Who gets this invoice
Your company. It covers the work levy for shareholders who are paid a salary by the company, such as directors who work in the business.
Why it often feels like two bills
It has two parts: a final levy that settles last year, and a provisional levy that is an advance estimate for this year.
Where the numbers come from
ACC does not ask you. Inland Revenue sends ACC the shareholder salary from the company's tax return, so the invoice only arrives after that return is filed.
Check two things before you pay: the classification unit (CU) and the liable earnings. If either is wrong, the levy is wrong. Read ACC's own invoice guide for shareholder-employees alongside this page.
The big picture
How your invoice is built
Each step below feeds the next. Most errors start at step 1 or step 3.
Page 1
The front page, box by box
The numbers match the markers on ACC's sample invoice.
- 01
WorkPlace Cover
ACC's standard cover for employers. Here it pays for your shareholder-employees' rehabilitation and weekly compensation after a work injury.
- 02
Invoice number
The ID for this invoice. Use it as the payment reference and quote it when you call ACC.
- 03
ACC number
The ID for your company's ACC account. Keep it with your IRD number and NZBN.
- 04
NZBN
Your New Zealand Business Number. Check it matches the company on the NZBN register.
- 05
Key information box
The facts ACC used to work out the levy. This is the box to check closely, because any error here flows straight into the amount you pay.
- 06
Classification unit (CU)
A label for what your business does, based on its Business Industry Classification (BIC) code. The CU sets your work levy rate. A café, a builder and an accounting office pay very different rates. Find the right code at businessdescription.co.nz.
- 07
Liable payroll
The earnings ACC charges the levy on. For shareholder-employees this mostly comes from the shareholder salaries in the company's IR4 return. Salary paid through PAYE comes from the IR348 employer schedule. ACC then takes off any amount over the cap.
- 08
Final levy
The year-end "wash-up" for the previous year, based on the actual earnings Inland Revenue sent ACC. It can be a top-up or a credit against what you paid as provisional levy.
- 09
Provisional levy
An estimate for the current year. ACC takes last year's earnings and adds an allowance for expected pay growth. It is settled by next year's final levy.
- 10
Invoice amount
The total for this invoice. It does not include older unpaid amounts already on your ACC account, so check your account balance as well.
Page 2
The calculations page, line by line
| # | Line | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Payroll declared to Inland Revenue | Each shareholder's earnings as sent by IRD | Matches the salaries in the filed IR4 |
| 2 | Payroll paid over the ACC max | Earnings above the cap are removed. No levy is charged on them | High earners are capped per person |
| 3 | First week or multiple-employer adjustment | A reduction you can ask for if the company paid the first week of injury pay, or the person earned over the cap across several sources | You must contact ACC. It is not automatic |
| 4 | Liable payroll | Line 1 less lines 2 and 3 | This is the figure the levy is charged on |
| 5 | ACC calculations | The working for the final and provisional levies | The levy year each part relates to |
| 6 | Final levy | Last year, settled on actual earnings | Credit for provisional levy already paid |
| 7 | Work Account levy | Liable payroll ÷ 100 × your CU rate. Pays for work injuries | The CU and its rate are right for what the company does |
| 8 | Working Safer levy | A flat rate for every levy payer, collected for WorkSafe New Zealand | $0.08 per $100 of liable payroll |
| 9 | Provisional levy | This year's estimate, based on last year plus expected growth | Tell ACC if earnings will drop a lot |
| 10 | Total amount to pay | Final levy + provisional levy, plus GST | Any older balance is billed separately |
Worked example
What the numbers look like
Kiwi Design Ltd has two working shareholders. The company's IR4 for the year to 31 March 2026 shows a salary of $90,000 for Aroha and $180,000 for Ben. Its CU work levy rate is $0.69 per $100. All figures are made up to show the method, and exclude GST.
Final levy — 2025–26
- Aroha$90,000
- Ben (capped at $152,790)$152,790
- Liable payroll$242,790
- Work levy (× $0.69 ÷ 100)$1,675.25
- Working Safer (× $0.08 ÷ 100)$194.23
- Final levy$1,869.48
Provisional levy — 2026–27
ACC rolls last year's earnings forward with a growth allowance, applies the new cap of $156,641, and uses the new rates. The result is an estimate. Next year's final levy corrects it once the real 2026–27 salaries are filed.
Ben's $27,210 above the cap carries no levy. If Ben also earns elsewhere, total earnings over the cap across all sources can be adjusted on request.
Before you pay
Five checks that save money
Get the inputs right
- ✓Confirm the CU matches what the company does today, not what it did when it started
- ✓Compare liable payroll with the shareholder salaries in the filed IR4
- ✓Ask for an adjustment if a shareholder earns over the cap across several sources
Manage the cash
- ✓Tell ACC early if this year's salaries will drop, so the provisional levy can be revised
- ✓Spread payments over 3, 6 or 10 monthly instalments through MyACC for Business. Interest applies to all instalment plans from 1 April 2026
- ✓Budget for the shareholder's separate earners' levy invoice too
Common questions
Questions shareholders ask about this invoice
Why am I paying for two years at once?+
Why did the invoice arrive so long after year end?+
Is the earners' levy on this invoice?+
What if the earnings or CU are wrong?+
Can a shareholder-employee choose a different cover?+
What happens if we do not pay on time?+
Go to the source
Official ACC links
- Shareholder-employee invoice guide →
- Cover for shareholder-employees →
- CoverPlus (earners' levy) invoice guide →
- Levy rates and earnings caps →
- Ways to pay and instalments →
- Sort out a levy problem →
- CoverPlus Extra →
- Find your BIC code →
Rates and caps change each levy year. Figures here were checked on 1 October 2026. This guide is general information, not advice for your situation. Talk to EFC Accountants before you change salaries, cover type or your classification unit.