Yes, the 4th of July is a federal holiday. Independence Day is one of eleven legal public holidays named in 5 U.S.C. § 6103, which is the statute that sets the federal calendar.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays In 2026, July 4 falls on a Saturday, so most federal workers get Friday, July 3 off as the observed holiday.2U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays
What “Federal Holiday” Actually Means
When a date carries the federal holiday designation, federal offices close, eligible federal employees get a paid day off, and federal court and tax deadlines shift. Because banks and financial markets track the federal schedule, the closure reaches well past government buildings.
When July 4 Falls on a Weekend
Independence Day is fixed to a calendar date rather than a floating Monday, so it regularly lands on a weekend. Two rules keep federal employees from losing the day:
- If July 4 is a Saturday, the preceding Friday becomes the observed holiday for employees on a standard Monday-through-Friday schedule.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays
- If July 4 is a Sunday, the following Monday becomes the observed holiday, under Executive Order 11582 (1971), which excuses employees whose workweek does not include Sunday on the next workday.3National Archives. Executive Order 11582
For 2026, that puts the observed holiday on Friday, July 3. Private employers that follow the federal calendar generally close on the same day.
Pay for Federal Employees
Most federal employees get a paid day off on the observed holiday.4U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Holidays Work Schedules and Pay An employee required to work during designated holiday hours receives regular pay for the day plus a premium equal to basic pay for up to eight hours of holiday work, which in practice is double pay for the shift.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 5546 – Pay for Sunday and Holiday Work
An employee called in for even a short task is guaranteed pay for at least two hours of holiday work. Hours beyond eight, or hours that qualify as overtime, fall under separate overtime rules rather than the holiday premium.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 5546 – Pay for Sunday and Holiday Work
Pay If You Work in the Private Sector
No federal law requires a private employer to give you July 4 off or to pay extra for working it. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not mandate paid holidays or premium rates for holiday shifts.6U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday Pay Whether you receive holiday pay, time-and-a-half, or the day off depends on your employer’s policy or a union contract.
Most private workers do get something. Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2025 shows about 81 percent of private industry workers had access to paid holidays, averaging eight per year, and Independence Day is almost always one of them.7U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Paid Sick Leave Was Available to 80 Percent of Private Industry Workers in 2025 Without a policy or contract promising it, though, you have no federal legal claim to holiday pay.
What Closes on the Holiday
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2026 for Independence Day, so no trades settle that day.8NYSE. Holidays and Trading Hours The Federal Reserve Board of Governors will also be closed on Friday, July 3, while Federal Reserve Banks stay open Friday and close for the holiday itself on Saturday, July 4.9Federal Reserve. Holidays Observed – K.8 Because the Fed’s schedule drives interbank transfers, most commercial banks close on the observed date, and wire transfers and ACH payments will not process. If you have a direct deposit or bill payment scheduled around those dates, expect a delay.
The U.S. Postal Service does not deliver mail or open retail locations on Independence Day. Federal courthouses and Social Security Administration offices close as well. Border crossings staffed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection remain open, though CBP warns travelers to expect heavier traffic and longer wait times around the holiday.10U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ‘Tis the Season for Travel: CBP Offers Helpful Holiday Border Crossing Tips
Court Filings and Tax Deadlines That Land on July 4
A federal court filing deadline that falls on Independence Day or its observed date rolls forward automatically. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6, any deadline measured in days (or hours) that lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday extends to the next day that is not one of those.11Legal Information Institute. Rule 6 – Computing and Extending Time; Time for Motion Papers If the clerk’s office is physically inaccessible on the last filing day, the deadline extends to the first accessible non-holiday day.
Tax filings work the same way. Under 26 U.S.C. § 7503, when the last day to file a return or perform any act required by the tax code falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the act is considered timely if completed on the next business day.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7503 This is the same mechanism that occasionally pushes the April filing deadline back when it collides with a weekend or with Emancipation Day in Washington, D.C.