'%3e%3cpath%20fill='%230052b4'%20d='M256%200h256v512H0V256Z'/%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23eee'%20d='M0%200v32l32%2032L0%2096v160h32l32-32%2032%2032h32v-83l83%2083h45l-8-16%208-15v-14l-83-83h83V96l-32-32%2032-32V0H96L64%2032%2032%200Zm382%2092-11%2035h-37l30%2021-12%2035%2030-22%2030%2022-12-35%2030-21h-37l-11-35Zm61%2072-11%2035h-37l30%2021-11%2035%2029-21%2030%2021-12-35%2030-21h-37Zm-123%2010-11%2035h-37l30%2022-11%2035%2029-22%2030%2022-11-35%2029-22h-36zm59%20130-11%2035h-37l30%2021-11%2035%2029-21%2030%2021-11-35%2029-21h-36z'/%3e%3cpath%20fill='%23d80027'%20d='M32%200v32H0v64h32v160h64V96h160V32H96V0Zm96%20128%20128%20128v-31l-97-97zm251%20201-5%2018h-19l15%2010-6%2018%2015-11%2015%2011-5-18%2014-10h-18Zm-59-129-5%2017h-19l15%2011-6%2017%2015-11%2015%2011-6-17%2015-11h-18l-6-17zm123-11-6%2018h-18l15%2011-6%2017%2015-11%2015%2011-6-17%2015-11h-18l-6-18zm-61-72-6%2017h-18l15%2011-6%2017%2015-10%2015%2010-6-17%2015-11h-18z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Withholding tax in New Zealand 2026
Non-resident withholding runs at 30% on dividends (usually 15% by treaty, 15% automatically when imputation credits attach) and 15% on interest and royalties.
The approved-issuer levy is the quirk: borrowers can pay a 2% levy instead, cutting the interest withholding for unrelated lenders to zero.
At a glance
- top rate
- 30% (unimputed dividends, pre-treaty)
- entry band
- 0% via the approved-issuer levy on interest
- tax year basis
- Withheld when paid
- filing deadline
- Final for dividends and interest; royalties non-final except cultural royalties
- residency basis
- New Zealand-source payments to non-residents
- regime flag
- 92-day visitor exemption for treaty-taxed employment
Rates
Withholding on non-residents (2026/27)
| Rate | Base | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 30% | Gross | Dividends — treaties reduce to 15%, 5% or 0%; 15% where imputation credits attach |
| 15% | Gross | Interest — final; 0% where the payer pays the 2% approved-issuer levy |
| 15% | Gross | Royalties — final only for cultural (copyright) royalties |
| 15%+ | Gross | Contract payments to non-resident contractors and temporary work-visa holders — non-final |
| Withholding at settlement | Sale price formulas | Residential land sold by offshore persons within the 2-year bright-line window |
Thresholds & allowances
- Visitor exemptions92 days
Employment income of short-visit workers taxed in their home country is exempt; visiting experts and students too
- Investment-screening disclosureNZD 100 million
Large investors must file tax-structure information with their consent applications
Residency
Residency trigger
Payers withhold at source; properly withheld final amounts end the non-resident's New Zealand obligations with no return needed.
Non-resident treatment
Business income needs a permanent establishment to be taxed; special regimes cover non-resident shippers, insurers and entertainers, and digital-nomad concessions are proposed from April 2026.
Notes
- The 45% no-tax-file-number rate is the stick that makes registration near-universal.
- Non-resident limited partners without New Zealand income (or with only final-withheld passive income) skip filing entirely.
- There is no remittance tax on repatriating profits.
FAQ
What does New Zealand withhold on payments abroad?
30% on dividends (15% or lower by treaty), 15% on interest and royalties — with interest droppable to 0% when the borrower pays the 2% approved-issuer levy.
Do short-term visitors pay New Zealand tax on wages?
Not if the visit is 92 days or less in the income year and the pay is taxed in their home country — a standard exemption for visiting staff and experts.
Figures: tax year 2026/27 (April–March), compiled from public sources. Not tax advice.