← New Zealand hubs Illustrator
New Zealand English (English) $ NZD
Liam is a freelance illustrator living in New Zealand, balancing creative passion with the realities of self-employment. This hub covers the essential national support systems, tax obligations, and creative industry resources he navigates daily.
Managing GST and income tax as a freelancer is the biggest administrative burden for an illustrator.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) Registration national · Inland Revenue Department
Who qualifies Self-employed individuals with annual turnover exceeding $60,000.
What you get Ability to claim back GST on business-related equipment like tablets and software.
What it actually costs you Requires filing returns every 2, 6, or 12 months; strict record keeping.
Common gotcha Forgetting that GST collected from clients is not your money to spend.
ACC Earners' Levy national · Accident Compensation Corporation
Who qualifies All earners, including self-employed freelancers.
What you get Comprehensive cover for injuries, including lost earnings and rehabilitation.
What it actually costs you Calculated as a percentage of your net income in your annual tax return.
Common gotcha Assuming you are covered for illness; ACC only covers accidental injury.
KiwiSaver for Self-Employed national · Inland Revenue Department
Who qualifies NZ citizens or residents aged 18-65.
What you get Government contribution of up to $521 annually if you contribute $1,042.
What it actually costs you Voluntary contributions; requires setting up a provider account.
Common gotcha Self-employed people don't get employer matches, so you must contribute manually to get the government top-up.
Sole Trader Expense Deductions national · Inland Revenue Department
Who qualifies Any sole trader declaring business income.
What you get Reduces taxable income by deducting costs like home office, internet, and art supplies.
What it actually costs you Must keep receipts for 7 years.
Common gotcha Trying to claim personal portions of household expenses without a clear percentage split.
New Zealand Business Number national · MBIE
Who qualifies Any business or sole trader.
What you get A unique identifier that simplifies interactions with government agencies.
What it actually costs you Free to register; takes 5 minutes online.
Common gotcha Thinking an NZBN is the same as a company registration; it's just an ID number.
Student Loan Repayment (Self-Employed) national · Inland Revenue Department
Who qualifies Borrowers with outstanding student loan balances.
What you get Interest-free loans while living in New Zealand.
What it actually costs you Mandatory repayment percentage based on annual net income.
Common gotcha Underestimating income and facing a large 'end of year' repayment bill. Grants and industry bodies provide the financial and professional backing needed for larger creative projects.
Creative NZ Arts Grants national · Creative New Zealand
Who qualifies Individual artists and practitioners.
What you get Funding for specific projects, research, or development.
What it actually costs you Competitive application process; requires detailed project budget and timeline.
Common gotcha Applying for projects that don't align with the current funding priorities.
Copyright Act Protection national · Intellectual Property Office of NZ
Who qualifies Creators of original artistic works.
What you get Automatic legal protection of your work from the moment it is created.
What it actually costs you No registration fee; protection is automatic.
Common gotcha Assuming you need to 'register' copyright like a trademark; you don't.
Artists Alliance Membership national · Artists Alliance
Who qualifies Professional visual artists.
What you get Access to professional development, legal advice, and industry networking.
What it actually costs you Annual membership fee.
Common gotcha Forgetting to utilize the legal templates provided for client contracts.
NZ On Air Funding national · NZ On Air
Who qualifies Creators of digital content and media.
What you get Funding for screen and digital content projects.
What it actually costs you Requires a production partner or distribution platform.
Common gotcha This is for commercial media, not individual fine art projects.
Copyright Licensing NZ national · CLNZ
Who qualifies Visual artists and illustrators.
What you get Royalties from the reproduction of your work in educational/corporate settings.
What it actually costs you Registration of your portfolio.
Common gotcha Not updating your portfolio list, meaning you miss out on royalty distributions.
Te Matarau Māori Arts Grants national · Creative New Zealand
Who qualifies Māori artists and practitioners.
What you get Targeted funding for Māori-led creative projects.
