Filing your annual return

To file your annual returns with the Companies Office you will need your company key.  The company key is needed to file an annual return regardless of whether you are updating any company details.  The company key is supplied with your annual return reminder.

If you have lost or forgotten your key number you can request the key using our automated request service.

• Learn more about company keys.

The simple steps to filing online

1. From the Companies Office home page select File annual return.  If you have an email 'Annual Return Reminder', click on the link provided and go straight to Step 3. 
2. Enter the Company Number and select Continue.  If you do not know the company number, you can use the Locate Company button to help you. 
3. Enter your contact details.  The red asterisks denote mandatory fields.  Select Continue when you are finished. 
4. Enter the company key and select Continue.
5. Update the information in:
   • Step 1 - Company Addresses
     If any of the address details need updating, select the Update Details button.
     When you are satisfied the details are accurately recorded, tick the box to certify that the details are correct.  Read more...
   • Step 2 - Directors
     If any director details need updating, select the Update Details button.
     When you are satisfied the details are accurately recorded, tick the box to certify that the details are correct.  Read more...
   • Step 3 - Share Parcels
     If any share parcel details need updating, select the Update Details button.
     When you are satisfied the details are accurately recorded, tick the box to certify that the details are correct.  Read more...
   • Step 4 - Annual Return Information
     Answer the questions about the annual meeting and auditor resolution.
     Complete the fields to record who is filing this annual return.
     Complete the Annual Return Reminder Details for next year's reminder. 
     Read more...
6. Select Continue to go to the next step.
7. Update director residential addresses 
   Here you will be prompted to reconfirm each director's residential address to ensure that the addresses on record meet new standards introduced by New Zealand Post.  Read more...
   
   When you are finished select File Annual Return.
   
8. Confirmation of registration
   This confirmation screen will confirm the online registration of the annual return.  You will also receive confirmation via email.

Hints and tips

• If you follow the link provided in your email reminder you will not be required to enter the company key.
• If you are a registered user filing multiple annual returns or need to record other changes (such as director or address changes) we recommend that you log on as soon as you reach our website by selecting the Logon button.

Top 

Information required to complete the annual return

Filing an annual return is also an opportunity to confirm and update information held on the Register of Companies about the company. 

• If the company information currently held on the Companies Register needs to be amended, click the Update details button beside the appropriate section.
• Any changes made to this information will update the Companies Register in real time prior to the annual return being submitted.

More about Step 1. Company addresses

Step 1 on the main annual return screen shows the current address details. 

• Select the Update details button to access the screen where you can change these details. 

• When you have completed your updates, select Submit Changes and a confirmation screen will acknowledge these details have been accepted and the register will be updated. 

More about Step 2. Directors

Step 2 on the main annual return screen shows the current director details. 

• Select the Update Details button to access the screen where you can change these details.
• When you have completed your updates select Submit Changes and a confirmation screen will acknowledge these details have been accepted and the register will be updated.

Important information

We will email you consent forms whenever you complete a online director appointment.  All new directors must complete and sign a consent form for their appointment to be registered.  The signed consent form must be returned to us either by fax or as a scanned PDF document before the appointment is registered.

More about Step 3. Share parcels

Step 3 on the main annual return screen shows the current share parcel details.

• Select the Update Details button to access the screen where you can change these details.  This enables you to change the number of shares recorded against a share parcel, add or delete share parcels, add or remove shareholders from share parcels and update shareholder details.

Shareholder details are recorded against share parcels that can include one or more shareholders. 

• Enter more than one shareholder into a single share parcel if the shareholders hold the shares jointly.  For example, where shares are owned by a trust the names and addresses of each trustee will be recorded in one share parcel.

More about Step 4. Annual return information

Step 4 of the main annual return screen contains three sections.

Annual meeting and auditor resolution details

The annual return requires information about the company’s financial reporting, whether an auditor was appointed and some key dates (for example, when was the last Annual General Meeting (AGM) held?).

Choose one of the following day, month, year format examples for entering dates and always enter the year in full, that is, 2009, not 09:

• 31/12/2009
• 31-12-2009
• 31122009

Notes

Under section 193 of The Companies Act 1993 a company is required to appoint an auditor at its AGM.  It is possible to pass a unanimous resolution not to appoint an auditor.  The resolution can be made in lieu of holding a meeting.

The dates for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Auditor Resolution must be earlier than the date of filing of the annual return.

Annual return filed by

The name and designation of the person who is filing this annual return. 

Some of the information in this section may be prefilled for you - please check that this information is correct and amend it where necessary.

Annual return reminder details

Each year we will send you a reminder when your annual return is due.  We send this reminder to your email address, so please make sure it is correctly recorded.  If you would like to receive a text message reminder, you have the option of also advising a mobile number.

Some of the information in this section will be prefilled for you - please check that this information is correct and amend it where necessary.

The final steps

Once you have completed steps 1- 4 of your annual return select the Continue button. 

Update director residential addresses

If you file an annual return on, or after, 25 August 2009 you may receive a screen prompting you to Update Director Residential Addresses to ensure that these addresses meet new standards introduced by New Zealand Post. 

For each director listed reconfirm the recorded address by typing it into the field provided. 

• You should only need to begin typing the first part of the address. 
• The system will display a drop-down list of the possible addresses that match what you have entered.  If the drop-down list contains too many entries you may need to type more of the address to narrow down the results.
• If the address appears in the drop-down list, click once to select it.  We will update the register accordingly with the confirmed address.
• If the address doesn't appear in the drop-down list, check you have entered the correct address.  If you still cannot find the address in the list provided, tick the box marked 'Retain current, I can't find the address'.

Notes 

You will only be prompted to update addresses in some cases.  This update will only be required for directors who are New Zealand residents and any director that already has a compliant address recorded will not be shown in the list. 

For directors who are not New Zealand residents, tick the box marked 'Retain current, I can't find the address'.

When you are finished select File Annual Return.

Confirmation of registration

• A confirmation screen will then appear which you can print off if you would like a copy for your records. 
• We will also send you an email with a copy of the annual return attached acknowledging that the annual return has been registered.