A ten-working-day period in a New Zealand property agreement depends on more than its length. Check the agreement for the trigger, the boundary wording, the regional anniversary and any summer exclusion.
This article uses the standard TLANZ/REINZ Agreement for Sale and Purchase, Eleventh Edition 2022 (4), still widely called the ADLS agreement. Check the signed agreement for its edition, amendments and further terms before using the same settings.
Start with the clause that creates the period
Record four points from the agreement:
- the event that starts the period and the date it occurred;
- the number and type of days;
- whether the trigger date counts; and
- any amendment to the standard definition.
The example below counts ten working days after the trigger, so Include start date is off. Another clause may use different wording. The section 54 guide explains common boundary words, but section 54 applies to legislation and does not govern a private agreement by itself.
Select the province where the property is situated
The standard agreement excludes the anniversary day of the province in which the property is situated. It does not use the buyer's address, the seller's address or the law firm's office.
Former provincial boundaries do not always match modern council boundaries. Confirm the property's province and the observed date for the relevant year, then choose the matching Regional anniversary days entry. The regional anniversary guide explains the calculator's 13 options.
Use the summer window that applies to the clause
The standard agreement has two property-related summer exclusions:
| Purpose | Dates excluded | Calculator setting |
|---|---|---|
| General working-day definition | 24 December to 5 January inclusive | ADLS sale and purchase agreement |
| Defined LIM date only | 24 December to 15 January inclusive | ADLS agreement — LIM date |
The longer window does not apply to every step merely because the transaction involves a LIM. It applies to the defined LIM date under the agreement. The summer shutdown guide compares these settings with the statutory and court-rule windows.
For the ordinary ten-day example, the agreement maps to these settings:
| Agreement feature | Calculator control |
|---|---|
| Working days | Select Working days |
| Property's provincial anniversary | Select the matching Regional anniversary days entry |
| General summer exclusion | ADLS sale and purchase agreement |
| Period begins after the trigger | Include the start date: off |
| Tenth day is the deadline | Include the end date: on |
Auckland Anniversary changes the result
Count ten working days after Friday 23 January 2026 using the general property-agreement definition. Compare a Wellington property with an Auckland property.
For Wellington, its 2026 anniversary was 19 January, before the period:
| Date | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Monday 26 January | Day 1 |
| Tuesday 27 January to Thursday 5 February | Days 2 to 9 |
| Friday 6 February | Waitangi Day, excluded |
| Monday 9 February | Day 10 |
For Auckland, the anniversary falls within the period:
| Date | Treatment |
|---|---|
| Monday 26 January | Auckland Anniversary Day, excluded |
| Tuesday 27 January to Thursday 5 February | Days 1 to 8 |
| Friday 6 February | Waitangi Day, excluded |
| Monday 9 February | Day 9 |
| Tuesday 10 February | Day 10 |
The settings are otherwise identical:
- Calculation type: Deadline
- Start date: 23 January 2026
- Direction: Forward
- Period: 10 working days
- Include the start date: off
- Include the end date: on
- Additional excluded periods: ADLS / TLANZ–REINZ / NZS 391x (24 December – 5 January)
Open the Auckland calculation. The result should show Tuesday 10 February and list both Auckland Anniversary Day and Waitangi Day as excluded dates.
The calculated date is only one part of the clause
The agreement may also set a time of day, prescribe how notice is given or received, and state what happens if settlement is late. The calculator does not test those requirements.
After calculating, check the result for the province, summer setting and excluded dates you intended to use. Then return to the signed agreement for the remaining notice and performance requirements.
Sources
Sources checked on 3 August 2026:
- TLANZ/REINZ Agreement for Sale and Purchase, Eleventh Edition 2022 (4), for the standard working-day definition
- The Law Association: ADLS members vote to rebrand, for the name change
- Employment New Zealand: public holidays and anniversary dates, for the 2026 anniversary dates
Both regional results are covered by executable calculator tests.
