Yes, most banks in the United States are closed on Presidents Day, which falls on Monday, February 16, 2026. The holiday is officially Washington’s Birthday under federal law and lands on the third Monday of February every year.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays ATMs, mobile apps, and online banking stay available, but anything that moves through the Federal Reserve’s settlement systems waits until the next business day.
Why the Branches Shut
The Federal Reserve Banks close for Washington’s Birthday along with ten other federal holidays each year.2Federal Reserve. Holidays Observed – K.8 When the Fed is dark, banks can’t settle interbank transfers or clear payments through the central system. No law requires a private bank to lock its doors, but most do because the payment infrastructure behind the counter is offline.
Credit unions follow the same calendar. If you bank at one, expect the branch to be closed too.
Which Banks Stay Open
A handful of banks keep at least some locations open. TD Bank, for example, operates on Presidents Day, including its in-store branches.3TD Bank. TD Bank Holiday Hours and Store Closure Schedule Others run limited hours at select branches. If you need to walk into a lobby, check your bank’s holiday schedule on its website or app, which usually lists hours by location.
What Still Works
Branch doors may be locked, but most of your banking keeps running. ATMs dispense cash and accept deposits around the clock. Mobile apps let you check balances, move money between your own accounts, and deposit checks by photo. Online bill payment accepts scheduled instructions, though the actual funds follow the processing rules below.
Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal process transfers on holidays because they move money on their own internal ledgers rather than through the Fed. Your in-app balance updates instantly. Pulling that money out to a linked bank account can run into the same delays as any other transfer unless you pay for an instant withdrawal.
Real-Time Payment Networks
Two newer systems skip the holiday slowdown. The Federal Reserve’s FedNow Service runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including federal holidays.4Federal Reserve. FedNow Service The Clearing House’s RTP network settles payments around the clock on weekends and bank holidays as well.5The Clearing House. Real Time Payments If your bank participates in either, you can send and receive money in seconds on Presidents Day. Adoption is still growing, so confirm your bank supports one of them before you rely on it.
What Gets Delayed
The traditional payment rails stop for the day. ACH transfers and wires don’t settle on federal holidays because the Federal Reserve’s National Settlement Service is closed.6Nacha. ACH Payments Fact Sheet A payment you initiate Monday won’t begin processing until Tuesday. Bills due on the holiday are collected the next banking day.
Check deposits slide back too. Under Regulation CC, the third Monday in February is explicitly excluded from the definition of a business day.7eCFR. 12 CFR Part 229 – Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks, Regulation CC A check you deposit through your phone on Sunday or Monday won’t start its hold clock until Tuesday. For most local checks, banks must make the first $225 available by the next business day after the banking day of deposit, with the remainder available by the second business day.8eCFR. 12 CFR 229.10 – Next-Day Availability The holiday pushes both deadlines back one day.
The practical risk is overdraft fees. If you schedule a payment expecting deposited funds to clear on the usual timeline, the holiday gap can leave your account short. Keep a buffer in checking, or schedule outgoing payments for later in the week.
Payroll and Direct Deposits
If your regular payday falls on Presidents Day, your employer has to submit payroll early for the deposit to land on time. Most payroll systems need one or two business days of lead time before the check date, and the holiday eats one of those days. An employer who normally submits Thursday for a Monday payday would need to submit Wednesday, or the funds won’t arrive until Tuesday.
Some employers move the deposit up to the Friday before. Others let it land on Tuesday. Your company’s payroll provider decides which. If rent or another big bill auto-debits on your usual payday, a one-day shift can trigger a missed payment, so check with HR or your pay stub the week before to confirm the deposit date.
Markets Are Closed Too
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq both close for Washington’s Birthday, with no trading on Monday, February 16, 2026.9NYSE. Holidays and Trading Hours Bond markets follow the same closure under SIFMA’s recommendations.10SIFMA. Holiday Schedule Trades placed over the long weekend queue up for execution when markets reopen Tuesday.
How to Prepare
- Pull cash on Friday if you need more than your ATM limit.
- Initiate any ACH payment or wire you need settled by Monday no later than Thursday.
- Confirm your pay date with your employer if payday falls on Monday or Tuesday.
- Check your bank’s holiday hours by branch; a few locations stay open.
- Use FedNow or RTP for urgent transfers if your bank supports either.