Business Set Up Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on business set up for new zealand businesses.
Can Sole Traders Employ Staff In New Zealand?
If you’re running your business as a sole trader, hiring your first team member can feel like a big leap. You might be wondering whether you’re “allowed” to employ someone without setting...
11 March 2026
Can I Close My NZ Company And Start A New One?
If your current company isn’t working out, it’s completely normal to wonder whether you can shut it down and start again with a clean slate. Maybe you’ve outgrown your original structure, you’ve...
11 March 2026
Can A New Zealand Company Have No Directors? NZ Director Rules
If you’ve registered (or are about to register) a company in New Zealand, you might be wondering how “lean” you can run things. Some founders ask this when they’re between leaders, restructuring...
9 March 2026
Can A Bankrupt Person Be A Company Director In New Zealand?
If you’re running (or buying into) a small business, you might find yourself asking a surprisingly common question: can someone who is bankrupt still be a company director in New Zealand? Sometimes...
8 March 2026
Buying A Shelf Company In New Zealand: Benefits, Process & Pitfalls
If you’re trying to move fast on a new venture, it’s normal to look for shortcuts that feel “safe” and legitimate. One option you might come across is buying a shelf company...
8 March 2026
Business Partnership Vs Company In New Zealand: Key Differences & Choosing The Right Structure
If you’re starting a business with someone else (or thinking about bringing in a co-founder), one of the biggest early decisions is choosing the right legal structure. Most small business owners end...
8 March 2026
Business Lawyer Hourly Rates In New Zealand: What SMEs Pay
If you’re running a small business, legal costs can feel like one big unknown. Maybe you’re about to sign a lease, hire your first employee, raise funds, or launch a new website...
8 March 2026Board Resolutions in New Zealand: When and How to Record Decisions
If you’re running a company in New Zealand, you’re probably making decisions every week that affect your business (and your personal risk as a director). The tricky part is that not every...
7 March 2026
Board Meeting Minutes In New Zealand: Legal Requirements For Directors
If you’re running a company, board meetings can feel like they’re all about the big decisions - budgets, hires, strategy, growth. But the paperwork side matters too. In particular, keeping proper board...
7 March 2026Board Meeting Minutes In New Zealand: Company Legal Requirements
If you’re running a company in New Zealand (even a small one), you’ll hear a lot about “minutes”. It can sound like paperwork for the sake of paperwork - but board meeting...
7 March 2026
Branch Vs Subsidiary: Key Legal Differences In NZ
If you’re an Australian business expanding into New Zealand (or growing across regions within NZ), one of the first “big picture” decisions you’ll face is whether to operate through a branch or...
6 March 2026
Beauty Salon Regulations In New Zealand
Running a beauty salon is exciting - you get to build a brand, create a space your clients love, and turn your skills into a real business. But before you open the...
6 March 2026
Are Shareholders Liable for Company Debts in New Zealand?
If you’ve set up (or you’re thinking about setting up) a company in New Zealand, chances are you’ve heard that companies offer “limited liability”. That’s usually true - and it’s one of...
4 March 2026
Are Letters Of Intent Legally Binding In New Zealand?
General information only: this article is for general guidance and isn’t legal advice. If you have a specific deal in mind, get advice on your particular facts before you sign anything. If...
2 March 2026
Alcohol Licensing And Late-Night Trading Restrictions In New Zealand
If you run (or you’re about to open) a bar, restaurant, café, club, brewery taproom, or any venue where alcohol is part of the experience, you’ve probably realised one thing pretty quickly:...
2 March 2026
Annual General Meetings In New Zealand: AGM Requirements For Companies
If you run (or help manage) a New Zealand company, the idea of holding an annual general meeting (AGM) can feel like yet another admin task competing with customers, cashflow, staff, and...
1 March 2026
Alcohol Laws In New Zealand: Key Rules For Licensed Businesses
If you’re running (or about to open) a bar, restaurant, bottle store, cellar door, online alcohol shop, or even a venue that occasionally serves alcohol, getting your compliance right from day one...
1 March 2026Legal Requirements for Airbnb Hosts in New Zealand
Starting an Airbnb hosting business can look deceptively simple: you list a property, set your nightly rate, and wait for bookings to roll in. But once you’re hosting in a more structured,...
1 March 2026
AGM Vs EGM In New Zealand: Differences And When You Need One
If you run (or are about to set up) a company in New Zealand, you’ve probably heard the terms AGM and EGM thrown around at some point. They can sound like “big...
1 March 2026
Advantages Of Using Owners’ Capital In Business Funding Agreements In NZ
If you’re bootstrapping a new venture or trying to scale an existing one, funding can feel like a constant balancing act. You want enough cash to grow, but you don’t want to...
1 March 2026
When You Need A Special Resolution Of Shareholders In New Zealand
If you run a company in New Zealand, there’ll be moments where a “normal” shareholder decision just isn’t enough. That’s where a special resolution comes in. It’s the higher-threshold vote you’ll usually...
26 February 2026
When To Hire A Business Solicitor In New Zealand
Running a small business means you’re making decisions every day that can have legal consequences - even when it doesn’t feel “legal”. Hiring someone, signing a supplier deal, taking online payments, sending...
26 February 2026
When Shareholders Need A Special Resolution In New Zealand
If you run a company in New Zealand, there’ll come a point where a “normal” shareholder vote isn’t enough. Some decisions are considered so important (and potentially so risky) that the law...
26 February 2026What Is an Incorporation Number in New Zealand?
When you’re getting your business set up, it’s easy to get buried under “numbers”: NZBNs, IRD numbers, GST numbers, company numbers, and more. One that comes up a lot (especially when you’re...
26 February 2026
Need help with your business legals?
Speak with Sprintlaw to get practical legal support and fixed-fee options tailored to your business.