Annual Return

How can I get my access code and link to the secure online data portal?

A The Commission will send lenders an email on 1 April 2025 containing an account reference, unique access code, and a link to the online data portal.

The email will be sent to the lender’s contact email address recorded on the Financial Service Providers Register (FSPR) as at 21 March 2025.

Why didn’t I get an email with my access code and a link to the secure online data portal?

If you did not receive an email from the Commission on 1 April 2025 containing an account reference, unique access code, and link to the online data portal it is likely because your contact email address recorded on the FSPR as at 21 March 2025 is no longer in use or is otherwise incorrect.

If you are a lender and did not receive an email please contact creditreturn@comcom.govt.nz and we can send or resend you portal access details.

What if I am a pawnbroker?

You will need to submit an annual return if you are a pawnbroker providing pawnbroking contracts. This follows a recent court judgment that has confirmed that pawnbroking contracts are consumer credit contracts under the CCCF Act. You can read more about the obligations of a pawnbroker under the CCCF Act in our Pawnbroking guidance.

What if I am a non-financial business providing credit on an interim basis?

Non-financial businesses (eg, car dealers) that provide credit on an interim basis (ie, where the loan is assigned to another creditor within one working day) are exempt from the obligation to submit an annual return provided certain conditions met (regulation 28 of the CCCF Regulations). A key condition of the exemption is that the assignee creditor provides the information in its annual return that the non-financial business would otherwise have to provide.

If you are a non-financial business providing interim credit in the first instance you should contact your assignee creditor with any questions about meeting the terms of the annual return exemption.

Where can I find the exact annual return questions?

The annual return questions can be seen when you log-in to the secure online portal and reflect the information required to be contained in the annual return as set out in the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Regulations 2004.

You can review an example return containing questions asked above.

Who can submit an annual return on behalf of the lender?

As part of the online submission process the person submitting the return will be asked to provide their name and contact email address and confirm that the information to be submitted is true and correct and that they “have the authority to provide this return on behalf of the lender”.

How can I submit the optional additional information referred to in the Commission’s Annual Return guidelines?

There are two types of optional additional information both of which are submitted through the online portal:

• Additional explanatory information (optional) relating to the data response to a specific question – this can be provided in a free text box next to each data response.
• Additional (optional) supporting data for your product types (e.g. credit cards, home loans, personal loans) and whether you have treated contracts as consumer credit contracts – this can be provided via an Excel template which can be downloaded and then uploaded as part of the online portal submission process. This optional data is additional to the mandatory requirements for your annual return which must still be completed via the online portal.

I have received an email with an access code and account reference but I am having trouble logging into the system

This may be due to a number of reasons:

• If someone else within your organisation has already submitted a return through the portal you will not be able to access the portal.
• There may be an issue with compatibility with your browser. We suggest using a different browser (or if you are using Chrome try using incognito mode).
• Some access codes and account references can contain unusual characters. We suggest cutting and pasting the account reference and access code directly into the login.

If you are still having any issue with logging in please email creditreturn@comcom.govt.nz.

Once I have started completing the return online can I save my return prior to submission and return to it later?

While there is no “save” button, information inputted into the online return is stored in the system once you have progressed through a page (until it is submitted), meaning lenders can exit the portal and return to it later.

How long do I have to complete my annual return before the online portal times out?

The security settings in the online portal will log you out if you remain on a single page for more than 20 minutes, and progress on that page will be lost.

We suggest that you prepare your annual return answers for the mandatory required information in advance of logging into the online portal. You can review an example return containing questions asked above.

If you do get logged out, your account reference and access code will remain active and you will be able to log back in and start your return again.

Why have I received an error message when entering data into the portal?

If you have received an error message while logged into the portal (eg, with wording “Forbidden” and “You don’t have permission to create records”) it is most likely because you have been timed out by the portal system.

The security settings in the online portal will log you out if you remain on a single page for more than 20 minutes, and progress on that page will be lost.

We suggest that you prepare your annual return answers for the mandatory required information in advance of logging into the online portal. You can review an example return containing questions asked above.

If you do get logged out, your account reference and access code will remain active and you will be able to log back in and start your return again.

Will I receive confirmation that my return has been submitted and how can I get a copy of my submitted return?

When you have submitted an annual return online through the portal you will receive an email confirming submission. The email will be sent to your contact email address recorded on the FSPR as at 21 March 2025 (which may or may not be the same as the email address of the individual submitting the annual return on behalf of the lender). A copy of your submitted return will not be emailed to you but as part of the online portal submission process once you have submitted the return online you will be given a one-off opportunity to download a copy of the return submitted.

What happens if a lender fails to submit an annual return by 30 June 2025?

It is a legal requirement to submit an annual return and failure to do so is an infringement offence. On conviction individuals can be fined up to $10,000  or up to $30,000 for a body corporate. Alternatively, the Commission can issue an infringement notice, requiring lenders to pay an infringement fee of $1,000 for breaches of the annual return obligations.

What happens if a lender submits an annual return containing incorrect details?

If you become aware of a mistake in an annual return after it has been submitted please contact creditreturn@comcom.govt.nz

It is an offence to submit an annual return (or authorise its submission) that you know is false or misleading in a material particular. On conviction an individual may be fined up to $200,000 and up to $600,000 for a body corporate.