Open a Company in New Zealand

Starting a business in New Zealand is not complicated for foreign investors who want to operate on the local market. They are required to comply with the Commercial Code’s requirements and choose the right type of structure for their companies and then they must register the business with the Companies Office.

If you want to open a company in New Zealand, our local lawyers can guide you through the registration of the chosen business form. You can also rely on our New Zealand lawyers for advice on how to choose the right type of company.

Requirements for opening a company in New Zealand

There are several requirements imposed by the law for a foreign investor who wants to open a company New Zealand. These are:

1.         the investor must choose a type of company – the limited liability company is usually the most employed;
2.         the company must have a unique name which must be reserved prior to starting the registration procedure;
3.         a bank account in which the share capital will be deposited must be opened with a local bank;
4.         the company must have at least one shareholder who can be national or foreigner;
5.         the company must have at least one resident director and a company secretary;
6.         tax and employment registration are mandatory when opening a business in New Zealand.

The New Zealand company must also have a registered address. Our lawyers in New Zealand can offer virtual office services for this purpose.

Documents for opening a company presented by our law firm in New Zealand

Foreign entrepreneurs must prepare the following documents in order to open a company in New Zealand:

• –          the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association must be drafted and notarized;
• –          the company registration form issued by the Companies Register must be filled;
• –          information about the shareholder(s), company director(s) and secretary must be gathered;
• –          the company’s legal address in New Zealand must also be filed with the Trade Register;
• –          an email address must be provided in order for the Certificate of Registration to be sent.

Our attorneys in New Zealand can handle the registration of the company on behalf of foreign clients.

The whole procedure of opening a company in New Zealand can take up to 7 weeks.

Please contact our New Zealand law firm if you need help in opening a business in this country.