search.
- a measure of the originality of a trade mark on a sliding scale.
- an explanation of the difference between a company name and a trade mark.
Because reserving or registering business names or web domains doesn’t automatically give new businesses trade mark rights, ONECheck lets you check if your proposed trade mark or trading name appears to be unique and original. It also provides guidance on what to do next.
ONECheck is a useful starting point for businesses seeking to register a distinctive trade mark with the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand.
Start a ONECheck search
The rules relating to company names
The Companies Act 1993, and various other laws, contain rules and guidance on the naming of companies.
Rules relating to company names
Names protected by legislation
There are also certain names the use of which is restricted or protected by legislation.
Swapping company names
You can swap names with another company, but you must be a director of, or have authority over both companies that are changing names.
Making a minor change or correction
If you need to make a minor change to the name of an existing company, be it ‘cosmetic’ or a correction (for example, a spelling error), use the same online service described here.
If your company is an overseas company
Changing the name of an overseas company (other than Australia) follows the same online process as for a New Zealand company.
If your company is incorporated with ASIC (Australian Securities & Investments Commission), you need to register the change of name with ASIC first.
How to change a company name
To change a company name, follow these steps.
- Log in to your online services account.
- Find and select the company under the 'My Companies' section of your dashboard, or by searching for the company using its company name, company number or New Zealand Business Number (NZBN).
- From the 'My Tools' menu, select 'Change company name'.
- Select one of the following options:
'I would like to reserve a new company name', or
'I would like to swap names with another company'. - Select 'Continue'.
If you are reserving a new company name
- Enter the new company name you’d like to reserve. The name of a limited liability company must end in 'Limited' or 'Tapui Limited'.
- Confirm the availability of the name using the 'Auto check'.
This step should not replace your own checks, as described above. - Add any comments you may have and attach any supporting documents.
- Click on 'Submit'.
- Confirm that you wish to reserve the name.
- Pay the reservation fee of $10 (plus GST).
If the name is acceptable, we'll send you an email confirming that it has been reserved. You'll then need to complete the change by doing the following:
- Log back in to your online services account.
- Find and select the company under the 'My Companies' section of your dashboard, or by searching for the company using its company name, company number or New Zealand Business Number (NZBN).
- From the 'My Tools' menu, select 'Change company name'.
- Under 'Change to new company name' select the radio button beside the new name you reserved.
- Click 'Submit'.
If you are swapping company names
- Search for the company that you want to swap names with.
- Select the company by clicking on the radio button.
- Pay the reservation fee of $10 (plus GST) for each company.
- Click 'Submit'.
What happens next
We’ll send you an email confirming that the name of your company has changed, and attach a Certificate of Registration.
All 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
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.
- Incorporating a company
- Reserving a name for a new company
- 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
14 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.
- Law changes to help companies comply with their rules
- How to file an annual return
- Confirming your authority to manage information
- Getting a copy of your company information
- Adding, amending or removing a company constitution
- Changing the name of a company
- 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
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
7 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.
Complying with the law
12 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.
- Law changes to help companies comply with their rules
- Keeping company records
- How we enforce the law
- Reporting to the Companies Office
- Reporting a director
- Company meetings
- How to file an annual return
- What it means to be a director
- What it means to be a shareholder
- Who needs to submit financial statements
- Banned directors
- Making a complaint
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.
- 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 short-form amalgamation
- Preparing documents for a long-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
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.
- 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
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.
- Setting up your online services account
- Confirming your authority to manage information
- 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
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.
- Uploading documents to the Companies Register
- Filing documents with electronic signatures
- Forgotten your RealMe® username or password
- Searching the Companies Register
- Searching the PPSR from the Companies Register
- Searching using other applications
- NZBN and the Companies Register
- Suppressing a residential address on the register