Easter 2027 in New Zealand runs from Good Friday, Friday 26 March 2027, to Easter Monday, Monday 29 March 2027. Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays, so most workers get a four day weekend. Easter 2026 fell on 3 April to 6 April.
Easter dates for the next five years
| Year | Good Friday | Easter Sunday | Easter Monday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday 3 April | Sunday 5 April | Monday 6 April |
| 2027 | Friday 26 March | Sunday 28 March | Monday 29 March |
| 2028 | Friday 14 April | Sunday 16 April | Monday 17 April |
| 2029 | Friday 30 March | Sunday 1 April | Monday 2 April |
| 2030 | Friday 19 April | Sunday 21 April | Monday 22 April |
| 2031 | Friday 11 April | Sunday 13 April | Monday 14 April |
Easter moves each year because it is set as the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the March equinox, which is why it can land anywhere from late March to late April.
Which Easter days are public holidays
- Good Friday is a public holiday and a restricted trading day.
- Easter Saturday is not a public holiday, and shops trade normally.
- Easter Sunday is not a public holiday, but it is a restricted trading day, so most shops must close.
- Easter Monday is a public holiday, and shops trade normally.
- Easter Tuesday is Southland Anniversary Day, a public holiday only if you work in Southland.
What is open over Easter
On Good Friday and Easter Sunday most shops must stay shut. Dairies, service stations, pharmacies, cafés, restaurants and takeaways can open, and councils in many districts have Easter Sunday trading policies that let local shops open too, so trading varies town by town. Since a law change on 3 April 2026, pubs, bars and restaurants can serve alcohol as normal on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, with no requirement to order a meal. Supermarkets and bottle stores still cannot sell alcohol on either day, though winery cellar doors may now sell their own wine.
Pay if you work Easter
Working Good Friday or Easter Monday earns time and a half, plus a day in lieu if it was a day you would otherwise have worked. Easter Sunday is not a public holiday, so there is no time and a half entitlement, but shop employees have a legal right to refuse to work Easter Sunday without giving a reason. The public holidays hub has the full pay rules.
Easter and school holidays
School term dates are set separately, but the autumn term break often falls near Easter. Check the Ministry of Education term dates for the year you are planning.
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.