The United States recognizes 11 federal holidays in 2025, spanning from New Year’s Day on January 1 through Christmas Day on December 25. The 2025 calendar features an Inauguration Day overlap, two holiday clusters in late November, and a complete August shutdown.

4 related posts

Number of federal holidays: 11 · Earliest 2025 holiday: January 1 (New Year’s Day) · Latest 2025 holiday: December 25 (Christmas Day) · Longest weekend: Labor Day (September 1) · Official source: OPM.gov

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Which states close public schools on Columbus Day
  • Whether private-sector employees receive extra floating holidays
3Timeline signal
  • Jan 1 to Dec 25: 11 holidays across 12 months
  • June 19, 2021: Juneteenth became a federal holiday
  • June 28, 1870: Congress first designated federal holidays
4What’s next
  • November 2025 delivers back-to-back holidays
  • February and April have no federal holidays
  • January 20 combines MLK Day and Inauguration Day

The key facts about U.S. federal holidays in 2025 distilled into a single reference table.

Category Detail
Total federal holidays 11
Fixed date holidays 5 (e.g., July 4)
Floating holidays 6 (Mondays mostly)
2025 Inauguration impact None (not a federal holiday)
Religious holiday Christmas Day only
State holiday variations At least 12 states observe unique holidays

What are U.S. national holidays in 2025?

The United States observes 11 federal holidays in 2025, spanning from New Year’s Day on January 1 through Christmas Day on December 25. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) publishes the official federal holiday calendar, and those same dates apply to most federal employees across the country.

The four original federal holidays established by Congress on June 28, 1870 were New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (per FEDmanager employment policy outlet). Congress has added holidays over the decades, most recently Juneteenth National Independence Day, which President Joe Biden signed into law in 2021.

New Year’s Day

  • Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

  • Monday, January 20, 2025
  • Observed on the third Monday of January every year

Presidents’ Day

  • Monday, February 17, 2025
  • Observed on the third Monday of February
Bottom line: Federal employees get 11 paid holidays in 2025, but private employers set their own calendars, so your actual time off depends on where you work.

How many stat holidays are there in the USA?

There are exactly 11 federal holidays in the USA, and no hidden 12th holiday lurking in the calendar. The US federal government sets these holidays under federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103), which applies to federal employees and sets the standard that most private employers follow.

Federal vs. state holidays

Federal holidays establish a baseline, but states are not required to mirror them. Louisiana observes Mardi Gras as a legal state holiday, and parts of Alabama do the same (per Flair HR HR policy resource). California celebrates César Chávez Day, while Alaska recognizes Seward’s Day, Texas observes Texas Independence Day, and Hawaii marks Statehood Day. These state-specific holidays do not affect federal offices but may close schools or state government buildings.

Standard 11 federal holidays

Six of the 11 federal holidays are floating-date holidays that always fall on a specific day of the week, meaning their exact calendar date shifts annually (per FEDmanager employment policy outlet). The remaining five are fixed-date holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1), Independence Day (July 4), Veterans Day (November 11), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday of November), and Christmas Day (December 25).

Bottom line: The answer to “how many federal holidays” is definitively 11, but the answer to “how many holidays affect me” depends on whether you work for the federal government, a state government, or a private employer with its own calendar.

What are the holidays in order for 2025?

Here is the complete 2025 federal holiday calendar in chronological order, with exact dates verified from Calendarpedia. Each entry shows the day of the week, which matters for planning long weekends.

The pattern shows Monday-heavy holidays creating predictable long weekends, with Independence Day as the sole Friday anchor and Veterans Day on a Tuesday breaking the Monday clustering.

Bottom line: The 2025 federal holiday calendar gives you two major long-weekend clusters—one in late November with Thanksgiving, and one in early September with Labor Day—plus standalone Friday and Monday holidays scattered throughout the year.

Is Monday, Oct 13 a U.S. holiday?

Yes, Monday, October 13, 2025 is a federal holiday: Columbus Day, observed on the second Monday of October per federal designation (per FEDmanager employment policy outlet). Federal government offices close on this date. However, the practical impact of Columbus Day varies significantly depending on where you live.

Columbus Day details

Columbus Day honors Christopher Columbus’s 1492 arrival in the Americas. For federal employees, October 13 is a paid day off. For many Americans, it is largely invisible—the postal service does not deliver, but most private businesses operate normally.

Federal observance

While Columbus Day remains a federal holiday, some communities have chosen to acknowledge Indigenous Peoples’ Day in place of Columbus Day in recent years (per FEDmanager employment policy outlet). This shift does not change the federal holiday status, but it reflects evolving cultural perspectives on how to observe the second Monday of October.

Bottom line: October 13 is a federal holiday, but whether it matters to you personally depends on whether you work for the federal government and whether your community has adopted Indigenous Peoples’ Day in place of Columbus Day.

Which states observe Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

The short answer is that Columbus Day is a federal holiday, but state observance varies widely. Not all states close public schools or state offices on Columbus Day, and several states and municipalities have formally adopted Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an alternative or additional observance.

