Registering the appointment of a director
Telling us who the directors of your company are
At the time you submit your online application for incorporation with the Companies Office, you need to register all company directors. Following incorporation, you must register any new director within 20 working days of their appointment.
Time limit for completing registration
After you've entered a director's details on the Companies Register, we email you a consent form that must be signed by the director and returned to us within 20 working days.
Information you need to complete registration
To register the appointment of a director you must tell us their:
- full legal name
- date and place of birth — this information is not made publicly available
- residential address — this must be a physical street address, not a PO Box, Private Bag or DX service
- date of appointment.
You can also tell us their email address, telephone, mobile and fax numbers if you want.
When you enter a director's details, our system automatically alerts you if this person is listed as a banned director or undischarged bankrupt. A warning also appears if this person has a similar name to a banned person
Authority to register a director
To register a new director, you must have:
- a RealMe® login
- an online services account with the Companies Register
- authority to act for your company.
How to register the appointment of a director
There are 2 steps to registering a director
1. Add the director's details
Log in to your online services account, enter a company name, company number or New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) and follow these steps.
- Select the Directors tab.
- Select Add new director.
- Enter all requested information.
- Select Submit.
2. Sign and return the consent form
Once you've entered the director's details, we email you a consent form in that person's name.
The director must sign and return the form to us within 20 working days. In signing the form, the director certifies they're not disqualified from being appointed, or holding office as a director.
Preparing director's consents
If you prefer to prepare consent forms ahead of time, download these blank forms.
If you need to correct a director's details
When registering the appointment of a director, you can only make an online correction to their details if they haven't yet returned a signed consent form to us.
To make a correction, log in to your online services account and follow these steps.
- From your account dashboard select My Applications.
- Select the company with the Awaiting consent button next to it.
- Select the Edit link next to Directors.
- Make the required changes to the director's details.
- Select Submit.
- We email you an updated consent form, which you can also download from the My unfinished business application on your account dashboard.
If you need to withdraw a director's registration
You can only withdraw the registration of a director if they haven't yet returned their signed consent form to us.
To withdraw a registration, log in to your online services account and follow these steps.
- From your account dashboard select My Applications.
- Select Update company details.
- Select the Directors tab.
- Select the Withdraw button alongside the director's name.
- Select Submit.
Appoint an alternate director
If your company's constitution permits it, an alternate director can be appointed to act in a director's place.
The alternate director must:
- be registered as a director of your company within 20 working days of appointment
- sign and return a consent form to us.