Timeframes for processing

How long will it take to register your document?

There are different timeframes when you register documents online or via the post on paper forms.

Online services

• Incorporate my company
• Maintain my company details

Manual registration

• Removing my company
• Restoring my company
• My incorporated society registration
• My charitable trust registration

Online services

Timeframes to incorporate my company

Registration timeframes for the three steps to an online company incorporation:

 1. Name reservation ($NZ10)

• Name reservations made online are approved within two working hours (8.30-5.00 Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays).  You will be sent an email accepting or rejecting the name approval.  If the name is approved you will be emailed a company number and a name approval number so you are able to continue on with your company incorporation application. 
• Once you have a name reserved you have 20 working days to complete your company incorporation before the name will expire.

 Instructions on how to reserve a name online

2. Company incorporation application ($NZ150)

• Once submitted, your online application will be processed within two working hours (8.30-5.00 Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays).  An email will be sent containing director and shareholder consent forms that need to be signed and sent back.
• The consent forms need to be returned within 20 working days or else the incorporation application will expire.

 Instructions on how to register a company online

3. Faxing or uploading director and shareholder consent forms

• Once all of the consent forms have been accepted and processed by our processing team you will receive an email back from the Companies Office within two working hours.  (8:30am-5:00pm Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays).  Your confirmation will include your new company’s certificate of incorporation and your company key.
• If you request a company IRD number and register for GST your tax details will be sent to you at the time you receive the certificate of incorporation.

 Instructions on how to upload consent forms online

Timeframes to maintain my company details online (no fees)

 Annual returns

• It is a legal requirement of the Companies Act 1993 and the directors' responsibility to ensure that an annual return is filed in the month it is due.
• The annual return can be filed online in real-time, is registered immediately and is FREE.
• An annual return is sent to a company’s email address for communication during the month prior to the due date.
• A company will not have to file an annual return in the first calendar year.

 Instructions on how to file an annual return online

Change in company address details

• A change in company address details takes effect on a date that is no earlier than five working days from when the Companies Office has been updated. 
• Online updates made with the company key are registered immediately.

 Instructions how to update your address online

Change in director details

• If there is a change in directors or details of existing directors, notice of this change needs to be filed with the Companies Office within 20 working days of the change. 
• Online director resignations or address changes made with the company key are registered immediately.
• Online director appointments have two steps:

1. The first step providing the details of the appointment is processed immediately from this initial application a consent form is emailed for the director to sign and return (fax or upload) within 10 working days.
2. Once the consent form has been received it will by processed by our processing team within two working hours (8:30am-5:00pm Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays). 

 Instructions on how to update director details online

Change in shareholder details

• A company is required under the Companies Act 1993 to maintain their own share register.  The share register should be kept at the company’s registered office address. 
• Changes to shareholders can be updated at anytime throughout the year online are registered immediately.  

 Instructions on how to update shareholder details online

Note

It is not mandatory to make share changes with the Companies Office throughout the year.  Shareholder details are required to be updated when the company files its annual return.

Manual Registration

Timeframes for removing my company

When the Registrar receives your documents requesting a formal removal he will advertise his intention to remove your company from the register.  The advertisement will appear in the New Zealand Gazette and the major newspaper closest to the company’s registered office.  The Registrar advertises every two weeks. 

Once the intention to remove the company has been advertised, the public have 20 working days to object to the removal of the company.  If there are no objections received during that 20 working days then the company will be removed from the register on the first or second working day after the objection period has lapsed.

The whole procedure (from application acceptance to the actual removal) takes about four to six weeks. 

 Instructions on how to remove your company

Timeframes for restoring my company

After the Registrar receives your application and restoration document he advertises in the New Zealand Gazette his intention to restore your company.  There is a period of 20 working days for any objections to be made by the public.  If no objections are made then your company is restored to the register on the first or second working day after the objection period has lapsed.

The whole procedure (from application acceptance to the actual restoration) takes about four to six weeks.  You will receive a letter once the company has been restored to the register.

 Instructions on how to restore your company

Timeframes for my incorporated society registration

An incorporated society takes two working days to process.  A certificate of incorporation will be posted out to you after two working days if all details are correct or your application will be returned listing the reasons it could not be registered.

 For more information on how to register an incorporated society visit the Societies website.

Timeframes for my charitable trust registration

Your charitable trust takes three working days to process.  A certificate of incorporation will be posted out to you after three working days if all details are correct or your application will be returned listing the reasons it could not be registered.

 For more information on how to register and maintain your charitable trust visit the Societies website.