There are 11 federal holidays in 2026, and the one calendar quirk to know is that Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, so most federal workers will observe it on Friday, July 3. The full list of 2026 federal holidays, along with what closes and who gets paid, is below.
All 11 Federal Holidays in 2026
Federal holidays are set by statute at 5 U.S.C. § 6103, which either pins each holiday to a specific date or fixes it to a designated weekday.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays
- 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 — Saturday, July 4 (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
Six of these are already tied to a weekday and never need adjustment. The other five land on whatever day the calendar dictates, which is why Independence Day shifts in 2026.
Why Independence Day Is Observed on Friday, July 3
When a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday becomes the observed holiday for employees whose regular workweek runs Monday through Friday.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays That puts the federal observance of Independence Day on Friday, July 3, 2026. The reverse rule applies when a holiday lands on a Sunday: the following Monday becomes the observed day off. Neither situation comes up in 2026 beyond Independence Day.
Banks, the Federal Reserve, and the Stock Market
The Federal Reserve closes on all 11 federal holidays. That halts Fedwire transfers, ACH settlement, and check processing on those days, so a direct deposit, tax refund, or wire arriving near a holiday should be expected to slip by at least one business day.2Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Holidays Observed – K.8
July 3, 2026 has a split status worth flagging. The Board of Governors will be closed for the observed holiday, but the Federal Reserve Banks themselves will be open that Friday, so some Fed services will still process transactions.2Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Holidays Observed – K.8
The New York Stock Exchange runs on its own calendar. It closes for most federal holidays but stays open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, and it closes on Good Friday, which isn’t a federal holiday at all. For Independence Day 2026, the NYSE will be closed on Friday, July 3, matching the federal observance.3New York Stock Exchange. Holidays and Trading Hours
Mail Delivery
The U.S. Postal Service suspends regular mail delivery and closes retail Post Office locations on all 11 federal holidays. Priority Mail Express is the exception, continuing to operate on a limited basis at select locations even on holidays.
The days that trip people up are the mid-week ones. Columbus Day (Monday, October 12) and Veterans Day (Wednesday, November 11) both fall on weekdays in 2026, and both mean no mail. If a document is time-sensitive, check the calendar before assuming next-day delivery.
Holiday Pay for Federal Employees
Federal employees who are excused from work on a holiday get their regular pay. Those required to work on a holiday get their regular pay plus holiday premium pay equal to their basic rate, which comes out to double their normal daily rate for the hours worked.4U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Fact Sheet: Premium Pay (Title 5)
Holiday premium pay is calculated per hour of holiday work and is separate from overtime. If a holiday shift also pushes the employee past their regular hours, overtime pay stacks on top.
What Federal Holidays Mean for Private-Sector Workers
No federal law requires private employers to close on federal holidays, give employees the day off, or pay a premium for holiday work. The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, and that includes holidays.5U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday Pay Whether you get a paid holiday depends on your employer’s policies, your employment contract, or a collective bargaining agreement.
The same applies to premium pay. There is no federal requirement to pay time-and-a-half or double time for working on Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other holiday. Extra pay is only triggered if holiday hours push a non-exempt employee past 40 hours in a workweek, and even then it is normal FLSA overtime based on total hours, not on the fact that the work happened on a holiday.
Many private employers follow the federal calendar anyway, in part because banks and government offices are closed and certain operations become impractical. That’s a business decision, not a legal requirement.
Federal Contractors
Workers on federal service contracts sit in a middle zone. Under the McNamara-O’Hara Service Contract Act, contractors on federal service contracts exceeding $2,500 may be required to provide holiday pay or other fringe benefits, depending on the wage determination for the specific contract.6U.S. Department of Labor. Holiday Pay The Davis-Bacon Act can also require holiday pay for certain construction workers on covered contracts when the wage determination calls for it.
These entitlements flow from the terms of the specific government contract, not from a general federal mandate. To know whether holiday pay applies, look at the wage determination attached to the contract.
Inauguration Day Is Not on the 2026 Calendar
Inauguration Day is treated as an additional federal holiday every four years on January 20, but only for federal and D.C. government employees who work in the Washington, D.C. area (specifically D.C., Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland, Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia, and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, Virginia).1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays The most recent one was January 20, 2025, and the next is January 20, 2029, so it does not appear on the 2026 calendar.