There are eleven federal holidays in 2026, beginning with New Year’s Day on Thursday, January 1 and ending with Christmas on Friday, December 25. The one scheduling quirk this year is Independence Day: July 4 falls on a Saturday, so most federal employees get Friday, July 3 off instead. No other 2026 holiday hits a weekend.
The 2026 Dates
- New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Monday, January 19
- Washington’s Birthday: Monday, February 16
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
- Juneteenth National Independence Day: Friday, June 19
- Independence Day: Friday, July 3 (observed; statutory date is Saturday, July 4)
- Labor Day: Monday, September 7
- Columbus Day: Monday, October 12
- Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11
- Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 26
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
Six of these always land on a Monday because Congress tied them to a specific week of the month. The other five have fixed calendar dates, so their weekday shifts year to year.1U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays Federal law names the February holiday “Washington’s Birthday,” even though many states and calendars call it Presidents’ Day.
Why July 3 Shows Up Instead of July 4
Under 5 U.S.C. ยง 6103, when a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday becomes the observed holiday for employees whose regular workweek is Monday through Friday.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 US Code 6103 – Holidays That is why the official 2026 date for Independence Day is Friday, July 3.
The Sunday version of the rule comes from Executive Order 11582, signed in 1971: when a holiday falls on a Sunday, employees whose basic workweek does not include Sunday observe it the following Monday.3National Archives. Executive Order 11582 No 2026 holiday falls on a Sunday, so the Monday-after rule does not come up this year.
What Closes on These Days
Federal Offices, Courts, and Mail
Federal agencies close on all eleven holidays. Social Security offices, IRS service centers, passport agencies, and most other non-emergency federal facilities are shut. The U.S. Postal Service closes too, so there is no regular mail delivery. Federal courts also close, which can push filing deadlines: under the federal rules of civil and appellate procedure, a deadline that lands on a day the clerk’s office is closed rolls to the next day it is open.
Banks
The Federal Reserve closes on all eleven federal holidays, which means banks cannot process wire transfers, ACH payments, or other interbank transactions on those days.4Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Holidays Observed – K.8 Most commercial banks follow the same schedule. ATMs and mobile apps still work for basic functions.
Stock Markets
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq run on a different calendar. In 2026, they plan to close on:
- January 1 (New Year’s Day)
- January 19 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
- February 16 (Washington’s Birthday)
- April 3 (Good Friday)
- May 25 (Memorial Day)
- June 19 (Juneteenth)
- July 3 (Independence Day observed)
- September 7 (Labor Day)
- November 26 (Thanksgiving Day)
- December 25 (Christmas Day)
The exchanges also close early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on November 27, the day after Thanksgiving, and December 24, Christmas Eve.5NYSE. 2026 Trading Calendar The markets add Good Friday, which is not a federal holiday, and skip Columbus Day and Veterans Day. If you are waiting on a trade to settle or a transfer to clear, plan around the market calendar rather than the federal one.
Private Businesses
No federal law requires any private business to close on any holiday. Stores, restaurants, and service companies set their own schedules. In practice, most private employers close or offer paid time off for the “big six”: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Columbus Day and Veterans Day are less commonly observed. State government workers typically receive between nine and fourteen paid holidays per year, depending on the state.
Holiday Pay: Federal Workers
Most federal employees get a paid day off on each of the eleven holidays, at their regular base pay, without being required to work.6U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Holidays Work Schedules and Pay
Federal workers who do have to work on a holiday receive holiday premium pay on top of their regular wages. The premium equals their basic rate for up to eight hours of holiday work, effectively doubling pay for that shift.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 US Code 5546 – Differential Pay Hours past eight, or hours that qualify as overtime, fall under separate overtime rules rather than the holiday premium.
Intermittent employees, who work on an as-needed basis without a regular schedule, are not entitled to paid holiday time off or to holiday premium pay.6U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Holidays Work Schedules and Pay
Holiday Pay: Private Sector
Federal law does not require private employers to give you paid time off for any holiday, and it does not require premium pay for working one. The Department of Labor is explicit: the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, holidays included.8U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday Pay Whether you get holiday pay, time-and-a-half, or nothing extra depends on your employment contract or collective bargaining agreement.
Many workers assume “time and a half on holidays” is federal law. It is not. A few states set their own holiday pay requirements, so if you are unsure, check with your state’s labor department. Beyond any legal minimum, larger employers usually offer some form of holiday pay; smaller businesses often do not.
Religious Observances Not on the Federal List
The eleven federal holidays do not cover every faith’s observances. If your religious practice requires time off on a day that is not a federal holiday, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act requires your employer to reasonably accommodate a sincerely held religious belief unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the business.9U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Fact Sheet – Religious Accommodations in the Workplace
The Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Groff v. DeJoy sets the current standard for undue hardship: the employer must show the accommodation would result in “substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business.” Coworker complaints or customer discomfort about the religious practice do not qualify.
You do not need to file a formal written request. Telling your employer you need a schedule change for a religious reason is enough to trigger their duty to look for options. Common accommodations include flexible scheduling, shift swaps, and using personal or vacation days for religious observances.