Check if a New Zealand company is active
Free, official, source-cited — updated 2026-06.
Search Company Records in New Zealand
3 free lookups per day. No sign-up required.
How do I check whether a company is still active in New Zealand?
Search the company by name or registration number and read its status field. On NZBN, an "active" or "registered" status means the entity is currently on the register; "dissolved", "struck off" or "liquidation" means it is not trading legally.
Step-by-step
- 1
Find the company
Search by name or registration number to open the correct record.
- 2
Read the status field
The status is the register's own verdict on whether the entity currently exists. Treat anything other than active/registered as a red flag before contracting.
- 3
Check the last filing date
An entity can be nominally active but years behind on filings. A long gap since the last filing is a warning sign even when the status reads active.
- 4
Confirm at the source
Status changes propagate from NZBN at https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz. For a decision with money attached, confirm there.
https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a New Zealand company is still trading?
The register's status field is the authoritative answer. An active/registered status on NZBN means the entity is currently on the register. It does not by itself prove the business is operating, so also check the most recent filing date.
What does "dissolved" or "struck off" mean?
The entity has been removed from the register and can no longer legally trade or enter into contracts. Any invoice or agreement issued under that name after removal should be treated as invalid.
Is checking company status in New Zealand free?
Yes — status is part of the free public record on NZBN. No account is needed.
What is an NZBN?
The New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) is a unique 13-digit identifier assigned to every business entity in NZ. It's designed to simplify business-to-business and business-to-government interactions by providing a single number for identification.
People also ask about check whether a company is still active in New Zealand
The exact questions searchers type into Google — answered from the primary source.
Is the New Zealand company register free to search?
Yes. Basic company lookups on the Companies Office / NZBN are free — you can search by company name or registration number, view legal status, registered address and (usually) directors at no cost. Some jurisdictions charge a small fee only for downloading full filed documents.
What is the official New Zealand business registry?
The Companies Office / NZBN is the official public register of companies incorporated in New Zealand. It is operated by the government and is the primary source cited on this page — https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz.
Related guides and tools
More New Zealand guides
- Search companies by name
Find any registered company from a partial name — free, no signup.
- Search the company register
What the official register holds, and how to search it free.
- Search the business registry
Match a trading name to the registered legal entity behind it.
- Find the right entity
Tell apart several entities registered under near-identical names.
New Zealand data
- New Zealand company search
Search every Companies Office / NZBN record.
- NZBN guide
New Zealand Business Number (Companies Office)