IR596 — IRD Number Application (Resident Non-Individual)

What is IR596 (IRD number for an organisation)?

Every New Zealand organisation that deals with Inland Revenue needs its own IRD number, separate from the personal IRD numbers of the people behind it. That includes companies, partnerships, trusts, estates, superannuation schemes, Māori authorities, clubs and societies. The IR596 is the paper application for resident organisations. Individuals apply with the IR595 instead, and offshore organisations have their own application.

Inland Revenue says the quickest way is to apply online through myIR. If you apply on paper, you complete the IR596 and a Customer due diligence form (IR997) and post them to Inland Revenue. The form covers the organisation's name and type, addresses and contact details, start date, the tax registrations it expects to need (GST, employer, RWT, look-through company), the name, address and IRD number of each director, partner, trustee or other office holder, a bank account and a contact person. IR says a posted IRD number can take 20 working days to arrive.

FileIt fills in the March 2023 edition of the IR596 for you. It prints names with macrons and other accented letters correctly, places each IRD number digit in the right box (8-digit numbers start in the second box), splits the bank account across its boxes, and skips the questions a branch doesn't answer. The finished PDF is saved to your FileIt vault, ready to sign.

Who needs to fill out IR596 (IRD number for an organisation)?

• New companies, including close companies, cooperatives, special companies and body corporates.
• Ordinary and limited partnerships.
• Family trusts and other trusts (complying, foreign, non-complying and testamentary).
• Executors or administrators of a deceased person's estate.
• Superannuation schemes, including KiwiSaver schemes.
• Māori authorities, which also complete a Māori authority election (IR483).
• Incorporated and unincorporated societies and clubs, friendly societies, building societies and industrial and provident societies.
• Organisations registering a branch or division separately.

When to use IR596 (IRD number for an organisation)

• When a New Zealand resident organisation needs an IRD number: for example before registering for GST, employing staff, earning income or opening accounts that ask for one.
• When you'd rather apply on paper than in myIR.
• To register a branch. Give the head office's IRD number and go straight to the bank account question.

What you need before you start

• The organisation's full legal name and any different trade name.
• Its type, for example close company, ordinary partnership, complying trust or incorporated society.
• The street address of the place of business, and a postal address if different. Not your tax agent's address.
• Phone numbers and an email address.
• One identification document: a certificate of incorporation (companies, incorporated societies), the deed of trust (trusts), a certificate of registration (limited partnerships), or the death certificate and will, probate or letters of administration (estates).
• The start date, the date taxable activity began if different, and the date of death for an estate.
• Your business industry classification (BIC) description and code from businessdescription.co.nz.
• The name, address and personal IRD number of each shareholder (close company), director, partner, executive office holder, trustee or executor.
• A bank account number and name, and a contact person's name and phone numbers.
• A completed Customer due diligence form (IR997) to send with it.

What’s on IR596 (IRD number for an organisation)

The 2023 edition has 2 pages. FileIt asks for it in 8 parts, and it is signed by Organisation (authorised person):

1. 1–2 The organisationOrganisation (authorised person)
2. 3 Organisation typeOrganisation (authorised person)
3. 4–8 Names, addresses and contact detailsOrganisation (authorised person)
4. 10–13 Dates and activitiesOrganisation (authorised person)
5. 14 Shareholders, directors, partners and trusteesOrganisation (authorised person)
6. 15 Bank accountOrganisation (authorised person)
7. 16 Contact personOrganisation (authorised person)
8. 17 DeclarationOrganisation (authorised person)

How to fill out IR596 (IRD number for an organisation), step by step

1 1–2 Name and branch

Print the organisation's full name. Say whether this is for a branch. If it is, print the IRD number of the main branch or head office and go to question 15. You can also register a branch in myIR, which is usually confirmed straight away.

2 3 Organisation type

Tick one type from the lists for companies, partnerships, superannuation schemes, Māori authorities, estates or trusts, and clubs or societies.

3 4–9 Names, addresses, contact details and identification

Give any trade name, the street address of the place of business and a postal address if it's different (not your tax agent's address). Add phone numbers and an email address, and tick 8b if you agree to receive the IRD number by email; you can give a different email address for it at 8c. Then tick the identification document you're attaching. Inland Revenue prefers photocopies and returns originals.

4 10–13 Dates and activities

Give the organisation's start date, the date taxable activity began if different, and for an estate, the date of death. Enter the business description and code from businessdescription.co.nz. Then answer whether you expect turnover over $60,000 (see GST registration), intend to employ people (IR334), want to be an RWT interest payer (IR450) or elect to be a look-through company (IR862). Companies also answer whether they'll provide fringe benefits to shareholder-employees.

5 14 People

Print the name, designation, address and personal IRD number of each shareholder (close company), director, partner, executive office holder (society), trustee or executor. There's room for two; continue on a separate sheet if needed. For estates, give the deceased's name and IRD number.

6 15–17 Bank account, contact person and declaration

Give the organisation's bank account and account name, and the full name and phone numbers of the contact person. An authorised person prints their name and designation, signs and dates the declaration.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using the IR596 for an individual or sole trader. Individuals use the IR595.
• Forgetting the identification document or the IR997 Customer due diligence form.
• Giving your tax agent's address as the postal address. The form says your agent gives IR the address for your mail.
• Leaving out trustees, partners or directors. All organisations complete question 14.
• Writing an 8-digit IRD number from the first box. It starts in the second box.
• Posting a trust deed that doesn't show the trust's name, the trustees' signatures and the date of the deed.

After you fill it out

Print the form and have an authorised person sign and date it.

Post it with the identification document and the Customer due diligence form (IR997) to Inland Revenue, PO Box 39010, Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt 5045. If it's urgent, clearly state the reason on the form.

Inland Revenue says a posted IRD number can take 20 working days to arrive. Applying in myIR is quicker.

Once you have the number, complete any registrations you ticked, such as GST, employer (IR334) or RWT (IR450), and keep the IRD number letter in your FileIt vault.

IR596 (IRD number for an organisation): frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Blank form (PDF), published by Inland Revenue (Te Tari Taake): https://www.ird.govt.nz/-/media/project/ir/home/documents/forms-and-guides/ir500---ir599/ir596/ir596-2023.pdf
• Official instructions and guidance: https://www.ird.govt.nz/managing-my-tax/ird-numbers/ird-numbers-for-businesses-and-organisations/new-zealand-business-or-organisation-ird-number-application
• Edition shown on this page: IR596 March 2023 (checked 2026-09-28).

FileIt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Inland Revenue (Te Tari Taake) or any government. This page explains the form in general terms and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Always read the official instructions, and check that you are using the edition the recipient accepts. Page last reviewed 2026-09-28.

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