Knowledge of New Caledonian palms (Arecaceae) has increased dramatically during the past few years with a wealth of new morphological, anatomical, ecological and molecular data now available. This information makes necessary several changes in the definition of New Caledonian endemic genera. In this article, we present a synopsis of all palm genera of New Caledonia and the subtribes to which they belong, keys for their identification, and a checklist of the species with new combinations where necessary. We retain nine genera of Areceae instead of the 15 previously recognised. The monotypic genera Alloschmidia, Campecarpus, Moratia, Lavoixia and Veillonia, and the bispecific genus Brongniartikentia, are reduced into synonymy with other genera. We provide a description and discussion of the correspondingly enlarged genera Basselinia, Cyphophoenix, Cyphokentia and Clinosperma, as well as notes on the four subtribes now recognised on the island: Livistoninae, Archontophoenicinae, Clinospermatinae and Basseliniinae. In addition, we formally incorporate the monotypic genus Lepidorrhachis from Lord Howe Island within the Basseliniinae. As a result of the changes made here at the generic and specific levels, the family Arecaceae in New Caledonia now comprises 10 genera and 38 species. Five new combinations are made.