When establishing or running a party business in New Zealand, it’s important to ensure you’ve met all the legal requirements. Our legal team specialises in helping small businesses with all their legal needs, from contracts to intellectual property protection and privacy. Get in touch today!

To establish a party business in New Zealand, you will need to prepare and register a variety of legal documents. Key requirements include:

  • Registering your business name with the New Zealand Companies Office (https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz/).
  • Obtaining Workers' compensation insurance and business insurance (e.g. public liability, professional indemnity).
  • Securing Council approval (if operating from a commercial premise) and a lease agreement (if renting premises).
  • Having Health and safety policies and procedures in place, in accordance with WorkSafe New Zealand (https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/).
  • Complying with privacy and data protection policies and procedures, as outlined by the Privacy Commissioner (https://www.privacy.org.nz/).
  • Obtaining a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) and registering for Goods and Services Tax (GST) with Inland Revenue (https://www.ird.govt.nz/).

A dry hire agreement outlines the specifics of a deal where one party rents out equipment to another. If you operate a party business in New Zealand and plan to provide party supplies or equipment for hire, then a Dry Hire Agreement can safeguard your business and minimize your liability. 

In certain situations, businesses in New Zealand might want to earn additional income by also offering their services to operate the equipment or machinery being rented - in this case, a Wet Hire Agreement would be necessary.

Your IP is often the key to your business' success. In a software or technology business, it's important to keep your IP secure. To effectively protect your creative works, you'll need to understand the type of IP you intend to keep secure and the specific process required. Copyright protection applies automatically to creative, original works in New Zealand (however, you may still wish to display copyright disclaimers for clarity!). For further legal protection, you can also register a trade mark with IP New Zealand. This lists your IP on an online register and prevents other people from using it - so it's officially and legally yours. There is also the option to patent your IP, but there is a very specific criteria for doing so. Our IP lawyers can guide you through your options.
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