From November 2026, a significant change to New Zealand company law will allow directors to remove their home address from the public Companies Register.

For many directors, this will be a major improvement in personal privacy and safety.

Until now, anyone could search the Companies Register and immediately see a director’s residential address. For people working in sensitive roles, this has created real safety concerns.

The Companies (Address Information) Amendment Act 2025 changes that.

What is changing?

Under the new law, directors will be able to apply to the New Zealand Companies Office to have their residential address removed from public display.

Instead, the public register will show an alternative address.

The Companies Office will still hold the director’s real residential address internally, but it will no longer be visible to the public once an application is approved.

To qualify, the director must apply to the Registrar and declare that publishing their residential address is likely to create a risk of physical or mental harm to them or someone they live with.

Why this change matters

The Companies Register was designed for transparency, but it has created unintended privacy issues.

A director’s home address is currently visible to anyone who searches the register. In practice, this means:

  • Disgruntled customers can locate directors’ homes

  • Activists can identify personal addresses

  • People working in high-risk roles can be exposed

We have seen increasing concern from directors who work in areas such as:

  • Corrections and prison services

  • Law enforcement

  • Family Court Roles

  • Media and public advocacy

  • High-profile or controversial industries

The new legislation recognises that personal safety should sometimes outweigh public disclosure.

A key requirement: an alternative address

The law does not simply remove the address.

Directors must provide a separate physical address in New Zealand that will appear on the public register instead.

The legislation also sets some important rules for that address:

  • It must be a physical address in New Zealand

  • It cannot be a PO Box

  • It cannot be the company’s registered office

  • It cannot be the company’s address for service

The address must also be capable of receiving legal documents served on the director.

This means many directors will need access to a reliable physical address that can accept mail and legal service.

Our new Director Alternative Address service

Private Box will be offering a service to support directors who wish to use an alternative address under the new law.

This will be available through our Personal Mailbox service.

Our service provides:

  • a physical New Zealand address suitable for use as an alternative director’s address

  • secure mail handling and forwarding

  • document scanning on request

  • receipt of legal service documents

This allows directors to keep their home address private while maintaining a compliant address on the Companies Register.

Handling legal service documents

Under the legislation, legal documents may be served at the alternative address.

To ensure these documents are handled properly, we apply the following process:

  • If legal documents are served to the address, a $500 service handling fee is charged.

  • Once the customer confirms receipt of the documents, $400 of this fee is refunded.

This policy exists for a simple reason: served documents are often time-critical legal matters, and prompt action by the customer is essential.

Experience has shown that a meaningful financial signal ensures customers respond quickly when important documents arrive.

When will this be available?

The law comes into effect on the 18th of November 2026.

Applications will be made through the Companies Office, and approval will depend on the director meeting the eligibility criteria set out in the legislation.

We will be providing further guidance as the Companies Office publishes its final application process.

Preparing ahead of the change

Directors who may benefit from this change should begin planning now.

In particular, you may wish to:

  • Review whether your residential address is currently public

  • Consider whether publication of your home address presents a safety risk

  • Ensure you have access to a compliant alternative address

If you are considering applying once the law comes into force, we would be happy to discuss how our Personal Mailbox service can support you.

This article provides general information about upcoming legislative changes and does not constitute legal advice.