Time & scheduling
Working days & business days calculator
Count business days between two dates with US federal holidays, optional state holidays, and observed-date rules. Use presets for full year 2026, this month, or the next 30 days — then export a monthly breakdown, day list, or PDF. Free, no sign-up.
What are working days (business days)?
Working days and business days mean the same thing in most US workplaces: weekdays your team is open — usually Monday through Friday. Weekends and public holidays are typically left out when you set project deadlines, plan PTO, quote shipping times, or interpret payment terms like Net 30.
This calculator counts weekdays in your range, subtracts US public holidays that fall on workdays, and applies observed federal rules when a holiday lands on Saturday (observed Friday) or Sunday (observed Monday). Pick a state in the holiday region dropdown to include state-specific public holidays as well.
Working days vs calendar days
Calendar days include every day in the range. Working days exclude weekends and public holidays — the basis for most contract and payroll day counts.
Federal & state holidays
All 11 federal holidays with observed-date rules, or select a US state or DC to add state public holidays (for example, Good Friday in Connecticut).
Export for your records
Download a summary CSV, a day-by-day list, or PDF after each run — handy for finance, HR, and project planning.
Why count business days?
Calendar days over-count whenever weekends or holidays should not count. A business days calculator gives you an exact number in seconds:
Project & contract deadlines
SLAs and filing windows often use business days, not calendar days. Know the exact window before a due date.
PTO & staffing
See how many days your team is on site after vacation, sick leave, or closures — subtract time off in Advanced.
Shipping & delivery
Carriers often quote X business days. Exclude weekends and holidays for a realistic delivery window.
Payroll & finance
Net 30 business days on an invoice means 30 working days, not 30 calendar days. Match your spreadsheet with the Include end date toggle.
For weekly hours and overtime, try the time card calculator. For shift planning and labor visibility, see ShiftOps or browse more free workforce calculators.
How to calculate working days between two dates
Set your date range
Enter a start and end date, or use a preset: full year 2026, this month, or the next 30 days.
Choose your holiday region
Federal holidays are excluded by default. Select a US state to add state public holidays. For federal-only runs, keep observed holidays on so weekend dates shift to the nearest weekday (for example, July 4, 2026 on Saturday → observed Friday, July 3).
Review the breakdown
The total appears at the top. Below that you will see weekdays, weekends, holidays deducted, each public holiday in range, and a month-by-month table.
Include the end date?
Some payroll systems treat the end date as exclusive; others count it. Use the Include end date checkbox to match your policy or spreadsheet. For full year 2026 with federal holidays and observed rules: 250 working days when the end date is included, 249 when it is not.
How many working days in 2026?
For a standard Monday–Friday US schedule with federal holidays and observed rules, calendar year 2026 has 250 working days when the end date is included.
The math: 365 calendar days minus 104 weekend days minus 11 federal holidays on weekdays. State holidays can lower the total further — select your state above to see the exact count.
| Period | Weekdays | Federal holidays deducted | Working days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full year 2026 (end date included) | 261 | 11 | 250 |
| Full year 2026 (end date excluded) | 260 | 11 | 249 |
| Q1 2026 (Jan–Mar) | 64 | 3 | 61 |
| Q2 2026 (Apr–Jun) | 65 | 2 | 63 |
| Q4 2026 (Aug 22–Dec 31) | 94 | 5 | 89 |
Click Full year 2026 in the calculator to verify these figures. 2026 is not a leap year. Connecticut is one example where state holidays change the annual total (Good Friday adds one deducted day → 249 with end date included).
Worked examples
Net 30 payment terms
An invoice dated March 3, 2026 with Net 30 business days means 30 working days after the invoice date — not 30 calendar days. Set your range from the invoice date forward and read the total, or export the day list for your records.
PTO planning
You have 15 days of PTO for the year. Count Jan 1–Dec 31, 2026 (250 federal working days with observed holidays), open Advanced, and subtract 15 → about 235 days on site. Switch to a 6-day week or custom weekdays if your schedule differs.
Counting business days from today
Set the start date to today and pick an end date far enough ahead — or use Next 30 days. The total updates instantly. Export CSV (day list) to see each working day marked in the range.
Excel NETWORKDAYS and Google Sheets
To match this calculator in a spreadsheet, use NETWORKDAYS or NETWORKDAYS.INTL:
- Excel / Google Sheets:
=NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])— list federal (and state) holiday dates in the optional third argument. - Custom weekends:
=NETWORKDAYS.INTL(start, end, weekend_code, [holidays])— code11means Saturday and Sunday off, same as the 5-day week here. - Include end date: Excel’s
NETWORKDAYScounts both start and end dates as inclusive. Turn on Include end date above to align with your sheet.
