← New Zealand hubs Shop Owner
New Zealand English (English) $ NZD
Wei runs a small retail shop in a suburban strip mall, balancing inventory, taxes, and staff management. This hub covers the essential national frameworks, tax obligations, and business support systems that keep his shop running smoothly across all regions of Aotearoa.
Managing GST and PAYE is the most critical part of staying legally operational.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) national · Inland Revenue Department (IRD)
Who qualifies Businesses with an annual turnover exceeding $60,000.
What you get Ability to claim GST back on business expenses.
What it actually costs you Requires accurate record keeping and filing returns every 1, 2, or 6 months.
Common gotcha Forgetting that GST collected is not your money; it belongs to the IRD.
Pay As You Earn (PAYE) national · Inland Revenue Department (IRD)
Who qualifies Any business with employees.
What you get Standardized system for withholding employee income tax.
What it actually costs you Monthly filing through payday filing systems.
Common gotcha Missing the strict filing deadlines results in automatic penalties.
ACC Business Levies national · Accident Compensation Corporation
Who qualifies All self-employed and business owners.
What you get Comprehensive no-fault personal injury coverage.
What it actually costs you Annual levy based on business classification and payroll size.
Common gotcha Under-reporting your business activity code leads to incorrect, often higher, premiums.
Companies Office Registration national · New Zealand Companies Office
Who qualifies Businesses operating as limited liability companies.
What you get Legal separation of personal and business assets.
What it actually costs you Annual return fee of approximately $45.
Common gotcha Failing to file the annual return on time can result in the company being struck off the register.
New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) national · Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)
Who qualifies All registered businesses in NZ.
What you get A unique identifier that simplifies interactions with government agencies.
What it actually costs you Free to obtain online.
Common gotcha Not updating your contact details on the NZBN portal when moving shop locations.
Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) national · Inland Revenue Department (IRD)
Who qualifies Employers providing non-cash benefits to employees.
What you get Tax-deductible way to provide perks like cars or gym memberships.
What it actually costs you Complex calculation and quarterly filing.
Common gotcha Treating staff perks as simple expenses instead of taxable benefits. Employment law in NZ is strict; getting it wrong is expensive.
Minimum Wage Compliance national · Employment New Zealand
Who qualifies All employees over 16.
What you get Legal certainty in wage setting.
What it actually costs you Must adjust rates annually on April 1st.
Common gotcha Forgetting to include holiday pay calculations correctly in the hourly rate.
KiwiSaver Employer Contributions national · Inland Revenue Department (IRD)
Who qualifies Employees aged 18-65.
What you get Structured retirement savings for staff.
What it actually costs you Mandatory 3% employer contribution on top of gross salary.
Common gotcha Not enrolling new employees automatically upon hiring.
Holidays Act Obligations national · Employment New Zealand
Who qualifies All employees.
What you get Standardized leave entitlements.
What it actually costs you Four weeks annual leave plus public holidays.
Common gotcha Incorrectly calculating 'average daily pay' for casual staff.
Statutory Sick Leave national · Employment New Zealand
Who qualifies Employees after 6 months of service.
What you get 10 days paid sick leave per year.
What it actually costs you Full pay for sick days taken.
Common gotcha Demanding a medical certificate before the 3-day threshold.
Paid Parental Leave national · Inland Revenue Department (IRD)
Who qualifies Employees expecting a child.
What you get Government-funded leave payments.
What it actually costs you Administrative time to process leave applications.
Common gotcha Assuming the employer pays the leave (it is government-funded).
Health and Safety at Work Act national · WorkSafe New Zealand
Who qualifies All business owners.
What you get Framework to prevent workplace accidents.
What it actually costs you Time to conduct risk assessments and maintain an incident register.
Common gotcha Thinking 'I'm small, so I don't need a safety plan'. Accessing government grants and advice to scale up.
Regional Business Partner Network national · MBIE / NZTE
Who qualifies Small businesses looking for training or advice.
What you get Vouchers for management training and business coaching.
What it actually costs you Usually requires 50% co-funding.
Common gotcha Not registering early enough before starting your training course.
NZ Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) Support national · New Zealand Trade and Enterprise
Who qualifies Businesses looking to export goods.
What you get Market research and export readiness advice.
What it actually costs you Time for workshops and strategic planning.
Common gotcha Thinking NZTE only helps massive corporations.
R&D Tax Incentive national · Inland Revenue Department (IRD)
Who qualifies Businesses conducting research and development.
What you get 15% tax credit on eligible R&D expenditure.
What it actually costs you Rigorous documentation of R&D activities.
Common gotcha Confusing standard business improvements with true R&D.
Digital Boost national · MBIE
Who qualifies Small business owners wanting to digitize.
What you get Free online training modules for e-commerce.
What it actually costs you Time to watch videos and implement changes.
Common gotcha Ignoring the free tools available until after you've paid for expensive consultants.
Business Mentors NZ national · Business Mentors New Zealand
Who qualifies Small business owners.
What you get Access to experienced volunteer mentors.
What it actually costs you Small registration fee for the matching service.
Common gotcha Not being prepared with specific questions for your mentor.
Government Procurement Portal national · MBIE
Who qualifies Businesses wanting to supply the government.
What you get Access to public tender opportunities.
What it actually costs you Time to prepare complex tender responses.
Common gotcha Not having the required health and safety certifications ready. Avoiding disputes and fines from the Commerce Commission.
Fair Trading Act Compliance national · Commerce Commission
Who qualifies All retailers.
What you get Clear rules on advertising and pricing.
What it actually costs you Must ensure all pricing is accurate and not misleading.
Common gotcha Using 'was/now' pricing without having sold the item at the 'was' price.
Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) national · Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Who qualifies All retail customers.
What you get Legal requirement to provide quality goods.
What it actually costs you Must repair, replace, or refund faulty products.
Common gotcha Telling customers 'no refunds'—this is illegal under the CGA.
Privacy Act 2020 national · Office of the Privacy Commissioner
Who qualifies Any business holding customer data.
What you get Framework for data protection.
What it actually costs you Must have a privacy policy and notify of breaches.
Common gotcha Collecting customer emails without clear consent.
Weights and Measures Act national · Trading Standards
Who qualifies Businesses selling goods by weight or measure.
What you get Standardized measurement rules.
What it actually costs you Periodic calibration of scales.
Common gotcha Using uncertified scales for customer sales.
Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) national · Commerce Commission
Who qualifies Businesses offering 'buy now, pay later' or store credit.
What you get Guidelines for responsible lending.
What it actually costs you Strict disclosure requirements.
Common gotcha Failing to disclose all fees to the customer.
Disputes Tribunal national · Ministry of Justice
Who qualifies Businesses in disputes up to $30,000.
What you get Low-cost, informal dispute resolution.
What it actually costs you Small filing fee and time for the hearing.
Common gotcha Not bringing all evidence to the hearing.
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