What it actually costs you Application process requires cultural narrative and project scope.
Common gotcha Strict adherence to tikanga requirements in the application. Freelancers don't have employer-provided health insurance, so navigating public health is vital.
Public Health System (Te Whatu Ora) national · Te Whatu Ora
Who qualifies All NZ citizens and permanent residents.
What you get Free or heavily subsidized hospital care and emergency services.
What it actually costs you Co-payments for GP visits and prescriptions.
Common gotcha Wait times for non-urgent elective surgeries can be very long.
Community Services Card national · Ministry of Social Development
Who qualifies Low-to-middle income earners.
What you get Cheaper GP visits and subsidized prescription costs.
What it actually costs you Application requires proof of income.
Common gotcha Income thresholds are strict; if you have a high-earning month, you may lose eligibility.
Prescription Subsidy Scheme national · Ministry of Health
Who qualifies Anyone who pays for more than 20 prescriptions in a year.
What you get Free prescriptions for the remainder of the year after 20 items.
What it actually costs you Keep track of your receipts.
Common gotcha The 'year' runs from February to February, not calendar year.
Free Mental Health Counseling (Access and Choice) national · Te Whatu Ora
Who qualifies Anyone experiencing mild to moderate mental health distress.
What you get Up to 5 free counseling sessions.
What it actually costs you Referral from a GP.
Common gotcha Availability varies wildly by region.
National Travel Assistance Scheme national · Te Whatu Ora
Who qualifies Patients traveling long distances for specialist treatment.
What you get Reimbursement for travel and accommodation costs.
What it actually costs you Must be referred by a specialist; keep all fuel/accommodation receipts.
Common gotcha Only applies to public specialist appointments, not private.
Emergency Dental Care (Work and Income) national · Work and Income
Who qualifies Low-income individuals in severe pain.
What you get One-off grant for emergency dental treatment.
What it actually costs you Requires an emergency dentist quote and income assessment.
Common gotcha It is a grant, not a loan, but requires strict financial hardship proof. Moving between studios and client meetings requires affordable transport options.
SuperGold Card (Off-peak) national · Ministry of Social Development
Who qualifies Seniors 65+.
What you get Free off-peak travel on public transport.
What it actually costs you Free to apply.
Common gotcha Doesn't apply to peak-hour travel.
EV Road User Charges (RUC) Exemption national · NZ Transport Agency
Who qualifies Electric vehicle owners.
What you get Exemption from fuel excise tax (replaced by RUC).
What it actually costs you Requires purchasing RUC credits based on distance.
Common gotcha Failing to purchase RUC credits results in heavy fines.
Community Connect Concession national · NZ Transport Agency
Who qualifies Holders of a Community Services Card.
What you get 50% discount on public transport fares.
What it actually costs you Must link your transport card (e.g., AT HOP) to your CSC.
Common gotcha The discount doesn't apply automatically; you must link the cards online.
Vehicle Licensing (Rego) national · NZ Transport Agency
Who qualifies All vehicle owners.
What you get Legal right to drive on public roads.
What it actually costs you Annual fee based on vehicle type.
Common gotcha Driving with an expired 'rego' leads to immediate fines.
Warrant of Fitness (WoF) national · NZ Transport Agency
Who qualifies All light vehicle owners.
What you get Safety certification for your vehicle.
What it actually costs you Inspection fee; repairs as needed.
Common gotcha Passing the WoF doesn't mean the car is in perfect condition; it's just a safety check.
InterCity/KiwiRail Discounts private · KiwiRail
Who qualifies General public.
What you get Discounted long-distance travel.
What it actually costs you Booking in advance.
Common gotcha Very limited routes; not a substitute for local transport.
One honest app. Real lives, real businesses. Free for what people need, paid only for what runs a business — on our own model, our own metal.
Where we run
Bangalore + Czechia
Our own metal · GDPR · DPDPA
