Investors who open a company in New Zealand are required to apply for various types of licenses, including the importers license in NZ, the ones for export activities, or for producing alcohol, to name a few.
To obtain a business license in New Zealand, the company’s owners or representatives will need to make a submission to the authority/authorities in charge of issuing the approvals for the specific industry.
By working with our agents who specialize in company formation in New Zealand, entrepreneurs will benefit not only from ongoing assistance during incorporation, but also when applying for the needed business licenses in New Zealand.
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What companies need licensing in New Zealand?
Many types of commercial activities are subject to licensing in New Zealand. Moreover, depending on their activities, some companies may need to apply for more than one license. We present a few examples of activities for which you need a business license in New Zealand:
- selling and/or manufacturing alcohol;
- food businesses;
- the importers license in NZ for companies involved in these types of activities;
- financial services providers;
- health and beauty companies;
- outdoor dining and mobile traders;
- camping grounds;
- mortuaries and funeral director businesses;
- rubbish and waste licenses, and others.
What are the conditions for obtaining the import/export license in NZ?
Companies that engage in import and export activities need to be properly registered. Moreover, data about cargo entering NZ is reported to Customs.
The following are important for those who wish to apply for an importer’s license in NZ:
- companies that import goods of more than NZ1$1,000 need a supplier code and a client code;
- they also need to register for the Trade Single Window;
- companies need to follow the rules for prohibited imports (and export restrictions/prohibitions, if they are involved in both activities).
In some cases, the company will need a Certificate of New Zealand Origin for exports. This is issued by other authorities, not the Customs (for example, the Chambers of Commerce). If you need more details about the import/export license in NZ, do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Do I need an alcohol manufacturing license in NZ?
If this is your company’s object of activity, yes. Companies that sell alcohol will also need proper licensing. Moreover, an annual fee applies for this type of NZ license. The fees below are offered as an example and apply in Auckland for companies that obtain an alcohol license:
- businesses with very low risk pay an annual fee of $161;
- the annual fee for medium risk companies is $632.5;
- companies with a high risk are asked to pay an annual fee of $1035;
- the highest fee is $1437.5 for companies with very high risk.
If you want to obtain an alcohol manufacturing license in NZ, or a license to sell alcohol, you will also need to pay an application fee in addition to the annual fee.
Please keep in mind that the fees above should be used for information purposes only if you need to apply for these types of permits, including the importer’s license in NZ. Our experts in company registration in New Zealand can give you personalized information upon request.
How can you help if I want to start a business in New Zealand?
Knowing what laws and regulations you need to observe for your business is a key starting point for any entrepreneur. Our team can help you know early on what licenses you will need to obtain, such as the import export license in NZ, or what specific requirements you will need to follow according to the industry in which your company activates.
Registering the business is different from licensing it. However, our packages for New Zealand company formation include both, and our team focuses on assisting investors with the subsequent step of having the business licensed for its activities, once it is registered with the Companies Office.
If you want to know more about how we can help you set up a company in New Zealand, please do not hesitate to contact us.