Which public holidays fall on a weekend in 2028?

Among the dates published so far for 2028, the public holidays falling on a Saturday or Sunday are: New Year’s Day, Day after New Year’s Day and Waitangi Day; the dates not yet published are not counted. Check any Mondayised dates alongside the actual dates in the 2028 calendar, and confirm which observance applies to your usual working days.

Are public holidays also school holidays in 2028?

Schools close for public holidays during term. The last column of the 2028 table identifies the school period, showing whether each holiday interrupts a term or falls within an existing break.

Does my region have an extra public holiday in 2028?

Yes, the relevant provincial anniversary day is a public holiday in that area. Choose a region page in the anniversary day section to see whether its 2028 observance has been published, and read any local notes.

2028 public holidays in New Zealand

National public holidays 2028, New Zealand
Public holiday	Date	Weekday	Observed date	School calendar
New Year’s DayDate from the Holidays Act (section 45): no Employment New Zealand table for 2028 yet	Saturday 1 January 2028	Saturday	Monday 3 January 2028Falls on a Saturday. Employees who would normally work that Saturday take it then; for everyone else it is observed on Monday (Holidays Act 2003, section 45).	Summer holidays
Day after New Year’s DayDate from the Holidays Act (section 45): no Employment New Zealand table for 2028 yet	Sunday 2 January 2028	Sunday	Tuesday 4 January 2028Falls on a Sunday. Employees who would normally work that Sunday take it then; for everyone else it is observed on Tuesday (Holidays Act 2003, section 45).	Summer holidays
Waitangi Day	Sunday 6 February 2028	Sunday	Monday 7 February 2028Falls on a Sunday. Employees who would normally work that Sunday take it then; for everyone else it is observed on Monday (Holidays Act 2003, section 45A).	Term 1 start window (closed if your school has already opened)
Good Friday	Friday 14 April 2028	Friday	Same day	Term 1 holidays
Easter Monday	Monday 17 April 2028	Monday	Same day	Term 1 holidays
Anzac Day	Tuesday 25 April 2028	Tuesday	Same day	Term 1 holidays
King’s Birthday	Monday 5 June 2028	Monday	Same day	Term 2 (schools close)
Matariki	Friday 14 July 2028	Friday	Same day	Term 2 holidays
Labour Day	Monday 23 October 2028	Monday	Same day	Term 4 (schools close)
Christmas Day	Not yet published by Employment New Zealand for 2028
Boxing Day	Not yet published by Employment New Zealand for 2028

Add to your calendar (.ics) Calendar dates come from official publications or legislation, with no estimates and a source link for each event.

Key facts

National public holidays: 9 public holidays published so far; dates for Christmas Day and Boxing Day not yet published
Weekend holidays: 3 holidays fall on a Saturday or Sunday and are Mondayised for employees for whom the weekend day is not an otherwise working day.

Find the national public holidays for 2028 with their weekdays, any Mondayised dates and the school period each falls within. These details help distinguish a closure during term from a public holiday already inside a school break. For employees, the actual or transferred date applies according to whether the weekend day would otherwise be a working day. A regional anniversary day is a further public holiday within its own area, rather than across the whole country. Pick your region below for its anniversary day, the rule behind the date and the local observance notes.

Awaiting official dates

Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2028 fall after the new Employment Leave Act takes over from the Holidays Act 2003, and remain unpublished.

Which holiday date applies to you?

Both dates are shown for a weekend holiday that transfers. Employees who would otherwise work that Saturday or Sunday observe the actual day; other employees use the applicable Monday or Tuesday. Employment New Zealand explains how pay works for a public holiday on a weekend; its pages are listed under the sources.

Add your region’s anniversary day

Every region has one more public holiday, its anniversary day. Each region page gives its observed dates, the rule behind them and the long weekend they make.

Rules that apply in 2028

Mondayisation: New Year’s Day, Day after New Year’s Day and Waitangi Day fall on a weekend in 2028.
Matariki is a Friday set by the Matariki Act for each year.
Easter Tuesday is a school holiday, but not a national public holiday.
Long weekends 2028: the 6 runs of three or more days off these holidays make with the weekends.
School holidays 2028: the full term calendar.

Common questions

Which public holidays fall on a weekend in 2028?: Among the dates published so far for 2028, the public holidays falling on a Saturday or Sunday are: New Year’s Day, Day after New Year’s Day and Waitangi Day; the dates not yet published are not counted. Check any Mondayised dates alongside the actual dates in the 2028 calendar, and confirm which observance applies to your usual working days.
Are public holidays also school holidays in 2028?: Schools close for public holidays during term. The last column of the 2028 table identifies the school period, showing whether each holiday interrupts a term or falls within an existing break.
Does my region have an extra public holiday in 2028?: Yes, the relevant provincial anniversary day is a public holiday in that area. Choose a region page in the anniversary day section to see whether its 2028 observance has been published, and read any local notes.

Official sources

Holidays Act 2003 (2003 No 129), sections 44, 45 and 45A, "Version as at 20 December 2023" (New Zealand Legislation) (read 26 October 2026)
Ministry of Education: School terms and holidays dates (read 2 November 2026)
Employment New Zealand: Public holidays and anniversary dates (read 2 November 2026)
Employment New Zealand: When a public holiday falls on a weekend (read 2 November 2026)

Every date here was compared with the official pages on 2 November 2026. Should anything differ, the official page is right. How dates are checked.