How overseas companies set up as a NZ business

1. Reserve your company's name

The name you reserve must be exactly the same as the name you've registered in the country where your company is incorporated.

It costs $10 (plus GST) to reserve a company name online and you need to have a RealMe login and an online services account to do this.

Australian companies

If your company is incorporated in Australia, you can enter your Australian Company Number (ACN) to retrieve the name from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) register. This ensures that the name is exactly the same. You can also see the directors' details and company addresses — these can help you confirm that you've chosen the right company.

2. Gather information for your application

When you apply, you'll be asked to provide information about your company's incorporation and its New Zealand operations. 

Contact details

Provide addresses in New Zealand for:

• your principal place of business
• the person authorised to accept service — that is accept legal documents, and
• communications — we use this to contact you.

You must also provide an email address for your company so we can contact you. It's optional to give us a contact phone number.

Date you started business

Enter the date your company started carrying on business in New Zealand. You must register with us within 10 working days of starting your business activities.

Annual return filing month

All overseas companies registered in New Zealand must file an annual return with us. When you register, you can choose the month that you want to file your annual return but please note that you can't file an annual return in December or January.

Balance date and financial statements

As part of the registration process, you need to choose a balance date for your company. Your New Zealand business must have the same balance date as the rest of the company.

Only large companies incorporated overseas need to submit audited financial statements every year to us.

Certificate of Incorporation

You need to provide a certified copy of your Certificate of Incorporation, or the equivalent document, from the country where you're currently incorporated. When you upload this as part of your application, you need to tell us which country issued it.

Australian companies

Companies incorporated in Australia don't need to provide a Certificate of Incorporation.

Director details

You must provide contact and other details for your company's current directors, including their:

• full legal name
• residential address
• email address
• phone numbers — landline, mobile and fax numbers.

Australian companies

Companies incorporated in Australia don't need to supply details of their directors. They're supplied to us by ASIC. 

Shareholding details aren't required

Shareholder details of overseas companies are not held on our Overseas Register.

Your company constitution

When you apply, you must upload a certified copy of your company's constitution. If the documents aren't in English, you must provide a certified translation.

Australian companies

If your company is incorporated in Australia, as part of the online registration process, ASIC sends a copy of your constitution to us.

3. Make an application

After you receive confirmation of your company's name reservation, you can register your company online. It costs $130 (plus GST) to register an overseas company.

4. Processing your application

If your registration is accepted, we send you a Certificate of Registration. Your company will then appear on our Overseas Register.

Other guides in

Starting a company

• 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
• Ultimate holding companies

Other help topics