Public Holidays in New Zealand, 2026
New Zealand observes 11 nationwide public holidays in 2026, 2 of which fall on the weekend. The table below lists every date the holiday calendar records, including the regional ones that are working days elsewhere in the country.
- Public holidays
- 11
- On a weekend
- 2
- Regional only
- 12
- Business days 2026
- 252
Nationwide
New Zealand holiday calendar 2026
Dates marked nationwide are days off across New Zealand. Entries showing a region count, or an observance type, are not deducted from business day calculations.
| Date | Day | Holiday | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day | Nationwide |
| 2 January 2026 | Friday | Day after New Year's Day | Nationwide |
| 22 January 2026 | Thursday | Wellington Anniversary Day | 2 regions: NZ-MWT, NZ-WGN |
| 29 January 2026 | Thursday | Auckland Anniversary Day | 5 regions: NZ-AUK, NZ-BOP, NZ-GIS, NZ-NTL, NZ-WKO |
| 1 February 2026 | Sunday(weekend) | Nelson Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-NSN |
| 6 February 2026 | Friday | Waitangi Day | Nationwide |
| 9 March 2026 | Monday | Taranaki Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-TKI |
| 23 March 2026 | Monday | Otago Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-OTA |
| 3 April 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Nationwide |
| 6 April 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Nationwide |
| 7 April 2026 | Tuesday | Southland Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-STL |
| 25 April 2026 | Saturday(weekend) | Anzac Day | Nationwide |
| 1 June 2026 | Monday | King's Birthday | Nationwide |
| 10 July 2026 | Friday | Matariki | Nationwide |
| 28 September 2026 | Monday | Canterbury (South) Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-CAN |
| 23 October 2026 | Friday | Hawke's Bay Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-HKB |
| 26 October 2026 | Monday | Labour Day | Nationwide |
| 2 November 2026 | Monday | Marlborough Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-MBH |
| 13 November 2026 | Friday | Canterbury Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-CAN |
| 30 November 2026 | Monday | Chatham Islands Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-CIT |
| 1 December 2026 | Tuesday | Westland Anniversary Day | 1 region: NZ-WTC |
| 25 December 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Nationwide |
| 26 December 2026 | Saturday(weekend) | Boxing Day | Nationwide |
Which holidays actually give a day off in 2026?
9 of New Zealand's 11 nationwide public holidays land on a working day in 2026, so those are the ones that shorten the working year. The remaining 2 fall on Saturday and Sunday: Anzac Day (25 April 2026), Boxing Day (26 December 2026).
After removing weekends and holidays, 2026 leaves 252 business days in New Zealand.
Count business days in New Zealand
Need the number of working days between two specific dates rather than the holiday list?