2026 and 2027 holidays: US federal and UK bank holidays
Public holiday dates for 2026 and 2027 from OPM for the US and GOV.UK for the UK, each with the weekend rule the publisher applies. Pick a list and a year; the strip marks the days.
11 holidays in 2026
| Day off | Weekday | Holiday | Holiday itself falls on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Same day |
| Jan 19, 2026 | Monday | Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. | Same day |
| Feb 16, 2026 | Monday | Washington’s Birthday | Same day |
| May 25, 2026 | Monday | Memorial Day | Same day |
| Jun 19, 2026 | Friday | Juneteenth National Independence Day | Same day |
| Jul 3, 2026 | Friday | Independence Day | Saturday, Jul 4, 2026 |
| Sep 7, 2026 | Monday | Labor Day | Same day |
| Oct 12, 2026 | Monday | Columbus Day | Same day |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Wednesday | Veterans Day | Same day |
| Nov 26, 2026 | Thursday | Thanksgiving Day | Same day |
| Dec 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Same day |
OPM’s list is for Federal employees. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, for most Federal employees the preceding Friday is treated as the holiday (5 U.S.C. 6103(b)); when it falls on a Sunday, the following Monday (Executive Order 11582, section 3(a)). Private employers and states choose their own days. The December 31, 2027 line comes from the 2028 tab of the same OPM page.
Source: OPM: Federal holidays, checked on .
Information, not legal advice. Your employer’s policy, your contract and your state or province can differ from the rule shown. Confirm dates with your employer and the official body.
How many holidays in each list
Counts are the days off on each publisher’s list after weekend moves. The US 2027 count includes Friday, December 31, 2027, read from OPM’s 2028 schedule.
| List | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| US federal holidays | 11 | 12 |
| UK bank holidays (England and Wales) | 8 | 8 |
| UK bank holidays (Scotland) | 10 | 9 |
| UK bank holidays (Northern Ireland) | 10 | 10 |
What are the US federal holidays in 2026 and 2027?
OPM lists 11 holidays for 2026 and 11 for 2027. We show a twelfth day in 2027, Friday, December 31, because OPM’s 2028 schedule lists that date as the day taken for New Year’s Day 2028, which falls on a Saturday. Holiday names follow 5 U.S.C. 6103, so the third Monday of February is Washington’s Birthday.
What happens when a holiday falls on a weekend?
For most Federal employees, OPM says a Saturday holiday is treated as the preceding Friday (5 U.S.C. 6103(b)) and a Sunday holiday as the following Monday (Executive Order 11582, section 3(a)). In 2026 July 4 is a Saturday, so Friday, July 3 is the day off. In the UK, GOV.UK says a substitute weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday: Boxing Day 2026 falls on a Saturday, so Monday, December 28 is the bank holiday.
Do employers have to give a paid day off on public holidays?
Not by law in either country, according to the official pages. The US Department of Labor says the Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, such as federal or other holidays, and GOV.UK says your employer does not have to give you paid leave on bank or public holidays. Your contract or policy decides. OPM’s list applies to Federal employees; private employers choose their own days.
How do Scotland and Northern Ireland differ from England and Wales?
Scotland has 2nd January and St Andrew’s Day and no Easter Monday, and 2026 includes a one-off World Cup bank holiday on June 15. Northern Ireland adds St Patrick’s Day and the Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen’s Day) to the England and Wales days. England and Wales has 8 bank holidays in each of 2026 and 2027.
Are state, local or other countries’ holidays included?
No. State and local holidays, and the holidays of Canada and Australia, are not loaded because we did not open an official list for them. They are not confirmed here.
Questions about holidays
Why are there two sets of dates for some holidays?
The table shows the day off and, when it moved, the calendar date of the holiday itself. For example, Independence Day 2027 is Sunday, July 4, and the day off is Monday, July 5.
Where do the lists come from?
The OPM federal holidays page and the GOV.UK bank holidays page, both opened on the date shown under each table.
Is Easter Monday a holiday everywhere in the UK?
Not in Scotland. GOV.UK lists Easter Monday for England and Wales and for Northern Ireland, and does not list it for Scotland.
Will you add other years?
The lists are reviewed when the publishers release a new year. Until then the tools say so instead of counting zero holidays.
Can I use the list in the work hours calculator?
Yes. The work hours calculator and the home page use the same lists and take the days off your working year.
Does a holiday on a day I do not work give me another day off?
Not through this tool. Whether you get a day in lieu is a matter for your contract or policy.
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Sources and limits
- OPM: Federal holidays
The 2026 and 2027 holiday schedules, and the weekend rule: Saturday holidays are treated as the preceding Friday (5 U.S.C. 6103(b)), Sunday holidays as the following Monday (Executive Order 11582, section 3(a)). The list is for Federal employees. The 2028 tab lists Friday, December 31 for New Year’s Day.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Opened on .
- GOV.UK: UK bank holidays
Bank holidays of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for 2026 and 2027. If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a substitute weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday. “Your employer does not have to give you paid leave on bank or public holidays.”
UK Government. Opened on .
- U.S. Department of Labor: Vacation leave
The Fair Labor Standards Act does not require payment for time not worked, such as vacations, sick leave or federal or other holidays; these benefits are matters of agreement between an employer and an employee.
U.S. Department of Labor. Opened on .
Not confirmed: State and local holidays, Canada and Australia, and years other than 2026 and 2027 are not loaded.
Information, not legal advice. Your employer’s policy, your contract, your state or province and a union agreement can give you more than the minimum shown here, and rules change. Confirm dates with your employer and the official body before you plan or give notice. Nothing you type leaves your browser.