Frequent questions answered
Breadcrumb
Faq view

What dates are the Public Holidays in New Zealand?

It is important to be aware of New Zealand’s public holidays so you can plan ahead for the closures of banks and some businesses, shops, cafes and restaurants. Businesses that do trade on these days may add a 15% surcharge to their services. We have listed the dates below for 2023 and 2024 to make sure you are prepared and get no surprises!

There are four restricted trading days which are Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and before 1 pm on ANZAC Day. Almost all shops are required to be closed. There are some exclusions due to the nature of their trade e.g. petrol stations, cafes, restaurants, fast food outlets and dairies (small convenience stores), however, in smaller towns they will often opt to close as well. Check out in advance what will be open near you on the following days! Small towns and villages are less likely to have places open, so if you are travelling around New Zealand during any of these periods, make sure you plan ahead.

Our New Zealand Travel Specialists can assist you with further information, see our Contact Us page.

2023 New Zealand National Public Holidays

1   Jan: New Year's Day
2   Jan: Day after New Year's Day
3   Jan: New Year Holiday
6   Feb: Waitangi Day
7   Apr: Good Friday
10 Apr: Easter Monday
25 Apr: Anzac Day
5   Jun: King's Birthday
14 Jul: Matariki
23 Oct: Labour Day
25 Dec: Christmas Day
26 Dec: Boxing Day


2023 New Zealand Regional Anniversary Dates (Please note that these holidays are only celebrated within each province, and not nationwide)

23 Jan: Wellington Anniversary Day
30 Jan: Auckland Anniversary Day
30 Jan: Nelson Anniversary Day
13 Mar: Taranaki Anniversary Day
20 Mar: Otago Anniversary Day
11 Apr: Southland Anniversary Day
25 Sep: South Canterbury Anniversary Day
20 Oct: Hawkes' Bay Anniversary Day
30 Oct: Marlborough Anniversary Day
17 Nov: Canterbury Anniversary Day
27 Nov: Chatham Islands Anniversary Day
4 Dec: Westland Anniversary Day

2024 New Zealand National Public Holidays


1 Jan: New Year's Day
2 Jan: Day after New Year's Day
6 Feb: Waitangi Day
29 Mar: Good Friday
1 Apr: Easter Monday
25 Apr: Anzac Day
3 Jun: King's Birthday
28 Jun: Matariki
28 Oct: Labour Day
25 Dec: Christmas Day
26 Dec: Boxing Day


2024 New Zealand Regional Anniversary Dates (Please note that these holidays are only celebrated within each province, and not nationwide)


22 Jan: Wellington Anniversary Day
29 Jan: Auckland Anniversary Day
29 Jan: Nelson Anniversary Day
11 Mar: Taranaki Anniversary Day
25 Mar: Otago Anniversary Day
2 Apr: Southland Anniversary Day
23 Sep: South Canterbury Anniversary Day
25 Oct: Hawkes' Bay Anniversary Day
4 Nov: Marlborough Anniversary Day
15 Nov: Canterbury Anniversary Day
2 Dec: Chatham Islands Anniversary Day
2 Dec: Westland Anniversary Day

Check out our blogs

Take a look through our blogs for some great ideas on touring around New Zealand.

Why choose New Zealand self drive tours?

At NZSD we have built a business based on one simple belief - that every customer deserves excellent service and honest, accurate advice. Since 2004 we have been creating New Zealand holidays for visitors from all over the world. In fact that's all we do. We are the absolute experts at creating great touring experiences across the North & South Islands.
So how does it work? Well our site contains over 200 great self drive itinerary ideas. You can see exactly where you are going, where you will stay and how much it will cost. But we also know that even with 200 great ideas such as these most visitors want something slightly different or something to suit them specifically. Our team of travel specialists are absolute experts at designing great New Zealand touring holidays. All you need to do is get in touch with us and one of the team will make contact and chat with you about the kind of experience you are looking for. We tailor make a proposed itinerary for you which you can tweak and adjust as much as you wish. When you are happy with the plans you go ahead and book using our secure systems. A deposit payment is needed to book with the balance payment due before you travel. We ensure everything is booked accurately, we ensure that all your timings work, and your itinerary is uploaded to our custom APP so you get lots of great information and features as you travel. While you are here we also provide in country support and help if you need it.
So why work with us? Because we are dedicated to ensuring your New Zealand holiday experience is the best holiday experience you will ever have.