Mailing dates & times
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Find out when to send your letters, cards, parcels and presents to family and friends to get there before the next special occasion.
Mailing dates for Christmas
Make sure you send your mail by the dates below so your cards and gifts arrive in time for Christmas!
| International | Send by | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Zone A (Australia) |
Zone B (South Pacific), Zone C (East Asia and North America), Zone D (UK and Europe) |
Zone E (Rest of the world) |
|
 NB: Service only available for sending parcels |
Fri 2 December | Fri 25 November | Mon 21 November |
 |
Fri 9 December | Fri 2 December | Mon 28 November |
 |
Wed 14 December | Fri 9 December | N/A |
 |
Fri 16 December | Wed 14 December | Mon 12 December |
Please note: More details about our delivery targets are below. International Economy is only available for parcels. International Economy Courier is available to 32 key locations.
| Domestic | Send by |
|---|---|
|
Standard Post ParcelPost ParcelPost Tracked |
Tue 20 December |
|
FastPost ParcelPost Fast ParcelPost PO Box Priority |
Thu 22 December |
| CourierPost | Thu 22 December |
Non-delivery dates
We deliver mail six days a week, Monday to Saturday. We don't deliver mail on a Sunday or on public holidays and over the following holiday periods:
- Christmas holiday period - 25, 26 and 27 December
- New Year holiday period - 1, 2 and 3 January
- Easter holiday period
- Queen's Birthday
- Labour day
- Waitangi day
- ANZAC day
Please allow one to two extra working days for delivery when sending over the above periods.
Delivery targets
Standard service delivery target times apply for each domestic and international sending service.
However, your mail may be delayed if you are sending to rural, remote areas outside major cities or where the item is dutiable or held by Customs. New Zealand Post bears no responsibility for gifts sent overseas that may incur Customs duty or taxes - find out more about customs declarations & consignment notes.
If you’re sending overseas, as we do not directly control all parts of the delivery chain, we cannot guarantee your item will always reach its destination within the delivery target time.
Terms and conditions
The standard terms and conditions of the products and services offered by New Zealand Post Limited, including information on the extent of our liability, are set out in the Public Contract and the Postal Users' Guide. They are also available for reference at PostShop stores and selected New Zealand Post retail outlets.
Delivery Targets
You can expect that items will usually arrive at their destination within the delivery target specified. Because New Zealand Post does not directly control all parts of the delivery chain, we cannot guarantee that your item will always reach its destination within the delivery target. Delivery to areas outside major cities, or where your item is dutiable or held in Customs, may take longer. For information on our delivery targets for international destinations, view our guide to World Zones.
Required postage
The required postage is the value of postage required for New Zealand Post to carry the item. Actual price paid may vary instore. The required postage and specifications are subject to change.
Compensation, prohibited & high risk items
Before sending mail items, make sure your item is safe to send and will be covered if it goes missing or is damaged. Make sure you read about Compensation, high risk & prohibited items for more information.
International Economy, International Air, International Economy Courier and International Express Courier are trade marks of New Zealand Post Limited.
