Every public holiday in New Zealand for 2028, with actual and observed dates, Mondayisation, long weekends and regional anniversary days. Several holiday websites currently publish incorrect 2028 dates because they have not applied the weekend rules in the Holidays Act. The dates below are computed under those rules, and Matariki comes from the schedule fixed in law through to 2052.
Public holidays 2028
| Holiday | Actual date | Date observed in 2028 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 1 January | Monday 3 January 2028 | Mondayised — actual date falls on a weekend |
| Day after New Year's Day | 2 January | Tuesday 4 January 2028 | Mondayised — actual date falls on a weekend |
| Waitangi Day | 6 February | Monday 7 February 2028 | Mondayised — actual date falls on a weekend |
| Good Friday | 14 April | Friday 14 April 2028 | Restricted trading day |
| Easter Monday | 17 April | Monday 17 April 2028 | |
| Anzac Day | 25 April | Tuesday 25 April 2028 | Shops must stay shut until 1pm |
| King's Birthday | 5 June | Monday 5 June 2028 | |
| Matariki | 14 July | Friday 14 July 2028 | |
| Labour Day | 23 October | Monday 23 October 2028 | |
| Christmas Day | 25 December | Monday 25 December 2028 | Restricted trading day |
| Boxing Day | 26 December | Tuesday 26 December 2028 |
Mondayised holidays in 2028
In 2028, New Year’s Day, Day after New Year’s Day and Waitangi Day fall on weekends, so the public holiday moves for anyone who does not normally work that weekend day.
- New Year’s Day actually falls on Saturday 1 January 2028 and is observed on Monday 3 January 2028.
- Day after New Year’s Day actually falls on Sunday 2 January 2028 and is observed on Tuesday 4 January 2028.
- Waitangi Day actually falls on Sunday 6 February 2028 and is observed on Monday 7 February 2028.
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 2028
Counting weekends plus observed holidays, a Monday to Friday worker gets these breaks of three days or more.
- Saturday 1 January to Tuesday 4 January 2028 — 4 days, New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day
- Saturday 5 February to Monday 7 February 2028 — 3 days, Waitangi Day
- Friday 14 April to Monday 17 April 2028 — 4 days, Good Friday and Easter Monday
- Saturday 3 June to Monday 5 June 2028 — 3 days, King's Birthday
- Friday 14 July to Sunday 16 July 2028 — 3 days, Matariki
- Saturday 21 October to Monday 23 October 2028 — 3 days, Labour Day
- Saturday 23 December to Tuesday 26 December 2028 — 4 days, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
- Saturday 30 December to Tuesday 2 January 2029 — 4 days, New Year's Day and Day after New Year's Day
Regional anniversary days 2028
| Province | 2028 | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wellington | Monday 24 January 2028 | Monday nearest 22 January |
| Auckland | Monday 31 January 2028 | Monday nearest 29 January |
| Nelson | Monday 31 January 2028 | Monday nearest 1 February |
| Taranaki | Monday 13 March 2028 | Second Monday in March |
| Otago | Monday 20 March 2028 | Monday nearest 23 March |
| Southland | Tuesday 18 April 2028 | Easter Tuesday |
| Canterbury (South) | Monday 25 September 2028 | Fourth Monday in September, Dominion Day |
| Hawke's Bay | Friday 20 October 2028 | Friday before Labour Day |
| Marlborough | Monday 30 October 2028 | First Monday after Labour Day |
| Canterbury | Friday 17 November 2028 | Second Friday after the first Tuesday in November, Show Day |
| Chatham Islands | Monday 27 November 2028 | Monday nearest 30 November |
| Westland | Monday 4 December 2028 | Monday nearest 1 December |
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.