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Make a name application online

Forming a company begins with reserving a company name. Before you submit your application for a name reservation, conduct a free register search to ensure there are no other companies registered with an ‘identical or almost identical’ name.

We recommend that you also check whether the name you are interested in is already registered as a trade mark. It is free to search the register of trade marks at the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) website.

Step-by-step instructions

The process outlined below describes how to reserve a company name for a New Zealand company or for an overseas company.

If you are a Registered User, log on now. If you have not logged on before, and would like to become a registered user, select the Get User ID option. A Pay Now screen advises you that a $NZ10 fee is payable.
Select the Form a Company option from the left hand menu.
Select Reserve a Company Name.
Complete your contact details. If you are a registered user and have already logged on, your contact details will already be entered for you.
Enter the proposed company name that you would like to reserve. It is important to note that the Companies Act 1993 requires that the company name end with the word Limited or Tapui (Limited).
Select the appropriate Entity Type. If you select 'Overseas' then you will also need to choose from the 'Country of Origin' picklist.
Select Continue to submit your application.

Type in a reference to appear on your invoice (optional - up to 30 characters).
To charge the fee to your direct debit account select the Logon button (Registered users only).
To charge the fee to your credit card account select the Pay by Card button. You will then be presented with a screen to enter your credit card details and process your credit card payment. If you are not familiar with this screen please read all instructions carefully to ensure your payment is processed smoothly.
If you choose to Exit and not be charged please be aware that your application will not be submitted.

Processing an application

We check the name you request against the Companies Register to ensure it does not contravene any of the restrictions on certain names and that it is not the same or similar to, any other name on the register. If you are reserving an overseas company name it must be identical to the name of the company registered in its country of origin. i.e. Home jurisdiction.

The Companies Office will send you an email confirming that the name has been reserved. If your choice of name is unavailable, we will inform you of the reason it was declined.

Responses to online applications lodged during business hours are almost immediate. Applications submitted outside business hours are placed in a priority queue and processed early the next working day.