US Federal Holidays: All 11 Official Holidays Explained

How many federal holidays are there, exactly? The United States has 11 annual federal holidays, and a twelfth day, Inauguration Day, that applies only to certain federal workers in and around Washington, D.C. This guide lists the US federal holidays in calendar order, explains how each date is set, and clears up which popular days are not on the official list.

The short answer: There are 11 annual federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

This is the written companion to our video on what the federal holidays are. Watch it below, then read on for the details on each one.

List of federal holidays in calendar order

1. New Year’s Day

New Year’s Day is always January 1.

2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the third Monday in January. The law creating it was signed in 1983, and the holiday was first observed in 1986.

3. Washington’s Birthday

Washington’s Birthday is observed on the third Monday in February. Many people call it Presidents’ Day, but Washington’s Birthday is the name used in federal law.

4. Memorial Day

Memorial Day is held on the last Monday in May.

5. Juneteenth National Independence Day

Juneteenth falls on June 19. It marks June 19, 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and General Order No. 3 announced that all enslaved people in the state were free. Congress made it a federal holiday in June 2021: the Senate passed the bill by unanimous consent, and the House approved it the next day.

6. Independence Day

Independence Day is July 4. When a holiday lands on a weekend, federal employees usually get the nearest weekday off: Friday for a Saturday holiday and Monday for a Sunday holiday. In 2020, for example, July 4 fell on a Saturday and the holiday was observed on Friday, July 3.

A hand holding a bright sparkler and a small U.S. flag at night — A sparkler and a small flag, a familiar sight on July 4.

7. Labor Day

Labor Day is the first Monday in September.

8. Columbus Day

Columbus Day is the second Monday in October, which makes it the only one of the October federal holidays. Federal law lists it under that name.

9. Veterans Day

Veterans Day is observed on November 11.

10. Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.

11. Christmas Day

Christmas Day is December 25.

The twelfth day: Inauguration Day

Inauguration Day, January 20 in the year after a presidential election, is a holiday only for federal employees scheduled to work in the Inauguration Day area. That area covers the District of Columbia, Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland, Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia, and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax. If January 20 falls on a Sunday, the holiday moves to Monday, January 21.

The east front steps and dome of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. beneath a cloudy sky — The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

US federal holidays at a glance

No.	Holiday	When it is observed
1	New Year’s Day	January 1
2	Martin Luther King Jr. Day	Third Monday in January
3	Washington’s Birthday	Third Monday in February
4	Memorial Day	Last Monday in May
5	Juneteenth National Independence Day	June 19
6	Independence Day	July 4
7	Labor Day	First Monday in September
8	Columbus Day	Second Monday in October
9	Veterans Day	November 11
10	Thanksgiving Day	Fourth Thursday in November
11	Christmas Day	December 25
Extra	Inauguration Day	January 20 after a presidential election, for federal employees in the Washington, D.C. area

Frequently asked questions

What are the federal holidays?

They are the days the law sets aside as paid holidays for federal employees: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

How many federal holidays are there?

There are 11 annual federal holidays, plus Inauguration Day every fourth year for federal employees in the Washington, D.C. area.

Are Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Mother’s Day federal holidays?

No. Calendars often print them, but none of them appear on the official federal holiday list.

What happens when a federal holiday falls on a weekend?

It is usually observed on the nearest weekday for federal employees: the Friday before for a Saturday holiday, and the Monday after for a Sunday holiday.

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