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

• Incorporating your company
• Maintaining your company details

Manual registration

• Removing your company
• Restoring your company
• Your incorporated society registration
• Your charitable trust registration

Online services

Timeframes to incorporate your company

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

1. Name reservation (NZ$10)

Name reservations made online are approved within two working hours (8:30am -5:00pm 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.  Use these references to continue 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.

• Learn how to reserve a name online

2. Company incorporation application (NZ$150)

Once submitted, your online application will be processed within two working hours (8:30am - 5:00pm Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays).  An email will be sent containing director and shareholder consent forms that then need to be signed and sent back.

The consent forms need to be returned within 20 working days otherwise the incorporation application will expire.

• Learn how to incorporate a company online

3. Faxing or uploading director and shareholder consent forms (FREE)

Once all consent forms have been accepted and processed by our processing team you will receive an email confirmation 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.

• Learn how to upload consent forms online

Timeframes to maintain your 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.  An annual return reminder is sent to a company’s email address for communication during the month prior to the due date.

The annual return can be filed online in real-time, is registered immediately and is FREE.

A company does not have to file an annual return in its first calendar year.

• Learn how to file an annual return online

Change in company address details

Online updates made with the company key are registered immediately.

• Learn how to update your address online

Note | A manually filed change in company address details takes effect no earlier than five working days from when the Companies Office receives your advice. 

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 are completed in 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 20 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).

• Learn 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 details held by the Companies Office can be updated at anytime throughout the year online and are registered immediately.  It is not mandatory to update share changes with the Companies Office throughout the year.  Shareholder details are required to be updated when the company files its annual return.

• Learn how to update shareholder details online

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. 

• Learn how to remove a company from the Register

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.

• Learn how to restore a company to the Register

Timeframes for my incorporated society registration

An application to incorporate a society takes two working days to process.  If the details you submitted in your application are correct, a certificate of incorporation will be posted out to you after two working days.  Otherwise your application will be returned listing the reasons it could not be registered.

• For more information on incorporated societies please visit the Societies & Trusts website.

Timeframes for my charitable trust registration

An application to incorporate a charitable trust takes three working days to process.  If the details you submitted in your application are correct, a certificate of incorporation will be posted out to you after three working days.  Otherwise your application will be returned listing the reasons it could not be registered.

• For more information on charitable trusts please visit the Societies & Trusts website.