New Zealand is a large island secure in the southwestern end of the Pacific Ocean. Liberal and idyllic, New Zealand is ranked as one of the best countries in the world to live and start a business in.
Culturally, New Zealand is quite diverse. From the indigenous Maori to the British descended Western population, New Zealand has many different racial groups. Moreover, over the past few decades, with migration, the diversity has only grown larger. This means that regardless of where you come from, New Zealand will have a place for you.

How to set up a business in New Zealand


The people of New Zealand are also generally friendly and welcoming to new faces. Communication would not be a problem for you as well as New Zealand has English as one of its official languages. The other two listed as being Te Reo Maori and New Zealand Sign Language.

Setting up a business in New Zealand is not a difficult task. With the government actively encouraging foreign investment, the process towards registration is quite simple. However, if you have any reservations, this is where we can step in! Here at S&F Consulting, we are a business consultancy firm who are officially registered agents in New Zealand. As such we are professionally certified to act on your behalf for any proceeding that you need completed in the country!

In New Zealand, entrepreneurs can choose from seven types of legal structures to register their business. They are as follows:
  • Sole Trader
  • Partnerships
  • Limited Liability Company (LLC)
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Loss Attributing Qualifying Company (LAQC)
  • Trading Trust
  • Co-operative

However, the most common three structures chosen are the following:
  • Sole Trader
  • Partnerships
  • Limited Liability Company (LLC)

All business registrations are done through the Companies Office of New Zealand. The Companies Office is the agency under the government that is in charge of all business registries conducted in the country.
You may visit their official website here.
As mentioned earlier, registering your business in New Zealand is fairly simple. In fact, you may even do it online on their website here.
Since a sole trader is classified as a small business, you will not have to formally register it at the Companies Office. However, we highly recommend you do as a means of protection.
Before you register any business online, you will need to make sure you have a RealMe® login. Making an account is simple.
You will be required the following details to create an account:
    • A username
    • A password
    • Your contact details
    • Three security questions and their answers.

You can make an account here.
Once you’ve created an account for RealMe®, you can create an account to make an online application.

The process is simple and you may read an in-depth guide to company formation here. However, below is a summary of the steps:
  1. Choose and reserve you company name, this costs $10.
  2. Collect and provide all necessary details (i.e. details of yourself and directors/shareholders)
  3. Fill out online application and submit it
  4. Collect signatures for form of consent from all directors/shareholders. Upload said document.
  5. Receive certificate of incorporation after payment of $150 as a registration fee
  6. File for amenities and permits

However, aside from submitting your application online do consider the following aspects of running your business. This especially applies to new entrepreneurs.

Ø  A business plan
A successful business is only successful because of planning. Firstly, consider the following in regards to your product:
The potential market
Who are your competitors? (i.e. who makes similar products and replicas etc.)
A business timeline (what is your profit goal for the first year?)

Ø  A budget
By creating a budget, you ensure that you won’t fall into a loss by overspending. You will have to factor in the following for your budget:
o   Your startup capital
o   The registration fees
o   Potential profit turnover in a year.
Do remember to keep an account of ALL transactions you make regarding your business.

Ø  Advertising strategies
Finally, the most important aspect after registration- advertising. This doesn’t even have to be expensive. Good advertising can be achieved by creating a social media account and engaging with your audience. In fact, studies show that businesses that keep cordial relations with their audience online have a much higher profit turnover!