2024 Federal Holiday Calendar | National Holidays | Federal Holidays (2024)

There are eleven annual U.S. federal holidays on the calendar designated by the United States Congress. Unlike many other countries, there are no “national holidays” in the United States because Congress only has constitutional authority to create holidays for federal institutions. Most federal holidays are also observed as state holidays.

* When a legal public holiday falls on a Saturday, it is usually observed on the preceding Friday for pay and leave purposes. When the holiday falls on a Sunday, it is usually observed on the following Monday for pay and leave purposes.

More about Federal Holidays

In addition to the eleven annual federal holidays, Inauguration Day is a twelfth holiday designated by Congress for observance every four years on January 20 following a U.S. presidential election. It is only observed by government employees in Washington D.C. and the border counties of Maryland and Virginia.

Though not technically accurate, U.S. federal holidays are often referred to as "public holidays" or "legal holidays" because of their wide spread observance. Bank holidays are usually the same as federal holidays since most banks follow the holiday calendar of the U.S. Federal Reserve. They tend to use the modern President’s Day for the observance of George Washington’s Birthday.

Redcort Software Inc. assumes no liability and makes no warranties on or for the information contained on these pages. The information presented is intended for reference only and is neither tax nor legal advice. Consult a professional tax, legal or other advisor to verify this information and determine if and/or how it may apply to your particular situation. TheU.S. Office of Personnel Managementhas additional information and federal holiday dates for years not listed above.

Official Dates

Some Federal Holidays repeatedly fall on the same date every year, while others fall on the same day of the week every year.