Last updated: May 2026
Calculate business days from today, or count working days between two dates. Excludes weekends and optional US federal holidays.
A business day is any weekday (Monday through Friday) that is not a public holiday. This calculator skips Saturday and Sunday automatically, and optionally skips the 11 US federal holidays observed each year.
When a fixed holiday falls on a Saturday, it's observed the preceding Friday. When it falls on a Sunday, it's observed the following Monday.
Business day calculations are essential for contracts, shipping deadlines, payroll processing, court filing deadlines, invoice payment terms (e.g., "Net 30"), and project planning. Always check with your jurisdiction or counterparty for their specific holiday schedule.
What counts as a business day?
A business day is any weekday (Monday through Friday) that is not a federal or bank holiday. Standard business hours (9 AM to 5 PM) are a separate concept — a "business day" for deadline counting purposes is the entire calendar day, not just working hours. Most US contracts and legal filings use the federal holiday calendar, but some industries (financial services, healthcare) have their own holiday schedules.
Does "Net 30" mean 30 calendar days or 30 business days?
"Net 30" in payment terms almost always means 30 calendar days from the invoice date — not business days. So if an invoice is dated May 1st, payment is due by May 31st regardless of weekends or holidays. Some contracts specify "30 business days" explicitly if that's what's intended. When in doubt, ask — the distinction can move a payment deadline by a week or more.
How many business days are there in a month?
Approximately 21–23 business days in a standard month, depending on how many weekends fall within it and whether any federal holidays land on weekdays. February with no holidays can have as few as 20 business days; a month with two federal holidays can drop to 19. For planning purposes, 21 business days per month is a reliable average.
Do all states observe the same federal holidays?
Federal holidays apply to federal offices, banks, and government-regulated entities. Private employers choose their own holiday schedule and are not legally required to follow federal holidays (except banks, which are regulated by the Federal Reserve). State holidays vary — many states have additional observances (e.g., Cesar Chavez Day in California, Patriot's Day in Massachusetts). Always check the specific holiday calendar for your counterparty.
Does a business day start at midnight or at 9 AM?
For counting purposes (how many business days until a deadline), a business day is the full calendar day from midnight to midnight. For "received by business day" cutoffs in finance, shipping, and law, there's often a specific time cutoff (e.g., documents must be filed by 5 PM to count as that business day). The context matters — deadline counting uses the full day; submission cutoffs use the business close time.