What Are The Public Holidays in New Zealand in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in New Zealand (2026)

New Zealand has a mix of nationwide and regional public holidays, and several are Mondayised when they fall on a weekend. Use this table to plan staffing, leave, and payroll settings for your New Zealand team in 2026.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, New Zealand employment law generally requires employers to provide paid public holidays to employees who would otherwise work on that day, provided they meet minimum entitlement rules. If the public holiday falls on a day that is an otherwise working day for the employee, and they do not work, they are entitled to a paid day off at their relevant daily pay or average daily pay. If they do work on a public holiday, they are entitled to at least time and a half for the hours worked, plus (in most cases) an alternative paid day off.

New Zealand has 11 nationwide public holidays, and employees may also be entitled to one regional anniversary day depending on where they normally work, bringing the total to up to 12 public holidays. In 2026, ANZAC Day and Boxing Day fall on a weekend and are Mondayised for most employees, meaning the public holiday is observed on the following Monday if the weekend day is not an otherwise working day for that employee. Entitlements can differ for part-time or variable-hours staff, so you need to assess whether each public holiday is an otherwise working day for each employee based on their usual work patterns and employment agreement.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

If your company fails to provide correct public holiday entitlements, you can face enforcement action from New Zealand's labour inspectorate and the Employment Relations Authority. Penalties can include orders to repay underpaid wages and holiday pay, compensation to affected employees, and fines for breaches of minimum employment standards. Serious or repeated non-compliance can lead to higher penalties and reputational damage, and directors or managers may be personally named in proceedings.

Common mistakes include not Mondayising holidays correctly, misclassifying whether a day is an otherwise working day, failing to pay time and a half for work on public holidays, and not granting alternative holidays when required. Another frequent issue is using outdated or incorrect calculations for relevant daily pay or average daily pay, especially for employees with variable hours or earnings. Keeping accurate time and pay records and regularly reviewing your payroll settings is essential to demonstrate compliance if you are audited.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

New Zealand law does not set a universal overtime threshold in the same way some countries do, but public holidays interact with pay calculations in specific ways. When an employee works on a public holiday, you must pay at least time and a half for the hours worked, regardless of whether they have exceeded their usual hours. If the public holiday is an otherwise working day for them, they will also usually earn an alternative paid holiday, which they can take on a later agreed date on full pay.

Any contractual overtime arrangements in your employment agreements continue to apply on public holidays, but they sit on top of the statutory minimum of time and a half. For example, if your contract already provides time and a half for certain hours, you must ensure the total rate for public holiday hours is at least as favourable as the legal minimum. You also need to factor public holidays into weekly pay calculations, ensuring that paid public holidays do not reduce an employee's normal weekly earnings and that any averaging methods you use still meet or exceed minimum entitlements.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing New Zealand public holidays across different regions, work patterns, and contracts can be complex, especially if you are hiring from overseas. Playroll helps you stay on top of local rules so your team gets the right public holiday pay and time off, and your company avoids compliance risks.

Our platform keeps New Zealand public holiday dates, Mondayisation rules, and regional anniversary days up to date, and applies them automatically to your employees based on where they work. We calculate relevant daily pay or average daily pay in line with New Zealand standards, handle time-and-a-half rates for public holiday work, and track alternative holidays so they are requested, approved, and paid correctly.

With Playroll, you can hire in New Zealand without setting up a local entity, while we manage payroll, statutory leave, KiwiSaver contributions where applicable, and compliant employment agreements. Your HR and finance teams get clear reporting on holiday costs and entitlements, and your New Zealand employees get a smooth, transparent experience that matches local expectations.

If you are scaling a global team that includes New Zealand, Playroll gives you a single, compliant workflow for public holidays, annual leave, and payroll, so you can focus on building your business rather than decoding local legislation.