US Business Days 2026 Checklist
Plan 2026 US workday counts with a practical checklist for federal holidays, observed dates, and company closures.
Start with the US holiday set
US planning often starts with a Monday-Friday workweek and federal holidays, then adds state, school, bank, or company rules.
- Check observed dates when a holiday lands on Saturday or Sunday.
- Add state-specific holidays only when they affect the business process.
- Separate bank closure rules from normal office availability.
Write the exception list
The most reliable US workday count is the one with visible exceptions beside the number.
- Note shutdown weeks, floating holidays, and office-specific closure days.
- Keep partial days outside the business-day count unless your rule says otherwise.
- Recheck date ranges that cross Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year periods.
Reference Blocks
Use these short blocks as starting notes before opening the calculator.
US 2026 note paragraph
US 2026 count: start from Monday-Friday weekdays, subtract observed federal holidays that affect the task, then subtract company or state closures before using the result.
Checklist table
Check | Decision Federal holidays | Include observed dates State holidays | Include only when applicable Bank closures | Include for payments or transfers Company closures | Include shutdowns and floating days
Data Tables
Use these counts as a starting point, then adjust the calculator when your calendar has local closures, alternate weekends, or a different start-date rule.
United States 2026 business days by month
Counts use a Monday-Friday workweek and the US federal holidays 2026 closure dates listed below.
| Month | Weekdays | Holiday closures | Business days | Closures counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22 | 2 | 20 | New Year's Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day |
| February | 20 | 1 | 19 | Washington's Birthday |
| March | 22 | 0 | 22 | None |
| April | 22 | 0 | 22 | None |
| May | 21 | 1 | 20 | Memorial Day |
| June | 22 | 1 | 21 | Juneteenth National Independence Day |
| July | 23 | 1 | 22 | Independence Day |
| August | 21 | 0 | 21 | None |
| September | 22 | 1 | 21 | Labor Day |
| October | 22 | 1 | 21 | Columbus Day |
| November | 21 | 2 | 19 | Veterans Day; Thanksgiving Day |
| December | 23 | 1 | 22 | Christmas Day |
Source calendar: U.S. Office of Personnel Management federal holidays.
CSV copy block
Month,Weekdays,Holiday closures,Business days,Closures counted January,22,2,20,New Year's Day; Martin Luther King Jr. Day February,20,1,19,Washington's Birthday March,22,0,22,None April,22,0,22,None May,21,1,20,Memorial Day June,22,1,21,Juneteenth National Independence Day July,23,1,22,Independence Day August,21,0,21,None September,22,1,21,Labor Day October,22,1,21,Columbus Day November,21,2,19,Veterans Day; Thanksgiving Day December,23,1,22,Christmas Day
United States 2026 business days by quarter
Use quarter totals when capacity planning, invoice timing, or release windows span multiple months.
| Quarter | Weekdays | Holiday closures | Business days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 64 | 3 | 61 |
| Q2 | 65 | 2 | 63 |
| Q3 | 66 | 2 | 64 |
| Q4 | 66 | 4 | 62 |
CSV copy block
Quarter,Weekdays,Holiday closures,Business days Q1,64,3,61 Q2,65,2,63 Q3,66,2,64 Q4,66,4,62
United States 2026 holiday closure dates
Closure dates are the dates removed from a Monday-Friday business-day count.
| Holiday | Actual date | Closure date used | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | 2026-01-01 | 2026-01-01 | - |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | 2026-01-19 | 2026-01-19 | - |
| Washington's Birthday | 2026-02-16 | 2026-02-16 | - |
| Memorial Day | 2026-05-25 | 2026-05-25 | - |
| Juneteenth National Independence Day | 2026-06-19 | 2026-06-19 | - |
| Independence Day | 2026-07-04 | 2026-07-03 | Observed on Friday, July 3, 2026. |
| Labor Day | 2026-09-07 | 2026-09-07 | - |
| Columbus Day | 2026-10-12 | 2026-10-12 | - |
| Veterans Day | 2026-11-11 | 2026-11-11 | - |
| Thanksgiving Day | 2026-11-26 | 2026-11-26 | - |
| Christmas Day | 2026-12-25 | 2026-12-25 | - |
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/
CSV copy block
Holiday,Actual date,Closure date used,Note New Year's Day,2026-01-01,2026-01-01, Martin Luther King Jr. Day,2026-01-19,2026-01-19, Washington's Birthday,2026-02-16,2026-02-16, Memorial Day,2026-05-25,2026-05-25, Juneteenth National Independence Day,2026-06-19,2026-06-19, Independence Day,2026-07-04,2026-07-03,"Observed on Friday, July 3, 2026." Labor Day,2026-09-07,2026-09-07, Columbus Day,2026-10-12,2026-10-12, Veterans Day,2026-11-11,2026-11-11, Thanksgiving Day,2026-11-26,2026-11-26, Christmas Day,2026-12-25,2026-12-25,
Worked Examples
Payment timing
A payment is expected in five business days after approval.
Count five US business days and review bank closures in the span.
Bank rules can differ from an employer calendar.
Office deadline
A team has 15 business days to complete a handoff.
Subtract federal observed holidays plus any office closure days.
A Friday closure before a Monday holiday can remove two working days.
Vacation planning
An employee takes leave across a holiday week.
Count only the normal workdays that are not holidays or company closures.
Leave policy may treat observed holidays differently.
Common Mistakes
- Using federal holidays when the actual rule is state, bank, school, or company-specific.
- Forgetting observed dates around weekend holidays.
- Counting partial office days as full business days without a written rule.
When This Is Not Enough
- Use official federal, state, court, or agency calendars for regulated dates.
- Confirm payroll and leave rules with the employer policy.
- Check bank and carrier calendars for payments and shipments.