Call signs in New Zealand are no longer generally used to identify broadcast stations. However, New Zealand's radio stations were once known by their call signs and would usually broadcast their call signs as a number followed by X, Y, or Z, and another letter (e.g. 1YA). Call signs are regulated internationally by the ITU and nationally by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), formerly the Ministry of Economic Development. The ministry is also responsible for providing policy advice to Government on the allocation of New Zealand's radio spectrum to support, efficient, reliable and responsive wireless telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure.
In 1924, New Zealand was granted the prefix 'Z', and in 1925 the number of licensed amateur reached 100. In 1927 the International Telecommunication Union Conference in Washington (D.C., USA) established internally agreed upon call sign prefixes – New Zealand was assigned 'OZ'. In 1929 this was expanded to the ZK–ZM letter block, with New Zealand opting for the ZL prefix for land based stations. 'OZ' by 1927 was reassigned to Denmark. In 1969 the ZM prefix was allowed to celebrate the Captain James Cook bicentenary. In 1974 the prefix was allowed again to celebrate the Commonwealth Games, as well as in 1989 when the Games returned. In 1981 the ZLØ prefix was allowed for visitors to New Zealand.
The International Telecommunication Union has assigned New Zealand the following call sign blocks for all radio communication, broadcasting or transmission:
While not directly related to call signs, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) further has divided all countries assigned amateur radio prefixes into three regions; New Zealand is located in ITU Region 3, within ITU Zone 60.
There are 4 possible 2-letter prefixes and 40 2-letter/1-number prefixes available to New Zealand operators based on the ITU blocks (ZK, ZL, ZM and E5). This provides for about 720,000 three-character-suffix call signs and significantly more if numerals comprise either or both of the first two characters of the suffix. A further 18.8 million 4-character call signs are potentially available, as well as considerably more when digits are assigned in the suffix.
Of these prefixes, 1 is currently assigned (ZL) for normal amateur radio operation. ZM can be used in place of ZL for short special events (e.g. contests), and E5 calls are issued in the Cook Islands (both North and South Cooks).