| # | PREM/PM NAME | DATES IN OFFICE |
| * | Premier James Fitzgerald | 14 June–2 August 1854 |
| * | Premier Thomas Spencer Forsaith | 31 August–2 September 1854 |
| 1 | Premier Henry Sewell | 7–20 May 1856 |
| 2 | Premier William Fox | 20 May–2 June 1856 |
| 3 | Premier Edward Stafford | 2 June 1856–12 July 1861 |
| (2) | Premier William Fox | 12 July 1861–6 August 1862 |
| 4 | Premier Alfred Domett | 6 August 1862–30 October 1863 |
| 5 | Premier Frederick Whitaker | 30 October 1863–24 November 1864 |
| 6 | Premier Frederick Weld | 24 November 1864–16 October 1865 |
| (3) | Premier Edward Stafford | 16 October 1865–28 June 1869 |
| (2) | Premier William Fox | 28 June 1869–10 September 1872 |
| (3) | Premier Edward Stafford | 10 September–11 October 1872 |
| 7 | Premier George Waterhouse | 11 October 1872–3 March 1873 |
| (2) | Premier William Fox | 3 March–8 April 1873 |
| 8 | Premier Julius Vogel | 8 April 1873–6 July 1875 |
| 9 | Premier Daniel Pollen | 6 July 1875–15 February 1876 |
| (8) | Premier Julius Vogel | 15 February–1 September 1876 |
| 10 | Premier Harry Atkinson | 1 September 1876–13 October 1877 |
| 11 | Premier George Grey | 13 October 1877–8 October 1879 |
| 12 | Premier John Hall | 8 October 1879–21 April 1882 |
| (5) | Premier Frederick Whitaker | 21 April 1882–25 September 1883 |
| (10) | Premier Harry Atkinson | 25 September 1883–16 August 1884 |
| 13 | Premier Robert Stout | 16–28 August 1884 |
| (10) | Premier Harry Atkinson | 28 August–3 September 1884 |
| (13) | Premier Robert Stout | 3 September 1884–8 October 1887 |
| (10) | Premier Harry Atkinson | 8 October 1887–24 January 1891 |
| 14 | Premier John Ballance | 24 January 1891–27 April 1893 |
| 15 | Premier Richard Seddon | 1 May 1893–10 June 1906 |
| 16 | Prime Minister William Hall-Jones | 21 June–6 August 1906 |
| 17 | Prime Minister Joseph Ward | 6 August 1906–12 March 1912 |
| 18 | Prime Minister Thomas Mackenzie | 28 March–10 July 1912 |
| 19 | Prime Minister William Massey | 10 July 1912–10 May 1925 |
| 20 | Prime Minister Francis Bell | 14–30 May 1925 |
| 21 | Prime Minister Gordon Coates | 30 May 1925–10 December 1928 |
| (17) | Prime Minister Joseph Ward | 10 December 1928–28 May 1930 |
| 22 | Prime Minister George Forbes | 28 May 1930–6 December 1935 |
| 23 | Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage | 6 December 1935–27 March 1940 |
| 24 | Prime Minister Peter Fraser | 27 March 1940–13 December 1949 |
| 25 | Prime Minister Sidney Holland | 13 December 1949–20 September 1957 |
| 26 | Prime Minister Keith Holyoake | 20 September–12 December 1957 |
| 27 | Prime Minister Walter Nash | 12 December 1957–12 December 1960 |
| (26) | Prime Minister Keith Holyoake | 12 December 1960–7 February 1972 |
| 28 | Prime Minister John (Jack) Marshall | 7 February–8 December 1972 |
| 29 | Prime Minister Norman Kirk | 8 December 1972–31 August 1974 |
| 30 | Prime Minister Wallace (Bill) Rowling | 6 September 1974–12 December 1975 |
| 31 | Prime Minister Robert Muldoon | 12 December 1975–26 July 1984 |
| 32 | Prime Minister David Lange | 26 July 1984–8 August 1989 |
| 33 | Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer | 8 August 1989–4 September 1990 |
| 34 | Prime Minister Michael Moore | 4 September–2 November 1990 |
| 35 | Prime Minister James (Jim) Bolger | 28 February 1996–8 December 1997 |
| 36 | Prime Minister Jennifer (Jenny) Shipley | 8 December 1997–5 December 1999 |
| 37 | Prime Minister Helen Clark | 5 December 1999–19 November 2008 |
| 38 | Prime Minister John Key | 19 November 2008–12 December 2016 |
| 39 | Prime Minister Bill English | 12 December 2016–26 October 2017 |
| 40 | Jacinda Ardern | 26 October 2017– |
* Note: Some historians believe Premiers James Fitzgerald and Thomas Spencer Forsaith to be the first two premiers of New Zealand, so we have noted them here even though they are not included in the official prime minister count.
