Business Days Calculator
Find the date that is a set number of business days before or after another date — weekends and US federal holidays skipped. For example, 10 business days after Friday 20 November 2026 is Monday 7 December 2026, because Thanksgiving is skipped.
- Business days are usually Monday–Friday, excluding public holidays.
- The start date is not counted when adding days.
- 5 business days ≈ 1 week; 10 ≈ 2 weeks.
- Federal holidays that fall on weekends are observed on Friday or Monday.
How to add business days to a date
- Start the day afterDay 1 is the next business day after the start date.
- Skip weekendsSaturday and Sunday are not counted (change the working days above if yours differ).
- Skip holidaysPublic holidays on weekdays are not counted.
- Stop at the target countThe date you land on is the answer.
Example: 10 business days after Friday 20 November 2026 → 23, 24, 25 November (Thanksgiving on the 26th is skipped), 27, 30 November, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 December. Answer: Monday 7 December.
How to use the Business Days calculator
Fill in the fields above and press Calculate. Results appear straight away, in your browser — nothing is sent or stored.
- I want to — choose from: Add business days to a date, Subtract business days from a date, Count business days between two dates.
- Start date — starts at 2026-11-20; replace it with your own figure.
- Number of business days — starts at 10; replace it with your own figure. (shown when relevant)
- End date — starts at 2026-12-31; replace it with your own figure. (shown when relevant)
- Skip US federal holidays — tick or untick as needed.
Change any value and press Calculate again to compare scenarios. All figures are estimates for planning; check them against your own policy, contract and local rules before using them for payroll.
Where business days matter
- Contract and notice periods: “within 10 business days of receipt”.
- Shipping and delivery estimates: carriers quote transit in business days.
- Payments: bank transfers and ACH settle on banking days.
- Securities: US stock trades settle one business day after the trade (T+1) since May 2024.
- HR and payroll: final paycheck deadlines and response times in some states are set in business days.
- Customer service levels: “we reply within 2 business days”.
Business day examples
What date is 10 business days after 20 Nov 2026?
Monday 7 December 2026 (Thanksgiving skipped).
What date is 5 business days after Friday 18 Dec 2026?
Monday 28 December 2026 (Christmas Day, Fri 25 Dec, skipped).
What date is 3 business days after Thursday 2 Jul 2026?
Wednesday 8 July 2026 (Independence Day observed Fri 3 Jul, skipped).
What date is 10 business days before 31 Dec 2026?
Wednesday 16 December 2026 (Christmas skipped).
What date is 20 business days after 1 Oct 2026?
Friday 30 October 2026 (Columbus Day, 12 Oct, skipped).
What date is 30 business days after 2 Jan 2026?
Tuesday 17 February 2026 (MLK Day and Presidents’ Day skipped).
Banking days vs business days
Banks follow the Federal Reserve holiday schedule, which is similar to the federal holiday list but handles weekends differently: when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the Federal Reserve does not close on the Friday before. So the Friday before a Saturday holiday can be a banking day even though it is an observed federal holiday for government offices. For payments, check your bank’s calendar.
Worked examples
Real-world scenarios, worked through step by step.
Contract notice
Notice served Monday 7 Dec 2026 with 15 business days to respond: deadline Tuesday 29 December 2026 (Christmas skipped).
Delivery estimate
Ships Wednesday 25 Nov 2026, 3–5 business days: arrives Tuesday 1 Dec to Thursday 3 Dec (Thanksgiving skipped).
Payment terms
Invoice approved Friday 3 July 2026, paid in 5 business days: Friday 10 July (the observed holiday on 3 July is the start date, so not counted).
Subtracting
A report due Monday 12 Oct 2026 needs 4 business days of review: 4 business days before the due date is Tuesday 6 October, so review must start then.
US federal holidays skipped
| Holiday | 2026 (observed) | 2027 (observed) |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Fri, Jan 1 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 19 | Mon, Jan 18 |
| Washington’s Birthday (Presidents’ Day) | Mon, Feb 16 | Mon, Feb 15 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | Mon, May 31 |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19 | Fri, Jun 18 |
| Independence Day | Fri, Jul 3 | Mon, Jul 5 |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | Mon, Sep 6 |
| Columbus Day | Mon, Oct 12 | Mon, Oct 11 |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11 | Thu, Nov 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | Thu, Nov 25 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | Fri, Dec 24 |
Counting business days between two dates
For deadlines, the usual convention is to exclude the start date and include the end date. Choose “Count business days between two dates” above. If you need a count that includes both dates — for payroll or capacity — use the work days calculator.
Business days in other countries
Weekends are not the same everywhere: in several Middle Eastern countries the weekend is Friday–Saturday, and a few use Saturday–Sunday or Friday only. Holidays obviously differ too. Untick the US holiday option, set your working days, and adjust for local holidays. Teams that work across countries should agree in writing which calendar a deadline follows; the time zone converter helps with the hours.
