Business Days FAQ

Short answers to common questions about business days, working days and how this site counts them. Each answer says where the rules can differ.

What is a business day?

A business day is a day when businesses and government offices are normally open. In the United States that means Monday to Friday, except federal holidays. "Working day" usually means the same thing, though an employer can define its own working days.

Is Saturday a business day?

Usually not. Most contracts, shippers and government offices count Monday to Friday only. Some banks open branches on Saturday, but the Federal Reserve, which moves money between banks, does not process payments on weekends, so transfers wait until Monday. If a contract defines business days differently, the contract wins.

How many business days are in a year?

Between 249 and 251 in the United States, after weekends and federal holidays are taken out. 2026 has 250 working days and 2027 has 249. The total changes because the number of weekdays depends on which day the year starts, and because a holiday on a weekend is moved to a weekday.

How many business days are in a month?

Between 18 and 23, and about 21 on average. February usually has 19. A November that starts on a Saturday has only 18, because it has 20 weekdays and two holidays. See the count for every month.

Does the calculator count the start date?

When counting the days between two dates, the start date is not counted and the end date is, unless you change the switches. Monday to Friday of the same week is then 4 business days. When adding business days to a date, the start date is never counted: day 1 is the next business day.

What does "within 5 business days" mean?

Usually that the deadline is the end of the fifth business day after the day something happens. If a request arrives on a Monday with no holidays that week, day 1 is Tuesday and day 5 is the following Monday. Some agreements count the first day, so check the wording when the deadline matters. The 5 business days from today page shows the date.

How long is 5 to 7 business days shipping?

Count from the first business day after the order ships, skipping weekends and holidays. An order that ships on a Monday with no holidays that week arrives by the Monday or Wednesday of the next week, 7 to 9 calendar days later. An order that ships on a Friday takes longer in calendar days because the weekend comes first. Carriers set their own delivery days, so their tracking page has the final word.

Are federal holidays business days?

No. Federal offices, the Federal Reserve and most banks close on the 11 federal holidays, so this site skips them by default. Private employers do not have to give them off, and many stay open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day. You can turn holidays off in the calculator settings.

What happens when a holiday falls on a weekend?

For federal employees, a holiday on a Saturday is observed on the Friday before and a holiday on a Sunday on the Monday after. This site skips the observed day. Banks differ on one point: when a holiday falls on a Saturday, Federal Reserve Banks stay open on the Friday before, so for bank transfers that Friday is a business day. Sunday holidays are observed on Monday by both.

Is the day after Thanksgiving a business day?

Yes. It is not a federal holiday, so it counts as a business day here. Many employers and some states give it off. To skip it, add it under "Other days off" in the calculator.

Is Christmas Eve a business day?

Yes, unless it is the observed day of Christmas, which happens when December 25 falls on a Saturday. Presidents have sometimes given federal employees Christmas Eve off by executive order, decided year by year. To skip it, add it under "Other days off".

Can I use the calculator outside the United States?

Yes, with some setup. You can choose which days are the weekend, turn US federal holidays off, and add your own holidays as a list of dates. The site does not know other countries' holidays yet.

How accurate are the results?

Federal holidays are computed from the rules in federal law and checked by automated tests against the list published by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Every result shows how it was counted, so you can check it. For legal, court or contract deadlines, confirm the counting rules that apply to you.

Is anything I enter stored or sent anywhere?

No. All calculations run in your browser. See the privacy policy for details.