{"id":2059,"date":"2020-12-23T11:30:05","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T01:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nz.legalvision.com.au\/?p=2059"},"modified":"2021-02-23T11:04:27","modified_gmt":"2021-02-22T22:04:27","slug":"start-a-home-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-structures\/start-a-home-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Start a Home Business in New Zealand?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you have a passion that you can turn into a financially viable operation, the idea of running a business from home may sound appealing. Running a business from home is common for:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">entrepreneurs looking to test the viability of a new business idea;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">freelance writers (journalists, bloggers);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">anyone looking to start an eCommerce store or online business;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">hairdressers and barbers; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">family-owned childcare providers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This article will discuss the various considerations of <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-structures\/start-a-business-in-new-zealand\/\">starting a home business<\/a> in New Zealand, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">some of the legal and tax implications; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">how to access free resources and help available to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Before You Start\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-structures\/what-is-an-nzbn-and-how-to-apply\/\">getting an NZBN<\/a> to registering with Inland Revenue, there are a number of essential things to do when you start a business in New Zealand, whether you choose to operate from home or not.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition to the above requirements, there are other council governed regulations that apply to home-based businesses only, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">zoning (you may or not be able to operate a business in your area);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">signage rules (you may need to modify your building to accommodate for signage rules);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">car parking (you need to comply with your district transport requirements);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">building consent (you may need to get building consent if you decide to alter the structure of your building, or if you carry out plumbing or drainage work other than simple repairs); and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">industry-specific licenses (for example, registration, verification and food grades are required to <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/regulatory-and-compliance\/food-safety\/\">start a food business<\/a>).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Start by speaking to a council planner about zoning and checking if you need a licence to operate. These meetings are generally free and can take place over the phone or in person.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Getting Your Home-Based Business Insured\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you think of getting your business insured, the first thing that may come into your mind is commercial property insurance. Still, there are other equally important types of commercial insurance, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">commercial motor;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">business interruption;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">liability; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cyber.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Different businesses have different risks. Some are not obvious, however, which results in many business owners under-insuring their businesses. Therefore, your commercial insurance coverage should be tailored to your business. This can become a very complicated exercise, as some insurance types may require:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">finding co-insurers to share the risks with; or\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">developing a layered structure.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Insurance Council of New Zealand has a helpful guide available that explains the various types of insurance you might want to consider for your business. Otherwise, an insurance broker or advisor can help you consider everything from setting premium allocations, financing and collection to competitive pricing, coverage and exclusivity.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Commercial Property Insurance\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you run a business from home, you are not automatically covered by your household insurance, and your home and contents policy may not provide cover for \u2018business use\u2019 (insurers define this term differently).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some insurers will agree to insure your property even if you use a portion of it for business purposes, but it depends on factors such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">what your business activities are (for example, selling products online is less risky than producing goods);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">how many customers you service at your home, and how often;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">whether you are using or storing materials that may cause a fire;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">whether you are using or storing any valuable materials (or cash) that may increase the risk of theft; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">whether you are taking measures to protect your home from these risks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"box box--info box--icon\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you take on a household and contents policy that includes fire insurance, you are generally covered for natural disasters through EQCover (the New Zealand government\u2019s natural disaster insurance product). However, running a business from home may affect your protection against natural disasters. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, if more than 50% of the floor area is used for your business, then the commercial component of the building will not be eligible for EQCover. Talk to your insurance provider and advisor about this.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Liability Insurance for Contractors\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">You should consider, at a minimum, getting a general liability cover. This is the most basic type of liability insurance. It can protect you if you cause harm to a third party or their property.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--info box--icon\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In some instances, contractors are required to have liability insurance, and in other cases, the business covers it. It is best always to check the terms and conditions in your contract.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Another common type of liability insurance in New Zealand is professional indemnity. This covers you in the event something goes wrong as a result of advice, services or designs provided to a client.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Statutory liability insurance can protect you and your business from insurable fines, penalties and reparations for any unintentional breaches of most New Zealand laws.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ACC Cover for Sole Traders<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you work as a <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-structures\/company-or-sole-trader\/\">sole trader<\/a> or contractor, you are covered by ACC. Running your business from home does not affect how much you pay in ACC levies because they are based on the type of work you do and how much money you make. However, you can control how much you pay in levies by deciding what percentage of your income you want to be covered for.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<a href=\"#content-next\"\n   class=\"block p-4 mt-10 text-xl font-bold text-center text-white no-underline bg-gray-800 rounded-t-xl\">\n    Continue reading this article below the form\n    <i class=\"text-xl fa-regular fa-arrow-down\"><\/i>\n<\/a>\n<div class=\"px-6 pt-10 pb-12 mb-10 text-center bg-gray-100 rounded-b-xl sm:px-12 test\">\n    <div class=\"mb-8 text-2xl font-bold text-orange\">\n        Need legal advice?\n        <br>\n        <span class=\"text-lg not-prose\">\n                            Call <a href=\"tel:+64800005570\" class=\"not-prose\">0800 005 570<\/a> for urgent assistance.\n                <br>\n                Otherwise, complete this form, and we will contact you within one business day.\n                    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n<div class=\"not-prose flex justify-center text-left gform_input_bg_white    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This generally involves:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">identifying work-related risks;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">eliminating or minimising risks where possible;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">providing safe equipment;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ensuring that your staff understand what to do in case of an emergency; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">maintaining regular contact.