States celebrating Columbus Day

Many states continue to observe Columbus Day, particularly those with large Italian-American communities where the holiday holds cultural significance. These states typically close state government offices and public schools on the second Monday of October.

States for Indigenous Peoples’ Day

At least a dozen states and numerous municipalities have passed resolutions recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of or alongside Columbus Day. The states vary in whether this is an official state holiday versus a commemorative resolution, which affects whether schools and state offices close.

Bottom line: Federal offices close on Columbus Day everywhere, but state-level observance of Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day is uneven, meaning school schedules and state government hours on the second Monday of October depend on your specific location.

2025 Federal Holiday Timeline

The complete chronological list of all 11 federal holidays with their 2025 dates and day-of-week information.

Date Holiday
January 1, 2025 New Year’s Day (Wednesday)
January 20, 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday)
February 17, 2025 Presidents’ Day (Monday)
May 26, 2025 Memorial Day (Monday)
June 19, 2025 Juneteenth (Thursday)
July 4, 2025 Independence Day (Friday)
September 1, 2025 Labor Day (Monday)
October 13, 2025 Columbus Day (Monday)
November 11, 2025 Veterans Day (Tuesday)
November 27, 2025 Thanksgiving Day (Thursday)
December 25, 2025 Christmas Day (Thursday)

Clarity on Federal Holidays

Confirmed facts

  • 11 federal holidays are observed nationwide
  • All dates confirmed by OPM.gov and Calendarpedia
  • Federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103) governs observances
  • Fixed-date holidays shift one day if they fall on a weekend
  • Six holidays always fall on Mondays

What’s unclear

  • Specific state school closure policies for Columbus Day
  • Exact number of private employers offering floating holidays
Why this matters

In 2025, January 20 is both Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Inauguration Day, but federal employees in Washington, DC will not receive an extra day off because Inauguration Day is not a federal holiday (per Flair HR HR policy resource). The overlap between federal holiday designation and significant national dates does not automatically create additional time off.

The trade-off

Private businesses are not required to observe federal holidays, but many do as a matter of practice. When private businesses stay open on federal holidays, it is common to pay time-and-a-half or double-time to workers, making these days financially significant for hourly employees (per Flair HR HR policy resource).

What authorities say

The four original federal holidays established by Congress in 1870 were New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

— FEDmanager (employment policy outlet)

When a fixed date holiday falls on a Saturday, it is observed on the preceding Friday for federal employees. When a fixed date holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the following Monday.

— FEDmanager (employment policy outlet)

Federal law (5 U.S.C. § 6103) establishes federal holidays for federal employees, and Congress is responsible for designating federal holidays.

— Wikipedia (federal policy reference)

Christmas Day is the only officially recognized religious holiday in the United States.

— Flair HR (HR policy resource)

The federal holiday calendar is predictable by law, but the gaps and overlaps reveal interesting patterns. There are no federal holidays in February after Presidents’ Day or in April at all—meaning Good Friday is not a federal holiday despite being observed in several states. November is the densest month, cramming Veterans Day and Thanksgiving into less than three weeks. For workers planning extended time off, the real long weekends come from holidays that fall on Mondays or Fridays: Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Independence Day.

Related reading: Frosty the Snowman Lyrics: Full Original Song Words · What Is Open On Canada Day – Toronto GTA Hours Guide 2024

Additional sources

trinet.com, qualee.com, opm.gov, ca2.uscourts.gov

Federal holidays form the core of US stat holidays 2025, and this full list of dates breaks down weekdays alongside OPM guidelines for precise planning.

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

What federal holidays fall in October 2025?

Only one federal holiday falls in October 2025: Columbus Day on Monday, October 13. The second Monday of October has been observed as Columbus Day since 1971.

Are there US stat holidays in August 2025?

No federal holidays fall in August 2025. The federal holiday calendar has a gap from early August through late August, with the last holiday before September being Independence Day on July 4.

What US holidays are in December 2025?

December 2025 has one federal holiday: Christmas Day on Thursday, December 25. This is the latest holiday in the calendar year and the only federal holiday with a religious designation.

Why isn’t Good Friday a federal holiday?

Good Friday is not a federal holiday because Congress has not designated it as one. Good Friday is observed as a state holiday in several states, but the federal government recognizes only 11 holidays. Easter Monday also is not a federal holiday.

How do federal holidays affect pay?

Federal employees receive paid time off on federal holidays. Private businesses are not required to observe federal holidays, but when they stay open, it is common to pay time-and-a-half or double-time to workers. Employers may also grant floating holidays to employees who celebrate other religious holidays.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth National Independence Day commemorates the end of African American enslavement in the United States. It marks June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers informed enslaved people in Texas that the Civil War had ended and they were free. President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth into law as a federal holiday in 2021.

Does Christmas 2025 fall on a weekday?

Yes, Christmas Day 2025 falls on a Thursday, December 25. This means it creates favorable scheduling conditions for workers hoping to maximize their time off.