Banks in the United States will be closed on 11 federal holidays in 2026, starting with New Year’s Day on Thursday, January 1 and ending with Christmas Day on Friday, December 25. On each of those dates, branches lock their doors and the Federal Reserve’s payment systems go offline, which pauses wire transfers, ACH deposits, and check clearing until the next business day. ATMs, mobile apps, and the newer FedNow instant payment service keep running.
The 11 Bank Holidays in 2026
The Federal Reserve sets the schedule that nearly every US bank follows.1Federal Reserve Board. Holidays Observed – K.8 These are the closure dates for the year:
- New Year’s Day — Thursday, January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Monday, January 19
- Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day) — Monday, February 16
- Memorial Day — Monday, May 25
- Juneteenth National Independence Day — Friday, June 19
- Independence Day — Saturday, July 4
- Labor Day — Monday, September 7
- Columbus Day — Monday, October 12
- Veterans Day — Wednesday, November 11
- Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, November 26
- Christmas Day — Friday, December 25
Private banks are not legally required to close on any of these days, but almost all do. The Federal Reserve’s settlement systems shut down on each holiday, so a bank that stayed open could not process most transactions anyway.2Federal Reserve Financial Services. Federal Reserve System Holiday Schedule
The July 4 Saturday Question
Independence Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, and the observance rule surprises people. Federal Reserve Banks stay open the preceding Friday, July 3, so wires and ACH still process that day. The Board of Governors offices in Washington close on that Friday, and some private banks may give their staff Friday off as the observed holiday even though the payment rails keep running.1Federal Reserve Board. Holidays Observed – K.8 If you need branch service on July 3, call ahead.
What Still Works When Your Bank Is Closed
Branches shut, but most of your day-to-day banking keeps going. ATMs handle cash withdrawals and deposits. Mobile apps let you capture check images, move money between your own accounts, and schedule future transactions. Online portals show balances and recent activity.
Zelle, Venmo, and similar peer-to-peer apps also work on holidays. The catch: the funds may appear in the recipient’s app balance quickly, but the actual bank-to-bank settlement can be delayed until the next business day.
One real exception is FedNow, the instant payment service the Federal Reserve launched in July 2023. FedNow operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including federal holidays, with no processing pause.3Federal Reserve Financial Services. FedNow Service Operating Hours If your bank and the recipient’s bank both participate, a transfer can settle in seconds on Christmas morning. Not every bank has joined yet, so check before you rely on it.
What Pauses Until the Next Business Day
Three big categories of transactions stop on every federal holiday:
- Wire transfers through Fedwire cannot be sent or received.
- ACH transactions — direct deposits, scheduled bill payments, external transfers between banks — do not settle. Settlement resumes at 8:30 a.m. Eastern the next banking day.4Federal Reserve Financial Services. FedACH Processing Schedule
- Check clearing, paper and electronic, stops until the Fed’s systems come back online.
Anything you initiate on a holiday, or late the evening before, will land one business day later than usual. A three-day weekend can stretch that to two days.
Payday Falling on a Bank Holiday
If your regular payday lands on a holiday, most employers push the direct deposit to the business day before rather than after. Industry standard practice for ACH payroll is to land the money on the prior Friday when payday would otherwise fall on a weekend or holiday.5Nacha. The ABCs of ACH
So if you are normally paid on Monday and that Monday is Columbus Day, October 12, your deposit should arrive on Friday, October 9. Not every employer follows this convention. Some process for the next business day instead, which would push you to Tuesday, October 13. If you are not sure which approach your employer uses, ask HR before a long weekend.
Bills Due on a Bank Holiday
A bill due on a federal holiday does not automatically become late. If your credit card payment is due on a holiday and the bank does not accept mailed payments that day, a payment received by the cutoff time on the next business day is treated as on time. The cutoff cannot be set earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the due date.6HelpWithMyBank.gov. Why Is My Credit Card Payment Due on a Holiday?
That protection covers mailed payments. Electronic payments are different: if the bank accepts them on the holiday, your payment may still need to arrive by the original due date to count as timely. Scheduling online payments a day or two before any holiday avoids the guesswork.
Mortgages are usually forgiving here because most servicers build in a grace period (commonly 15 days) before charging a late fee, so a holiday on your due date rarely creates a problem.
Days the Stock Market Closes but Banks Don’t (and Vice Versa)
Bank holidays and stock market holidays overlap on most dates but not all. In 2026, watch three:
- Good Friday, April 3. The NYSE and Nasdaq close. Banks stay open because Good Friday is not a federal holiday.7NYSE. Holidays and Trading Hours
- Columbus Day, October 12. Banks close; the stock exchanges trade normally.
- Veterans Day, November 11. Same pattern: banks closed, markets open.7NYSE. Holidays and Trading Hours
The NYSE also closes early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday, November 27 (the day after Thanksgiving) and on Thursday, December 24 (Christmas Eve). Banks keep normal hours those days unless your specific branch decides otherwise.