The 2013 Post-enumeration Survey (PES) was the fourth to be undertaken in New Zealand since the inaugural PES in 1996. The 2013 PES, like its predecessors, was a sample survey of individuals in private dwellings. The survey was carried out between 9 April and 10 May 2013 and included just over 14,900 dwellings and nearly 32,700 individuals.

The main objective of the 2013 Post-enumeration Survey (PES) was to measure the level of national coverage (undercount and overcount) in the 2013 Census. Counting more than four million people throughout New Zealand is a major undertaking, and inevitably some people will be missed or counted more than once by the census. Many countries conduct surveys to estimate the number of people who were not enumerated or were overcounted by their censuses. Experience from previous PESs in New Zealand, access to new information and international developments, and advice in methodology contribute to improving the accuracy and robustness of these surveys