Checking whether a business name is available is a foundational step for any New Zealand founder — and it’s more than a quick Google search. A name can be free to trade under yet still blocked at the Companies Office, or clear there yet owned as a trade mark by someone else. Getting this right early saves you the real cost of rebranding later.
This guide covers how to run the check properly: the one-stop ONECheck tool, the Companies Office rules on identical names, the difference between a company name and a trade mark, how to reserve a name, and where sole traders and the NZBN fit in.
Start with ONECheck
The most efficient first move is ONECheck, the free government tool at business.govt.nz. Rather than searching four places one at a time, it queries them together and gives you a clear picture of your name’s status.
What ONECheck checks in one search
The free MBIE tool at business.govt.nz queries four things at once.
| It checks | Against | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Business name | Companies Register | Identical names are blocked from registration |
| Trade mark | IPONZ register | A conflicting mark can stop you trading under the name |
| Web domain | .nz and other registries | Shows whether the matching web address is free |
| Social handle | Major platforms | Flags whether you can brand consistently |
ONECheck is the first search to run, not the last — it catches conflicts a plain Google search misses.
ONECheck catches conflicts a plain web search won’t — a similar registered company, a trade mark in your industry, a taken domain, an unavailable social handle. It’s the first search to run, and if your first choice is taken it will suggest variations. But treat it as the start of your due diligence, not the whole of it: for anything you’re serious about, follow up directly on the Companies Register and the IPONZ trade mark register.
The Companies Office “identical name” rule
If you’re incorporating a company, the Companies Office applies a strict “identical or almost identical” test under the Companies Act 1993. The trap is that small tweaks don’t count as making a name different.
The “identical or almost identical” rule
Under the Companies Act 1993, these differences don’t make a name distinct — the Registrar disregards them:
- Endings like “Limited”, “Ltd”, “Tapui (Limited)” or “Unlimited”
- “The” as the first word
- “&” for “and”, “co” for “company”, “NZ” for “New Zealand”, “Bros” for “Brothers”
- Capitalisation, spacing, punctuation and accents
So if “Kiwi Tech Limited” exists, “Kiwi-Tech Ltd” and “The Kiwi Tech Co” are all blocked. To be distinct you generally need a genuinely different word — a descriptor or a place (“Kiwi Tech Christchurch”).
The practical takeaway: to distinguish your name from an existing one, you need a genuinely different word — a descriptor, a location, or a distinctive coined term — not a plural “s”, a different ending, or new punctuation. A few words are also restricted outright: names including “Bank”, “Royal”, “Anzac” or “Chamber of Commerce” need special approval, and names that are offensive can be refused.
A company name is not a trade mark
This is the misconception that catches people out. Registering a company name only stops someone else registering an identical one at the Companies Office. It does not give you the exclusive right to use that name as a brand.
Trade marks — administered by IPONZ — are what protect a brand, within specific classes of goods or services. If you register “Oceanic Cafe Limited” but someone already holds a trade mark for “Oceanic” in the food-and-beverage class, they can stop you using it on your signage and marketing, whatever the Companies Office says. So a proper availability check always includes a search of the IPONZ trade mark register, which looks for confusingly similar marks, not just exact matches. If the name is important, IPONZ’s paid Search and Preliminary Advice gives you a formal read on whether it’s registrable before you spend money on signage and a website.
Reserving the name
Once a name clears your checks and you’re incorporating a company, you reserve it.
Reserving the name
- Cost: $10 + GST to reserve a company name through the Companies Register.
- Hold: 20 working days to incorporate — extendable for another 20 for a further $10 + GST.
- Login: you’ll need a RealMe account and a Companies Register online services account.
- Speed: reservations are usually approved within about two hours in business hours.
- Sole traders: you don’t reserve a name, but still check it and apply for a free NZBN — and consider a trade mark for real protection.
Reserving holds the name at the Companies Office only — it doesn’t secure the domain or a trade mark. Sort those separately.
Reserving holds the name at the Companies Office while you finalise directors, shareholders and consent forms — you have 20 working days to complete incorporation before the reservation lapses. It’s worth stressing what reserving does not do: it doesn’t secure the matching domain, and it doesn’t give you any trade mark rights. Those are separate steps you handle in parallel.
Sole traders and the NZBN
Sole traders don’t register a business name with the Companies Office and don’t reserve one. But checking availability still matters: if you trade under a name that’s already a registered company or trade mark, you can face a “passing off” claim regardless of your structure. A sole trader who confirms a name is clear and then registers a trade mark gets meaningful brand protection without the overhead of a company.
Every business should have a New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) — the unique identifier that links to your core details. It’s assigned automatically when you incorporate a company; sole traders, partnerships and trusts apply for one free. It’s increasingly a prerequisite for opening a business bank account and for eInvoicing.
Then secure the digital side
Confirming the name is available is the legal half. The digital half — the matching domain — runs on entirely separate rails, and on a first-come, first-served basis: owning the company name gives you no automatic right to the domain, so someone else can hold it. The moment your name is clear, check and secure the web address too.
Our guide to checking whether a .nz domain is available covers that side (ONECheck helps here as well), and if you’re still weighing the name itself, our guide to choosing a domain name covers the branding decision. When you’re ready to lock it in, our guide to buying a .nz domain covers the how. From there it’s a matter of pointing the domain at your WordPress site on solid hosting — the final step in turning a verified name into a live business.
This article is provided for factual and informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Trade mark and company-name matters can have legal consequences — search the IPONZ and Companies registers, and for anything significant seek advice from a qualified lawyer. Fees and rules change; confirm current details with the Companies Office, IPONZ and business.govt.nz before relying on this.
Reference sources
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a business name is available in New Zealand?
Start with ONECheck, the free government tool at business.govt.nz, which searches the Companies Register, the IPONZ trade mark register, domain registries and social handles at once. For anything you’re serious about, follow up directly on the Companies Register and IPONZ, since ONECheck is a starting point rather than a complete legal clearance.
Does registering a company name give me trade mark rights?
No. Company registration only stops someone else registering an identical name at the Companies Office. Brand protection comes from a trade mark registered with IPONZ, which covers specific classes of goods or services. A name can be free to register as a company yet still infringe an existing trade mark.
What counts as “almost identical” to an existing company name?
The Registrar disregards endings like “Limited” or “Ltd”, a leading “The”, abbreviations such as “&” for “and” or “NZ” for “New Zealand”, and differences in spacing, punctuation, accents and capitalisation. So “Kiwi Tech Ltd” and “The Kiwi-Tech Co” would all clash with an existing “Kiwi Tech Limited”. You need a genuinely different word to distinguish a name.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name?
Reserving a company name through the Companies Register costs $10 plus GST and holds the name for 20 working days. If you need more time, you can extend for a further 20 working days for another $10 plus GST. Incorporation itself is a separate fee.
Do sole traders need to check name availability?
Sole traders don’t register or reserve a business name, but checking is still wise: trading under a name that’s an existing company or trade mark can expose you to a passing-off claim. Checking the name and then registering a trade mark gives a sole trader real brand protection.
Does owning the company name mean I get the matching domain?
No. Domains are separate and allocated first-come, first-served, so someone else may already hold the web address even if the company name is yours. Check and secure the domain at the same time you confirm the name — owning one gives you no automatic claim to the other.
What is the NZBN and do I need one?
The New Zealand Business Number is a unique identifier linked to your core business details. It’s assigned automatically when you incorporate a company; sole traders, partnerships and trusts apply for one free. It’s increasingly needed to open a business bank account and to use eInvoicing.