How to use the business days calculator
- Choose count business days between two dates, or add business days to a date.
- Pick the dates or the number of days to add (negative numbers count backwards).
- Choose whether to skip US federal holidays.
- Add any extra days off — company holidays or vacation — as dates separated by commas.
How business days are counted
Business days = Calendar days − Weekend days − Holidays on weekdays Adding N business days: start counting on the next day, skip Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, stop on the Nth working day
Worked examples
- October 2026: 31 days − 9 weekend days − Columbus Day (Oct 12) = 21 business days.
- All of 2026: 261 weekdays − 11 federal holidays = 250 business days.
- 10 business days after Friday, November 20, 2026: skipping Thanksgiving (Nov 26) gives Monday, December 7.
US federal holidays in 2026
| Holiday | Date observed |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday, January 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 19 |
| Washington’s Birthday | Monday, February 16 |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25 |
| Juneteenth | Friday, June 19 |
| Independence Day | Friday, July 3 (July 4 is a Saturday) |
| 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 |
The calculator works out these dates for any year using the rules in federal law, including moving weekend holidays to the nearest weekday.
Common business-day deadlines
- Shipping: “ships in 3–5 business days” excludes weekends and holidays.
- Bank transfers: ACH payments and check holds are counted in business days; banks close on federal holidays.
- Refunds and returns: many retailers promise refunds within 5–10 business days.
- Legal and HR notices: notice periods and response deadlines may be in business or calendar days — check the wording.
- Payroll: pay dates that fall on a holiday usually move to the previous business day.
Working outside the US
Choose “No holidays” to count Monday–Friday only, then add your country’s public holidays as extra days off. Some countries also have different weekends — for example, several Middle Eastern countries have a Friday–Saturday weekend — so check local rules before relying on the count for a legal deadline.
Days that are often off but aren’t federal holidays
Many US employers also close on the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and some states observe their own holidays such as Cesar Chavez Day in California, Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts and Maine, or Mardi Gras in parts of Louisiana. On the other hand, many private businesses stay open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Add or remove days to match your own calendar: enter extra days off as dates, or choose “No holidays” and type in only the holidays your company actually takes.
Tips for planning with business days
- Allow an extra day or two around late November and late December, when holidays cluster.
- When a deadline lands on a weekend or holiday, many rules move it to the next business day — but not all, so check.
- For hours rather than days, multiply business days by your working hours per day.