For team scheduling beyond a one-off count, see ShiftOps or the time card calculator.
US federal holidays in 2026 (observed dates)
The US recognizes 11 federal holidays under 5 U.S.C. § 6103. When a fixed-date holiday falls on a weekend, the observed day is usually the nearest weekday — Friday if Saturday, Monday if Sunday. State holidays are listed separately when you choose a state in the calculator.
| Holiday | Statutory date | Observed / deducted in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 | Thu Jan 1 — deducted |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | 3rd Monday in January | Mon Jan 19 — deducted |
| Washington's Birthday | 3rd Monday in February | Mon Feb 16 — deducted |
| Memorial Day | Last Monday in May | Mon May 25 — deducted |
| Juneteenth | June 19 | Fri Jun 19 — deducted |
| Independence Day | July 4 | Fri Jul 3 (observed) — deducted |
| Labor Day | 1st Monday in September | Mon Sep 7 — deducted |
| Columbus Day | 2nd Monday in October | Mon Oct 12 — deducted |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | Wed Nov 11 — deducted |
| Thanksgiving Day | 4th Thursday in November | Thu Nov 26 — deducted |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Fri Dec 25 — deducted |
Turn off Observed holidays if you only exclude holidays on their statutory calendar date (weekend holidays then do not reduce weekday counts). Source: U.S. Office of Personnel Management — Federal holidays.
US states and other countries
This page is built for the United States. Choose United States — federal only for the 11 nationwide holidays, or pick any state or DC in Holiday region to include state public holidays on top.
For Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, use the Arbeitstage-Rechner (German interface) — it covers every Bundesland, Austrian state, and Swiss canton with regional public holidays.
One-off company closures (office shutdowns, training days) can be modeled in Advanced → Days to subtract.
More free tools
Discover more calculators for time tracking, payroll, and HR.
Frequently asked questions about this working days calculator
How do you calculate working days between two dates?
Count weekdays (Mon–Fri by default) from the start date through the end date, then subtract public holidays that fall on workdays. This business days calculator does that automatically — with observed federal rules, optional state holidays, and a monthly breakdown.
What is a business days calculator?
A business days calculator (also called a working days calculator) counts weekdays in a date range and excludes weekends and public holidays. Use it for deadlines, PTO, shipping quotes, and payment terms like Net 30.
What is the difference between working days and calendar days?
Calendar days include every day in the range. Working days (business days) exclude weekends and, when enabled, US public holidays.
How many working days are in 2026 in the US?
With a Monday–Friday week, US federal holidays, and observed rules, 2026 has 250 working days when the end date is included (249 if the end date is excluded). Click Full year 2026 to verify. State holidays can reduce the total — select your state to see the exact number.
How many work days are in a year?
On a standard US Mon–Fri schedule with all 11 federal holidays off, expect about 250–251 working days in a non-leap year and 251–252 in a leap year — the exact figure depends on where weekends and holidays fall. In 2026, the federal total is 250 (observed holidays on, end date included).
Does this calculator include state holidays?
Yes. Select a US state or DC in Holiday region to include federal plus state public holidays (for example, Good Friday in Connecticut). Choose United States — federal only for just the 11 federal holidays.
Do federal holidays count as working days?
No. When Exclude public holidays is on, holidays on weekdays are deducted from the total. Holidays that fall on weekends are shown in the list but are not subtracted twice.
What does an observed holiday mean?
If a federal holiday falls on Saturday, many employers observe it on the prior Friday. If it falls on Sunday, observation moves to Monday. Example: July 4, 2026 (Saturday) is observed on Friday, July 3.
How do I calculate working days from today?
Set the start date to today or click Next 30 days. Adjust the end date as needed — the total updates instantly. Export the day list CSV to see each working day in the range.
How many working days with 15 days of PTO?
Count working days for your range (for example, 250 for federal 2026), then enter PTO in Advanced → Days to subtract. 250 − 15 = 235 estimated days on site.
Is Saturday a working day?
By default, only Monday–Friday count. Switch to a 6-day week or set custom weekdays in Advanced if Saturday is a regular workday for your team.
How do I calculate business days in Excel?
Use =NETWORKDAYS(A1,B1,holiday_range) with holiday dates in the third argument. Turn on Include end date here if your sheet counts the end date inclusively — Excel’s NETWORKDAYS does by default.
Should I include the end date in the count?
It depends on your policy. Many US payroll tools use a start-inclusive, end-exclusive range; Excel is inclusive on both ends. Use the checkbox above to match your contract or spreadsheet.
Does this calculator work for Germany, Austria, or Switzerland?
Use the Arbeitstage-Rechner for DACH. It supports every Bundesland, Austrian state, and Swiss canton with regional public holidays.