NT public holidays 2026
Every public holiday in the Northern Territory for 2026, as published by the Northern Territory Government. Additional days such as Boxing Day Monday on Monday 28 December 2026 are public holidays for pay too.
| Public holiday | Date 2026 | Applies |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Whole state | |
| Australia Day | Whole state | |
| Good Friday | Whole state | |
| Easter Saturday | Whole state | |
| Easter Sunday | Whole state | |
| Easter Monday | Whole state | |
| Anzac Day | Whole state | |
| May Day | Whole state | |
| King's Birthday | Whole state | |
| Alice Springs Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Tennant Creek Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Katherine Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Darwin Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Picnic Day | Whole state | |
| Borroloola Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Christmas Eve | 7pm to midnight | Part day |
| Christmas Day | Whole state | |
| Boxing Day | Whole state | |
| Boxing Day MondayBoxing Day falls on a Saturday. | Additional day | |
| New Year's Eve | 7pm to midnight | Part day |
NT public holidays 2027
| Public holiday | Date 2027 | Applies |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Whole state | |
| Australia Day | Whole state | |
| Good Friday | Whole state | |
| Easter Saturday | Whole state | |
| Easter Sunday | Whole state | |
| Easter Monday | Whole state | |
| Anzac DayListed for Monday 26 April; 25 April 2027 is a Sunday. | Whole state | |
| May Day | Whole state | |
| King's Birthday | Whole state | |
| Alice Springs Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Tennant Creek Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Katherine Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Darwin Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Picnic Day | Whole state | |
| Borroloola Show DayRegional holiday — only in that show day region. Check the NT Government's show day regions map. | Part of state | |
| Christmas Eve | 7pm to midnight | Part day |
| Christmas Day | Whole state | |
| Boxing Day | Whole state | |
| Additional holiday (Christmas Day)Christmas Day falls on a Saturday. | Additional day | |
| Additional holiday (Boxing Day)Boxing Day falls on a Sunday. | Additional day | |
| New Year's Eve | 7pm to midnight | Part day |
What you’re paid on a NT public holiday
The state decides which days are public holidays. Your award or enterprise agreement decides the rate. If you work the day, every hour is paid at the public holiday rate below. If you don’t work it and it falls on a day you normally work, a full-time or part-time employee is paid their base rate for their ordinary hours. Casuals are paid only for hours they work.
| Award | Full-time / part-time | Casual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged Care AwardMA000018 · cl 23, 26.1 and 29.2 | 250% | 275% | Permanent employees can elect each year to have the hours added to annual leave instead of the extra 150% (cl 29.2(b)). |
| Building and Construction AwardMA000020 · cl 30.1 and cl 12.5–12.6 | 250% | 275% | |
| Cleaning AwardMA000022 · cl 20.2, Table 7 | 250% | 275% | Part-time employees are paid 265% because their 15% part-time allowance applies too (cl 10.2). |
| Clerks AwardMA000002 · cl 24 and Schedule B.3.1 | 250% | 275% | Paid for at least 4 hours when required to work a public holiday (cl 24.4(d)). |
| Commercial Sales AwardMA000083 · cl 19, cl 25.3–25.4 and Schedule A | 250% | 275% | |
| Electrical AwardMA000025 · cl 20.4 and Schedule B.2.1 / B.3.1 | 250% | 312.5% | |
| Fast Food AwardMA000003 · cl 21, Table 6 | 225% | 250% | Casuals 250% (the 225% plus the 25% loading). |
| General Retail AwardMA000004 | 225% | 250% | |
| Hair and Beauty AwardMA000005 · cl 23, Tables 14 and 15 | 250% | 250% | Casuals are paid 250% — the same as permanent staff. The 25% loading is not added (Table 15). |
| Health Professionals AwardMA000027 · cl 26, cl 33.2 and Schedule C | 250% | 275% | Casuals are paid 275%, the 250% plus the 25% loading (Schedule C.2.3). |
| Horticulture AwardMA000028 · cl 13.2, 13.3(d) and 27.3–27.4, and Schedule B.2–B.3 | 200% | 225% | |
| Hospitality AwardMA000009 · cl 29.2(b), Table 14 | 225% | 250% | |
| Legal Services AwardMA000116 · cl 21.3 and 21.4, Schedule B.1 and B.2 | 250% | 275% | |
| Live Performance AwardMA000081 · cl 21.5, cl 63.3(c) and cl 63.4 | 200% | 225% | |
| Manufacturing AwardMA000010 · cl 33 | 250% | 312.5%(250% of casual rate) | Casual rate is 250% of the casual hourly rate (cl 33), which is 312.5% of the minimum rate. Minimum 3 hours for day workers. |
| Mining AwardMA000011 · cl 21 and Schedule B.1.3 / B.2.3 | 250% | 312.5%(250% of casual rate) | Casual rate is 250% of the casual hourly rate (Schedule B.2.3), which is 312.5% of the minimum rate. |
| Miscellaneous AwardMA000104 · cl 20 and Schedule A.1.1 / A.2.1 | 250% | 250% | |
| Nurses AwardMA000034 · cl 20.2, 21 and 28.2 | 200% | 250%(200% of casual rate) | Casual rate is 200% of the casual hourly rate (cl 28.2), which is 250% of the minimum rate. Christmas Day on a weekend attracts an extra 50% in 7-day businesses (cl 28.2(b)). |
| Pastoral AwardMA000035 · cl 35.5 and Schedule B.2.1 / B.2.4 | 200% | 225% | |
| Pharmacy AwardMA000012 · cl 22.3, Table 6 | 225% | 250% | |
| Plumbing AwardMA000036 · cl 23 and Schedules C.1.3–C.1.7, D.1.3–D.1.7 | 250% | 275% | |
