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New Zealand law explained for everyone

Companies Act 1993

Administration of companies - Company records

191: Inspection of records by directors

You could also call this:

“Directors can inspect company records, with some exceptions”

If you are a director of a company, you can look at the company’s records. You need to tell the company you want to do this ahead of time. You can see the records in writing, and you don’t have to pay to see them. You can choose a time that works for you to look at them, as long as it’s reasonable.

But sometimes, the company might not want you to see the records. They can ask a court to stop you from looking at them. The court might say you can’t see the records if it thinks it would be bad for the company. The court might also say no if it thinks you want to look at the records for reasons that aren’t part of your job as a director.

If the court agrees with the company, it can say you can’t see the records at all. Or it might say you can only see some of the records.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM320866.

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Part 10 Administration of companies
Company records

191Inspection of records by directors

  1. Subject to subsection (2), every director of a company is entitled, on giving reasonable notice, to inspect the records of the company—

  2. in written form; and
    1. without charge; and
      1. at a reasonable time specified by the director.

        1. The court may, on application by the company, if it is satisfied that—

        2. it would not be in the company's interests for a director to inspect the records; or
          1. the proposed inspection is for a purpose that is not properly connected with the director's duties,—
              1. direct that the records need not be made available for inspection or limit the inspection of them in any manner it thinks fit.