Yes, Veterans Day is a federal holiday. It is one of eleven legal public holidays listed in 5 U.S.C. § 6103, and it falls on November 11 every year.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays That status closes most federal offices, gives most federal employees a paid day off, and shuts down services that depend on federal systems — the Postal Service, federal courthouses, Social Security field offices, and the Federal Reserve. It does not require anyone outside the federal government to close.
What the Federal Holiday Label Actually Does
The designation is essentially a directive to the federal workforce. Most federal employees get the day off with pay. Those required to work — certain law enforcement, medical, and national security personnel — receive substitute time off or premium pay.
Everything else that happens on Veterans Day flows from that. Federal offices close because their employees are off. Mail stops because the Postal Service is a federal entity. Banks close because the Federal Reserve does. Private businesses, state agencies, and local governments each decide for themselves.
The November 11 Date and Weekend Rules
Veterans Day is fixed to November 11 rather than pegged to a Monday. In 2026 that lands on a Wednesday, so there is no scheduling complication. When the date falls on a weekend, the federal government shifts the paid observance so employees still get a day off: a Saturday holiday is observed on the preceding Friday, and a Sunday holiday on the following Monday.2U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays Ceremonial events — parades, wreath-layings, moments of silence — still happen on November 11 itself regardless of which day the government uses for the paid observance.
What Closes on Veterans Day
The closures most people notice:
- The U.S. Postal Service does not deliver mail or open retail counters.3United States Postal Service. Employee and Labor Relations Manual 518 – Holiday Leave
- Federal courthouses close. No hearings or trials take place, and a filing deadline that falls on Veterans Day automatically rolls to the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.4Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 6 – Computing and Extending Time
- Social Security field offices close, which can delay in-person appointments and benefit processing.5Social Security Administration. Holiday Closings of Social Security Offices
The filing-deadline rule catches people out. If you are counting days on a legal clock and the last day is November 11, you have until the end of the next regular business day. Missing that distinction has cost litigants their claims.
Banks Close, but the Stock Market Stays Open
The Federal Reserve observes Veterans Day, and that closure ripples through the banking system.6Federal Reserve Board. Holidays Observed – K.8 With the Fed’s payment infrastructure offline, banks cannot settle interbank transfers, clear checks through the Federal Reserve system, or process wire transfers as usual. Most commercial banks and credit unions close their branches. Online banking still handles basic tasks like checking balances, but anything requiring back-end settlement waits for the next business day.
The stock market is a different story. Veterans Day is not on the New York Stock Exchange’s holiday calendar, and Nasdaq follows the same schedule.7NYSE. Holidays and Trading Hours The bond market also operates on a regular schedule under industry recommendations.8SIFMA. Holiday Schedule Your bank branch is locked, no checks are clearing, and equities are trading normally.
What About Private Employers
No federal law requires private employers to close, give employees the day off, or pay a holiday premium on Veterans Day. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not mandate pay for time not worked, holidays included.9U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday Pay Whether you get the day off depends on your employer’s policy or a union contract. Most retail, restaurant, and service businesses stay open. Some employers offer a floating holiday; some pay time-and-a-half for working the day, but nothing in federal law requires it.
Five states go further, but only for veteran employees themselves: Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Tennessee require employers to give veterans a day off on Veterans Day, though the leave may be unpaid. Several of those states require advance written notice from the employee, ranging from 21 days in Oregon to a full month in Iowa and Tennessee. These laws do not apply to the general workforce.
Veterans Day Is Not Memorial Day
People conflate the two constantly, and the difference matters. Veterans Day honors every person who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces, living or dead. Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday in May, is specifically for service members who died while serving.10VA News. The Difference Between Veterans Day and Memorial Day Both are federal holidays; they are not interchangeable.
Free Entry to National Parks
The National Park Service waives entrance fees at all national parks on Veterans Day for every visitor, not just veterans.11National Park Service. Entrance Passes Some popular parks still require reservations on fee-free days, so check before you go. Veterans and Gold Star families also qualify for a free Military Lifetime Pass that covers entrance fees at federal lands year-round, not only on the holiday.12National Park Service. Free Entrance to National Parks for Current Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families