Paid Parental Leave

If you have a baby, or start caring for a child under 6, you may get government-funded parental leave payments. This applies if you are the primary carer, you stop work to care for the child, and you worked enough hours in the past year. You apply to Inland Revenue, and payments last for 26 weeks in a row. From 1 July 2026, the maximum is NZ$811.05 a week before tax. Your partner can ask their employer for 1 or 2 weeks of unpaid partner's leave. Your partner can also take over part of your parental leave payments.

Key facts

Maximum per week (before tax)

NZ$811.05¹

Minimum per week for self-employed people

NZ$239.50 (equal to 10 hours a week at the adult minimum wage)¹

How long payments last

26 weeks (6 months) in a row. Payments stop if you go back to work early.¹

Work hours needed

In the 52 weeks before your baby's due date (or before you became the primary carer), you worked an average of at least 10 hours a week in any 26 of those weeks.¹

Residence status

You do not need to be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident. Your work must have a 'sufficient connection' to New Zealand.¹

How the amount is worked out for employees

The higher of your 'ordinary weekly pay' and your 'average weekly income', up to a maximum of NZ$811.05.¹

Preterm baby payments

If your baby is born alive before 37 weeks, you can get up to 13 extra weeks in a row, at the same rate as your parental leave payments.¹

Application deadline

You must apply before you go back to work. The birth parent must apply before the child's first birthday. Other primary carers must apply within 1 year of becoming the primary carer.²

Earliest start date

Employees can start parental leave up to 6 weeks before the due date (earlier in special cases).²

Best Start

You cannot get Best Start for the same period that you get parental leave payments.²

Partner's leave (unpaid)

If your partner has worked for the same employer continuously, for an average of at least 10 hours a week: 1 week after 6 months, or 2 weeks after 12 months.⁴

Notice to your employer

If you are giving birth, tell your employer in writing at least 3 months before the due date. If you are becoming a primary carer another way (for example, adoption), give at least 14 days' notice.⁵

Total parental leave

You and your partner together can take up to 52 weeks (this does not include partner's leave).⁵

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

• You are the primary carer of a child under 6. This includes: the person who is pregnant or gives birth (including surrogacy, and cases where the baby dies or is adopted); a spouse or partner who receives a transfer from the birth parent, or who cares for the child because the birth parent has died or cannot care for the child; and a person who takes long-term care of a child through adoption, whāngai, or a permanent care arrangement with Oranga Tamariki.
• Employees: in the 52 weeks before the due date (or before you became the primary carer), you worked an average of at least 10 hours a week in any 26 of those weeks. If you work for more than one employer, you can add your hours together.
• Self-employed people: the same 10 hours / 26 weeks rule applies, based on your self-employed work hours.
• You cannot combine employee hours and self-employed hours. You must meet the rule either as an employee or as a self-employed person.
• You do not need to be working when you apply. Inland Revenue looks at your work in the past 52 weeks. However, you must stop working while you get the payments.
• You do not need citizenship or permanent residence, but your work must have a sufficient connection to New Zealand. For employees, this usually means working for a New Zealand employer under New Zealand employment law. For self-employed people, it usually means paying income tax in New Zealand. If you are on a temporary visa, check your situation with Inland Revenue.

How do I do it? Steps and process

1. Check that you have worked enough hours

   Look at the 52 weeks before your due date. Check whether you worked an average of more than 10 hours a week in 26 of those weeks. If you plan to resign, first make sure you already meet the hours rule.

2. Tell your employer in writing

   If you are giving birth, email or write to your employer at least 3 months before the due date. Say what type of leave you want, when it starts and how long it lasts. If you and your partner are sharing the leave, give each person's start and end dates, and confirm that together you take no more than 52 weeks. Attach proof of the due date from your doctor or midwife. Your employer can ask for more information within 7 days. They must reply in writing within 21 days of getting all the information.

