Oceania & Pacific
New Zealand tax rates 2026
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
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.
Rates checked July 2026: the top marginal income tax rate, the standard VAT rate and the main corporate rate.
Ways to relocate to New Zealand
The residency and citizenship routes that lead here, weighed against the tax picture above.