Oceania & Pacific
New Zealand: tax at a glance
Residents are taxed on worldwide income at rates up to 39%. There is no general capital gains tax, though the country runs a 4-year transitional-resident exemption on most foreign income, along with a FIF regime for offshore shares.
Worldwide (residence-based)
Last verified
Ways to relocate to New Zealand
The residency and citizenship routes that lead here, weighed against the tax picture above.
The taxes
- Personal income (top)
- 39%Progressive, with the top rate applying to income over NZD 180,000.
- Corporate income
- 28%
- Capital gains
- No general CGT, though a bright-line test applies to some property sales, and a FIF regime covers foreign shares.
- VAT / GST
- 15%
- Dividends (WHT)
- 30%, with NRWT rates of 0/15/30 depending on imputation credits attached.
- Interest (WHT)
- 15%
- Royalties (WHT)
- 15%
- Social security (employee)
- ACC earners' levy of about 1.6%, plus KiwiSaver at 3%, which is opt-in.
- Social security (employer)
- ACC work levy, set by industry, plus KiwiSaver at 3%.
- Wealth tax
- None
- Inheritance / estate
- None. There is no estate, gift or inheritance duty.
- Property tax
- No recurrent land tax, only local council rates.
- Other
- ACC levies apply, but there is no stamp duty.
How the system works
- Tax system
- Worldwide (residence-based)
- Foreign income
- Taxed (worldwide)
- Taxes by citizenship
- No
- Exit tax
- No
- CFC rules
- Yes
- CRS
- Participating
A special regime for new arrivals
Transitional resident exemption: roughly 4 years free of NZ tax on most foreign-source income, available once per lifetime.
The rates below are indicative headline figures (top marginal, standard, and headline rates), reviewed 2026-07. Brackets, surcharges, and state, provincial or cantonal taxes vary. Treat this as a reference map, not advice.