December 19, 2025

Vol. XLII, No. 17

Legal Bank Holidays: 2026 Schedule

This issue serves as a reference to the holiday schedule for 2026 listed by legal definition and the dates upon which such holidays will fall.

Official holidays for state-chartered banks are governed by state law: Neb.Rev.Stat. § 62-301. If any holiday date falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be a holiday. If the date designated by the state for the observance of any holiday, except Veterans Day, is different from the date of observance of any such holiday pursuant to a federal holiday schedule, the federal holiday schedule will be observed. A bank may, at its own option, be open or closed on an official holiday provided that reasonable notice is given to the public in accordance with state statute. A holiday observance becomes important in determining liability under the UCC midnight deadline rule and must be considered carefully when planning to close on a Friday or Monday in lieu of a regularly scheduled holiday which might fall on Saturday or Sunday.

12 U.S.C. § 95(b)(1) addresses the applicability of state banking holidays to national banks as follows:

• In the event of natural calamity, riot, insurrection, war or other emergency conditions occurring in any state whether caused by acts of nature or of man, the Comptroller of the Currency may designate by proclamation any day a legal holiday for the national banking associations located in that state. In the event that the emergency conditions affect only part of a state, the Comptroller of the Currency may designate the part so affected and may proclaim a legal holiday for the national banking associations located in that affected part. In the event a state or a state official authorized by law designates any day as a legal holiday for ceremonial or emergency reasons, for the state or any part thereof, that same day shall be a legal holiday for all national banking associations, or their offices located in that state or the part so affected. A national banking association or its affected offices may close or remain open on such a state-designated holiday unless the Comptroller of the Currency by written order directs otherwise​.

National banks may, in their discretion, either close or remain open on such a state-designated holiday unless the Comptroller of the Currency by written order directs otherwise. (Source: 12 U.S.C. § 7.3000)

A more detailed article, sample notice and pertinent statutory provisions may be found in the NBA Compliance Handbook: Volume I: Governance section titled "Bank Holidays."

Official Federal Reserve System and State Holidays (2026) (Legal Definition - Date Observed)

• New Year's Day (January 1) - Thursday, January 1
• Martin Luther King's Birthday (3rd Monday in Jan.) - Monday, January 19
• Presidents' Day (3rd Monday in Feb.) - Monday, Feb. 16
• Arbor Day (Last Friday in April) - Friday, April 24*
• Memorial Day (Last Monday in May) - Monday, May 25
• Juneteenth National Independence Day - Friday, June 19
• Independence Day (July 4) - Saturday, July 4
• Labor Day (First Monday in Sept.) - Monday, September 7
• Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day (2nd Monday in Oct.) - Monday, October 12
• Veterans Day (November 11) - Wednesday, November 11
• Thanksgiving Day (4th Thursday in Nov.) - Thursday, November 26
• Day after Thanksgiving - Friday, November 27*
• Christmas Day (December 25) - Friday, December 25

*Although an official state holiday, the Federal Reserve Banks are open on Arbor Day and on the day after Thanksgiving.

NOTE: The Federal Reserve standard holiday schedule provides that if a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as a holiday. For holidays falling on a Sunday, the preceding Friday is not observed as a holiday.

For future planning, an extended list of bank holiday schedules for 2027-2028 is found below:
KEY: Holiday - 2027 Date | 2028 Date

• New Year's Day - January 1, 2027 | January 1, 2028
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day - January 18, 2027 | January 17, 2028
• Presidents' Day - February 15, 2027 | February 21, 2028
• Arbor Day - April 30, 2027 | April 28, 2028
• Memorial Day - May 31, 2027 | May 29, 2028
• Juneteenth National Independence Day - June 19, 2027 | June 19, 2028
• Independence Day - July 4, 2027 | July 4, 2028
• Labor Day - September 6, 2027 | September 4, 2028
• Columbus Day/Indigenous People's Day - October 11, 2027 | October 9, 2028
• Veterans Day - November 11, 2027 | November 11, 2028
• Thanksgiving Day - November 25, 2027 | November 23, 2028
• Day After Thanksgiving - November 26, 2027 | November 24, 2028
• Christmas Day - December 25, 2027 | December 25, 2028

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The foregoing Compliance Update is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. As a reminder, the NBA general counsel is the attorney for the Nebraska Bankers Association, not its member banks. The general counsel is available to assist members with finding resources to help answer their questions. However, for specific legal advice about specific situations, members must consult and retain their own attorney.