New Zealand
Psilocybin is legal for medical use in New Zealand as of 16 Aug 2026.1
- Corrected and re-checked against 2 cited sources at this review.
1. What the law is
Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 (psilocybine and psilocine are Class A controlled drugs, Schedule 1); Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977, regulation 22: Medsafe approval pathway for practitioners to prescribe, supply and administer psilocybin for a defined clinical purpose (guidance published 24 July 2025).1
Since 2025 a named psychiatrist in New Zealand can prescribe psilocybin, and the approval attaches to the practitioner, not the medicine. Medsafe grants it under regulation 22 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1977, for psychedelic-assisted therapy outside a research setting, and the first psychiatrist was approved that year. No psilocybin medicine is an approved product here. Outside that approval psilocybin is Class A under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, and possession, supply or cultivation is a crime.
2. Pending legislation
No bill is on file in New Zealand that would change this record, as of the 16 Aug 2026 review.
3. History
The laws behind today’s status, when each took effect, and every review since, in order.
Medical use status takes effect.
New Zealand had been recorded as decriminalized, which was wrong: psilocybin is a Class A drug. The status was corrected to medical because Medsafe began approving individual prescribers in 2025.
New Zealand's entry is re-verified against Medsafe's own guidance and two government releases, which date the prescribing pathway to June and July 2025 and confirm that psilocybin remains an unapproved medicine.
4. Trials in New Zealand
Interventional psilocybin trials with at least one study site in New Zealand, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov, EU CTIS, and ISRCTN. Registry data is reported by sponsors and shown as filed.
Recruiting, active, completed and closed add up to the 1 trial with a study site in New Zealand, as of Aug 2026. Closed covers trials terminated, suspended, withdrawn or left unverified.
| Registry ID | Trial | Phase | Sponsor | Status | Started |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT05581797 (opens in new tab) | Psilocybin-assisted Interpersonal Therapy for Depression (opens in new tab)Site at University of Otago, Christchurch | Phase Not applicable | Sponsor University of Otago | Status Completed | Started |
ClinicalTrials.gov data courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
5. Common questions
Is psilocybin legal in New Zealand?
Psilocybin is legal for medical use in New Zealand as of 16 Aug 2026.
Are magic mushrooms ("shrooms") legal in New Zealand?
"Magic mushrooms" and "shrooms" are common names for fungi that contain psilocybin. Psilocybin is legal for medical use in New Zealand as of 16 Aug 2026. Some laws control the compound and the fungus separately, so this record states the position for psilocybin in New Zealand.
Sources and confidence
Every status line is checked against the primary sources below. How each record is graded for confidence is set out in the methodology.
- 1.medsafe.govt.nz (opens in new tab) · medsafe.govt.nz
- 2.beehive.govt.nz (opens in new tab) · beehive.govt.nz
Cited at the review
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change frequently, and enforcement practice can differ from the letter of the law. Verify current status with local authorities before relying on this record.
Changes to this record
Every change we have made to this record, dated, corrections included. Nothing changes silently.
New Zealand's entry is re-verified against Medsafe's own guidance and two government releases, which date the prescribing pathway to June and July 2025 and confirm that psilocybin remains an unapproved medicine.
New Zealand had been recorded as decriminalized, which was wrong: psilocybin is a Class A drug. The status was corrected to medical because Medsafe began approving individual prescribers in 2025.
New Zealand: psilocybin legal status. The Psilocybin Record. Accession NZ-001. Status as of 16 Aug 2026. https://psilocybinlegalization.com/record/new-zealand
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