Prior to 1985 the New Zealand armed forces received the same Meritorious and Long Service Awards awarded in the United Kingdom. Since the end of World War 2 there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system. This has resulted in a new system of New Zealand honours, gallantry and bravery awards, and campaign medals.

The following are a list, in order of precedence as defined in references below. Those Meritorious and Long Service medals which have been independently issued by New Zealand to its armed forces are in bold.^[1]

• New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal (for Sesquicentennial)
• New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 (for Women's suffrage)

• New Zealand Territorial Service Medal
• New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal
• New Zealand Meritorious Service Medal
• New Zealand Defence Meritorious Service Medal
• New Zealand Police Meritorious Service Medal
• New Zealand Public Service Medal
• New Zealand Armed Forces Award
• New Zealand Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• Royal New Zealand Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• Royal New Zealand Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• New Zealand Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
• NZ Fire Brigades Long Service & Good Conduct Medal
• NZ Prison Service Medal
• New Zealand Traffic Service Medal
• New Zealand Customs Service Medal
• Efficiency Decoration
• Efficiency Medal
• RNZN Reserve Decoration
• RNZN Volunteer Reserve Decoration
• RNZN Volunteer Reserve Long Service & Good Conduct Medal
• Air Efficiency Award
• Cadet Forces Medal
• New Zealand Defence Service Medal

• Queens Medal for Champion Shots (Army)
• Queens Medal for Champion Shots (Navy)
• Queens Medal for Champion Shots (Air Force)

• New Zealand Honours overview on DPMC website
• New Zealand medals on NZDF website (see NZDF)