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Is New Year's Eve a Business Day?

New Year's Eve is a business day whenever December 31 is a weekday, with one exception for federal offices: when New Year's Day falls on a Saturday, they take Friday, December 31 off, while Federal Reserve Banks stay open. That happens next in 2027, then in 2032. New Year's Eve is not itself a federal holiday. In 2026, Thursday, December 31 is a business day for federal offices and banks, unless a President closes federal offices by executive order.

December 31, year by year

Federal offices follow OPM; banks follow the Federal Reserve's holiday schedule. Individual banks set their own branch hours and may close early on December 31. The table does not include any extra closing a President orders by executive order. The Federal Reserve's published schedule runs through 2030; later bank dates apply its current Saturday rule.

Why federal offices and banks split in 2027 and 2032

Both years, December 31 is a Friday and January 1 is a Saturday. OPM moves a Saturday holiday back a day: "If a holiday falls on a Saturday, for most Federal employees, the preceding Friday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes." So federal offices are closed on Friday, December 31.

The Federal Reserve does not: "For holidays falling on Saturday, Federal Reserve Banks and Branches will be open the preceding Friday." On the bank calendar, Friday, December 31, 2027 is a business day, and ACH payments and wires settle that day. The 2027 bank holidays page has the other Saturday holidays that year.

The other direction: "If a holiday falls on a Sunday, for most Federal employees, the following Monday will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes." When New Year's Day is a Sunday, December 31 is a Saturday, and the holiday moves to Monday, January 2.

What December 31 changes for a January 1 payday

New Year's Day is a federal and bank holiday, so a payday on January 1 moves. If your employer pays on the business day before a holiday, a Friday, January 1, 2027 payday is paid Thursday, December 31, 2026, and that check counts in 2026. If it pays the business day after, the check arrives Monday, January 4, 2027. Your employer's written payroll policy decides which way it moves; the pay schedule page covers both directions, and the 2027 payroll calendar lists the dates. A Friday, December 31, 2027 payday is different: banks are open that day, so it can be paid on time, but the GSA 2027 payroll calendar for federal employees pays Thursday, December 30 instead.

Questions

Is New Year's Eve a federal holiday?

No. December 31 is not on the list of federal holidays. In years when New Year's Day falls on a Saturday, as in 2027 and 2032, federal offices take December 31 off as the observed New Year's Day, which is not the same as New Year's Eve becoming a holiday.

Are banks open on New Year's Eve?

When December 31 is a weekday, the Federal Reserve is open, including in 2027 (and in 2032 under its current rule). Your own bank can still close early or keep shorter branch hours; ACH transfers and wires it sends after its cut-off settle the next business day.

Is Christmas Eve a business day too?

It is not a federal holiday, and banks follow the Federal Reserve and stay open. Federal offices close on Christmas Eve only if a President orders it, which happened in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024 and 2025; the full history is on is Christmas Eve a business day. To count what is left before the holidays, see how many business days until Christmas.

Last updated November 12, 2026 (America/Chicago). Rules quoted from OPM's federal holidays page and the Federal Reserve Financial Services holiday schedule; dates computed from 5 U.S.C. 6103 holidays with those observance rules.