Current champions Canterbury will open their title defence in the four day competition at the revamped Hagley Oval against Wellington October 25th.
Three full rounds will be played in October and December, with the remainder of the competition played from early February.
New Zealand Cricket's general manager of domestic cricket David Cooper says the major associations wanted to see a certainty in the scheduling so this 2014-15 season format will be in place for the next four years.
Limited overs schedules will be released over the next two weeks.
The New Zealand Governor General William Plunket donated the shield in 1906-07, and New Zealand first class domestic teams have been playing for it ever since.
The shield was played on a challenge basis until 1921-22, before taking on its current points format.
Otago, Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington were the first four teams to contest the shield, with Central Districts joining in 1950-51 and Northern Districts completing the line-up in 1956-57.
Plunket Shield schedule: http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/domestic/fixtures.aspx?sid=200
