There is no federal holiday in March. Congress has written eleven public holidays into federal law, and none of them falls in March, making it one of only three months (along with April and August) with zero days off for federal workers. Government offices, federal courts, and post offices keep their normal schedules every weekday of the month.
What This Means for Federal Services in March
Every weekday in March is a normal business day for the federal government. Post offices run regular delivery routes and retail hours. Federal courts hear cases on their standard dockets. Social Security Administration offices keep their usual walk-in and appointment schedules. The Federal Reserve processes transactions every business day, so banks that follow the Fed’s calendar operate without interruption.1USAGov. American Holidays
If you’re waiting on a federal filing, a benefits determination, or a mailed document, March is one of the most predictable months on the calendar. No mid-week federal closure will push back your deadline or delay your mail.
The March Tax Deadline That Trips People Up
March has no holiday, but it has a major federal tax deadline that catches small business owners every year. S-corporations and partnerships must file their federal returns by the fifteenth day of the third month after their tax year ends. For businesses on a calendar year, that’s March 15. In 2026, March 15 falls on a Sunday, so the deadline shifts to Monday, March 16.2Internal Revenue Service. 2025 Instructions for Form 1120-S
S-corporations file Form 1120-S and must deliver a Schedule K-1 to each shareholder by that same date. Partnerships file Form 1065 and distribute K-1s to partners. Those K-1 forms feed into individual returns, so a missed March deadline ripples into April: partners and shareholders can’t finish their personal taxes on time.3Internal Revenue Service. Publication 509 (2026), Tax Calendars
Need more time? Form 7004 grants an automatic six-month extension to file. The extension covers the paperwork, not any tax owed. And your personal payment deadline as a shareholder or partner is still April 15.4Internal Revenue Service. Starting or Ending a Business
State Offices May Close Even When Federal Ones Don’t
Several states shut their own offices in March for holidays the federal calendar ignores. Texas gives state employees March 2 off for Texas Independence Day. Vermont observes Town Meeting Day on the first Tuesday in March. Suffolk County in Massachusetts closes for Evacuation Day on March 17. Cesar Chavez Day on March 31 is a paid holiday for state workers in certain states.
These closures affect state courts, DMVs, and other state agencies. The federal building down the street stays open. If your local DMV is dark for a state holiday but you need a federal office, that federal office will almost certainly be operating normally.
March Observances That Don’t Close Federal Offices
Congress has designated several March dates as official observances, a category that carries recognition but no day off. A federal holiday shuts down offices and triggers paid leave; a federal observance just encourages recognition.
March is Women’s History Month. Congress first designated it in 1987 through Public Law 100-9, and every President since 1995 has issued an annual proclamation continuing the recognition. Federal agencies hold events and programming, but nothing closes.5Library of Congress. History and Overview
March 29 is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, established by the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017. The law directs that the American flag be prominently displayed on that date. Federal offices remain open and no employees receive the day off.6Congress.gov. S.305 – Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017
St. Patrick’s Day and Other Dates People Mistake for Holidays
St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 is the most commonly confused date in March. Major cities close streets for parades, bars run week-long promotions, and it can feel like a holiday. It isn’t one at the federal level. Every federal agency, court, and post office operates normally on March 17.1USAGov. American Holidays
Pi Day on March 14 and the spring equinox around March 20 get attention online and in schools, but neither changes the federal work schedule. None of these cultural dates carries any legal requirement for time off or premium pay in the private sector either. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers aren’t required to pay for time not worked on any holiday, federal or otherwise. Holiday pay and flexible scheduling are up to the employer.7U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday Pay
Why There’s No March Holiday, and Whether That Could Change
Every federal holiday traces back to one statute: 5 U.S.C. ยง 6103. That law lists each holiday by name and date, and it’s the only place a permanent federal holiday can be created. Adding one requires Congress to amend the statute and the President to sign the bill. The most recent addition was Juneteenth National Independence Day in 2021.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays
A President can grant a one-time day off through executive order on rare occasions, but no standing March holiday exists, and none is pending. Plan on a full month of normal federal operations.9U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays