Business days usually means Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Counting them sounds simple, but three choices change the answer: which days are workdays, which holidays to skip, and whether the start and end dates count.
Step 1: Count the calendar days
Count every day from the start date to the end date. October 1 to October 31 is 31 days.
Step 2: Remove days outside the workweek
For a Monday-to-Friday workweek, remove Saturdays and Sundays. October 2026 has 9 weekend days, leaving 22 weekdays.
Step 3: Remove holidays
Remove holidays that fall on remaining workdays. In October 2026, Columbus Day is Monday, October 12, so the count is 21 business days.
Step 4: Decide on the start and end dates
- Inclusive counts include both dates. Use them for questions like “how many workdays are in this pay period?”
- Exclusive counts skip the start date. Use them for deadlines like “10 business days after we receive your form.” The deadline is then the 10th business day after the start.
Different organizations count deadlines differently. When a deadline matters, check the rule that applies to it.
US federal holidays
Federal law, 5 U.S.C. 6103, sets 11 legal public holidays. Some have fixed dates and others fall on a set weekday:
| Holiday | Rule | Observed in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 | Thursday, January 1 |
| Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. | Third Monday in January | Monday, January 19 |
| Washington’s Birthday | Third Monday in February | Monday, February 16 |
| Memorial Day | Last Monday in May | Monday, May 25 |
| Juneteenth National Independence Day | June 19 | Friday, June 19 |
| Independence Day | July 4 | Friday, July 3 |
| Labor Day | First Monday in September | Monday, September 7 |
| Columbus Day | Second Monday in October | Monday, October 12 |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | Wednesday, November 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Fourth Thursday in November | Thursday, November 26 |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Friday, December 25 |
Observed dates
For employees with a Monday-to-Friday schedule, a holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed on the Friday before, and one that falls on a Sunday is observed on the Monday after. That is why Independence Day 2026, a Saturday, is observed on Friday, July 3. When New Year’s Day falls on a Saturday, it is observed on December 31 of the previous year.
Private employers and state governments choose their own holidays, which may differ from this list.
Tools
- Business days calculator: count workdays between dates or add business days to a date, with federal holidays built in.
- Work hours per year calculator: workdays and hours in a whole year, month by month.
- PTO accrual calculator: plan time off against your accrual.
- Holiday pay calculator: pay for working or taking a holiday.
Sources
- 5 U.S.C. 6103, Holidays (Cornell Legal Information Institute)
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Federal Holidays
About this guide. Written for US employees as general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules can differ by state, employer, and contract. See our methodology and disclaimer.