New Zealand Public Holidays
New Zealand observes a mix of public, national, and regional holidays throughout the year.
Overview
New Zealand observes a mix of public, national, and regional holidays throughout the year.
Some holidays are observed nationwide, while others may apply only to specific regions or communities.
Explore the holiday calendar for New Zealand by year below.
2026 holidays
A quick look at upcoming holidays in New Zealand.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day |
| Jan 2 | Friday | Day after New Year's Day |
| Jan 19 | Monday | Wellington Anniversary Day |
| Jan 26 | Monday | Auckland Anniversary Day |
| Feb 2 | Monday | Nelson Anniversary Day |
| Feb 6 | Friday | Waitangi Day |
| Mar 9 | Monday | Taranaki Anniversary Day |
| Mar 23 | Monday | Otago Anniversary Day |
| Apr 3 | Friday | Good Friday |
| Apr 6 | Monday | Easter Monday |
| Apr 7 | Tuesday | Southland Anniversary Day |
| Apr 27 | Monday | Anzac Day |
| Jun 1 | Monday | King's Birthday |
| Jul 10 | Friday | Matariki |
| Sep 28 | Monday | Canterbury (South) Anniversary Day |
Holiday calendar by year
Years are listed in ascending order.
About public holidays in New Zealand
HolidayCalendar lists public holidays for New Zealand by calendar year. From this hub you can open a full year view with every dated entry, or jump to individual holiday pages for more context.
Public holidays are official days when many workplaces, schools, and government offices close or operate on a reduced schedule. For how we separate public holidays from awareness observances on this site, see public holidays and country calendars.
Our New Zealand listing includes national public holidays and regional anniversary days in our dataset. Open a year calendar for the full dated list.
Major public holidays in 2026
These are widely recognized anchor holidays in our 2026 New Zealand calendar. Open each link for dates in other years and related calendar details.
Additional 2026 public holidays in our data include regional anniversary days and Boxing Day. See the 2026 holiday table for exact dates.
- New Year's Day — 1 January 2026. Opens the calendar year and is often used for short breaks after the summer holiday period.
- Waitangi Day — 6 February 2026. Commemorates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi and is a national public holiday.
- Good Friday — 3 April 2026. A key Easter-related public holiday and a common anchor for autumn long weekends.
- Easter Monday — 6 April 2026. Follows Easter Sunday and extends the Easter break for many workers and schools.
- Anzac Day — 27 April 2026 in our calendar (observed substitute date). A national day of remembrance, often observed with morning services.
- King's Birthday — 1 June 2026. The first Monday in June public holiday, often used for travel and events.
- Matariki — 10 July 2026. The Māori New Year public holiday, a mid-winter cultural anchor in the national calendar.
- Christmas Day — 25 December 2026. The main year-end public holiday during the southern summer holiday season.
Planning around holidays
Use the year calendars on this hub when you schedule time off, travel, or staffing. Pick a year from the buttons above to see every dated public holiday.
- Summer and early autumn: New Year and Waitangi Day fall during the peak holiday season. Regional anniversary days vary by area; check your chosen year calendar for local dates.
- Autumn: Easter-related public holidays and Anzac Day often fall close together. Observed substitute dates may apply when fixed holidays fall on a weekend.
- Winter and spring: King's Birthday and Matariki anchor mid-year breaks. Compare months on a year calendar before booking travel.
- Year-end: Christmas-period public holidays often create extended breaks during the southern summer. Confirm substitute dates on the year view.
Plan Your Year Around NZ Holidays
View New Zealand holidays in calendar mode
Explore public holidays in a visual calendar layout and plan ahead more easily.