The quickest way to know if today is a bank holiday
The Federal Reserve publishes a calendar each year listing the exact dates when U.S. banks close. The simplest way to check is to visit the Federal Reserve's official holiday schedule at federalreserve.gov and look for today's date. If it appears on that list, banks will not process transfers, clear checks, or conduct normal operations today.
Your own bank may also close on state holidays that are not federal holidays. Check your bank's website or call their customer service line — they list their closure dates in the account section or under "hours and locations". Some banks stay open on certain federal holidays if they are not major payment-system holidays, so knowing your specific bank's schedule matters if you need to deposit a check or withdraw cash today.
If you need to send money today and are unsure whether it will process, assume it will not if today is a federal bank holiday. Transfers initiated on a holiday typically process the next business day instead.
Key Takeaways
- The Federal Reserve publishes an official holiday calendar showing which days U.S. banks close for federal holidays.
- Your individual bank may close on additional state holidays beyond the federal list, so check your bank's specific schedule.
- Transfers and check clearing do not process on federal bank holidays and will move to the next business day.
- The nine federal bank holidays when most U.S. banks close are New Year's Day, MLK Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
The nine federal bank holidays each year
The Federal Reserve recognizes nine holidays when it closes and does not process payments through the banking system. 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 National Independence Day (June 19), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), and Christmas Day (December 25).
When any of these dates fall on a weekend, the Federal Reserve observes the holiday on the nearest weekday. If July 4 lands on a Saturday, for example, the Fed closes on Friday July 3. If it lands on a Sunday, the Fed closes on Monday July 5. This shift changes which day your transfers will not process, so checking the actual calendar rather than the date itself matters.
Good Friday (the Friday before Easter) is not a federal bank holiday, though some individual banks close. The stock market closes on Good Friday, but the banking system operates normally, and ACH transfers and wire transfers will process.
What does not happen on a bank holiday
On a federal bank holiday, the Federal Reserve does not process ACH transfers (the system that moves money between accounts at different banks), wire transfers, or check clearing. If you send an ACH transfer on a bank holiday, it enters the queue but does not move until the next business day. A check you deposit on a holiday will not clear until the day after the holiday ends.
Your bank's ATM and online banking portal remain available — you can check your balance and move money between your own accounts at that bank. But any transaction that requires the Federal Reserve or another bank to process it will wait. This includes bill payments sent to other institutions, direct deposits from your employer, and payments to credit cards held at different banks.
Debit card purchases and credit card transactions process normally on bank holidays because they move through card networks, not the Federal Reserve. Your paycheck may arrive on schedule even if it is a bank holiday, depending on when your employer's payroll system sends it.
How to plan around bank holidays
If you need money to arrive by a specific date, send it at least one business day before that date, and account for any bank holidays in between. A transfer sent on a Friday that is not a holiday reaches most accounts by Monday. But a transfer sent on Friday before a three-day holiday weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, plus Monday holiday) will not arrive until Tuesday.
If you are paying a bill on a important date, send the payment two business days early. This gives the receiving institution time to process it even if a holiday falls in between. Many billers accept payments up to midnight on the due date, but the payment must actually clear by then — a transfer sent at 11 p.m. on the due date will not meet the important date if a holiday is the next day.
For payroll, ask your employer whether they process payroll before or after bank holidays. Some employers run payroll on the day before a holiday to may support deposits land on time. Others run it on the holiday itself, which means deposits arrive the next business day. Knowing your employer's schedule prevents the surprise of expecting money that does not arrive until after the holiday.
State holidays that may affect your bank
Beyond the nine federal holidays, some states observe additional holidays when state-chartered banks close. For example, Texas observes Confederate Memorial Day (June 19, though this overlaps with Juneteenth), and some Southern states observe Robert E. Lee's birthday. If your bank is chartered in a state with additional holidays, it may close on those days even though the Federal Reserve remains open.
This matters because a transfer you send on a state holiday may not process if your bank is closed, even if the Federal Reserve is open. The delay happens at your bank's end, not the Federal Reserve's. Check your bank's holiday calendar specifically — most banks list state holidays alongside federal ones.
If you bank with a national bank like Chase, Bank of America, or Wells Fargo, they typically close only on federal holidays. Regional or state banks are more likely to close on additional state holidays. Call your bank's main line or check their website to see their full closure schedule.
What to do if you need to move money on a bank holiday
If you must send money on a bank holiday and cannot wait, use a service that does not depend on the Federal Reserve. Peer-to-peer payment apps like Venmo, PayPal, and Square Cash move money between individuals outside the banking system and process on holidays. Wire transfers through some private money-transfer services also operate on holidays, though they charge higher fees than ACH transfers.
For bill payments, check whether the biller accepts credit card or debit card payments instead of bank transfers. Card payments process on holidays through card networks. If you must pay a bill by bank transfer and today is a holiday, call the biller and ask whether they will accept a payment dated for the next business day, or whether they have a grace period for payments sent on holidays.
If you are expecting a deposit (paycheck, tax refund, insurance payment) and today is a bank holiday, the deposit will arrive the next business day. You can check your bank's website to see whether the deposit has been received — it may show as pending even on a holiday, and will clear the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my debit card on a bank holiday?
Yes. Debit card purchases process through card networks, not the Federal Reserve, so they work normally on bank holidays. ATM withdrawals also work because ATMs operate independently. Only transfers between banks and check clearing are delayed.
Will my paycheck arrive if today is a bank holiday?
It depends on when your employer sends payroll. If they send it before the holiday, it may arrive on the holiday or the next day. If they send it on the holiday itself, it will arrive the next business day. Ask your employer's payroll department when they process payments relative to holidays.
What if I send a wire transfer on a bank holiday?
Domestic wire transfers through the Federal Reserve do not process on bank holidays and will move the next business day. Some private wire-transfer services operate on holidays but charge premium fees. Check with your bank about their specific wire-transfer policy on holidays.
Does the stock market close on the same days as banks?
Mostly, but not always. The stock market closes on Good Friday, but banks remain open. Both close on the nine federal bank holidays. Check the Federal Reserve calendar and the NYSE calendar if you need to know about both.
How do I know if my specific bank is closed today?
Call your bank's main customer service line or check their website's hours and locations section. They list their closure dates, which may include state holidays your bank observes beyond the federal nine.