Prior to 1946 the New Zealand armed forces received honours of the United Kingdom, including military decorations and campaign medals. 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 campaign medals which have been independently issued by New Zealand to its armed forces are in bold.^[1]

19th century

• New Zealand War Medal

South African War

• Queen's South Africa Medal
• King's South Africa Medal

World War I

• 1914 Star
• 1914–15 Star
• British War Medal
• Mercantile Marine War Medal
• Victory Medal

World War II

• 1939–1945 Star
• Atlantic Star
• Air Crew Europe Star
• Africa Star
• Pacific Star
• Burma Star
• Italy Star
• France and Germany Star
• Defence Medal
• War Medal 1939–1945
• New Zealand War Service Medal

Post World War II

• New Zealand Operational Service Medal
• New Zealand Service Medal 1946–1949
• Korea Medal
• Naval General Service Medal (1915)
• General Service Medal 1918–62
• General Service Medal 1962
• Vietnam Medal
• Rhodesia Medal
• New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike)
• New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Non-Warlike)
• East Timor Medal

21st century

• NZGSM 2002 (Solomon Islands)
• NZGSM 2002 (Afghanistan) – Primary Operations Area
• NZGSM 2002 (Afghanistan) – Secondary Operations Area
• NZGSM 2002 (Iraq 2003)
• NZGSM 2002 (Timor-Leste)
• NZGSM 2002 (Korea)
• NZGSM 2002 (Counter-Piracy)
• NZGSM 2002 (Iraq 2015)
• NZGSM 2002 (Greater Middle East)

New Zealand Special Service Medals

• New Zealand Special Service Medal (Nuclear Testing)
• New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus)
• New Zealand Special Service Medal (Asian Tsunami)