Dates for 2026
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | |
| Day after New Year's Day | |
| Waitangi Day | |
| Good Friday | |
| Easter Monday | |
| ANZAC Day (observed) | |
| King's Birthday | |
| Matariki | |
| Labour Day | |
| Christmas Day | |
| Boxing Day (observed) |
Each region also has its own anniversary day, which isn't listed.
Dates are calculated from each country's holiday rules and may not reflect last-minute changes. Check official government sources before relying on them for payroll or contracts.
Planning leave around 2026's public holidays
10 of the 11 public holidays in 2026 fall on a Monday or Friday, giving long weekends without using any annual leave. Booking leave next to a public holiday stretches it further: taking the days between two holidays can turn a few days of leave into a much longer break.
Need to know how many working days are left in a period? Use the working days calculator, which automatically excludes public holidays in New Zealand. Tracking leave in a spreadsheet? Download the free annual leave tracker with these dates built in.
Common questions
How many public holidays are there in New Zealand in 2026?
There are 11, from New Year's Day on Thursday 1 January to Boxing Day (observed) on Monday 28 December. 11 of them fall on a weekday.
What happens when a public holiday falls on a weekend?
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, the day after New Year's Day, Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day move to the following Monday or Tuesday when they fall on a weekend (known as Mondayisation). The dates listed are the observed dates.
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