Entries are now open for the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, for New Zealand books published between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025.

There are two submission dates:

·For books published between 1 January and 31 August, submissions are now open until 5pm on Wednesday 3 September.

·For books published between 1 September and 31 December, online submissions will open on Thursday 4 September and close 5pm on Thursday 16 October.

All entries need to be submitted online, via this website. Before completing the form, please download the 2026 Call for Entries pack here and read it thoroughly. It contains important information to assist you with your submissions, some of which may have changed from previous years.

The 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist will be revealed on 29 January 2026 and the shortlist on 4 March 2026. The awards ceremony will be held in Auckland on 13 May 2026, in collaboration with the Auckland Writers Festival.

Any further queries about the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards should be directed to the Awards Administrator: awards@nzbookawards.org.nz