Oceaniaphase 3

New Zealand: what can be established about a company

New Zealand's Companies Register is free and among the most open anywhere: directors, shareholders with their holdings, addresses, annual returns, constitutions and the full filing history can be read without charge, and the NZBN register and API tie every entity to a 13-digit number. Financial statements are filed only by large companies, FMC reporting entities and some overseas-owned companies, so most small companies disclose no accounts. There is no beneficial ownership register; the Government has signalled one since 2022 and directors may now use a service address, but check the authority for the current legislative position.

Identifiers

IdentifierFormatNote
NZBN13 digits, e.g. 9429041234567New Zealand Business Number issued to every company and available to other entities; GS1 GLN format
Company numberup to 7 digitsCompanies Office registration number; both it and the NZBN appear on the register
NZX code3 to 4 lettersListed issuers on the NZX Main Board

Sources

Each with what it discloses, how it is accessed, and our coverage level.

Registry
Companies RegisterFree full record: status, addresses, directors with appointment dates, shareholders and allocations, ultimate holding company, annual returns, filed documents and, where required, financial statements.Companies Office, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) · Overseas companies, limited partnerships and incorporated societies are on separate registers at the same site. Director residential addresses may be replaced by a service address under 2024 changes.
open web
partial
Registry
NZBN Register and APICore data for every entity with an NZBN: legal name, trading names, addresses, status and industry classification, with a free API and change notifications.Companies Office (MBIE) · Sole traders and partnerships appear only if they have opted in. API keys are free but rate-limited.
open API
partial
Beneficial ownership
Beneficial ownership transparency (proposed)No beneficial ownership register exists. Cabinet agreed in 2022 to require companies and limited partnerships to report beneficial owners to the Registrar, with names to be public and other details restricted; legislation has not been enacted at the review date.Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) · The Companies Register shows registered shareholders, who may be nominees or trustees. Check the authority for progress of the Companies Act modernisation programme.
restricted
planned
Securities filings
NZX market announcementsContinuous disclosure by listed issuers: results, substantial product holder notices, director interests and annual reports.NZX Limited · Listed issuers only. FMC reporting entities that are not listed file financial statements on the Companies Register instead.
open web
planned
Regulators
FMA enforcementCourt proceedings, enforceable undertakings, licence actions, warnings and management bans against financial market participants.Financial Markets Authority (FMA) · Financial markets only. The Commerce Commission (competition, consumer, fair trading) publishes its own case register.
open web
partial
Courts
NZLII and Judicial Decisions OnlineFree judgments of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and District Courts and tribunal decisions, searchable by party.New Zealand Legal Information Institute (non-governmental); Ministry of Justice · Published judgments only. Court files and pending proceedings are not searchable online by party name.
open web
partial
Sanctions
Russia Sanctions Register and UN sanctionsDesignations under the Russia Sanctions Act 2022 (searchable register and spreadsheet) and UN Security Council sanctions implemented under the United Nations Act 1946.Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) · New Zealand's only autonomous sanctions regime concerns Russia; UN lists are implemented by regulation and screened from the UN consolidated list.
open web
partial
Insolvency
Insolvency and Trustee ServiceRegister of bankruptcies and no-asset procedures administered by the Official Assignee and information on liquidations where the Official Assignee is liquidator.Insolvency and Trustee Service, MBIE · Company liquidations and receiverships are recorded on the Companies Register (status and liquidator reports), not in a separate corporate insolvency register.
open web
partial
IP offices
IPONZTrade marks, patents, designs and plant variety rights with applicant and owner names.Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (MBIE) · Owner names are free text and not linked to NZBN.
open web
partial
Procurement
GETS (Government Electronic Tenders Service)Government tender notices and award notices with supplier names.New Zealand Government Procurement (MBIE) · Award data is less complete than notice data; agencies publish contract awards over a threshold.
open web
planned

Caveats

  • The register shows registered shareholders only; trustee and nominee holdings are common and no beneficial ownership register exists yet.
  • Financial statements are on the register only for large companies, FMC reporting entities and certain overseas-owned companies.
  • Many New Zealand companies have Australian or other overseas parents; the ultimate holding company field helps but is self-reported.
  • Court judgments are published, but court files and pending claims are not searchable by party.
  • Māori-language and macronised names may be recorded with or without macrons; search both forms.

Questions

Is the New Zealand Companies Register free?

Yes. Directors, shareholders, addresses, annual returns and filed documents can be viewed without charge. A small fee applies only for a linked Personal Property Securities Register search.

Can I see who owns a New Zealand company?

The register lists every shareholder and their allocation. These are registered holders; where the holder is a trustee or nominee the beneficial owner is not disclosed, and there is no beneficial ownership register yet.

Are financial statements available?

Only for companies required to file them: large companies, FMC reporting entities and some overseas-owned companies. Most small companies file no accounts.

Which sanctions does New Zealand apply?

UN Security Council sanctions, implemented by regulation, and autonomous sanctions on Russia under the Russia Sanctions Act 2022, published as a searchable register by MFAT.

Sources

Reviewed 26 October 2026. Rules and fees change; confirm with the authority before relying on them.

A brief on a company in New Zealand

Coverage stated by section; official document fees at cost.

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