Companies Office


The New Zealand Companies Office is a government agency that provides business registry services in relation to corporate entities, personal property and capital market securities. It delivers nearly all its services through electronic systems and the internet.

Activities

Its registers relate to companies, personal property securities, superannuation funds, incorporated societies, building societies, charitable trusts, unit trusts, friendly societies and credit unions. The office also has compliance, prosecution and enforcement functions under the Companies Act, Securities Act, Corporations Act 1989, Financial Reporting Act along with others.

Electronic register

The Companies Register's website includes an electronic register available to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and provides the online searching, incorporation and maintenance services for New Zealand registered companies or other body corporates.
The Companies Office was the first government corporate registry in the world to allow access over the Internet to statutory corporate information. The site went live in 1996. In 1999 the Companies Office was the first in the world to allow the incorporation of companies over the Internet.

Other registers

The Companies Office is also responsible for the administration of the following registers: