Free tool
Statutory demand deadline counter
Enter the date the demand was served. We'll estimate the 10 working day mark (set-aside application) and the 15 working day mark (pay or settle), so you can plan the days in between.
An estimate, not legal advice. Working-day rules and the date of service decide the real deadline. Confirm both with your lawyer on day one.
How to use your 15 working days
A statutory demand under section 289 of the Companies Act gives a company a short window to pay the debt, settle it in a way the creditor accepts, or apply to the High Court to have the demand set aside. If it does none of these, the company is presumed insolvent and IRD can apply to liquidate it. In the nine months to 31 March 2026, IRD issued 1,525 statutory demands, so this is now a routine step, not a rare one.
| Working days | What to aim for |
|---|---|
| Day 0–1 | Record how and when it was served. Send it to a lawyer. Tell every director. |
| Day 1–3 | Download your myIR balance. Gather bank statements, accounts, guarantees and property details. Test viability with your accountant. |
| Day 2–5 | Get a funding answer. Property-secured loans from $20,000 to $5,000,000; cash-flow options typically $5,000 to $500,000. |
| By day 10 | If there are genuine grounds to dispute the debt, your lawyer files any set-aside application. |
| By day 15 | Pay in full or have a written settlement with IRD. Get written confirmation. |
Funding takes time even when it's fast: valuations, title checks, signing and independent legal advice for any guarantor. Starting on day two gives you room that day thirteen doesn't. For the full day-by-day plan, read your next 15 working days, and for the background see IRD statutory demands.
Why the dates are only an estimate
Three things can move the real deadline. First, the legal definition of a working day, which excludes certain holidays and a period over Christmas and New Year. Second, the date of service, which can depend on how the demand was delivered. Third, any agreement or court order that changes the timetable. We couldn't confirm every detail of the statutory definition from the official legislation website while building this tool, so we've used a cautious version and ask you to confirm with your lawyer.
Who to call, in order
Your lawyer, about the dates and any dispute. Your accountant, about whether the business is viable. A funder, about whether the debt can be paid in full in time. If the business can't continue, a licensed insolvency practitioner, after you've read before you call anyone.
Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to respond to a statutory demand in NZ?
Generally 15 working days from service to pay or settle, and 10 working days to apply to the High Court to set the demand aside. Confirm the exact dates with your lawyer.
What counts as a working day?
For this estimate we exclude weekends; Waitangi Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, King's Birthday, Matariki and Labour Day (with Waitangi Day and Anzac Day moved to Monday when they fall on a weekend); and every day from 25 December to 2 January. We don't exclude regional anniversary days, and where a New Year holiday is moved to a day after 2 January we still count that day, so the estimate errs early. Your lawyer will confirm the definition that applies.
When does the clock start?
From the date the demand is served on the company. How and when service is treated as happening can depend on the delivery method, which is one more reason to get legal advice straight away.
What should I do with the dates?
Give them to your lawyer to confirm, then work backwards: when you need a funding answer, when documents must be signed, and when payment must reach IRD.
Paying the demand is often the cleanest way out
Tell us the service date, the amount and any property. No credit check when you first enquire, and a real person calls you back, usually the same business day.
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