What counts as a business day
In the U.S., a business day usually means Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. Banks, courts, shipping carriers and government offices each publish their own definitions, though, so a contract or policy may count differently. If a deadline matters, check the exact wording.
Before you count, settle two questions:
- Inclusive or exclusive? "Within 10 business days" usually means you start counting the day after the event. A date range on a timesheet usually includes both the first and last days.
- Which holidays? Federal holidays are the common default. Your employer, state or bank may add or drop some.
How to count by hand
- Count the total calendar days in the range.
- Subtract weekend days. Every full week has exactly 5 weekdays, so count full weeks first, then check the leftover days one by one.
- Subtract any holidays that fall on a weekday inside the range.
Example: November 2 to November 30, 2026
Both dates are Mondays. Counting both ends, the range covers 29 days: 4 full weeks (20 weekdays) plus Monday, November 30, for 21 weekdays. Two federal holidays fall in that span, Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, and Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26. That leaves 19 business days.
Counting forward to a deadline
When someone says "10 business days from Friday, November 20, 2026," start counting on the next business day and skip weekends and holidays:
- Monday, Nov 23 (1), Tuesday, Nov 24 (2), Wednesday, Nov 25 (3)
- Thursday, Nov 26 is Thanksgiving, so skip it. Friday, Nov 27 (4)
- Monday, Nov 30 through Friday, Dec 4 (5 to 9)
- Monday, Dec 7 (10)
The deadline lands on Monday, December 7. Ignore the holiday and you would get Friday, December 4, a full business day too early.
U.S. federal holidays for 2026 and 2027
These are the dates observed by federal offices, from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is generally observed the Friday before; when it falls on a Sunday, the Monday after.
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Fri, Jan 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday | Mon, Jan 19 | Mon, Jan 18 |
| Washington's Birthday | Mon, Feb 16 | Mon, Feb 15 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | Mon, May 31 |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19 | Fri, Jun 18 (observed) |
| Independence Day | Fri, Jul 3 (observed) | Mon, Jul 5 (observed) |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | Mon, Sep 6 |
| Columbus Day | Mon, Oct 12 | Mon, Oct 11 |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11 | Thu, Nov 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | Thu, Nov 25 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | Fri, Dec 24 (observed) |
Not every business closes on every federal holiday. Many private employers stay open on Columbus Day and Veterans Day, and stock markets follow their own holiday calendar.
Quick facts worth remembering
- A typical year has 260 or 261 weekdays. 2026 has 261, because it starts on a Thursday.
- Take away 11 federal holidays and you get about 250 business days a year.
- Any 7 consecutive days always contain exactly 5 weekdays, which makes counting long ranges fast.