To calculate business days between two dates, count the weekdays (Monday through Friday) in the range and subtract any holidays that fall on those weekdays. A fast way to count weekdays is to take the number of full weeks times 5, then add the weekdays in the leftover days. For example, from Monday, November 2 to Wednesday, December 23, 2026 (inclusive) there are 52 days: 7 full weeks (35 weekdays) plus 3 extra weekdays, or 38 weekdays. Subtracting Veterans Day and Thanksgiving leaves 36 business days.
The formula
Steps:
- Count the total days. For an inclusive count, end − start + 1.
- Split into weeks. Divide by 7: the whole number is full weeks, the remainder is extra days.
- Count weekdays in the extra days, starting from the start date’s weekday.
- Subtract holidays that fall on weekdays in the range.
The business days calculator does this with an optional US federal holiday list, and the working days calculator gives counts per month and year.
Worked example: counting business days in a range
Monday, November 2 to Wednesday, December 23, 2026, inclusive.
| Step | Result |
|---|---|
| Total days | December 23 − November 2 + 1 = 52 |
| Full weeks and extra days | 52 ÷ 7 = 7 weeks, remainder 3 |
| Weekdays in full weeks | 7 × 5 = 35 |
| Extra days (Mon, Tue, Wed) | 3 weekdays |
| Weekdays total | 38 |
| Holidays on weekdays | Veterans Day (Wed, Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Thu, Nov 26) |
| Business days | 36 |
If the extra days had included a Saturday or Sunday, you would skip those. For example, if the remainder were 3 days starting on a Friday (Fri, Sat, Sun), only 1 would be a weekday.
Adding business days to a date
Deadlines are often stated as “within 10 business days.” The usual convention starts counting the day after the triggering date.
Ten business days after Friday, November 20, 2026:
| Count | Date |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | Mon Nov 23, Tue Nov 24, Wed Nov 25 |
| — | Thu Nov 26 is Thanksgiving (skipped) |
| 4 | Fri Nov 27 |
| 5–9 | Mon Nov 30, Tue Dec 1, Wed Dec 2, Thu Dec 3, Fri Dec 4 |
| 10 | Mon Dec 7 |
Without the holiday, the answer would be Friday, December 4. Another example: five business days after Wednesday, December 23, 2026 skips Christmas and the weekend and lands on Thursday, December 31. The date calculator adds business days with or without holidays.
Which holidays to exclude
There is no single legal list for private business, so use the one that fits the context:
- Federal government and many contracts: the 11 federal holidays in 5 U.S.C. 6103. A holiday falling on Saturday is observed the Friday before; on Sunday, the Monday after.
- Banks and payments: banks generally follow the Federal Reserve’s holiday schedule, which uses the same holidays, but the Federal Reserve Banks stay open on the Friday before a Saturday holiday. In 2026, Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4: federal offices close Friday, July 3, but the Federal Reserve is open that day, so ACH and wire processing continue.
- Your employer: many add the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, and some drop Columbus Day or Veterans Day.
- Other countries: business-day counts for international deadlines should use that country’s public holidays and weekend days.
2026 federal holidays on weekdays
| Holiday | Observed date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 19 |
| Washington’s Birthday | Mon, Feb 16 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19 |
| Independence Day | Fri, Jul 3 (holiday is Sat, Jul 4) |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 |
| Columbus Day | Mon, Oct 12 |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 |
2026 business days by month
Weekdays minus federal holidays:
| Month | Business days | Month | Business days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 | July | 22 |
| February | 19 | August | 21 |
| March | 22 | September | 21 |
| April | 22 | October | 21 |
| May | 20 | November | 19 |
| June | 21 | December | 22 |
The year totals 250 business days. The guide on how many work hours are in a year turns these into hours, and the printable calendar shows the holidays on a monthly grid.
Where business-day counts show up
- Banking: under the Federal Reserve’s Regulation CC, check-hold limits are stated in business days, so a deposit made on the Friday before a Monday holiday may not be fully available until later in the following week.
- Investing: US stock trades settle one business day after the trade date (T+1) since the SEC shortened the cycle in May 2024. A sale on a Friday settles the following Monday, or Tuesday if Monday is a market holiday.
- Payroll: when a scheduled payday falls on a weekend or bank holiday, employers usually pay on the preceding business day so funds arrive on time.
- Shipping and service-level agreements: delivery windows and response times are commonly quoted in business days, so a request made late Friday may not start counting until Monday.
Inclusive or exclusive?
Counting the business days between two dates can include or exclude the endpoints. Spreadsheet functions such as NETWORKDAYS include both the start and end dates if they are business days. “Add N business days” conventions exclude the start date. Shipping estimates (“arrives in 3 to 5 business days”) usually start the day after the order ships. When the count affects money or legal rights, state the convention, just as you would for counting days between dates.
Spreadsheet formulas
| Task | Excel or Google Sheets |
|---|---|
| Business days between dates (inclusive) | =NETWORKDAYS(A1,B1,H1:H11) |
| Date N business days later | =WORKDAY(A1,10,H1:H11) |
| Custom weekends (e.g., Fri–Sat) | =NETWORKDAYS.INTL(A1,B1,7,H1:H11) |
| Weekdays only, no holidays | =NETWORKDAYS(A1,B1) |
Put your holiday dates in a range such as H1:H11 and reference it in each formula. Forgetting the holiday range is the most common reason a spreadsheet count is off by one or two days.
Common pitfalls
- Using calendar days when the rule says business days, or the reverse.
- Forgetting observed holidays when the actual date falls on a weekend.
- Mixing holiday lists, such as federal government closures versus bank processing days.
- Counting the start date when the convention starts the day after.
- Overlooking time zones for international deadlines, where “end of business day” may already have passed.
For counting work time rather than days, see how to calculate PTO accrual.
Frequently asked questions
How many business days are in 2026?
There are 261 weekdays in 2026. Excluding the 11 federal holidays, all of which are observed on weekdays, leaves 250 business days. Banks and other employers may observe a slightly different list.
Is Saturday a business day?
Usually not. In the US, business days normally mean Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Some contracts, shipping carriers and industries define them differently, so check the terms that apply.
How do I add 10 business days to a date?
Start the day after the given date and count only weekdays that are not holidays until you reach 10. Ten business days after Friday, November 20, 2026 is Monday, December 7, 2026, because Thanksgiving (November 26) is skipped.
Is the day after Thanksgiving a business day?
Legally it is not a federal holiday, so it counts as a business day for federal purposes and for banks. Many private employers give it as a paid day off, which makes it a non-working day for them.
What Excel formula counts business days?
=NETWORKDAYS(start, end, holidays) counts weekdays between two dates, inclusive, minus any dates in the holidays range. =WORKDAY(start, days, holidays) returns the date a given number of business days later.