The New Zealand public service consists of the 36 government departments established as public service departments, and then listed in Schedule 1 of the State Sector Act 1988; not all government departments are in the public service. It is what is known in many other countries as the civil service.

• See: state sector organisations in New Zealand (listing of public service departments)
• See also: Schedule 1, State Sector Act 1988 (alternative list of public service departments at legislation.govt.nz site)