The rate
The standard rate in New Zealand is 15%. Some goods and services carry reduced or zero rates and others are exempt. The difference matters: zero-rated sales still let you reclaim the tax on your purchases, exempt sales do not.
Who must register
GST registration is compulsory once turnover exceeds NZ$60,000 in any 12 months.
How to register
A business must register for GST when its turnover in the last 12 months was over $60,000, or is expected to be over $60,000 in the next 12 months.
Register in myIR: choose I want to, then Registration, application and enrolment, then Register for Goods and services tax (GST), and follow the prompts. Have ready the IRD number of the person or organisation being registered, the turnover for the last 12 months and the expected turnover for the next 12 months, the business industry classification (BIC) code, and your chosen filing frequency and accounting basis (invoice, payments or hybrid).
Inland Revenue processes the request within 10 working days and contacts the applicant if it needs more information. Once approved, the GST account appears in myIR, and the GST number is the same as the IRD number. If no filing frequency is chosen, the business is put on two-monthly returns matching its balance date, and on the invoice basis if no accounting basis is chosen.
Filing and paying
Registered and filed with Inland Revenue (IRD).
Two-monthly GST returns for most (six-monthly under $500,000), due the 28th of the month after the period, except 15 January and 7 May.