Plug Adapter for New Zealand: Plug Type & Voltage
Quick answer: New Zealand’s sockets are type I, at 230 V and 50 Hz. Neither US plug type, A or B, fits them: bring an adapter for type I. 230 V is about twice the US’s 120 V: a charger marked 100–240V needs only the adapter, but a device made for 120 V only must not be plugged in without a voltage converter.
Which plug adapter you need and whether you need a voltage converter: where you live, up to three places you are going, and what you are bringing.
United States → Italy
Bring a plug adapter: type C, F or LVoltage: Italy 230 V, against 120 V at home. Check each device’s label below.
- Italy
- Type C, F, Ladapter needed · 230 V · 50 Hz
- Phone charger and laptop charger: read the label. If it says “100–240V” (or has a voltage switch, set for where you are), it needs no converter, only the adapter. If it names one voltage, never plug it straight in: it needs a voltage converter.
- Hair dryer: read the label. If it says “100–240V” (or has a voltage switch, set for where you are), it needs no converter, only the adapter. If it names one voltage, never plug it straight in: it needs a converter rated above the watts on the label, or bring a dual-voltage travel model instead.
- Italy uses type C, F and L sockets; your type A and B plugs are not among them.
- More than one socket type is used there: an adapter for any of them works where that socket is on the wall. Many travel adapters take several; check which it lists.
- The frequency differs from home: chargers marked 50/60 Hz do not mind; clocks and some motors made for one frequency can run fast or slow on the other.
- Drawings are simplified. An adapter changes the shape of the plug, never the voltage: that is a converter’s job.
Plug types and voltage from Wikidata, frequency from the US International Trade Administration; checked 2026-09-25. Simplified drawings. Hotels and old buildings can differ: look at the socket.
The finder above opens on New Zealand: add up to two more countries of your trip, and your devices, for the adapter and the converter you need.
New Zealand’s plugs and voltage
New Zealand’s sockets are type I, at 230 V and 50 Hz. Neither US plug type, A or B, fits them: bring an adapter for type I. 230 V is about twice the US’s 120 V: a charger marked 100–240V needs only the adapter, but a device made for 120 V only must not be plugged in without a voltage converter.
| New Zealand | The US | |
|---|---|---|
| Plug types | I | A, B |
| Voltage | 230 V | 120 V |
| Frequency | 50 Hz | 60 Hz |
What your devices need
- Phones and laptops: read the label. If it says "100–240V" (or has a voltage switch, set for where you are), it needs no converter, only the adapter. If it names one voltage, never plug it straight in: it needs a voltage converter.
- Hair dryers and straighteners: read the label. If it says "100–240V" (or has a voltage switch, set for where you are), it needs no converter, only the adapter. If it names one voltage, never plug it straight in: it needs a converter rated above the watts on the label, or bring a dual-voltage travel model instead.
The frequency differs from home: chargers marked 50/60 Hz do not mind; clocks and some motors made for one frequency can run fast or slow on the other.
Adding Australia?
For a trip to New Zealand and Australia: bring a type I adapter, which fits in all of them.
Plan it
- New Zealand Road Trip: The Self-Drive Itinerary
- New Zealand South Island Road Trip
- What is there to do in Auckland?
- Do you need a visa for New Zealand?
FAQ
What plug type does New Zealand use?
Type I, at 230 V and 50 Hz.
Do I need a plug adapter for New Zealand?
Yes: a US plug fits none of New Zealand’s sockets (type I).
Do I need a voltage converter for New Zealand?
Only for a device made for 120 V alone, such as many hair dryers and straighteners: look for “100–240V” on the label, which needs no converter. New Zealand runs at 230 V.
Will my phone charger work in New Zealand?
Almost certainly: phone chargers are usually marked 100–240V. Its label decides; it needs only the adapter.
What does a New Zealand plug look like?
It is type I, the same as Australia’s: three flat pins: two angled toward each other at the top, and an earth pin below them. The finder above draws its socket. A US plug does not fit it: bring a type I adapter.
Where this comes from
The plug types and voltages are Wikidata’s (CC0), the same data as the Travel Adapter Finder; the frequency is the US International Trade Administration’s table. A plug is said to fit only where its own type is used: some sockets take other plugs too, but that depends on the socket, so this page does not promise it. An adapter changes the shape of the plug, never the voltage: that is a converter’s job.