3. Apply for payments in myIR

   If this is your first time, log in to myIR, choose 'I want to…', then 'Register for Paid Parental Leave'. If you have applied before, go to your Paid parental leave account and choose 'Apply for Paid Parental Leave'. For employees, Inland Revenue works out the amount from information your employer reports. If you are self-employed, you must work out your average weekly income before you apply.

4. Decide whether to transfer payments to your partner

   If you both meet the hours rule, you can transfer all or part of the payments to your spouse or partner. You can do this when you apply, or send a separate transfer application later. Only one person can get payments at a time. The 26 weeks run continuously, each person can have only one block, and you cannot switch back and forth.

5. Get your notice and receive payments every two weeks

   If you are eligible, Inland Revenue sends you a notice of entitlement. It shows how much you get every two weeks and all payment dates. Your first and last payments may be different from the usual amount. If you apply after the baby is born, you get a lump sum for the period since your start date.

6. Your partner applies for partner's leave

   If your partner has worked for the same employer continuously (an average of at least 10 hours a week), they can take 1 week of unpaid partner's leave after 6 months, or 2 weeks after 12 months. It usually starts between 21 days before the due date and 21 days after the birth. If the employer agrees, it can start at any time. Your partner cannot get Inland Revenue parental leave payments during partner's leave.

7. Tell your employer before you go back to work

   If your employer is keeping your job for you, tell them your plans in writing at least 21 days before you return.

What documents do I need?

• Your myIR login details
• Your tax code and bank account number
• The date you want payments to start. If you want less than 26 weeks, or are transferring to your partner, also give the end date.
• Birth parent: proof of the due date or birth date from your doctor or midwife
• Other primary carers: a court order (or certified copy), or a letter from Oranga Tamariki or MSD confirming the date you became the primary carer. If you have neither, complete a Statutory declaration - IR880D.
• Self-employed people: your average weekly income, already worked out
• Your written leave notice to your employer (with proof from your doctor or midwife)

What should I watch out for?

• Parental leave payments (paid by Inland Revenue) and parental leave (approved by your employer) are two separate things with different rules. Even if you have resigned or are self-employed and have no leave from an employer, you may still get payments if you meet the hours rule and stop work while you are paid.
• If you are eligible, you get the government payments whatever your employment agreement says. Some employers also pay a 'top-up'. Check your employment agreement or company policy.
• However much you earn, the most you can get is NZ$811.05 a week before tax. If you have twins or more, the amount is the same. It does not double.
• Payments are taxed like wages. Inland Revenue takes tax off before paying you, so you need to give your tax code when you apply.
• If you do too much work while getting payments, it counts as going back to work and your payments stop. Employees can do a small amount of 'keeping in touch' work if their employer agrees. There is a time limit, so check Inland Revenue's guidance.
• If you got Best Start and then get parental leave payments for the same period, the Best Start for that time counts as an overpayment and you must pay it back.
• If you have a miscarriage or your baby dies, you can still get the full 26 weeks, as long as you are eligible, have not transferred the payments and have not gone back to work.
• There must be at least 6 months between two periods of parental leave payments.
• If you disagree with an Inland Revenue decision, you can ask the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) to review it within 12 months of getting the decision.
• This page summarises public official information only. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice.

What has changed recently?

• 2026-07-01
  The maximum parental leave payment went up from NZ$788.66 to NZ$811.05 a week (before tax). The minimum for self-employed people went up from NZ$235 to NZ$239.50 a week.Source: ird.govt.nz ↗

Common questions

Where can I check the official information?

1. Parental leave paymentsEmployment New Zealand (MBIE) · employment.govt.nz
2. When you can apply for paid parental leave paymentsInland Revenue · ird.govt.nz
3. Apply for paid parental leaveInland Revenue · ird.govt.nz
4. Partner's leaveEmployment New Zealand (MBIE) · employment.govt.nz
5. Requesting parental leaveEmployment New Zealand (MBIE) · employment.govt.nz

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