| Real Estate AwardMA000106 · cl 25.3 and Schedule B.1.1 / B.2.2 | 200% | 250%(200% of casual rate) | |
| Restaurant AwardMA000119 · cl 24.2, Table 8 | 225% | 250% | By agreement a permanent employee can take 125% plus a day added to annual leave or a day off within 28 days instead (cl 24.4(d)). Minimum engagement 4 hours (permanent) or 2 hours (casual). |
| Road Transport AwardMA000038 · cl 22.3, 22.8, 22.10, 23 and Schedule C | 250% | 275% | Day workers get 150% on top of the weekly wage for hours worked (effectively 250%), and 200% on top (300%) on Good Friday and Christmas Day; casual day workers 275% and 325% (cl 23.2). |
| SCHADS AwardMA000100 · cl 34.2 | 250% | 275% | The award says "double time and a half". Public holiday pay replaces weekend rates and shift loadings (cl 34.2(b)). |
| Security AwardMA000016 · cl 20.2, Table 7 | 250% | 275% | |
| Timber AwardMA000071 · cl 27 and Schedule D | 250% | 275% | Casual 275% is tabulated for the General Timber stream only (cl 27.1(d)); the award prints no casual public holiday rate for the other two streams. Minimum 3 hours. |
You can refuse a request to work a public holiday if the request is unreasonable or you have reasonable grounds. The public holiday pay guide covers refusals, leave and substitute days in full.
Holidays marked “Part of state” are public holidays only where your job is based in that area. Elsewhere in NT they are ordinary working days.
What you're paid for working Picnic Day in NT
Enter your base hourly rate (the permanent rate from your payslip or award, before any casual loading), the hours you work on the day and your award. The award rate is read from the award’s own penalty table.
- Public holiday rate (250%)
- $66.10/h
- Pay for 6 hours on the public holiday
- $396.60
- Same hours on an ordinary weekday (incl. 25% loading)
- $198.30
- Extra for working the public holiday
- $198.30
- If you don't work it and would normally be rostered
- $0.00 (casual)
Casuals are paid only for public holidays they work. The casual rate shown already includes the 25% loading — it is not added again.
For Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, enter only the hours worked from 7pm to midnight; earlier hours are ordinary hours.
Before tax. Minimum shift lengths, overtime and allowances are not included. All Hospitality Award rates · Take-home pay after tax
Prefilled for a casual employee under the Hospitality Award. Change the award, rate and hours to match your payslip.
Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve from 7pm
The NT Government lists Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve as part-day holidays from 7pm to midnight only. Hours worked in that window are paid at your award's public holiday rate, and earlier hours at the usual rate for the day. A 4pm to midnight bar shift on New Year's Eve is 3 hours at the usual rates for that evening and 5 hours at the public holiday rate.
Show days: which one is yours
The Territory has five regional show day holidays: Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Darwin and Borroloola. Each is a public holiday only in its own show day region, so an employee gets the one for the region their job is based in, not all five. Darwin Show Day is Friday 24 July 2026 and Friday 23 July 2027. The NT Government's show day regions map sets the boundaries.
May Day and Picnic Day
May Day (the first Monday in May) and Picnic Day (the first Monday in August) are Northern Territory public holidays found nowhere else. They are full public holidays for pay, so the award rates above apply if you work them, and permanent staff who normally work Mondays are paid for the day off.
Your NT pay, leave and payslip
Public holiday pay is taxed as ordinary income with the rest of your pay. To see what a pay period with a public holiday shift leaves you after tax, use the NT pay calculator. Long service leave is set by NT law, not the National Employment Standards; the NT long service leave calculator works out your entitlement. To check the public holiday line on your payslip, the payslip guide explains each line, and the back pay calculator totals an underpayment.
NT public holiday pay questions
Public holidays in other states
How this page is sourced▼
Every date was read from the Northern Territory Government’s own public holidays page on 24 September 2026. Each date is stored alongside the text the government prints, and automated tests check the day, month and weekday against it. Where the government has not yet published a date, the page says so instead of estimating it.
Public holiday pay rates are read from the site’s award constants (Fair Work Commission award texts, rates from the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026). Rights when not working come from the Fair Work Ombudsman and the Fair Work Act 2009 ss 114–116.
Sources & References
- 1NT public and regional holidays— Northern Territory Government
- 2Show day regions— Northern Territory Government
- 3Not working on public holidays— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 4Public holiday penalty rates— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 5Public holidays (working outside your state or region)— Fair Work Ombudsman
- 6Fair Work Act 2009, sections 114–116— Federal Register of Legislation
Last verified: 24 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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