Company Registration
1 Week
Local Director?
Yes
Bank Account Opening
4 Weeks
Travel Required?
No
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Table Of Contents
New Zealand Financial Service Provider Registration (FSP) in 2026
New Zealand Financial Service Provider Registration (FSP Registration) in 2026 is required for all financial service providers. At Tetra Consultants, our team of lawyers, licensing professionals, compliance experts, and accountants can help you obtain your FSP Registration in New Zealand seamlessly.
The license is provided by the New Zealand Companies Office for various services like financial advisory, dealing and broking services, etc. Our team will help you assess the requirements, recommend an FSP/FAP license category (Class 1/2/3) and file your FSP Registration application to join the financial service provider market in New Zealand in 2026.
- In 2026, the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) continues to be the sole regulator responsible for the registration of Financial Service Providers (FSPs) in New Zealand. This is achieved through the management of the Financial Service Providers Register (FSPR) through the Companies Office.
- The regulation framework uses the previous FSLAA (Financial Services Legislation Amendment Act 2019), which was used to initiate the 2021-2023 reforms. The licensing is based on the FMC Act 2013 (Financial Markets Conduct Act) and CoFI (Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment Act 2022) fair conduct principles that have been operational from 2025.
- There are three classes of FAP (Financial Advice Provider) licenses, including Class 1 (advisers working alone), Class 2 (conventional firms), and Class 3 (entities with authorized representatives under an Authorized Body (AB) license operating using another entity’s license).
- The licensees must conform to the eight standard conditions of FMA that include outsourcing policies, business continuity, and technology systems while registering under a dispute resolution scheme such as FSCL (Financial Services Complaints Limited), IFSO (Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme), or Banking Ombudsman.
Activities allowed under the New Zealand Financial Service Provider Registration
Once your business secures registration as an FSP, you can be allowed to conduct the following business activities:
- Broking service
- Financial adviser service
- Acting as a deposit taker
- Keeping, investing, administering, or managing money, securities, or investment portfolios on behalf of other persons
- Provide credit under a credit contract
- Operating a money or value transfer service
- Issuing and managing means of payment
- Giving financial guarantees
- Changing foreign currency
- Entering into derivative transactions, or trading in money market instruments, foreign exchange, interest rate and index instruments, transferable securities and futures contracts on behalf of another person.
Mandatory requirements for FSP registration in New Zealand?
- Minimum 1 director (at least 1 New Zealand resident)
- Minimum 1 shareholder (of any nationality)
- Designated Compliance Officer
- Fit and proper assessment for all directors, shareholders, and key personnel
- Membership in an approved Dispute Resolution Scheme like Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL) or Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO)
- Full AML/CFT compliance program with risk assessments and CDD procedures
- Physical office address in New Zealand
- Detailed business plan and financial projections
- FSPR online registration via Companies Office with NZBN
Key amendments to the Financial Service Providers Act in 2026
- FAP License Introduction: The introduction of a compulsory FAP license issued by the FMA instead of the former registration; all financial advisers should be working under FAP.
- Classes of License: Class 1 (sole adviser), Class 2 (multiple advisers), and Class 3 (businesses of large scale with designated representative) licenses based on business size.
- Authorised Bodies (ABs): Services provided by ABs can be authorized under the parent FAP license with proper delegation of authority and supervision by FMA.
- Mandatory Conditions Introduced: Mandatory conditions for issuance of full licenses that include record keeping, complaints management, outsourcing, and material changes.
- Strengthening of DRS Rules: Improved Dispute Resolution Scheme provisions where approved schemes (like FSCL, IFSO, and Banking Ombudsman) should be reporting breaches sooner.
- Strictness of Territorial Provision: Registration will be only done where there is true connection to NZ; offshore fraudsters cannot take advantage of licensing; expanded deregistration power granted to FMA.
How to secure FSP registration in New Zealand in 2026?
Step 1: Reservation of company name
- Tetra Consultants’ team of lawyers and incorporation specialists will check your company name through the ONECheck tool. Once our lawyers and incorporation specialists have verified the availability of your company’s name, we will proceed to create a RealMe® login account and an online services account with the Companies Register on behalf of your company. Through the online services account, Tetra Consultants will reserve your company name for 20 working days.
Step 2: Preparation and submission of relevant documents for company incorporation
- Once your firm name is secured, we register it online. The documents that will be prepared by our solicitors include those that require the use of your director’s passport notarization and proof of address. Where necessary, we appoint your nominee directors and prepare the corporate documents.
