Put the right subsidiary structure and paperwork in place

This service covers the main legal steps involved in establishing a New Zealand subsidiary, including advice on the proposed structure, preparation of incorporation paperwork, filing support and core governance documents such as a constitution and board resolutions where needed. It is intended for businesses that want help with the setup sequence rather than only a single document. It does not include tax structuring, accounting advice or open-ended support after the company has been registered, although further work can be arranged separately if needed.

We usually need the proposed company name, details of the parent entity, shareholder information, director details, registered office information and a clear picture of how the subsidiary will sit within the wider group. If there are special ownership arrangements or internal approval requirements from the parent company, that is useful to know early. Having these details upfront helps us prepare the incorporation documents correctly and identify whether any governance documents should be added to the setup sequence.

A common sequence is to confirm the intended structure first, then gather the required company and officeholder details, prepare the incorporation paperwork and finalise the internal governance documents that should sit alongside registration. In some matters, the order also depends on parent-company approvals or whether shareholder arrangements need to be documented at the outset. Once the required information is ready, the filing step can proceed. We help map that order so the legal documents and registration steps line up properly.

Part of the timeline is within the legal work and part of it depends on outside processing. For example, registration timing can be affected by Companies Office processing, name availability, and how quickly director and shareholder details are confirmed. If the parent company is overseas, internal approvals or certified documents may also affect sequencing. We can prepare the legal documents and filing materials, but third-party processing times and approval steps sit outside Sprintlaw's control, so exact completion timing can vary from matter to matter.

Yes. Common issues include assuming the subsidiary can be registered before governance decisions are settled, overlooking director eligibility requirements, or treating the New Zealand entity as a simple mirror of the parent without checking whether the ownership and decision-making documents should differ. Another frequent issue is leaving shareholder arrangements until after registration, which can create avoidable follow-up work. Early clarity on who owns the shares, who controls the board and what internal approvals are needed usually makes the setup process much smoother.

Submit an enquiry on this page or click 'Get started'. One of our legal consultants will review it within 1 business day and get in touch to understand what you need.

Your consultant will then email you a fixed-fee quote setting out the cost, scope and timing. If you're happy with it, you can accept the quote and sign our engagement letter online.

Once you've accepted, one of our Australian-qualified lawyers will work with you to complete your project. They'll contact you by email or phone if they need anything.

Sprintlaw works on fixed-fee pricing wherever possible, so you can review the scope and cost before you decide whether to proceed. For the Subsidiary Set Up service, pricing starts from $2,000.00.

After you enquire, a legal consultant will confirm what is included, the expected timing and whether any extra work is needed before you engage us.

We work online, so we can help wherever you are in New Zealand. Our team works remotely, mainly from Australia.

Your work is done by our Australian-qualified lawyers, who hold Australian practising certificates and specialise in business law. None of them are New Zealand lawyers or hold a New Zealand practising certificate.

Sprintlaw NZ Limited is a legal consultancy, not a law firm, and is not regulated by the New Zealand Law Society. We don't act in court or tribunal matters, conveyancing (including leases and business sales) or other reserved areas of work. Communications with Sprintlaw are unlikely to be protected by legal professional privilege. We still keep everything confidential under our engagement letter.