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Tax Essentials for Home-Based Businesses<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">When you operate a business in New Zealand, you have some essential tax responsibilities. These include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">getting an IRD number;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-structures\/what-is-gst-in-new-zealand\/\">registering for GST<\/a>; and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">completing financial accounts and various tax returns each year.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, there are also advantages to using your home for work purposes. <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"box box--info box--icon\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, you can claim a portion of your household expenses, based on the area of your home that you use for business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the portion of your home that you use for work is entirely independent of the rest, working out how to split your household expenses is easy. You can use the percentage of floor area<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to estimate the portion of the cost to claim. Otherwise, you need to consider the amount of time that part of your home is used for income-earning activities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Another alternative is using the square meter rate option. This is based on the average cost of utilities per square metre of housing for the average New Zealand household. A disadvantage of this method is that it does not include your costs of mortgage interest, rates or rent, so you would still need to use the percentage of floor area.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">There are specific rules for claiming your expenses. For example, you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cannot claim GST for your expenses if you have registered for GST;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">can claim a portion of your mortgage interest, not principal;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">cannot claim depreciation on your home;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">can claim a 50% deduction of your telephone landline rental and 100% of business-related toll calls;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">can claim a proportion of your internet costs, but you need to arrive at a fair and reasonable estimate; and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">need to keep invoices and other records for these expenses.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key Takeaways\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">From local regulations to getting enough insurance coverage, there are a number of critical issues to consider when starting a home business in New Zealand. First, you should talk to your local council about which regulations may apply to your home-based business, including zoning, signage and industry-specific licenses. You will also need to consider home-based business insurance, employee health and safety and how you will claim a portion of your household expenses. If you need help with the legalities of getting your home business up and running, contact <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-lawyers-lp-new-zealand\">LegalVision\u2019s business lawyers<\/a> on 0800 005 570 or fill out the form on this page.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606880228344\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Can you start a business out of your home?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">As long as you comply with your local council regulations, you can run your small business from your home. To be successful, you do not need to lease a commercial space. In fact, running a business from home has the advantages of reducing your overhead expenses which can have a positive impact on your margins.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606880258379\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>What should you do about insurance coverage if you have a home business?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">When you run a home based business, you are not automatically covered by your home and contents insurance. Depending on your business needs, you may have to get commercial property, motor, business interruption, liability and cyber policies. Your business insurance policies should be tailored to your business. An insurance broker can help you get access to the most competitive policies.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606880271477\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Is it a legal requirement to have a health and safety policy in New Zealand?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If you employ staff, you have a legal obligation under New Zealand law to work with your employees to design and implement health and safety procedures. These procedures should allow your staff to manage their health and safety when working from your or their home.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606989773267\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>What can I claim as a business expense in New Zealand?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">When you run a home based business, you can claim a portion of your household expenses, based on the area of your home that you use as an office space. The expenses you can claim include rates, insurance, power, telephone, internet and rent or mortgage interest. To estimate the portion of the cost to claim, you can use the percentage floor area or the square meter rate option.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"not-prose m-feedback-prompt\">\n    <!-- Thumbs up\/down bar -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__main\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__title\">Was this article helpful?<\/div>\n        <div>\n            <!--span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button--text\">Thanks!<\/span-->\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--yes\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\" aria-label=\"Agree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-up fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--no\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\" aria-label=\"Disagree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-down fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- Feedback form -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--thanks \">\n            <div>Thanks!<\/div>\n            <p>\n                We appreciate your feedback \u2013 your submission has been successfully received.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--form\" action=\"\" method=\"post\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"90c4126e1b\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2059\" \/>            <input value=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-structures\/start-a-home-business\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\"\n                   id=\"currenturl\">\n            <input value=\"How Do I Start a Home Business in New Zealand?\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\"\n                   id=\"currenttitle\">\n            <label>\n                <!-- display on thumbs-up -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--yes\">\n                    Can you tell us <span class=\"font-semibold\">why<\/span> you found it helpful?\n                <\/span>\n\n                <!-- display on thumbs-down -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--no text-lg\">\n                    How can we better improve this article?\n                <\/span>\n                <textarea name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\" required><\/textarea>\n            <\/label>\n\n            <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--error\" id=\"form-submit-error\"><\/div>\n            <button id=\"submit-contact-form-button\" type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--submit\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n                Submit            <\/button>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you have a passion that you can turn into a financially viable operation, the idea of running a business from home may sound appealing. Running a business from home is common for:\u00a0 entrepreneurs looking to test the viability of a new business idea; freelance writers (journalists, bloggers); anyone looking to start an eCommerce store<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/business-structures\/start-a-home-business\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;How Do I Start a Home Business in New Zealand?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13217,"featured_media":869,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[23,24,25,361],"class_list":["post-2059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-structures","tag-start-a-business","tag-startup","tag-small-business","tag-home-business"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Do I Start a Home Business in NZ? | LegalVision New Zealand<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you looking to start a home business in New Zealand? 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