Business days to calendar days
A starting point for estimates (Monday–Friday, no holidays in the period):
| Business days | Equivalent | Calendar days (from a Monday start) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 days | 3 |
| 5 | 1 week | 5 |
| 10 | 2 weeks | 12 |
| 15 | 3 weeks | 19 |
| 20 | 4 weeks | 26 |
| 30 | 6 weeks | 40 |
| 45 | 9 weeks | 61 |
| 60 | 12 weeks | 82 |
| 90 | 18 weeks | 124 |
Each federal holiday in the period adds one calendar day. Starting late in the week adds weekend days sooner.
Holidays that move deadlines most
Three periods catch people out every year:
- Thanksgiving week: Thursday is a federal holiday and many businesses close Friday too, so “5 business days” from the Monday of that week often runs into the following week.
- Christmas to New Year: two federal holidays in eight days; when they fall on weekends the observed days move to Friday or Monday.
- Independence Day: when 4 July is a Saturday (as in 2026) the federal holiday is observed on Friday 3 July.
If your business closes on extra days (for example the day after Thanksgiving), untick the federal holiday option and set the working days to match, or count those days manually.
How different industries use it
- Legal and contracts: Notice periods and response deadlines are commonly set in business days.
- ecommerce and retail: Delivery promises are quoted in business days and must skip carrier holidays.
Business days per month in 2026
Monday–Friday business days after US federal holidays (observed dates):
| 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 |
Use these counts to set realistic monthly targets for anything measured per business day — tickets closed, orders shipped or invoices processed.
Do it in Excel or Google Sheets
With a start date in A2, a number of days in B2 and holiday dates in H2:H12:
- Add business days
=WORKDAY(A2,B2,H2:H12) - Subtract business days
=WORKDAY(A2,-B2,H2:H12) - Custom weekend (Friday–Saturday)
=WORKDAY.INTL(A2,B2,7,H2:H12) - Business days between (excluding start)
=NETWORKDAYS(A2+1,C2,H2:H12)
WORKDAY does not count the start date, matching the convention used for deadlines.
Who uses the Business Days calculator — and why
- Legal and contracts teams calculating notice periods.
- Ecommerce and logistics estimating delivery dates.
- Finance teams scheduling payments.
- HR meeting response and final-pay deadlines.
- Customer support setting SLA dates.
- Project managers planning reviews and approvals.
How we calculate
- Add/subtract: day 1 is the first working day after the start date; weekends and selected holidays are skipped.
- Between: excludes the start date and includes the end date.
- Holidays per 5 U.S.C. § 6103 (observed dates). Bank holidays follow the Federal Reserve schedule and may differ.
- All calculations run in your browser; nothing you type is sent to StaffTiming or stored.
Formulas checked against the sources above. Last reviewed: October 2026. This tool gives estimates for planning, not legal, tax or payroll advice.
Key terms explained
- Business day
- A weekday that is not a public holiday.
- Banking day
- A day banks are open for business.
- T+1
- Trade settlement one business day after the trade date.
- Calendar day
- Every day, including weekends and holidays.
- Observed holiday
- The weekday a weekend holiday is moved to.
- SLA
- Service level agreement — a promised response or resolution time.
- Notice period
- The time required before an action takes effect.
- Lead time
- The time between order and delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What is a business day?
Usually Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
Is Saturday a business day?
Not usually. Some industries and countries count it; check the contract.
How long is 5 business days?
One working week — 7 calendar days if no holiday falls in between.
How long is 10 business days?
Two working weeks, usually 14 calendar days.
Is the start date counted?
No. Day 1 is the next business day.
Are federal holidays business days?
Federal government offices are closed; many private businesses also close on some of them.
What is T+1 settlement?
US securities trades settle one business day after the trade.
Do banks close on all federal holidays?
Banks generally follow the Federal Reserve schedule, which does not move Saturday holidays to Friday.
How do I add business days in Excel?
Use WORKDAY(start, days, holidays).
How many business days are in a year?
About 250 in the US after federal holidays (250 in 2026).
Does this work for other countries?
Yes — untick US holidays and set your working days.
What if the deadline lands on a holiday?
Business-day counting skips it automatically, landing on the next business day.
Is the day after Thanksgiving a business day?
It is not a federal holiday, so it counts here, but many businesses close. Untick Friday or count it manually if yours does.
How many business days are in a month?
Usually 20 to 23.
Do business days include public holidays?
No — business days exclude public holidays that fall on weekdays.
How many business days is 2 weeks?
10 business days, if there are no holidays.
What is 3 business days from Friday?
Wednesday of the following week, if Monday to Wednesday are business days.
What is 7 business days from today?
Count 7 weekdays forward from tomorrow, skipping any holidays. With no holidays, it is the same weekday next week plus two more business days.
What is 15 business days?
Three working weeks — usually 21 calendar days if no holiday falls in between.
Automate this with real tracked data.
StaffTiming records hours as they happen and turns them into payroll-ready timesheets, so you never re-type a calculation.