The 2009 Special Honours in New Zealand were announced in August 2009 as a result of the reinstatement of the appellations of "Sir" and "Dame" to the New Zealand Royal Honours System by passing Special Regulation 2009/90 Additional Statutes of The New Zealand Order of Merit, a legally binding regulation with the force of law in New Zealand. The recipients are displayed as they were styled before the redesignation, and the date given in brackets is the date of the original appointment as a Principal or Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.