A business day is any day from Monday through Friday that isn’t a public holiday. So what are business days in practice? Usually about 250 days a year: 261 weekdays minus the federal holidays that land on them. In 2026 that’s 250 business days, and in 2027 it’s 249 for federal offices.
There’s a wrinkle that catches people with bank transfers and contract deadlines. Banks and federal offices don’t count the same holidays, so 2027 has 252 banking days. Below is the full definition, the business day count for each month, and what “end of business day” actually means.
The definition
There’s no single legal definition of “business day” that applies everywhere. Each law, regulation and contract sets its own. Most of them say the same thing in different words: not a Saturday, not a Sunday, and not a legal holiday.
The banking rules are a good example. Regulation CC, which governs check holds, defines a business day as a calendar day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or one of the federal holidays it lists by date or rule. Shipping companies, courts and lenders each publish their own versions.
When a deadline matters, look for a definition in the document that set it. If there isn’t one, Monday to Friday minus federal holidays is the common reading.
Business days vs calendar days
Calendar days count every day, weekends and holidays included. Business days skip them. The gap grows fast.
Start on Wednesday, November 24, 2027, the day before Thanksgiving:
- 5 calendar days later is Monday, November 29.
- 5 business days later is Thursday, December 2, because Thanksgiving, the weekend and the starting day itself don’t count.
Most deadlines that say “within X business days” start counting the next business day, not the day of the event. Contracts sometimes say otherwise, so check. The business days calculator counts either way and skips federal holidays automatically.
Are federal holidays business days?
For federal offices, no. The 11 holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103 are days off, and when one falls on a weekend, most federal employees get the nearest weekday instead: Friday for a Saturday holiday, Monday for a Sunday one.
Banks use a different rule. The Federal Reserve closes on the Monday after a Sunday holiday, but when a holiday falls on a Saturday, Federal Reserve Banks stay open the Friday before. That’s why the two counts split in 2027:
| 2027 date | Federal offices | Federal Reserve Banks |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 18 (Juneteenth observed) | Closed | Open |
| Friday, December 24 (Christmas observed) | Closed | Open |
| Friday, December 31 (New Year’s Day 2028 observed) | Closed | Open |
For private businesses, nothing requires a holiday off. Plenty of stores, factories and offices work on Columbus Day or Veterans Day. If a supplier says “business days,” ask whether that means their working days or the federal calendar.
What “end of business day” means
“End of business day,” often shortened to EOD, EOB or COB (close of business), has no federal definition. In everyday use it usually means the end of normal office hours, commonly 5:00 PM, in the time zone of whoever is receiving the work.
That last part causes real trouble. “EOD Friday” from a client in New York means 5:00 PM Eastern, which is 2:00 PM in Los Angeles. A careful contract names the time zone. A careful email does too: “by 5:00 PM ET on Friday, March 5” leaves nothing to argue about.
Banks and payment systems use their own cutoff times, often earlier than 5:00 PM. A transfer submitted after the cutoff is treated as received on the next business day, which can push a Friday afternoon payment to Monday or, around a holiday, to Tuesday.
Business days in a year
Weekdays minus the federal holidays that fall on them:
| Month | 2026 business days | 2027 business days |
|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | 19 |
| February | 19 | 19 |
| March | 22 | 23 |
| April | 22 | 22 |
| May | 20 | 20 |
| June | 21 | 21 |
| July | 22 | 21 |
| August | 21 | 22 |
| September | 21 | 21 |
| October | 21 | 20 |
| November | 19 | 20 |
| December | 22 | 21 |
| Year | 250 | 249 |
2027 has one fewer than 2026 because New Year’s Day 2028 falls on a Saturday, so OPM moves it back to Friday, December 31, 2027. Count banking days instead and 2027 has 252: the Federal Reserve stays open on June 18, December 24 and December 31.
For hours rather than days, multiply by 8: 249 business days is 1,992 working hours in 2027. The working days calculator does the same count for any date range, and working hours in a year shows the hour totals by month.
Shipping and banking examples
“Ships in 3 to 5 business days.” Ordered on a Thursday in an ordinary week, it ships between the following Tuesday and Thursday. Ordered the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, add a day for the holiday.
“Funds available in 2 business days.” A check deposited on Friday, July 2, 2027 is available Wednesday, July 7, because the weekend and Monday, July 5 (Independence Day observed) don’t count.
“Net 30” invoice terms. Usually calendar days, not business days. An invoice dated November 26 is due December 26. If that’s a weekend, many businesses pay the business day before. The invoice due date calculator shows both readings.
FAQ
Is Saturday a business day? Under most definitions, no. Some industries and some state laws count Saturday, and the Postal Service delivers on Saturdays, so check the specific rule if Saturday matters.
How many business days are in a week? Five, Monday through Friday, unless a holiday falls in that week.
Is the day after Thanksgiving a business day? For federal offices and banks, yes. Black Friday isn’t a federal holiday. Many private employers close anyway.
If you’re setting a deadline for someone else, write the date and the time zone instead of a number of business days. It’s the only version nobody can count differently.