Step 3: Tax registration
- The tax registration process can be completed during the company incorporation. Tetra Consultants’ team of accounting and tax specialists will submit the relevant application for your company.
- Once your company has been incorporated, you will receive your company’s certificate of incorporation and your Inland Revenue and GST numbers.
Step 4: Registration and Licensing as Financial Services Provider
- The registration of the company as a Financial Services Provider will be done using the services account where Tetra Consultants will provide information regarding the nature of business, contact details, services provided, and whether or not it complies with AML/CFT reporting requirements.
- All applications will undergo background verification conducted by the Companies Office in New Zealand, which usually takes 2–5 business days. Our legal team will then apply for an FSP license according to your business needs.
Step 5: Dispute resolution scheme (DRS) application
- If your company offers financial services to retail clients, then you will have to join an approved Dispute Resolution Scheme (DRS) within 10 working days after the successful FSP registration. Tetra Consultants’ team of lawyers and incorporation specialists will aid you in choosing the appropriate DRS and submit the details of your DRS membership to the relevant personnel.
Step 6: Corporate bank account opening
- Upon successful company incorporation, Tetra Consultants will open a corporate bank account with a reputable bank in New Zealand.
Step 7: Ongoing taxation and accounting compliance
- Following the registration process, New Zealand FSPs are subject to ongoing taxation compliance. Once turnover reaches a threshold of NZ$60,000 per year, GST registration becomes compulsory, together with corporate income tax and provisional tax at a rate of 28%.
- Companies are required to keep audited or simple accounts depending on their classification while complying with dispute resolutions like those under Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL), Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO), and the Banking Ombudsman.
- Employment-related requirements include PAYE, ACC, and KiwiSaver, the latter at a minimum contribution of 3.5%, while AML/CFT audits should be conducted annually.
Timeline for New Zealand Financial Service Provider Registration
- Company registration: 1 week
- Local substance setup and compliance documentation: 2 to 3 weeks
- Compliance and licensing documentation preparation: 2 to 3 weeks
- FSP registration approval: 20 weeks to 24 weeks
- FMA license approval (if applicable): 12 to 20 weeks
- DRS membership submission: 1 to 2 weeks
- Corporate bank account opening: 4 to 5 weeks
- Overall timeline: Approximately 6 to 9 months
Cost for New Zealand Financial Services Provider Registration
- Tetra Consultants employs a clear and systematic pricing model for registration of New Zealand Financial Service Providers. Government fees generally comprise the cost associated with the incorporation process by the Companies Office, estimated at about NZ$ 345 and the Financial Markets Authority fees of about NZ$ 690, making the total cost approximately NZ$ 1,048.
- Our professionals will prepare a quotation which will include costs of incorporation, registration as an FSP, compliance services, and assistance with documentation. There are no hidden costs as we guarantee complete transparency in the pricing system, which will be included in our engagement letter.
Our services
- Tetra Consultants works as your advisor and trusted partner in your business expansion and payment license. With our own team of lawyers, licensing specialists, compliance team, and accountants, we provide our clients with the information they need to know, rather than simply what they want to hear. Most importantly, we are known for being a one-stop solution for our valued clients.
- In addition, Tetra Consultants can also assist with attaining other types of offshore financial license depending on your long-term business goals.
- Contact us to know more about the New Zealand Financial Service Provider Registration (FSP). We will respond within 24 hours.
FAQs
How do I become a registered financial advisor in New Zealand?
How do I start a finance company in New Zealand?
How do you become an FSP?
What is a financial service provider in New Zealand?
What is an FSP registration?
Who needs to register as an FSP?
Is a Financial Service Provider license required for your company in New Zealand?
What documentation is needed for registering as a Financial Service Provider in New Zealand?
Why should one register as a New Zealand Financial Service Provider?
What are some alternative jurisdictions for financial licensing?
What is the effect of recent modifications to the FSPR regulation in New Zealand?
What is the difference between the old and new FSPR regulations?
What are the minimum thresholds required for FSPR?
What are the substance requirements for FSP providers in New Zealand?
Are FSP registration requirements more stringent in 2026?
Can the Financial Markets Authority de-register FSP companies?
What types of Financial Service Provider registrations are available in New Zealand?
Author
Sharma Prabakaran
Sharma Prabakaran is the Head of International Business Advisory at Tetra Consultants. With over 15 years of professional experience, he specialises in international business setup, accounting and tax advisory, and cross-industry SME engagements. His expertise encompasses end-to-end project management, ranging from company incorporation and corporate bank account establishment to ongoing annual accounting and tax compliance.