Every public holiday in New Zealand for 2026, with actual and observed dates, Mondayisation, long weekends and regional anniversary days. These dates are verified against employment.govt.nz.
Public holidays 2026
| Holiday | Actual date | Date observed in 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1 January | Thursday 1 January 2026 | |
| Day after New Year's Day | 2 January | Friday 2 January 2026 | |
| Waitangi Day | 6 February | Friday 6 February 2026 | |
| Good Friday | 3 April | Friday 3 April 2026 | Restricted trading day |
| Easter Monday | 6 April | Monday 6 April 2026 | |
| Anzac Day | 25 April | Monday 27 April 2026 | Mondayised — actual date falls on a weekend. Shops must stay shut until 1pm |
| King's Birthday | 1 June | Monday 1 June 2026 | |
| Matariki | 10 July | Friday 10 July 2026 | |
| Labour Day | 26 October | Monday 26 October 2026 | |
| Christmas Day | 25 December | Friday 25 December 2026 | Restricted trading day |
| Boxing Day | 26 December | Monday 28 December 2026 | Mondayised — actual date falls on a weekend |
Mondayised holidays in 2026
In 2026, Anzac Day and Boxing Day fall on weekends, so the public holiday moves for anyone who does not normally work that weekend day.
- Anzac Day actually falls on Saturday 25 April 2026 and is observed on Monday 27 April 2026.
- Boxing Day actually falls on Saturday 26 December 2026 and is observed on Monday 28 December 2026.
If you normally work weekends, the holiday stays on the actual date for you. The public holidays hub explains this rule, and the pay you are owed if you work.
Long weekends in 2026
Counting weekends plus observed holidays, a Monday to Friday worker gets these breaks of three days or more.
- Thursday 1 January to Sunday 4 January 2026 — 4 days, New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day
- Friday 6 February to Sunday 8 February 2026 — 3 days, Waitangi Day
- Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April 2026 — 4 days, Good Friday and Easter Monday
- Saturday 25 April to Monday 27 April 2026 — 3 days, Anzac Day
- Saturday 30 May to Monday 1 June 2026 — 3 days, King's Birthday
- Friday 10 July to Sunday 12 July 2026 — 3 days, Matariki
- Saturday 24 October to Monday 26 October 2026 — 3 days, Labour Day
- Friday 25 December to Monday 28 December 2026 — 4 days, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Regional anniversary days 2026
| Province | 2026 | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wellington | Monday 19 January 2026 | Monday nearest 22 January |
| Auckland | Monday 26 January 2026 | Monday nearest 29 January |
| Nelson | Monday 2 February 2026 | Monday nearest 1 February |
| Taranaki | Monday 9 March 2026 | Second Monday in March |
| Otago | Monday 23 March 2026 | Monday nearest 23 March |
| Southland | Tuesday 7 April 2026 | Easter Tuesday |
| Canterbury (South) | Monday 28 September 2026 | Fourth Monday in September, Dominion Day |
| Hawke's Bay | Friday 23 October 2026 | Friday before Labour Day |
| Marlborough | Monday 2 November 2026 | First Monday after Labour Day |
| Canterbury | Friday 13 November 2026 | Second Friday after the first Tuesday in November, Show Day |
| Westland | Monday 30 November 2026 | Monday nearest 1 December |
| Chatham Islands | Monday 30 November 2026 | Monday nearest 30 November |
Your anniversary day follows the province where you work, not where you live. See the anniversary days guide for the rules behind each date.
Pay and trading rules
Working any of these days generally means time and a half, and a day in lieu if it was a day you would otherwise have worked. Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Anzac morning and Christmas Day are restricted trading days when most shops close. The public holidays hub covers the pay rules, surcharges and what is open in detail.
See also NZ public holidays 2027.
Dates on this page are generated from a single verified dataset, checked against employment.govt.nz and Schedule 1 of the Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act 2022. Last verified 15 August 2026.