US Federal Holidays
There are 11 US federal holidays, set by federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103). They are paid days off for federal workers; banks, the post office and markets close, while private companies pick which to observe. When one falls on a weekend, it shifts to an observed weekday.
Here is the full list with the rule behind each date. Every holiday links to a detail page with the exact date for the next ten years, and you can print a 2026 calendar with all of them marked.
The 11 Federal Holidays
| Holiday | 2026 date | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1 | New Year's Day marks the first day of the Gregorian calendar year and is a federal holiday in the United States. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Jan 19 | Martin Luther King Jr. Day honors the civil rights leader and is observed on the third Monday of January. |
| Presidents' Day | Feb 16 | Presidents' Day (Washington's Birthday) falls on the third Monday of February. |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Memorial Day honors U.S. military personnel who died in service and is observed on the last Monday of May. |
| Juneteenth | Jun 19 | Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19, commemorates the end of slavery in the United States and became a federal holiday in 2021. |
| Independence Day | Jul 4 | Independence Day, July 4, celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. |
| Labor Day | Sep 7 | Labor Day honors the American labor movement and is observed on the first Monday of September. |
| Columbus Day | Oct 12 | Columbus Day (also observed as Indigenous Peoples' Day in many states) falls on the second Monday of October. |
| Veterans Day | Nov 11 | Veterans Day, November 11, honors all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. |
| Thanksgiving | Nov 26 | Thanksgiving is observed on the fourth Thursday of November, so its date shifts between November 22 and November 28. |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25 | Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25 and is a federal holiday in the United States. |
How Federal Holidays Work
Who gets the day off
Federal holidays are official days off for federal employees and Washington, D.C. They are not required for private employers. In practice banks, the postal service, the stock markets, schools and government offices close, while most companies observe the major ones and work the rest.
The weekend rule
When a fixed-date holiday lands on a weekend, the paid day off moves:
- A holiday on Saturday is observed the Friday before.
- A holiday on Sunday is observed the Monday after.
See exactly which dates shift each year on the 2026 holidays page.
Fixed vs. floating dates
Some holidays are on a fixed date (Independence Day is always July 4). Others float to a weekday, like the third Monday of January for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, thanks to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, which created several Monday holidays and reliable three-day weekends.
Counting down? See how many days until Christmas or days until Thanksgiving, or check the full 2026 holiday calendar.