To answer the question directly: if you are wondering whether the IRS is closed today, the agency shuts its offices, phone lines, and in-person services on every weekend and on eleven federal holidays in 2026. Everything else runs Monday through Friday during business hours. The IRS website, e-filing, and online payment tools stay available around the clock, including on days the offices are dark.
2026 Federal Holidays When the IRS Is Closed
The IRS follows the federal holiday calendar. On each of these dates, offices are closed, phones are unstaffed, and paper documents sit unprocessed:
- 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 (observed): Friday, July 3
- 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
When a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed. When it falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed. Independence Day 2026 lands on Saturday, July 4, so the observed closure is Friday, July 3.1U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays
District of Columbia Emancipation Day, recognized on April 16, can shift the April 15 filing deadline in years when the calendar lines up. In 2026, April 15 is a Wednesday, so the standard filing deadline is not affected.2Internal Revenue Service. Publication 509 (2026), Tax Calendars
Weekday Hours for Offices and Phone Lines
Staffed IRS services operate Monday through Friday only. Physical offices generally open around 8:30 a.m. and close by 4:30 p.m. local time, though hours vary by location. The main phone lines run from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time on weekdays: 800-829-1040 for individuals and 800-829-4933 for businesses. Alaska and Hawaii follow Pacific time.3Internal Revenue Service. Let Us Help You
Hold times swing hard by season. Between January and April, the average wait runs about three minutes. From May through December, the average climbs to roughly fifteen minutes. Within a week, Wednesday through Friday tend to move faster than Monday and Tuesday. If the wait is long, the system may offer a callback so you can hang up and take the return call when a representative is free.3Internal Revenue Service. Let Us Help You
Walk-In Offices Require an Appointment
Taxpayer Assistance Centers are the IRS’s in-person offices, but you cannot actually walk in. Every visit requires an appointment scheduled by calling 844-545-5640, and during busy periods it can take several weeks to get one.4Internal Revenue Service. Here’s What Taxpayers Should Know Before Visiting an IRS Office5Internal Revenue Service. IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers with ITIN Services
Individual centers sometimes close on their own for severe weather, local emergencies, or staffing gaps even when the national organization is running. The “Contact Your Local Office” tool on IRS.gov shows whether a specific location is open, and the IRS posts wider closure alerts on its employee emergency news page.4Internal Revenue Service. Here’s What Taxpayers Should Know Before Visiting an IRS Office6Internal Revenue Service. IRS Employee Emergency News
During filing season, many centers open on select Saturdays through the spring to handle the surge. Every regular service is available on those Saturdays except cash payments. Participating locations and dates can change without notice, so check IRS.gov/saturdayhours before making the trip.7Internal Revenue Service. IRS Announces Extended Weekday and Saturday Hours at Taxpayer Assistance Centers Through Spring
Online Services Stay Open Every Day
If the offices are closed today, the website still works. You can file a return, make a payment, check refund status through “Where’s My Refund?”, or pull a tax transcript on any holiday or weekend. Electronic payments from a checking or savings account process around the clock.
A few scheduled exceptions apply. The E-Services platform for tax professionals goes offline Sundays from midnight to 4:00 p.m. Eastern for maintenance.8Internal Revenue Service. E-Services The core electronic filing system, Modernized e-File, has seasonal opening dates: business returns opened January 13, 2026, and individual returns January 26, 2026.9Internal Revenue Service. Modernized e-File (MeF) Status
Government Shutdowns Are Different
A federal shutdown is not a holiday, and it is not treated like one. When Congress fails to pass a spending bill, the IRS furloughs a large share of its workforce and scales back to a limited operation. Under the most recent fiscal year 2026 contingency plan, about 34,400 employees were furloughed while roughly 54% of the workforce was retained to protect property, keep essential systems running, and prepare for filing season.10Internal Revenue Service. Statement on IRS Operations Limited During the Lapse in Appropriations; Regular Tax Deadlines Remain
What continues during a shutdown: electronic filing, processing of e-filed returns with payments, criminal enforcement, and basic IT operations. What pauses: most phone support, paper return processing, non-automated collections, and most audit work. Anything that needs a human reviewing your case is on hold.
Refunds mostly do not go out, with one exception. An error-free e-filed return with direct deposit can be processed automatically, so those refunds still move. Paper returns wait until full operations resume.10Internal Revenue Service. Statement on IRS Operations Limited During the Lapse in Appropriations; Regular Tax Deadlines Remain
Deadlines do not move. A shutdown is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, so the automatic extension rule does not apply. If you owe money, you still need to pay on time to avoid penalties.
What a Closure Means for Your Deadline
Federal law protects you when a tax deadline lands on a day the IRS is closed. Under 26 U.S.C. ยง 7503, if the last day for any tax-related act falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline moves to the next day that is not one of those.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7503 – Time for Performance of Acts Where Last Day Falls on Saturday, Sunday, or Legal Holiday “Legal holiday” covers federal holidays and any statewide holiday in the state where the relevant IRS office is located.
The rule applies to mailed returns, electronic filings, and payments alike. In 2026, April 15 is a Wednesday, so the standard individual filing deadline stays put.12Internal Revenue Service. When to File
For paper filings, the postmark date controls. Certain private delivery services from DHL Express, FedEx, and UPS also qualify for the “timely mailed, timely filed” treatment, but only specific service tiers count. Standard ground shipping does not. Keep the written proof of mailing date the carrier provides in case the IRS questions when you sent the return.13Internal Revenue Service. Private Delivery Services (PDS)