The fastest way to know if today is a bank holiday
The U.S. Federal Reserve publishes the official list of bank holidays each year on its website. Go to federalreserve.gov, search for "holiday schedule," and you will see the exact dates. Today's date will either appear on that list or it will not. If it does, most banks are closed and will not process transfers or deposits until the next business day.
Your own bank may also observe holidays that the Federal Reserve does not. Some banks close on state holidays or religious observances that are not federal bank holidays. The safest check is to call your bank's customer service line or log into your online banking app — most apps show whether your branch is open today in the account dashboard or under "branch locator."
If you need to move money today and you are unsure, do not wait. Call now. A five-minute call tells you whether your transaction will process today or queue until tomorrow.
Key Takeaways
- The Federal Reserve publishes the official bank holiday schedule each year on federalreserve.gov, and today either appears on that list or it does not.
- Your specific bank may close on additional holidays beyond the federal list, so checking your bank's website or app is more reliable than checking the federal schedule alone.
- Most banking apps show branch status and hours in real time under the branch locator or account dashboard.
- If you need to send or receive money today, call your bank directly rather than guessing — the answer takes one phone call.
What happens to your money if you send it on a bank holiday
A transfer you send on a bank holiday does not vanish. It queues in the system and processes on the next business day. The receiving bank will not credit the money to the recipient's account until that next business day either, so the recipient does not see it land today.
Wire transfers sent on a holiday typically process the next business day. ACH transfers (the standard for direct deposit and bill pay) also wait until the next business day. If you send a check, the bank will not deposit it until the holiday is over. The only exception is if you use your bank's own internal transfer system to move money between your own accounts at that bank — those sometimes process when ready even on holidays, but not always.
If a important date matters — a bill due today, a paycheck that needs to land by a certain date — do not rely on a holiday-day transfer. Send it the business day before instead.
The federal bank holidays that close most U.S. banks
The Federal Reserve recognizes ten federal holidays each year. Banks close on all of them. These are: New Year's Day (January 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January), Presidents' Day (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Juneteenth (June 19), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Columbus Day (second Monday in October), Veterans Day (November 11), and Christmas Day (December 25).
When a federal holiday falls on a Saturday, most banks close on Friday instead. When it falls on a Sunday, most banks close on Monday. This shift is called an observed holiday. The Federal Reserve's published schedule shows which day your bank will actually be closed.
State and regional holidays that may close your bank
Some states observe additional holidays that the federal government does not. For example, some Southern states close on Confederate Memorial Day. Some states close on Election Day. A few states recognize holidays specific to their history or culture. If your bank has branches in multiple states, it may close on different days depending on which state the branch is in.
The only way to know whether your bank observes a state holiday is to check your bank's own holiday schedule. Call the branch directly, check the bank's website, or log into your app. Do not assume that because a day is not a federal holiday, your bank is open.
How bank holidays affect bill payments and direct deposits
A bill payment you schedule for a bank holiday will not leave your account until the next business day. Your bank will hold it in queue. This matters if you are trying to pay something by a important date — the payment will arrive late. Schedule bill payments for the business day before a holiday instead.
Direct deposits scheduled to arrive on a bank holiday will land on the next business day instead. If your paycheck is set to deposit on a Friday that is a federal holiday, it will arrive on Monday. Your employer sends the deposit instruction on time, but the receiving bank does not process it until the holiday is over.
Some employers and payroll services know about bank holidays and automatically move direct deposits earlier. Others do not. If you are unsure when your next paycheck will land, ask your employer or payroll department whether they adjust for holidays.
What to do if you need to move money on a bank holiday
If you absolutely must move money on a day when banks are closed, you have limited options. Some banks offer mobile check deposit through their app — you photograph a check and the bank processes it, though it still will not clear until the next business day. You can also use a peer-to-peer payment app like Venmo or PayPal to send money to someone else, though those apps are not banks and do not have holiday closures.
Wire transfers cannot be sent on a bank holiday because the Federal Reserve's wire system is closed. ACH transfers cannot be sent either. If you need to pay someone urgently, ask whether they accept payment through a third-party app, or wait until the next business day.
If you are expecting a time-sensitive payment and a bank holiday is in the way, contact the person or organization sending the money now and ask them to send it the day before the holiday instead. Do not wait until the holiday to discover the delay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use an ATM on a bank holiday?
Yes. ATMs operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even on bank holidays. You can withdraw cash and check your balance. However, any deposits you make at an ATM on a holiday will not be processed until the next business day.
Do credit unions close on bank holidays?
Most credit unions close on the same federal holidays as banks, but some observe different holidays or have different hours. Check your credit union's website or call to confirm whether it is open today.
What if I send a wire transfer on a bank holiday by mistake?
The wire system will reject it. Your bank will return the transfer to your account, usually within one business day. You will need to resend it on the next business day when the Federal Reserve's wire system is open.
Do online banks close on bank holidays?
Online banks do not have physical branches, so they do not "close" in the traditional sense. However, their processing systems still follow the Federal Reserve's holiday schedule. Transfers you send on a holiday will queue and process the next business day, just as they would at a traditional bank.
How do I know if my bank observes a holiday I have never heard of?
Check your bank's website for its full holiday schedule, or call customer service and ask for the complete list of days your branch will be closed this year. This is faster and more accurate than guessing.